Adjustable Prosthetic Seal Component for Residual Limb Volume Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prosthetic suspension liners fail to adequately accommodate volume fluctuations and anatomical irregularities of residual limbs, leading to discomfort, pressure marks, and inadequate sealing, particularly in trans-tibial applications where bony protuberances complicate effective sealing.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable seal system featuring a suspension liner with removable and repositionable seal components, including a distal capture system that allows for flexible placement and adaptation to the residual limb's shape, using seal bands and a distal capture system with elastic or textile components to facilitate easy installation and secure positioning, thereby accommodating volume changes and irregularities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed seal component is used in the liner, then the sealing structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate volume fluctuations and anatomical irregularities of the residual limb
Solution Approach 1:
The seal component is made movable along the liner body, allowing it to be repositioned to accommodate changes in residual limb volume and anatomy. The seal can be adjusted proximally or distally to maintain effective sealing as the limb volume fluctuates during healing or with different prosthetic sockets.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal system is divided into a separate seal component that can be independently positioned and adjusted on the liner body. This segmentation allows the seal to be optimally placed without being fixed to a specific location, enabling adaptation to various anatomical irregularities and volume changes.
2Ease of operation
If a seal component is permanently attached to the liner, then the manufacturing process is simple, but it requires significant effort to don the liner and may create pressure marks
Solution Approach 1:
The seal component can be temporarily attached and repositioned during the donning process, then secured at the optimal position. This dynamic attachment approach reduces the effort required to don the liner compared to permanently fixed seals, as the seal can be adjusted to avoid pressure points and anatomical irregularities.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal component can be preliminarily positioned on the liner before donning, allowing the user to optimize its location to avoid pressure marks and anatomical irregularities. This preliminary adjustment capability makes the donning process easier and more comfortable.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the seal component is made adjustable and removable, then it can accommodate anatomical variations, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal component incorporates a movable structure that allows adjustment along the liner body while maintaining a relatively simple overall design. The dynamic positioning capability enables adaptation to anatomical variations without requiring a complex multi-component system.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal component is designed to perform multiple functions: sealing, adjustable positioning, and accommodation of various anatomical configurations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple different seal components for different situations, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
4Strength
If a rigid seal structure is used, then it provides strong sealing force, but it cannot conform to irregular shapes and bony protuberances
Solution Approach 1:
The seal component uses a resilient or flexible material that can deform to conform to irregular shapes and bony protuberances while maintaining adequate sealing force. The dynamic flexibility allows the seal to adapt to the residual limb's anatomy without sacrificing sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal component's material properties are selected to provide both flexibility for conforming to irregular shapes and sufficient resilience for maintaining sealing force. The material parameters are optimized to balance softness for anatomical conformity with enough strength to create and maintain the vacuum seal.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adjustable seal system provides improved comfort and secure sealing by allowing for optimal placement of the seal component, reducing effort during donning, and accommodating volume changes, while minimizing pressure points and enhancing skin protection.
Implementation Method 1
an internal surface arranged to frictionally engage at least one of the seal bands and secure on the outer surface of the liner
Implementation Method 2
at least one section formed of an elastic material that allows for proximal movement of the seal component away from the distal end of the liner until the distal capture system reaches an elastic limit
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An adjustable seal system includes a suspension liner (10) having a liner body (12) and an outer surface. A plurality of seal bands (26) are located along a height of the liner body (12). A seal component (3) is arranged for removably securing to the liner body (12). The seal component (3) includes open upper and lower ends (5, 7) defining an opening therethrough and an internal surface (30) arranged to frictionally engage at least one of the seal bands (26) and secure on the outer surface of the liner (10). The seal component (3) also includes an upper portion (9) descending to at least one seal (11), and a lower portion (13).