Abstract
A prosthesis socket having an open proximal end for accommodating an amputation stump, an inner wall and an outer wall, at least one hollow space being located between the inner wall and the outer wall and at least one internal element extending through said hollow space, the at least one internal element being integrally formed with the inner wall and/or the outer wall.
Claims
1. A prosthesis socket with an open proximal end for accommodating an amputation stump, an inner wall and an outer wall, wherein at least one cavity is arranged between the inner wall and the outer wall, through which at least one internal element extends, the at least one internal element being designed as a single piece with the inner wall and/or outer wall.
2. The prosthesis socket according to claim 1, wherein the at least one internal element is a support element, which preferably extends from the inner wall to the outer wall.
3. The prosthesis socket according to claim 2, wherein at least 25, preferably at least 100, especially preferably at least 500 support elements extend in the at least one cavity from the inner wall to the outer wall.
4. The prosthesis socket according to claim 2, wherein at least one support element, preferably a plurality of support elements, is perpendicular to the inner wall and/or perpendicular to the outer wall.
5. The prosthesis socket according to claim 1 wherein the at least one internal element is a partition element that divides the cavity into two partial cavities and is preferably arranged only on the outer wall.
6. The prosthesis socket according to claim 5, wherein the at least one partition element has at least one opening that connects the two partial cavities.
7. The prosthesis socket according to claim 6, wherein at least one support element extends through the at least one opening of the at least one partition element.
8. The prosthesis socket according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of internal elements are partition elements (30) that preferably run parallel to each other.
9. The prosthesis socket according to claim 1, characterized in that a connection means for a distal prosthesis component is arranged on a distal end of the prosthesis socket and imaginary extensions of a plurality of support elements in the connection means preferably meet at one point within the connection means.
10. The prosthesis socket according to claim 1, wherein the prosthesis socket is a prosthesis socket for a prosthesis for treating a lower limb, preferably a lower leg prosthesis.
11. The prosthesis socket according to claim 1, wherein the prosthesis socket comprises at least a first insert element that has a contact surface which is designed to correspond to the inner wall of the prosthesis socket.
12. The prosthesis socket according to claim 11, wherein the prosthesis socket has at least a second insert element that features a contact surface, which is designed to correspond to the inner wall of the prosthesis socket and/or a surface of the first insert element that is opposite the contact surface.
13. A method for producing a prosthesis socket according to claim 2, wherein: the directions of the forces expected to occur during use of the prosthesis socket are determined, on the basis of these directions, the positions and directions of the at least one support element (26) are determined, and on the basis of these positions and directions of the support elements (26) the prosthesis socket (2) is produced.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the prosthesis socket is at least partially produced by means of an additive manufacturing process, wherein the at least one support element in particular is produced in the additive manufacturing process.
15. A prosthesis socket for a lower leg prosthesis comprising: an open proximal end to accommodate an amputation stump, an inner wall, and an outer wall; at least one cavity arranged between the inner wall and the outer wall; a plurality of internal elements; wherein the plurality of internal elements are support elements which extend through the at least one cavity, each internal element being designed as a single piece with the inner wall and/or outer wall; and wherein a plurality of the support elements extend through the at least one cavity from the inner wall to the outer wall.
16. The prosthesis socket of claim 15, wherein at least 25, at least 100, or at least 500 support elements extend through the at least one cavity from the inner wall to the outer wall.
17. The prosthesis socket of claim 15, wherein a plurality of support elements is perpendicular to the inner wall and/or perpendicular to the outer wall.
18. A prosthesis socket for a lower leg prosthesis comprising: an open proximal end to accommodate an amputation stump, an inner wall, and an outer wall; at least one cavity arranged between the inner wall and the outer wall; and at least one internal element in the form of at least one partition element, the partition element dividing at least one cavity into two partial cavities; wherein the partition element is arranged only on the outer wall of the prosthesis socket.
19. The prosthesis socket of claim 18, wherein the at least one partition element has at least one opening that connects the two partial cavities.
20. The prosthesis socket of claim 19, wherein at least one support element extends through the at least one opening of the at least one partition element.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] In the following, some examples of embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail by way of the attached figures:
[0035] They show
[0036] FIG. 1—the schematic representation of a lower leg prosthesis,
[0037] FIG. 2—the representation from FIG. 1 with the prosthesis socket in a sectional view,
[0038] FIGS. 3-6—schematic sectional representations through prosthesis sockets,
[0039] FIGS. 7-8—schematic representations of insert elements,
[0040] FIG. 9—schematic sectional representations through the cavity,
[0041] FIG. 10—schematic representations of a connection means,
[0042] FIG. 11—the schematic sectional view through a socket with connection means,
[0043] FIG. 12—the schematic representation of a part of a prosthesis socket,
[0044] FIG. 13—the schematic sectional representation through a part of a prosthesis socket with connection means, and
[0045] FIG. 14—a schematic sectional representation through a prosthesis socket along another plane.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0046] FIG. 1 shows the schematic representation of a lower leg prosthesis that comprises a prosthesis socket 2, which has an open proximal end 4 and a closed distal end 6. At the distal end 6 is a connection means 8, on which a lower leg tube 10 is arranged. A prosthetic foot 12 is located at the lower end of this lower end tube 10. To determine position and orientation, a virtual pivot axis 14 for a knee accommodated in the prosthesis socket 2 was assumed in the example of an embodiment shown. This pivot axis 14 was connected on the one hand to a heel strike point 16 and on the other to a point 18 at which the load is applied during the transition to the swing phase. This results in the maximum load angle.
