3D-Printed Prosthetic Socket With Lattice Struts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional prosthetics are expensive, inflexible, difficult to produce in volume, prone to damage, and require trained professionals for fitting and management, making them inaccessible to amputees in developing countries, especially children who require frequent size adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A prosthetic design featuring a main body with struts that provide adjustable coverage, using 3D-printed materials with optimized infill levels for durability and flexibility, and a lacing system for circumference adjustment, allowing for customization and ease of use without the need for trained professionals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional prosthetic fabrication methods (casting, modification, lamination) are used, then the prosthetic socket achieves custom fit and durability, but the manufacturing time is long (2-5 weeks) and the cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameters by using 3D printing technology with optimized infill density (10-50%) and material selection (thermoplastic polyurethane or similar flexible polymers). This allows the prosthetic to be manufactured in hours rather than weeks while maintaining durability through controlled internal structure and material properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining 3D-printed lattice structures with flexible polymer materials. The infilled lattice pattern creates a composite structure that provides both strength and flexibility, achieving durability comparable to traditional methods while enabling rapid manufacturing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional prosthetics are designed for fixed sizes, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the prosthetic cannot accommodate growing children who need frequent replacements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustability through an expansion mechanism where the 3D-printed socket can be physically expanded or adjusted in size. The lattice structure allows for controlled deformation and size modification, enabling the same prosthetic to adapt to a growing child's limb over time rather than requiring replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The prosthetic is divided into modular segments that can be independently adjusted or reconfigured. The lattice structure itself is segmented into repeating units that can be selectively modified, allowing localized size adjustments without redesigning the entire device.
3Strength
If 3D-printed prosthetics use high infill levels for durability, then the structural strength increases, but the material consumption and printing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes porous lattice structures with optimized infill density (10-50%) that provide sufficient structural strength while minimizing material consumption. The lattice geometry is designed to distribute mechanical loads efficiently throughout the structure, achieving adequate strength with significantly less material than solid infill would require.
Solution Approach 2:
The infill density is optimized locally rather than uniformly throughout the entire socket. High-strength regions are concentrated where mechanical loads are greatest, while lower infill density is used in less critical areas, reducing overall material consumption while maintaining necessary strength characteristics.
4Manufacturing precision
If traditional prosthetic sockets are fabricated by trained professionals, then the fit and quality are ensured, but the cost increases and accessibility decreases in developing countries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables end-users to manufacture their own prosthetics using open-source 3D models and standard 3D printing technology. The simplified design and automated manufacturing process eliminate the need for trained prosthetists, allowing individuals in developing countries to produce functional prosthetics themselves or with minimal local support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses digital 3D models that can be copied and reproduced indefinitely without degradation in quality. Once a validated design is created, it can be replicated across multiple printers and locations, ensuring consistent manufacturing precision without requiring repeated expert intervention for each new prosthetic.
Data Source
AI summary
A prosthetic for a limb that extends distally to a limb end includes a main body and plural struts. The main body has an opening for receiving the limb end. The main body defines a first zone of coverage of the limb. The struts are coupled to the main body and distributed along the circumference of the main body. Each strut has a main longitudinal extent that is essentially orthogonal to the circumference of the main body and that extends away from the main body to define a second zone of coverage of the limb that is adjacent to the first zone of coverage. Each strut includes a plurality of transverse through-openings configured to receive a lace. The transverse through-openings extend tangentially to the second zone of coverage.