PROSTHESIS LINER

Abstract

The invention relates to a prosthesis liner with a base body made of an elastic inner material which comprises an open proximal end, a closed distal end opposite the proximal end, and a longitudinal extension, which extends from the proximal end to the distal end, a bi-elastic textile layer arranged on or in the liner material, and a connection region that is arranged and configured to be connected to a prosthesis socket, wherein the textile layer has, in a section that extends proximally from the connection region, at least one tension element by means of which the elasticity of the textile layer is reduced in the longitudinal direction of the base body.

Claims

1. A prosthesis liner with a base body made of an elastic liner material which comprises an open proximal end, a closed distal end opposite the proximal end, and a longitudinal extension, which extends from the proximal end to the distal end; a bi-elastic textile layer arranged on or in the liner material, and a connection region that is arranged and configured to be connected to a prosthesis socket; wherein the textile layer has, in a section that extends proximally from the connection region, at least one tension element by means of which the elasticity of the textile layer in the longitudinal direction of the base body is reduced.

2. The prosthesis liner according to claim 1, wherein the section preferably extends from the distal end, wherein the connection region is preferably formed by a distal cap with at least one fastening element for fastening the prosthesis liner to a prosthesis socket.

3. The prosthesis liner according to claim 1, wherein the connection region is limited proximally by at least one sealing lip.

4. The prosthesis liner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tension element extends into the connection region and/or wherein the textile layer also features at least one tension element in the connection region as well, by way of which the elasticity of the textile layer is reduced in the longitudinal direction of the base body.

5. The prosthesis liner according to claim 1, wherein the textile layer features a plurality of tension elements which are preferably distributed equidistantly across a circumference of the textile layer.

6. The prosthesis liner according to claim 1, wherein the tension element comprises fibers and/or threads made of an inelastic material.

7. The prosthesis liner according to claim 5, wherein the tension elements are fastened at their proximal end, which is preferably located at a distance from the proximal end of the base body, to the textile layer in such a way that tension forces acting on the tension elements in the longitudinal direction are transmitted to the textile layer.

8. The prosthesis liner according to claim 7, wherein the tension elements form a loop at their proximal end, which is guided around at least one element of the textile layer.

9. The prosthesis liner according to claim 1, wherein the tension elements extend at least in sections within the textile layer.

10. The prosthesis liner according to claim 1, wherein the prosthesis liner has a distal cap with at least one fastening element for fastening the prosthesis liner to a prosthesis socket, wherein the distal ends of the tension elements are bonded, preferably glued or moulded, to the distal cap.

11. The prosthesis liner according to claim 10, wherein the distal cap is integrated into the prosthesis liner, such as cast or injected into the elastic liner material.

12. The prosthesis liner according to claim 1, wherein the prosthesis liner is designed to enclose a joint, especially a knee or an elbow, of an amputation stump when in the mounted state, with the section terminating distally of the joint.

13. A system composed of a prosthesis liner according to claim 1, wherein a prosthesis socket is designed in such a way that it can be connected to the connection region of the prosthesis liner.

14. A prosthesis liner comprising: a base body made of an elastic liner material, the base body comprising: an open proximal end, a closed distal end opposite the proximal end, and a longitudinal extension which extends from the proximal end to the distal end; a bi-elastic textile layer arranged on or in the liner material; and a connection region configured to be connected to a prosthesis socket; wherein the textile layer has at least one tension element in a section that extends proximally from the connection region, the tension element configured to reduce the elasticity of the textile layer in the longitudinal direction of the base body; and wherein the textile layer also has at least one tension element in the connection region, the tension element configured to reduce the elasticity of the textile layer in the longitudinal direction of the base body.

15. The prosthesis liner of claim 14, wherein the textile layer features a plurality of tension elements distributed across a circumference of the textile layer.

16. The prosthesis liner of claim 15, wherein the plurality of tension elements are distributed equidistantly across the circumference of the textile layer.

17. The prosthesis liner of claim 15, wherein the tension elements comprise fibers and/or threads made of an inelastic material.

18. The prosthesis liner of claim 15, wherein the tension elements are fastened at their proximal end, which is preferably located at a distance from the proximal end of the base body, to the textile layer in such a way that tension forces acting on the tension elements in the longitudinal direction are transmitted to the textile layer.