[0047] FIG. 2 depicts the representation from FIG. 1, the prosthesis socket 2 now being shown in a sectional view. It has an inner wall 20 and an outer wall 22, between which there is a cavity 24. In the example of an embodiment shown, a plurality of support elements 26 is arranged in this cavity 4, of which run through the cavity 24. Most of them are arranged with one end on an inner side of the inner wall 20 and with the opposite end on the inner side of the outer wall 22. However, a small number extends between two different points of the inner side of the outer wall 22. The dashed lines 28 demonstrate that some of the support elements 26 extend along these lines 28, thereby enabling an optimal force transmission upon heel strike and when lifting the toes. The remaining support elements 26 have been configured in a similar manner. Different support elements are subjected to a maximum load for different loads during different movements and/or in different phases of a gait cycle. Said support elements extend in the optimal direction for force transmission at the respective moment.
[0048] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view through another prosthesis socket 2. It also has an inner wall 20 and an outer wall 22, between which there is a cavity 24. A partition element 30 is situated in the cavity, said partition element featuring a closed cross-section contour in the example of an embodiment shown. The partition element 30 has a plurality of openings 32, which are depicted as small dots. The partition element 30 extends from the inner wall 20 in the proximal area of the cavity 24 to the distal end of the cavity 24, where it ends at the outer wall 22. This creates two partial cavities 34, one of which is found outside of the partition element 30 between the partition element 30 and the outer wall 22. The other partial cavity 24 is located inside of the partition element 30. In FIG. 3, it can be recognized that the prosthesis socket 2 has been extended in the distal direction, so that the connection means 8, designed as a pyramid adapter in the example of an embodiment shown, is displaced further in the distal direction. If the prosthesis socket 2 schematically depicted in FIG. 3 is used for a lower leg prosthesis, as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is no longer necessary to use a separate lower leg tube 10. The extended distal area of the prosthesis socket 2 assumes these tasks and, due to the structures inside the cavity 24, is able to withstand the occurring loads.
[0049] FIG. 4 shows another representation of a prosthesis socket 2 with the inner wall 20, the outer wall 22 and the partition element 30 previously depicted in FIG. 3. In addition, the prosthesis socket 2 in FIG. 4 features a number of support elements 26. Of these support elements 26, some extend from the inner wall 20 to the outer wall 22, wherein some of these support elements 26 are guided through the openings 32 in the partition element 30. Some of the support elements 26 extend completely in the outer partial cavity 34 and extend from a first point of the outer wall 22 to a second point of the outer wall 22. Most of these support elements 26 extend at least primarily in the proximal-distal direction.
[0050] FIG. 5 depicts a further schematic representation of a prosthesis socket 2 in a sectional view. This prosthesis socket 2 also features the inner wall 20, the outer wall 22 as well as the connection means 8 for a distal prosthesis element. With the prosthesis socket 2 shown in FIG. 5, the distal area is also extended, thereby rendering, for example, a lower leg tube redundant. The cavity 24 is located between the inner wall 20 and the outer wall 22, said cavity being divided by four partition elements 30 into five partial cavities 34 in the example of an embodiment shown. The partition elements 30 run parallel to one another and are designed to be flat. Unlike the partition element 30 from FIGS. 3 and 4, it does not have a closed cross-section contour. The partition elements 30 in FIG. 5 each feature an opening 32, through which the respective adjacent partial cavities 34 are connected to each other.
[0051] In another sectional representation, FIG. 6 depicts a prosthesis socket 2, which is similar in structure to the prosthesis socket 2 shown in FIG. 5. It also features four partition elements 30, which divide the distal area of the prosthesis socket into partial cavities 34. In addition, the prosthesis socket 2 shown in FIG. 6 has a plurality of support elements 26, which partially extend through the openings 32 into the partition element 30. Others extend between two partition elements 30 or run from the inner wall 20 to the outer wall 22.
[0052] FIG. 7 schematically depicts a prosthesis socket 2 with an insert element 36 produced for this prosthesis socket 2. It features a contact surface 38, which is designed to correspond to an outer side of the inner wall 20 of the prosthesis socket 2, so that the insert element 26 can be arranged with the contact surface over the entire surface of the inner wall 20 of the prosthesis socket 2. This takes into account a reduction in volume of the amputation stump that is to be accommodated in the prosthesis socket 2.
