Human prostheses and methods of use thereof

Abstract

To provide silicone rubber prosthetics, including artificial breasts, that achieve a high level of balance between moisture absorption and maintainability. [Solution] The present invention provides a human body prosthesis comprising: a wearable body 10 made of a polymer material that has an appearance that mimics the shape of an excised or missing part of the human body and has a first contact surface 10f that makes contact with the contact area (skin) on the human body side; and an attached housing 11 made of a polymer material that has a space for housing a sweat absorbent inside and a second contact surface with a plurality of ventilation holes, wherein a recess 10d corresponding to the shape of the attached housing is formed on the contact surface side of the wearable body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a human prosthesis for supplementing a defective part, such as an artificial breast, for the purpose of shaping when a part or the whole of the breast is removed due to a disease or the like, and a method of using the same.

Background Art

[0002] After a part or the whole of the breast is removed due to a disease or the like, in order to approximate the state of the chest before the resection, individual molding and coloring may be performed, and a silicone rubber artificial breast may be custom-made and worn on the wearing part which is the skin surface of the human body. Here, the silicone rubber artificial breast has problems such as poor hygroscopicity and breathability, stickiness due to sweat during wearing, discomfort due to stuffiness, and skin diseases.

[0003] Therefore, in Patent Document 1, in order to solve the above problems, on the facing surface of the wearing tool body (artificial breast) facing the wearing part (skin surface), a group of a plurality of convex parts continuously spaced in a two-dimensional direction and a concave part formed by a portion where the convex part does not protrude on the facing surface are formed, and a wearing tool (artificial breast) is disclosed in which an end portion on the protruding side of the convex part constitutes a contact portion that contacts the surface of the wearing part.

[0004] Further, in Patent Document 2, a room temperature vulcanizing type silicone rubber obtained by adding and uniformly mixing a mixture of fine powder of a water-soluble organic substance and a water-soluble polymer substance is injection molded and cured, and then the molded body is immersed in water to allow the water-soluble organic substance and the water-soluble polymer substance to flow out and dried to form a continuous porous molded body, and an artificial breast is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] In the attachment device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the soft silicone rubber deforms when it is brought into close contact with the area to be attached, and the space formed by the recess may become partially blocked, which may reduce the sweat release effect and breathability effect. Furthermore, in the case of the artificial breast disclosed in Patent Document 2, which is a continuous porous molded body, problems arise such as difficulty in coloring, difficulty in maintenance such as cleaning, increased manufacturing time, and increased manufacturing costs. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide artificial breasts and other human prosthetics that achieve a high level of balance between hygroscopicity and maintainability, using an approach different from that of the above-mentioned patent documents. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The human body prosthesis in the present invention is composed of a wearable body that has a shape and texture similar to that of an excised or missing part of the human body, and an attached housing body that has a space for housing a sweat-absorbing agent inside. The first opposing surface of the wearable body that comes into contact with the part of the body to be contacted (skin) has a recess formed therein that corresponds to the shape of the attached housing body and can accommodate the attached housing body. The attached housing body has a second opposing surface which corresponds to the shape of the part of the body to be contacted and has a plurality of ventilation holes that communicate with the space. When in use, the first opposing surface other than the recess and the second opposing surface form a single contact surface.

[0008] Next, the human body prosthesis in the present invention is composed of a wearable body that has a shape and texture similar to that of an excised or missing part of the human body, and an accessory housing that has a space for housing a sweat absorbent inside. The first opposing surface of the wearable body that comes into contact with the part to be contacted (skin) on the human body side has a recess formed therein that can accommodate the accessory housing in accordance with the shape of the accessory housing. The accessory housing has a second opposing surface which is a surface corresponding to the shape of the part to be contacted on the human body side and has a plurality of ventilation holes that communicate with the space. The second opposing surface has a cavity formed therein, which is a recess for fitting a sweat absorbent for skin contact that will come into contact with the part to be contacted on the human body side. When in use, the first opposing surface other than the recess, the second opposing surface other than the cavity, and the sweat absorbent for skin contact form a single contact surface.

