IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,032,606

Granted Patent B2

US 9,032,606 · App. 12/898,563 · Granted May 19, 2015

Systems and methods for personalizing prosthetic and orthotic devices

Inventor: Dan Horkey (Port Orchard, WA)

A61F2/50 A61F2/5044 A61F2/5046 A61F5/01 A61F2002/5001

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 9,032,606
App. No.: 12/898,563
Granted: May 19, 2015
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Systems and methods for personalizing prosthetic and orthotic devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of personalizing a portion of a device configured to be worn by a wearer as at least one of a prosthetic or an orthosis may include facilitating an application of a wearer-selected artwork to the portion of the device. For example, in various specific embodiments, the facilitating an application of a wearer-selected artwork to the portion of the device may include creating a portion of material having a wearer-specified personalization artwork, and providing the portion of material having the wearer-specified personalization artwork to at least one of the wearer or a third party for application onto the portion of the device. In some embodiments, the portion of material may be provided to at least one of the wearer or a third party for application when the portion of the device is being fabricated.

Claims (73)

1. A method of personalizing a device configured to be worn by a wearer, comprising:

providing the device configured to be worn by the wearer, the device being at least one of a prosthetic device or an orthotic device;

receiving input from the wearer regarding a personalizing attachment the wearer selects to be applied to at least a portion of an exterior surface of the device; preparing the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer, wherein preparing the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device comprises:

cleaning the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device;

dry-sanding the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device;

coating the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device with a primer;

wet-sanding the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device;

base-coating the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device with a basecoat;

applying one or more substantially-clear coatings to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device;

applying one or more intermediate coatings to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device; and

wet-sanding the one or more intermediate coatings; and

applying an electronic tracking device that emits one or more electromagnetic signals to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer.

2. A method of personalizing a device configured to be worn by a wearer, the method comprising:

providing the device configured to be worn by the wearer, the device being at least one of a prosthetic device or an orthotic device;

receiving an indication of a selection of a personalizing artwork to be applied to at least a portion of an exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer;

preparing the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer, wherein preparing the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device comprises:

cleaning the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device;

dry-sanding the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device;

coating the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device with a primer;

wet-sanding the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device;

base-coating the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device with a basecoat;

applying one or more substantially-clear coatings to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device;

applying one or more intermediate coatings to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device; and

wet-sanding the one or more intermediate coatings;

applying the personalizing artwork to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer, including at least applying at least one of a clip art or a graphic provided by the wearer to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device; and

applying one or more substantially-clear top coatings over the wearer-selected artwork.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein cleaning the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device comprises:

cleaning the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device using at least one of an acryi-clean product or a rubbing alcohol.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein dry-sanding the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device comprises:

dry-sanding a braided carbon substrate using at least one of a dry sandpaper or a non-sandpaper abrasive product.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the wearer-selected artwork to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer comprises:

securing a three-dimensional (3d) piece of artwork onto the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the personalizing artwork to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer comprises:

applying a photo provided by the wearer to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein providing a device configured to be worn by a wearer, the device being at least one of a prosthetic device or an orthotic device comprises:

providing a device configured to be worn at least one of on or proximate to an outer surface of at least one of a limb or a torso of a wearer, the device being at least one of a prosthetic device or an orthotic device.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the personalizing artwork to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer comprises:

creating a collage of one or more portions of artwork provided by the wearer; and

applying the collage of one or more portions of artwork to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the personalizing artwork to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer comprises:

sublimation printing of at least one portion of artwork to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein sublimation printing of at least one portion of artwork to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device comprises:

sublimation printing of at least one of an image on fabric or an image on paper to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device.

11. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the personalizing artwork to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer comprises:

applying a personalizing artwork using a dye to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device.

12. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the personalizing artwork to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer comprises:

applying a light to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device.

13. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the personalizing artwork to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer comprises:

applying a motion-activated light to the at least a portion of the exterior surface of the device.

14. A method of personalizing a device configured to be worn by a wearer, the method comprising:

providing the device configured to be worn by the wearer, the device being at least one of a prosthetic device or an orthotic device;

receiving an indication of a selection of a personalizing artwork the wearer selects to be applied to at least a portion of an exterior surface of the device configured to be worn by the wearer;