METHOD AND APPARATUS OF AN INTEGRATED GEL SEALING LINER

摘要

A gel liner made by starting initially with a one-piece knitted tubular sock-shaped fabric having a closed distal end section of gel impermeable knitted fabric and an open proximal end section of gel impermeable knitted fabric and being a gel permeable loosely knitted fabric. Molding the liner to have a gel cushion layer on its interior surface with the gel passing through and partially embedding the yarns of the proximal fabric section with the outermost portions of the yarns free of gel to form at least one annular seal whereby the proximal end section forming a seal not inhibited in deformation and/or elongation by the fabric when the liner is worn thereby reducing or eliminating any twisting or discomfort of the liner during ambulation caused by the annular seal.

主权项

1. A method of making a cushion liner for enclosing an amputation stump and sealing with an interior of a prosthetic socket comprising:
knitting a one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric with a programmable knitting machine; said one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric having an open proximal end for introduction of said stump and a closed distal end opposite said open proximal end and with said fabric having an outer surface and an inner surface; programming said knitting machine to knit said one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric to have at least one intermediate section; programming said knitting machine to knit said one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric, except for said at least one intermediate section, with first yarns and as a gel impermeable fabric; programming said knitting machine to knit said at least one intermediate section with second yarns in a loose stitch construction and as a gel permeable fabric, said second yarns being less rigid than said first yarns; inverting said knitted one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric to have said inner surface facing outward; mounting said inverted one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric on a male component of a gel molding system; inserting molten gel into an annular space between said male component and a female component of said gel molding system such that said gel adheres to the inner surfaces of said one-piece elastic gel impermeable tubular-shaped fabric and protrudes through and engulfs the yarns of said fabric of said intermediate section on all surfaces except for the surfaces in direct contact with the male component of the molding machine; allowing said cushion liner to cool thereby forming said molten gel into a cushioning gel; removing said cushion liner from said molding system after said liner has cooled; reverting said liner such that said outer surface faces outwardly thereby having said liner covered with said gel impermeable fabric except for said at least one intermediate section and said outer surface of said at least one intermediate section having said fabric partially embedded in said cushioning gel and defining an annular seal less constricted to elongation in the transverse and longitudinal directions and deformation in the radial direction than the remaining sections of said liner, whereby said annular seal will be free to expand and contract without inhibiting blood flow and causing discomfort to an amputee's stump within a prosthetic socket.