19. The prosthesis liner of claim 15, wherein the prosthesis liner has a distal cap with at least one fastening element for fastening the prosthesis liner to a prosthesis socket, wherein the distal ends of the tension elements are bonded, preferably glued or moulded, to the distal cap.

20. A prosthesis liner comprising: a base body made of an elastic liner material, the base body comprising: an open proximal end, a closed distal end opposite the proximal end, and a longitudinal extension which extends from the proximal end to the distal end; a bi-elastic textile layer arranged on or in the liner material; a connection region configured to be connected to a prosthesis socket; and a distal cap with at least one fastening element for fastening the prosthesis liner to a prosthesis socket; wherein the textile layer has a plurality of tension elements distributed across a circumference of the textile layer and extending proximally from the connection region, the tension elements comprising fibers and/or threads of an inelastic material, the tension elements being configured to reduce the elasticity of the textile layer in the longitudinal direction of the base body.

Description

[0028] In the following, some examples of embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail by way of the attached figures:

[0029] They show:

[0030] FIGS. 1 to 3—various examples of embodiments of a prosthesis liner, each in a frontal view and a side view,

[0031] FIG. 4—the schematic representation of a knitted fabric that can be used for such a liner, and

[0032] FIG. 5—a further example of an embodiment of a prosthesis liner in a frontal view and a side view.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a prosthesis liner 2 with a base body 4 with a textile layer, not explicitly shown here, located in its distal area. The prosthesis liner 2 comprises a connecting cap 6 on which fastening elements can be arranged in order to arrange the prosthesis liner 2 in a prosthesis socket, not depicted.

[0034] Multiple tension elements 8, represented as dashed lines, are arranged in the bielastic textile layer arranged on the base body 4 of the liner 2. They are filler threads which are stitched into the textile of the textile layer. They are preferably made of an inelastic material or a material with a lower elasticity than the textile layer.

[0035] FIG. 2 depicts a different embodiment of the prosthesis liner 2, again with a textile layer, not depicted, arranged in the distal area. Instead of the stitched filler threads from FIG. 1, in FIG. 2 tension elements 8 have been inserted into the textile layer that have a thermoplastic coating or melt fibers, or are made of a thermoplastic material themselves. Once the tension elements 8 in the form of filler threads have been inserted into the textile material of the textile layer, they can be melted or at least softened to the extent that they bond with the textile layer. The particularly special feature is that this bond occurs not on the outer side of the textile layer, but within the textile layer, as the filler threads have first been integrated in the textile layer and incorporated into it.

[0036] FIG. 3 depicts a further embodiment of the prosthesis liner 2 in which the tension elements 8 are introduced into the textile of the textile layer, not depicted, in the form of filler threads.

[0037] FIG. 4 schematically depicts how the tension elements 8 are positioned in the knitted fabric. The knitted fabric 10 can be seen that forms part of the elastic textile layer arranged on or in the liner material of the prosthesis liner 2. The loops of the knitted fabric 10 are formed of a yarn made of a first material or a material mix. In both directions, i.e. upwards and downwards as well as to the right and left in FIG. 4, the knitted fabric 10 exhibits an elasticity which makes it a bi-elastic textile. The tension elements 8 in the form of filler threads are introduced into the knitted fabric from the distal end and extend in the distal direction until they form a guide loop and are redirected back in the distal direction parallel to the previous path. The two ends can be connected, for example glued, to each other at the distal end or connected to the distal connecting cap 6.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows the prosthesis liner 2 in a front view and a side view, the base body 4 of which comprises a plurality of tension elements 8, which, however, do not extend to the distal end of the prosthesis liner 2. The prosthesis liner 2 depicted features a sealing lip 16 that comes into contact with an inner wall of a prosthesis socket when the prosthesis liner 2 is inserted into the prosthesis socket when the liner is in the mounted state. As a result, a volume is hermetically sealed distally of the sealing lip 16, i.e. below the sealing lip 16 in the representations shown, in which a negative pressure can be generated by which the prosthesis socket is held on the prosthesis liner 2. The connection region 18 extends in this area distal to the sealing lip 16.

REFERENCE LIST

[0039] 2 prosthesis liner [0040] 4 base body [0041] 6 connecting cap [0042] 8 tension element [0043] 10 knitted fabric [0044] 12 guide loop [0045] 14 end [0046] 16 sealing lip [0047] 18 connection region