Title of Invention

A SUPPORTING SLEEVE FOR LEG OR ARM STUMPS, SUCH AS LINER

Abstract ABSTRACT A SUPPORTING SLEEVE FOR LEG OR ARM STUMPS, SUCH AS LINER The invention provides a supporting sleeve for leg or arm stumps, such as liner, consisting of a sleeve (1) surrounding the stump from its distal end, of an elastic, electrically insulating material, characterized in that the sleeve (1) has at least partially a layer (2) of a conductive material running around. Figure 1.
Full Text

The present invention relates to a supporting sleeve for leg or arm stumps, such as a liner.
Liners for prostheses, siich as leg prostheses, arm prostheses or the like, consisting of a sleeve enclosing the stump from its distal end and made of an elastic, electrically insulating material such as silicone, polyurethane or the like are known (WO 88/00032, WO 98/49977, EP 0 976 371 Al). Such liners are used as a cushioned connection between stump and prosthesis shaft, but are also used postoperatively in order to have a subsiding and shaping effect in the healing phase. It is furthermore known that so-called phantom pain can arise after amputations, and can be positively influenced by electro magnetic screening of the stump, e.g. by an electrically conducting textile material (US Patent 4, 653, 473 A).
The present invention has as its object to provide a liner which has such an alleviating effect against stump pains, but without forfeiting the essential properties of a liner.
The object is attained by the invention as described herein. Developments and advantageous embodiments of the invention are also described herein.
According to the invention, a supporting sleeve for leg or arm stumps, namely a liner, consisting of a sleeve surrounding the stump from its distal end, is of an elastic, electrically insulating material, characterized in that the sleeve has at least partially a layer of conducting material running around it.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, the electrically conducting layer is applied to the sleeve on the outside and consists of a layer of an elastic, conductively equipped textile material or plastic. For example, it can consist of a material onto which metal has been evaporated. Furthermore, for example, the plastic can be applied as an adhesive.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, the layer is a textile mechanical reinforcement (matrix), beginning at the distal end of the liner, of an electrically conductive material, the matrix for example consisting of an ordered or unordered direads of a conductive material.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, a conductive region is arranged between the stump and the layer of conductive material, the conductive region preferably being arranged at the distal end of the stump.
According to an alternative to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the liner has at its distal end a liner cup and if necessary a pin adapter for connection to a prosthesis, the liner cup and/or the pin adapter consisting of an electrically conductive material, or being equipped wiih such. The liner cup and/or the pin adapter are in contact with the layer of electrically conductive material, the conductive region being arranged between the stump and the liner cup and/or the pin adapter. If the liner is used exclusively for postoperative treatment, the liner cup and pin adapter can be omitted.
An electrical resistance of The invention is described in detail hereinafter, by way of example, with use the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 shows a liner 1 of an electrically conductive silicone material, for receiving a leg stump: The liner 1 is provided with a cover 6 of a textile material. A layer 2 of an electrically conducting material, for example of metal threads, is embedded in the liner 1. At the distal end of the liner there is located a pin adapter 4, known per se, for connecting to a lower leg prosthesis. The liner 1 is supported from below by a so-called liner cup 3. Such a construction is known, for example, from DE 100 12 929 Al, The pin adapter 4 and the liner cup 3 consist of metal and are electrically conductive. The liner cup 3 is in contact with the incorporated matrix 2 of electrically conductive material. For producing an eiectricaUy conducting connection to the distal end of the stump, an electrically conductive region 5 is arranged above the pin adapter 4, and consists for example, of a felt of an elastomeric material which is made electrically conductive (evaporated metal, containing conductive carbon) or has through threads of graphite, metal or the like, the electrically conducting region 5 and the liner having substantially the same hardness of material.


WE CLAIM:
1. A supporting sleeve for leg or arm stumps, such as liner, consisting of a sleeve (1) surrounding the stump from its distal end, of an elastic, electrically insulating material, characterized in that the sleeve (1) has at least partially a layer (2) of a conductive material running around.
2. The supporting sleeve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive layer is applied externally to the sleeve (1).
3. The supporting sleeve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the layer consists of an elastic, textile material or plastic, made conductive.
4. The supporting sleeve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the layer is a matrix of electrically conductive material enclosed by the elastic material.
5. The supporting sleeve as claimed in claim 4, wherein the matrix consists of ordered or unordered threads of a conductive material,
6. The supporting sleeve as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein a conductive region (5) is arranged between the stump and the layer of a conductive
material,
7. The supporting sleeve as claimed in claim 6, wherein the conductive region is
arranged at the distal end of the stump.

8. The supporting sleeve as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein the
liner has a liner cup (3) at its distal end.
9. The supporting sleeve as claimed in claim 8, wherein the liner cup (3) consists
of an electrically conductive material, or is equipped with such,
10. The supporting sleeve as claimed in claim 9, wherein the liner cup (3) is in
contact with the layer of electrically conductive material.
11. The supporting sleeve as claimed in claims 7 and 10, wherein an electric region
is arranged between the stump and the liner cup and/or the pin adapter.
12. The supporting sleeve as claimed in any one of the claims 6 to 11, wherein an
electric resistance of region.
13. The supporting sleeve as claimed in any one of the claims 8 to 12, wherein
locking means are present between the liner cup and the prosthesis shaft, the locking
means being embodied as electrically conducting or electrically insulating.

Documents:

2727-chenp-2004 abstract-duplicate.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 abstract.jpg

2727-chenp-2004 abstract.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 claims-duplicate.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 claims.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 correspondence-others.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 correspondence-po.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 description (complete)-duplicate.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 description (complete).pdf

2727-chenp-2004 drawings.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 form-1.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 form-18.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 form-26.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 form-3.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 form-5.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 pct.pdf

2727-chenp-2004 petition.pdf


Patent Number 224429
Indian Patent Application Number 2727/CHENP/2004
PG Journal Number 49/2008
Publication Date 05-Dec-2008
Grant Date 15-Oct-2008
Date of Filing 02-Dec-2004
Name of Patentee MEDI BAYREUTH WEIHERMULLER & VOIGTMANN GMBH & CO. KG
Applicant Address MEDICUSSTR. 1, 95448 BAYREUTH,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 KURTH, CHRISTOPH MEDICUSSTRASSE 1, 95448 BAYREUTH,
PCT International Classification Number A61F2/80
PCT International Application Number PCT/DE03/01835
PCT International Filing date 2003-06-04
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 202 08 592.9 2002-06-04 Germany