Prosthetic liner

Abstract

Prosthetic liner formed of a molded silicone elastomer material including an inner wall, a circular outer wall having radii of curvature centered along a first longitudinal axis of external symmetry extending longitudinally centrally within the liner, the inner wall including a circular curved inside anterior wall portion extending along a liner length and having first radii of curvature centered on a second longitudinal axis of anterior curvature extending longitudinally along the liner length and a circular curved inside posterior wall portion having a second radii of curvature centered on a third longitudinal axis of posterior curvature extending along said liner length. The first, second and third longitudinal axes lie in a common longitudinally and transversely extending plane bisecting the anterior and posterior wall portions, and the second and third axes are spaced apart a predetermined offset distance on opposed sides of the first axis to thereby define an anterior wall portion that is thicker along the liner length than the posterior portion.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A suction liner having proximal and distal ends and tapering inwardly towards its distal end, said liner including a molded silicone elastomer inner wall, a circular outer wall having radii of curvature centered along a liner first longitudinal axis of external symmetry extending longitudinally centrally within the liner; said inner wall including a circular curved inside anterior wall portion extending along a liner length and having first radii of curvature centered on a second longitudinal axis of anterior curvature extending longitudinally along said liner length, and a circular curved inside posterior wall portion having second radii of curvature centered on a third longitudinal axis of posterior curvature extending along said liner length, said first, second and third longitudinal axes lying in a common longitudinally and transversely extending plane bisecting the interior and posterior wall portions, and wherein said second and third axes are spaced apart a predetermined offset distance on opposed sides of said first axis to thereby define an anterior wall portion that is thicker along said liner length than the posterior portion; and further wherein said anterior and posterior wall portions intersect each other along said liner length on the liner interior along diametrically opposed inner transition wall portions that extend tangentially relative to the adjoining anterior and posterior wall portions along said liner length, whereby the interior wall of the suction liner along the inner transition wall portions are free of rapid changes in thickness, curvature or cross-section profile.  
     
     
         2 . The suction liner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said second and third radii are equal to each other along their respective second and third axes.  
     
     
         3 . The suction liner as claimed in  claim 1  or  2 , including a spherical curved inside distal wall portion of said suction liner, said distal wall portion joining the adjoining interior wall of the suction liner along a tangency that forms a smooth transition between the inside distal wall portion and the adjoining interior wall of the suction liner, and further wherein the adjoining wall of the suction liner is circular in cross-section and has a center of curvature located on said first axis; and further wherein the thickness of the wall of the suction liner adjoining said spherical curved distal wall portion is uniform and equal to the thickness of said anterior wall portion.