[0009] Furthermore, the human body prosthesis in the present invention is composed of a wearable body that exhibits a shape and texture similar to that of an excised or missing part of the human body, and an attached housing body that has a space for housing a sweat absorbent inside. The first opposing surface of the wearable body that comes into contact with the part of the body to be contacted (skin) has a recess formed therein that corresponds to the shape of the attached housing body and can accommodate the attached housing body. The attached housing body has a second opposing surface which corresponds to the shape of the part of the body to be contacted and has a plurality of ventilation holes that communicate with the space. When in use, the second opposing surface is set to be embedded in the first opposing surface other than the recess, thereby forming a cavity, which is a recess for fitting a skin-contact sweat absorbent that comes into contact with the part of the body to be contacted, and the first opposing surface other than the recess and the skin-contact sweat absorbent body form a single contact surface.

[0010] The accessory housing constituting the above-mentioned human body prosthesis is characterized in that a slit for inserting and removing a sweat absorbent is provided in a portion different from the second opposing surface, which communicates with the space, A key feature is that the weight and texture can be finely adjusted by attaching accessory containers of different sizes (thickness of the accessory containers) and hardness to the mounting body.

[0011] The present invention provides a method for using a human body prosthesis comprising a wearable body that exhibits a shape and texture similar to that of an excised or missing part of the human body, and an attached housing having a space for housing a sweat absorbent, wherein the first opposing surface of the wearable body that comes into contact with the part of the body to be contacted (skin) has a recess formed therein that corresponds to the shape of the attached housing and can accommodate the attached housing, and the attached housing has a second opposing surface which corresponds to the shape of the part of the body to be contacted and has a plurality of ventilation holes that communicate with the space, and the attached housing has a slit for inserting and removing the sweat absorbent that communicates with the space provided in a part of the attached housing different from the second opposing surface, wherein a sheet-like sweat absorbent is attached to the second opposing surface of the space so as to block the plurality of ventilation holes.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of using a human body prosthesis comprising a wearable body that exhibits a pseudo-shape and texture to the excised or missing part of the human body, and an attached housing having a space for housing a sweat absorbent, wherein the first opposing surface of the wearable body that comes into contact with the part to be contacted (skin) on the human body side has a recess formed therein that can accommodate the attached housing corresponding to the shape of the attached housing, and the attached housing has a second opposing surface which is a surface corresponding to the shape of the part to be contacted on the human body side and has a plurality of ventilation holes that communicate with the space, and a cavity for fitting a skin-contact sweat absorbent that will come into contact with the part to be contacted on the human body side is formed on the second opposing surface, or the second opposing surface is set to be embedded in the first opposing surface to form a cavity for fitting a skin-contact sweat absorbent that will come into contact with the part to be contacted on the human body side, wherein the space is filled with a cotton-like sweat absorbent and the skin-contact sweat absorbent is fitted into the cavity. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, although the appearance is that of a conventional human body prosthesis, the moisture and sweat on the contact surface (skin) on the human body side are absorbed by the sweat-absorbing agent contained in the attached container, thereby suppressing user discomfort and making it possible to provide human body prostheses, including artificial breasts, that achieve a high level of balance between moisture absorption and maintainability.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the human prosthesis in the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of the human prosthesis in the above embodiment as viewed from the back side. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional perspective view of the human prosthesis in the above embodiment as viewed from the back side. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view showing the accessory container constituting the human prosthesis in the above embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view showing the accessory container constituting the human prosthesis in the above embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing the accessory container constituting the human prosthesis in the above embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view showing the accessory container constituting the human prosthesis in the above embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view showing the accessory container constituting the human prosthesis in the above embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view showing the accessory container constituting the human prosthesis in the above embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing the human prosthesis in the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the accessory container constituting the human prosthesis in the above embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view showing the accessory container constituting the human prosthesis in the above embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional perspective view of the human prosthesis in the above embodiment as viewed from the back side. [Figure 14] It is a cross-sectional view of the human prosthesis in the above embodiment.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] (First Embodiment) A first embodiment of the human body prosthesis of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In this explanation, we will use artificial breasts as an example of human prostheses, but the present invention is not limited to artificial breasts and can be appropriately applied to a wide range of human prostheses without departing from its spirit.

