Claims
- 1. A socket insert for insertion into a socket receiving a residual limb, comprising:
a plurality of bladders being adapted to receive a fluid medium, wherein said bladders are organized into a plurality of zones, each of said zones including a plurality of bladders and wherein each of the bladders within a zone are in fluid communication with the other bladders within said zone, wherein fluid flow into and out of said zones is controllable such that different zones can be filled with fluid to differing pressures.
- 2. The socket insert of claim 1, wherein each of the bladders has a maximum dimension of about 2 inches or less.
- 3. The socket insert of claim 1, further comprising a fluid medium within said bladders.
- 4. The socket insert of claim 3, wherein the fluid medium is incompressible.
- 5. The socket insert of claim 1, wherein the zones are interconnected.
- 6. The socket insert of claim 1, wherein the zones are not interconnected.
- 7. The socket insert of claim 1, wherein the zones are arranged to correspond to different muscle groups of the residual limb.
- 8. The socket insert of claim 1, wherein at least some of the zones have differing number of bladders, zones having a small number of bladders being arranged to correspond to locations of the residual limb experiencing greater volume fluctuations.
- 9. The socket insert of claim 1, wherein the bladders are organized into at least four zones.
- 10. The socket insert of claim 9, wherein each of the zones includes at least four interconnected bladders.
- 11. The socket insert of claim 1, comprising eight or more zones.
- 12. The socket insert of claim 1, wherein the insert is wing-shaped.
- 13. The socket insert of claim 1, wherein the zones are arranged to correspond to different muscle groups of the residual limb.
- 14. A prosthetic device, comprising:
a socket for receiving a residual limb, the socket having an interior surface; and a plurality of bladders being adapted to receive a fluid medium positioned at least partially on the interior surface, wherein said bladders are organized into a plurality of zones, each of said zones including a plurality of bladders and wherein each of the bladders within a zone are in fluid communication with the other bladders within said zone, wherein fluid flow into and out of said zones is controllable such that different zones can be filled with fluid to differing pressures.
- 15. The prosthetic device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of bladders are positioned only partially circumferentially around the interior surface of the socket.
- 16. The prosthetic device of claim 14, wherein the bladders are organized into at least four zones.
- 17. The prosthetic device of claim 14, wherein each of the zones includes at least four interconnected bladders.
- 18. The prosthetic device of claim 14, wherein each of the bladders has a maximum dimension of about 2 inches or less.
- 19. The prosthetic device of claim 14, further comprising a fluid medium within said bladders.
- 20. The prosthetic device of claim 19, wherein the fluid medium is incompressible.
- 21. The prosthetic device of claim 14, wherein the zones are interconnected.
- 22. The prosthetic device of claim 14, wherein the zones are not interconnected.
- 23. The prosthetic device of claim 14, wherein the zones are arranged to correspond to different muscle groups of the residual limb.
- 24. A prosthetic device, comprising:
a plurality of bladders sized and configured to be positioned adjacent an interior surface of a socket, at least some of the bladders containing an incompressible fluid, wherein each of said bladders has a maximum dimension of about 2 inches or less, wherein at least some of the bladders are interconnected such that fluid can flow from one bladder to another.
- 25. The prosthetic device of claim 24, further comprising a socket receiving said plurality of bladders.
- 26. The prosthetic device of claim 24, wherein the plurality of bladders are provided on a socket insert.
- 27. The prosthetic device of claim 26, wherein the socket insert is secured to the interior surface of the socket.
- 28. The prosthetic device of claim 26, wherein the socket insert is provided only along a portion of the interior surface of the socket.
- 29. The prosthetic device of claim 28, wherein the socket insert is provided only along a posterior portion of the interior surface of the socket.
- 30. The prosthetic device of claim 24, wherein the plurality of bladders are organized into a plurality of zones, each of said zones including a plurality of bladders, wherein each of the bladders within a zone are in fluid communication with the other bladders within said zone, wherein fluid flow into and out of said zones is controllable such that different zones can be filled with fluid to differing pressures.
- 31. The prosthetic device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of bladders is organized into at least four zones.
- 32. The prosthetic device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of bladders is organized into at least eight zones.
- 33. The prosthetic device of claim 30, wherein each zone includes at least four bladders.
- 34. The prosthetic device of claim 30, wherein each of the bladders within a zone are interconnected.
- 35. The prosthetic device of claim 30, wherein the zones are interconnected.
- 36. The prosthetic device of claim 30, wherein the zones are not interconnected.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application Ser. No. 10/207,230, filed Jul. 26, 2002, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/308,061, filed Jul. 26, 2001. Both of these applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60308061 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10207230 |
Jul 2002 |
US |
Child |
10359514 |
Feb 2003 |
US |