System and a method for adjusting a prosthetic limb
OwnerBehnam Hajiaghaeiinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydraulic system for adjusting a prosthetic limb. The hydraulic system may include an expandable pad mounted onto an interior surface of a socket of the prosthetic limb. The hydraulic system may further include a hydraulic cylinder and a plunger mechanism. The hydraulic cylinder may be filled with a hydraulic oil. The hydraulic system may be configured to expand the expandable pad by pumping the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic cylinder into the expandable pad responsive to a volume decrease of the residual limb being more than a threshold.
Claims16
A hydraulic system for adjusting a prosthetic limb, the hydraulic system comprising:
- an expandable pad mounted onto an interior surface of a socket of the prosthetic limb, the socket configured to receive a residual limb of an amputee;
- a hydraulic cylinder filled with hydraulic oil;
- and
- a plunger mechanism disposed between the hydraulic cylinder and the expandable pad, the plunger mechanism configured to:
- control fluid communication between the hydraulic cylinder and the expandable pad;
- prevent fluid communication between the hydraulic cylinder and the expandable pad responsive to the amount of the volume decrease of the residual limb being less than the threshold;
- and
- allow fluid communication between the hydraulic cylinder and the expandable pad responsive to the amount of the volume decrease of the residual limb being equal to or more than the threshold,
- wherein the hydraulic system is configured to expand the expandable pad by pumping the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic cylinder into the expandable pad responsive to an amount of a volume decrease of the residual limb being more than a threshold.
A method for adjusting a prosthetic limb, the method comprising:
- receiving a residual limb of an amputee in a socket of the prosthetic limb, the prosthetic limb comprising a hydraulic system comprising:
- an expandable pad mounted onto an interior surface of the socket of the prosthetic limb;
- a hydraulic cylinder filled with hydraulic oil;
- and
- a plunger mechanism disposed between the hydraulic cylinder and the expandable pad;
- and
- adjusting the expandable pad by controlling fluid communication between the hydraulic cylinder and the expandable pad utilizing the hydraulic system;
- wherein:
- adjusting the expandable pad by controlling fluid communication between the hydraulic cylinder and the expandable pad comprises expanding the expandable pad by pumping the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic cylinder into the expandable pad responsive to an amount of volume decrease of the residual limb being more than a threshold;
- pumping the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic cylinder into the expandable pad comprises allowing fluid communication between the hydraulic cylinder and the expandable pad responsive to the volume decrease of the residual limb being equal to or more than the threshold;
- and
- allowing fluid communication between the hydraulic cylinder and the expandable pad comprises allowing fluid communication between the hydraulic cylinder and the expandable pad utilizing a plunger mechanism, the plunger mechanism comprising:
- a plunger rod disposed between the hydraulic cylinder and the expandable pad, the plunger rod connected to the hydraulic cylinder through a first hydraulic hose and connected to the expandable pad through a second hydraulic hose, the plunger rod comprising a horizontal thorough hole provided along a diameter of the plunger rod;
- and
- a plunger head mounted onto the plunge rod.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.