[0016] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the human body prosthesis 1 in this embodiment, viewed from the front; Figure 2 is a perspective view viewed from the back; and Figure 3 is a perspective view simulating its cross-section. The human prosthesis 1 of this embodiment is shown to consist of a mounting body 10 and an attached housing 11 capable of containing a material having a sweat-absorbing (moisture-absorbing) effect. In Figures 1 to 3, (a) shows only the mounting body 10, and (b) shows the mounting body 10 and the attached housing 11. In these drawings, the wearer 10 is shown as being made of a transparent material to clarify its relationship with the attached storage unit; however, the actual wearer 10 is colored to match the user's skin tone.

[0017] (Regarding the device) In this embodiment, the attachment 10 has an external appearance that mimics the shape of an excised or missing part of the human body, and has a first opposing surface 10f that contacts the attachment 10 in accordance with the shape of the contact area (skin) on the human body side, and a recess 10d, which is a recess for accommodating the accessory housing 11 described below, is formed on the side of the first opposing surface 10f (Figures 2(a), 3(a)).

[0018] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the attachment 10 is made of silicone rubber, which is a polymer material (polymer) chemically containing siloxane bonds, and is molded into a desired shape using a mold to obtain the finished product. However, the attachment 10 is not limited to being made of a polymer material or to being obtained by molding, and the material and manufacturing method can be appropriately selected from known technologies depending on the part of use, etc.

[0019] (Regarding the included full body kit) In this embodiment, the attached housing 11 has a space 11v formed inside for housing the sweat absorbent A, and its shape corresponds to the shape of the recess 10d provided on the first opposing surface 10f side of the mounting body 10, and also resembles the shape of a droplet on a flat surface (see Figures 2(b) and 3(b)). As shown in Figure 4(a), a second opposing surface 11f is formed that contacts the part of the human body to be contacted (skin), corresponding to the shape of the skin. Multiple ventilation holes 11h are drilled in this second opposing surface 11f and communicate with a space 11v formed inside the attached housing 11. As shown in Figure 4(b), a slit 11s is formed in a part different from the second opposing surface 11f, communicating with a space 11v formed inside the attached housing 11, in order to allow insertion and removal of the sweat absorbent A. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the accessory housing 11 in this embodiment, showing that the second opposing surface 11f is provided with a plurality of ventilation holes 11h that communicate with the space 11v, and that a slit 11s communicating with the space 11v is provided in the portion facing the second opposing surface 11f (ventilation holes 11h) (with the space 11v in between) via the space 11v. For example, if the slit 11s is provided on the second opposing surface 11f, it is conceivable that the sweat-absorbing agent A contained in the space 11v may spill out from the slit 11s, or that the slit 11s may come into contact with the area to be contacted (skin), causing discomfort. Therefore, it is preferable that the slit 11s is located not on the second opposing surface 11f, but on the portion facing the second opposing surface 11f, or, as shown in Figure 6, on a portion located above during use to prevent the sweat absorbent from overflowing due to gravity. By providing the slit 11s in this way, the slit 11s will be blocked by the surface of the recess 10d of the wearer 10 during use, thereby suppressing the overflow of the sweat absorbent A itself.

[0020] Furthermore, the attached container 11 in this embodiment is preferably made of an elastic, soft material such as silicone rubber, and is required to meet the following conditions: a) ease of insertion and removal of the sweat absorbent A, b) ease of cleaning and maintenance, and c) affinity with the contact surface (skin). However, as long as the above conditions are met, there are no restrictions on the material, and it can be appropriately selected from known materials.

