Patent ID: 7344568

Claim:
A gel liner comprising a composite article of a gelatinous elastomer composition, G, in contact with one or more of a selected substrate material, M, said gelatinous elastomer composition comprising: (i) 100 parts by weight of one or more of a hydrogenated styrene isoprene/butadiene styrene block copolymer(s) selected from a hydrogenated styrene block polymer with hydrogenated elastomer midblocks of poly(2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) and poly(1,3-butadiene), a hydrogenated styrene block polymer with hydrogenated elastomer midblocks of poly(2-methyl-1,3-butadiene and 1,3-butadiene), and a poly(styrene-ethylene-ethylene-styrene) and (ii) about 300 to about 1,600 parts by weight of a plasticizing oil; in combination with or without (iii) a selected amount of one or more polymers or copolymers of poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene), poly(styrene-butadiene) n , poly(styrene-isoprene-styrene) n , poly(styrene-isoprene) n , poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene), poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene), poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene) n , poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene) n , low viscosity poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene), polystyrene, polybutylene, poly(ethylene-propylene), poly(ethylene-butylene), polypropylene, or polyethylene, wherein said selected copolymer is a linear, radial, star-shaped, branched or multiarm copolymer, wherein n is greater than one; and wherein said composite formed from the combination G n G n , G n M n , G n M n M n , G n M n M n G n , G n G n M n M n , G n M n G n M n M n , G n M n G n , M n G n M n , G n G n M n , M n M n M n G n , M n M n M n G n M n , M n G n G n M n , G n M n G n G n , G n M n M n G n , G n G n M n M n , G n G n M n G n M n , G n M n G n M n M n , M n G n M n G n M n G n , G n G n M n M n G n , G n G n M n G n M n G n , a sequential addition or a permutation of one or more of said G n with or without one or more M n ; wherein when n is a subscript of M, n is the same or different selected from the group consisting of foam, plastic, fabric, metal, ceramics, synthetic resin, synthetic fibers or refractory materials; and wherein when n is a subscript of G, n denotes the same or a different gel rigidity; said composite article having the shape of a liner for lower extremity socket insert above the knee amputee prosthesis formed by injection molding, extruding, spinning, casting, or dipping of said gel.