[0053] FIG. 8 shows three different insert elements 36 of different thicknesses. The rim 40 shows this particularly clearly. Depending on the degree of volume reduction of the amputation stump, the appropriate insert element 36 can be used. The insert elements 36 are preferably 3D-printed, rendering them especially easy to adapt to the inner wall 20 of the prosthesis socket and to design correspondingly.
[0054] The left-hand part of FIG. 9 schematically depicts a frontal view of a lower leg prosthesis with the prosthesis socket 2, the lower leg tube 10 and the prosthetic foot 12. The right-hand part of FIG. 9 depicts four sectional representations through the prosthesis socket 2 along the dashed line 42. One can see partly complex patterns of support elements 26 and partition element 30, although these cannot be distinguished in the representations shown, as it is not clear between which two points the internal elements extend. In the four sectional views shown one above the other, the medial side is on the left, the lateral side is on the right, and the frontal side is at the bottom.
[0055] FIG. 10 schematically depicts the representation of a connection means 8 in two different perspectives. It features an essentially u-shaped design with two sides 44 and a recess 46 between them. In the example of an embodiment shown, the connection means 8 has four boreholes 48, which are preferably provided with an inner thread. In this way, screws can be fastened in them so that another connection means, for example a pyramid adapter 50, can be attached.
[0056] This is shown in FIG. 11. In the distal area of the prosthesis socket 2 shown there is a slit-shaped depression 52, which is preferably designed as a single piece with the rest of the prosthesis socket 2. It is thus preferably not inserted after the production of the prosthesis socket 2, for example by means of a milling machine, but rather is preferably designed as a single piece with the rest of the prosthesis socket 2 in an additive manufacturing process. The connection means 8 shown in FIG. 10 can be introduced into this depression, so that the pyramid adapter 50 shown can be screwed on. Here, a stern 54 transmitting the large loads is arranged in the recess 46 in the connection means 8, so that the at times large mechanical forces which can occur in particular with leg prostheses are transmitted.
[0057] FIG. 12 shows a section of a prosthesis socket 2 and in particular its distal end 6. It features four recesses 56 that are arranged in the corner areas and of which two can be recognized in FIG. 12. The connection means 8 are contained within in the form of bolts 58. In the example of an embodiment shown, the bolts 58 feature a slit 60 on the side facing outwards, so that they can be moved by means of a suitable tool, such as a screwdriver. Four holes 64 are situated on a distal side 62 of the prosthesis socket 2, into each of which a screw can be inserted for attaching, for example, a pyramid adapter 50 not shown in FIG. 12. Particularly preferably, the bolts 58 feature a corresponding thread into which the screws can be screwed when the bolt 58 is arranged in the correct position and orientation in the recess 56.
[0058] FIG. 13 shows the situation in a sectional view. Two bolts 58 can be seen, each of which has been inserted into a recess 56. They each feature a bore 66, preferably designed with the thread, which is not depicted in FIG. 13. The screws can be inserted through the holes 64 in the distal end 62 of the prosthesis socket 2, wherein said screws preferably engage with the thread provided on the inner wall of the bore 66 and thus attach an adapter, such as a pyramid adapter 50, not depicted in FIG. 13.
[0059] FIG. 14 depicts a further sectional representation through the prosthesis socket 2 parallel to the distal side 62 of the prosthesis socket 2. The four bolts 58 are each inserted into one of the recesses 56 and, as described above, feature the slit 60, so that their alignment and orientation relative to the rest of the prosthesis socket 2 and particularly relative to the holes 64 on the distal side 62 of the prosthesis socket 2 can be adjusted. Preferably, the desired position is very easy to achieve, for example by arranging the slit 60 perpendicularly, as depicted in FIG. 14. Each bolt 58 features the bores 66, which can be brought into overlap with the holes 64, not depicted in FIG. 14, on the distal side 62 of the prosthesis socket 2 by rotating the bolts 58 about their longitudinal axis, so that the screws, not depicted, for attaching an adapter, especially a pyramid adapter 50, can be screwed in.
REFERENCE LIST
[0060] 2 prosthesis socket
[0061] 4 proximal end
[0062] 6 distal end
[0063] 8 connection means
[0064] 10 lower leg tube
[0065] 12 prosthetic foot
[0066] 14 virtual pivot axis
[0067] 16 heel strike point
[0068] 18 point
[0069] 20 inner wall
[0070] 22 outer wall
[0071] 24 cavity
[0072] 26 support element
[0073] 28 dashed line
[0074] 30 partition element
[0075] 32 opening
[0076] 34 partial cavity
[0077] 36 insert element
[0078] 38 contact surface
[0079] 40 rim
[0080] 42 dashed line
[0081] 44 side
[0082] 46 recess
[0083] 48 borehole
[0084] 50 pyramid adapter
[0085] 52 depression
[0086] 54 stem
[0087] 56 recess
[0088] 58 bolt
[0089] 60 slit
[0090] 62 distal side
[0091] 64 hole
[0092] 66 bore