[0021] (Regarding sweat absorbents) In this embodiment, the sweat absorbent A is envisioned to be a material made by forming fibers from a polymer mainly composed of sodium polyacrylate. A material made by forming fibers from a polymer mainly composed of sodium polyacrylate has the property of absorbing moisture when the surrounding environment is humid and releasing moisture when the environment is humid, and can be used multiple times by drying, making it preferable for the sweat absorbent A in this embodiment. An example of a material made by forming fibers from a polymer mainly composed of sodium polyacrylate is Bell Oasis (registered trademark) from Teijin Frontier Limited. One possible method of use is to form the fibrous sweat absorbent A into a cotton-like structure and fill it into the space 11v of the attached container 11, as shown in Figure 7.

[0022] Furthermore, as the sweat absorbent A, known synthetic fibers such as cellulose nanofiber (CNF), which has high moisture absorption and strength and can be processed into very thin sheets; silica gel, which has high moisture absorption performance and is also used as a desiccant; a material made by processing chitosan into fibers, which has naturally derived antibacterial and moisture-absorbing properties; a polyurethane moisture-absorbing and releasing material that has moisture absorption and release properties and can be processed into a thin sheet while maintaining elasticity; microfiber, which has very fine fibers and high moisture absorption and quick-drying properties and is used in sportswear and underwear; and rayon, which is highly moisture-resistant, soft, and easy to process into thin sheets, as well as natural fibers such as cotton and linen may be used.

[0023] (Regarding the positional relationship between the ventilation holes and the sweat-absorbing material) If the cotton-like sweat absorbent A1 is used, it is filled into the entire space 11v. However, if the sheet-like sweat absorbent A2 is used, it is preferable to insert it into the space 11v through the slit 11s and fix it to the ventilation hole 11h side of the space 11v as shown in Figure 8. When fixing it in this case, a fixing means such as adhesive or adhesive tape will be used, but care must be taken to ensure that the sheet-like sweat absorbent A2 or adhesive tape on the part where the adhesive is applied does not block the ventilation hole. In this way, by positioning the sheet-like sweat absorbent A2 near the ventilation holes 11h, that is, close to the contact surface (skin), the sweat absorption effect is improved. Furthermore, in order to fix the ventilation hole 11h (contact surface) and the sweat absorbent A in close proximity, providing a slit 11s on the second opposing surface 11f would make the fixing work difficult and is therefore not appropriate. In order to facilitate the fixing of the sheet-like sweat absorbent A2 to the ventilation hole 11h side (of the space 11v), the slit 11s must be provided in a different location from the second opposing surface 11f of the attached housing 11, which can be achieved by having the mounting body 10 and the attached housing 11 as separate components.

[0024] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, it is also possible to use a combination of cotton-like sweat absorbent A1 and sheet-like sweat absorbent A2. When using such a sweat absorbent A, if the space 11v remains hollow, it may become difficult to maintain the shape of the prosthesis 1 when external force is applied. Therefore, by filling the space 11v with a cotton-like sweat absorbent A1, it is possible to maintain the shape and provide a shock-absorbing material when the prosthesis 1 is subjected to impact.

[0025] Incidentally, among human prosthetics, artificial breasts in particular serve a role in shaping the body by compensating for excised or missing areas, not only in appearance but also by correcting the imbalance in weight between the left and right sides of the chest. Such human prostheses 1 are not universally applicable, as there are individual differences. If the degree to which the texture and shape of the original excised or missing area is increased, the human prosthesis 1 becomes a custom-made product with individual measurements, texture, shape, and coloring, resulting in an extremely expensive product. However, when weight balance is disrupted due to changes in body shape or aging, and the role of the prosthesis diminishes, creating a new human prosthesis each time would be a significant economic burden. Therefore, with the human prosthesis 1 of this embodiment, if a slight discomfort arises regarding the weight, the mounting body 10 can be left as is, and fine adjustments can be made by preparing an accessory housing 11 with a different thickness and material, thereby suppressing a significant economic burden. This can be said to be a special effect obtained because the human prosthesis 1 of this embodiment is composed of a mounting body 10 and an attached housing body 11 (as separate components).

