Harness For Coupling To An Upper Arm Prosthesis, And Systems And Methods Of Making And Using Same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022175560-A1
Application number	US-202117543251-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 6, 2021
Priority date	Dec 4, 2020
Publication date	Jun 9, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A prosthesis system can comprise an upper arm prosthesis comprising a socket, the upper arm prosthesis being positioned on a first side of the prosthesis system proximate a residual limb of a user. A harness that can be coupled to the socket of the upper arm prosthesis. The harness can comprise a front portion that is configured to extend across the chest of the user and receive at least a portion of the breasts of the user therein and a back portion that is configured to extend across the back of the user and couple to opposed lateral sides of the front portion. A first end of a support strap can couple to the socket of the prosthesis at a first anchor point, and a second end can couple to the back portion of the harness on a second side of the prosthesis system opposite the first side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A harness for coupling a prosthesis to a user having a back, a torso, a chest, breasts, and an upper residual limb on a first side of the user, the harness having opposing first and second sides divided by a sagittal plane, the first side of the harness corresponding to the first side of the user, said harness comprising:
a front portion that is configured to extend across the chest of the user and receive at least a portion of the breasts of the user therein, wherein the front portion has opposed lateral sides; a back portion that is configured to extend across the back of the user and couple to the opposed lateral sides of the front portion; a support strap having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the support strap is configured to couple to a socket of the prosthesis at a first anchor point on the first side of the harness, wherein the second end couples to the back portion on the second side of the harness.

2 . The harness of claim 1 , wherein the harness comprises:
a chest portion; a back strap; and a first shoulder strap that extends between and couples to the chest portion on the first side of the prosthesis system and the back strap.

3 . The harness of claim 2 , further comprising a second shoulder strap that extends between and couples to the chest portion on the second side of the prosthesis system and the back strap.

4 . The harness of claim 1 , wherein the harness comprises at least two anchor points at which the harness is configured to couple to the socket of the upper arm prosthesis.

5 . The harness of claim 4 , wherein the harness comprises three anchor points at which the harness is configured to couple to the socket of the upper arm prosthesis.

6 . The harness of claim 5 , wherein the harness comprises a second anchor point at which the front portion of the harness is configured to couple to the socket of the upper arm prosthesis.

7 . The harness of claim 6 , wherein the harness further comprises a first shoulder strap that defines a portion of the front portion of harness and a portion of the rear portion of the harness, wherein the harness comprises a third anchor point that is configured to couple the first shoulder strap to the socket of the upper arm prosthesis.

8 . The harness of claim 1 , wherein the front portion and the back portion of the harness cooperate to define a loop that is configured to extend about the torso of the user, wherein the harness comprises a closure that adjoins the loop at opposed first and second ends of the loop, wherein the closure is configured to selectively decouple the first and second ends of the loop.

9 . The harness of claim 8 , wherein the closure comprises a magnetic closure.

10 . The harness of claim 8 , wherein the closure comprises a zipper, at least one hook, or hook and loop fastener.

11 . The harness of claim 8 , wherein the closure is positioned on the front portion of the harness.

12 . The harness of claim 1 , wherein front portion and the back portion of the harness cooperate to define a loop that is configured to extend about the torso of the user, wherein the loop has an operative circumference, and wherein the harness comprises an adjustment element that is configured to adjust the operative circumference of the loop.

13 . The harness of claim 1 , wherein the front and back portions of the harness are integrally formed.

14 . The harness of claim 1 , wherein the harness comprises at least one anchor point, wherein the at least one anchor point comprises the first anchor point, wherein the harness further comprises a respective rivet at each anchor point of the at least one anchor point that is configured to couple the harness to the socket.

15 . The harness of claim 1 , wherein the harness comprises a functional clothing item.

16 . The harness of claim 15 , wherein the functional clothing item comprises a sports bra.

17 . The harness of claim 1 , wherein, when worn by the user, the support strap is configured to form an angle relative to a transverse plane of less than 45 degrees.

18 . A prosthesis system for a user having a back, a torso, a chest, breasts, a first side, an opposed second side relative to a sagittal plane, and an upper residual limb on the first side, said prosthesis system comprising:
an upper arm prosthesis comprising a socket, the upper arm prosthesis being positioned on a first side of the prosthesis system corresponding to the first side of the user; a harness that is coupled to the socket of the upper arm prosthesis, the harness comprising:
a front portion that is configured to extend across the chest of the user and receive at least a portion of the breasts of the user therein, wherein the front portion has opposed lateral sides;
a back portion that is configured to extend across the back of the user and couple to the opposed lateral sides of the front portion;
a support strap having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the support strap couples to the socket of the prosthesis at a first anchor point, wherein the second end couples to the back portion of the harness on a second side of the prosthesis system corresponding to the second side of the user, the second side of the prosthesis system being opposite the first side of the prosthesis system relative to the sagittal plane.

19 . The prosthesis system of claim 18 , wherein the upper arm prosthesis is a passive prosthesis.

20 . The prosthesis system of claim 19 , wherein the upper arm prosthesis is a functional prosthesis.

Assignees

• Us Gov Veterans Affairs

Inventors

• Winkler Sandra L
• Phillips Samuel
• Delikat Jemy

Classifications

• A41D13/0007

  Garments with built-in harnesses (safety harnesses A62B35/00) · CPC title

• A41C3/0064

  for medical use or surgery · CPC title

• A41C3/0057

  for sport activities · CPC title

• A61F2002/7862

  Harnesses or straps · CPC title

• A61F2/80 Primary

  Sockets, e.g. of suction type · CPC title