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

Claim 0:
1. 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, was insufficiently globally reduced, or, as a result of residual limb volume reduction, provides insufficient global reduction;
providing a flexible pre-socket comprising a thermoformable material, wherein the flexible pre-socket comprises a first end, a second end, a thickness, an inner circumference, and an outer circumference, the first end having an opening, and the second end being substantially closed;
heating the thermoformable material of 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;
molding the formable flexible pre-socket onto the inner surface of the rigid prosthetic socket such that the outer circumference of the formable flexible pre-socket substantially follows the contours of the inner surface of the rigid prosthetic socket, thereby reducing the inner circumference of the rigid prosthetic socket in a predetermined manner based on the thickness of the flexible pre-socket to provide a globally reduced fit of the rigid prosthetic socket, and thereby forming the flexible inner socket, and
wherein the molding the formable flexible pre-socket onto the inner surface of the rigid prosthetic socket further comprises using a vacuum pressure such that the outer circumference of the formable flexible pre-socket substantially follows the contours of the inner surface of the rigid prosthetic socket.