[0026] Furthermore, because the mounting body 10 and the attached housing 11 are separate components, it is possible to use an attached housing 11 that is either rigid or flexible relative to the mounting body 10. This makes it possible to approximate the desired texture of the human body prosthesis 1 while keeping the economic burden down.

[0027] (Second Embodiment) The human prosthesis 2 in the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0028] Figure 10 shows the prosthesis 2 of this embodiment. Similar to the first embodiment, the prosthesis 2 of this embodiment is composed of a mounting body 20 and an attached housing 21, and the mounting body 20 has the same configuration as the mounting body 10 in the first embodiment.

[0029] The attached housing 21 in the human body prosthesis 2 of this embodiment has the following characteristics: (1) a space 21v for housing the sweat absorbent A is formed inside; (2) it corresponds to the shape of the recess 20d provided on the first opposing surface 20f side of the wearer 20 and has a shape similar to a droplet on a plane; (3) the second opposing surface 21f that contacts the part of the body to be contacted (skin) has multiple ventilation holes 21h that communicate with the space 21v; and (4) it is different from the second opposing surface 21f of the attached housing 21. The above features are the same as the attached housing 11 in the first embodiment, in that a slit 21s for inserting and removing the sweat absorbent A is formed in the space 21v, and (5) as a material, a ease of inserting and removing the sweat absorbent A, b ease of cleaning and maintenance, and c affinity with the contact surface (skin) are important, and it is preferable that it be made of an elastic, soft material such as silicone rubber, but the part of the second opposing surface 21f that comes into contact with the part of the body that will be in contact has a distinctive feature.

[0030] In this embodiment, the second opposing surface 21f of the attached housing 21, as shown in Figure 11, has a recess (cavity 21c) in the part that comes into contact with the part of the human body to be contacted (skin) for fitting a sheet-shaped skin-contacting sweat absorbent A3. When in use, the first opposing surface 20f of the wearer 20, the part of the second opposing surface 21f of the attached housing 21 that comes into contact with the skin, and the skin-contacting sweat absorbent A3 form a single contact surface.

[0031] As shown in Figure 12, the main sweat absorption role is handled by the skin-contacting sweat absorbent A3, while the cotton-like sweat absorbent A1 is placed in the space to assist the sweat absorption action of the skin-contacting sweat absorbent A3, as well as to maintain shape and absorb shock.

[0032] Furthermore, in a human prosthesis 2 that uses a skin-contacting sweat absorbent A3 and a cotton-like sweat absorbent A1 as described above, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, when using the human prosthesis 2, it is conceivable that the entire second opposing surface 21f of the attached housing 21 is embedded in the position of the first opposing surface 20f of the wearer 20, so that the wearer 20 (the side surface of the recess provided in it) and the attached housing 21 (the second opposing surface of it) form a cavity 21c, which is a recess for fitting the skin-contacting sweat absorbent A3.

[0033] As described above, the features and functions of the human prosthesis of the present invention, which is composed of a wearable body, an attached housing, and a sweat-absorbing agent, can also be applied to human prostheses used in various parts of the body. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0034] 1,2 Human prostheses, 10,20 Wearable body, 10d, 20d Recess for attached storage unit, 10f,20f first facing surface, 11,21 Attached containment unit, 11f, 21f second facing surface, 11h, 21h ventilation holes, 11s, 21s Slit for inserting and removing sweat absorbent, 11v,21v space part, 21c cavity, A sweat absorbent, A1 Cotton-like sweat absorbent, A2 Sheet-type sweat absorbent, A3 Skin-contact sweat absorbent

Claims

1. A human body prosthesis comprising a wearable body that exhibits a pseudo-shape and texture of an excised or missing part of the human body, and an attached housing having a space for containing a sweat-absorbing material, The first opposing surface of the attached body that comes into contact with the part of the body to be contacted (skin) has a recess formed therein that can accommodate the shape of the attached housing, The aforementioned auxiliary housing is provided with a second opposing surface which corresponds to the shape of the part of the human body that will be in contact with the space, and which has a plurality of ventilation holes that communicate with the aforementioned space. A human body prosthesis characterized in that, when in use, the first opposing surface other than the recess and the second opposing surface form a single contact surface.

