Patent ID: 11890209
Assignee: nan
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 27:
28. A method of forming a flexible inner socket, comprising:
providing a rigid prosthetic socket configured to fit at least a portion of a residual limb of a user, wherein the rigid prosthetic socket comprises a first end, a second end, an inner circumference, the first end having an opening, the second end being substantially closed, and an inner surface having contours that substantially mimic contours of the residual limb, wherein the rigid prosthetic socket has not been globally reduced in dimension;
providing a flexible pre-socket;
heating the flexible pre-socket to a temperature so that the flexible pre-socket becomes a formable flexible pre-socket;
arranging at least a portion of the formable flexible pre-socket into the rigid prosthetic socket; and
molding the formable flexible pre-socket onto the inner surface of the rigid prosthetic socket such that an outer circumference of the formable flexible pre-socket substantially follows the contours of the inner surface of the rigid prosthetic socket comprising:
providing a sleeve;
arranging the sleeve around at least a portion of the formable flexible pre-socket extending past the first end of the rigid prosthetic socket and the at least a portion of an upper region of the rigid prosthetic socket near the first end,
wherein the second end of the rigid prosthetic socket has a base with a channel that extends through the base from an inside of the rigid prosthetic socket to an outside of the rigid prosthetic socket, connecting a vacuum source to the channel in the base, and
wherein the molding of the formable flexible pre-socket onto the inner surface is aided with a vacuum pressure from the vacuum source.