2. A human body prosthesis comprising a wearable body that exhibits a pseudo-shape and texture of an excised or missing part of the human body, and an attached housing having a space for containing a sweat-absorbing material, The first opposing surface of the attached body that comes into contact with the part of the body to be contacted (skin) has a recess formed therein that can accommodate the shape of the attached housing, The attached housing is provided with a second opposing surface which corresponds to the shape of the part of the human body that will be in contact with the space, and the second opposing surface has a cavity which is a recess for fitting a skin-contacting sweat absorbent that will be in contact with the part of the human body that will be in contact with the space. A human body prosthesis characterized in that, during use, a single contact surface is formed by the first opposing surface other than the recess, the second opposing surface other than the cavity, and the skin-contacting sweat absorbent.

3. A human body prosthesis comprising a wearable body that exhibits a pseudo-shape and texture of an excised or missing part of the human body, and an attached housing having a space for containing a sweat-absorbing material, The first opposing surface of the attached body that comes into contact with the part of the body to be contacted (skin) has a recess formed therein that can accommodate the shape of the attached housing, The aforementioned auxiliary housing is provided with a second opposing surface which corresponds to the shape of the part of the human body that will be in contact with the space, and which has a plurality of ventilation holes that communicate with the aforementioned space. A human body prosthesis characterized in that, when in use, the second opposing surface is set to be embedded in the first opposing surface other than the recess, thereby forming a cavity which is a recess for fitting a skin-contacting sweat absorbent that will come into contact with the part of the human body to be contacted, and the first opposing surface other than the recess and the skin-contacting sweat absorbent form a single contact surface.

4. The human prosthesis according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a slit for inserting and removing a sweat absorbent that communicates with the space is provided in a part different from the second opposing surface of the attached housing.

5. The human prosthesis according to claim 4, characterized in that the weight and texture can be finely adjusted by attaching accessory containers of different sizes (thickness of accessory containers) and hardness to the wearer.

6. A method for using a human body prosthesis, comprising a wearable body that exhibits a pseudo-shape and texture to the excised or missing part of the human body, and an attached housing having a space for containing a sweat-absorbing material, The first opposing surface of the attached body that comes into contact with the part of the body to be contacted (skin) has a recess formed therein that can accommodate the shape of the attached housing, In a human prosthesis, the attached housing is provided with a second opposing surface which corresponds to the shape of the part of the human body that comes into contact with the space and has a plurality of ventilation holes that communicate with the space, and a slit for inserting and removing a sweat absorbent is provided in a part of the attached housing different from the second opposing surface which communicates with the space, A method for using a human prosthesis, characterized by attaching a sheet-like sweat-absorbing material to the second opposing surface of the space so as to block the plurality of ventilation holes.

7. A method for using a human body prosthesis, comprising a wearable body that exhibits a pseudo-shape and texture to the excised or missing part of the human body, and an attached housing having a space for containing a sweat-absorbing material, The first opposing surface of the attached body that comes into contact with the part of the body to be contacted (skin) has a recess formed therein that can accommodate the shape of the attached housing, The aforementioned auxiliary housing is provided with a second opposing surface which corresponds to the shape of the part of the human body that will be in contact with the space, and which has a plurality of ventilation holes that communicate with the aforementioned space. In a human body prosthesis in which a cavity for fitting a skin-contacting sweat absorbent to be in contact with the part of the human body to be contacted is formed on the second opposing surface, or a cavity for fitting a skin-contacting sweat absorbent to be in contact with the part of the human body to be contacted is formed by setting the second opposing surface so that it is embedded in the first opposing surface, A method for using a human body prosthesis, characterized by filling the aforementioned space with a cotton-like sweat absorbent and fitting a skin-contacting sweat absorbent into the cavity.

Images