Valve assembly for a prosthetic socket
AssigneeFillauer Companies, Inc.
InventorBryan Jeffrey Cuervo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technology is described to allow the controlled ingress and egress of air through a prosthetic socket by the insertion of a mechanical valve. The air flow through the valve is controlled by a toggle switch that moves a magnet to shift the position of a valve stem or valve obstruction in the valve. The normal, or closed, position allows flow out of the socket for donning and walking. The open position allows for free flow of air for donning or doffing.
Claims21
A valve device to enable a remnant limb to be placed in a prosthetic socket, comprising:
- a valve chamber formed into a wall of the prosthetic socket to form an air passage through the prosthetic socket;
- a valve ball forming a valve obstruction, wherein the valve ball is in the valve chamber and the valve ball is magnetized;
- a valve seat which is configured to receive the valve obstruction;
- a valve latch, movable with respect to the valve chamber and the valve obstruction;
- and
- a first latch magnet with a first polarity, wherein the first latch magnet is attached to the valve latch, wherein the valve latch is configured to move the first latch magnet with respect to the valve ball to provide an open and closed position.
A valve device to enable a remnant limb to be secured in a prosthetic socket, comprising:
- a valve housing associated with an air opening of the prosthetic socket;
- a valve stem having a valve obstruction, wherein the valve stem is in the valve housing and the valve stem includes a stem magnet;
- a valve seat which is configured to receive the valve obstruction;
- a valve latch, movable with respect to the valve housing and the valve stem;
- a first latch magnet with a first polarity, wherein the first latch magnet is attached to the valve latch;
- and
- a second latch magnet, with a reversed polarity as compared to the first polarity and stem magnet, wherein the second latch magnet is attached to the valve latch and the valve latch is configured to move the first latch magnet and the second latch magnet with respect to stem magnet, and a first position of the valve latch magnetically sets the valve stem in an open position using the first latch magnet and the stem magnet, and a second position of the valve latch magnetically sets the valve stem in a closed position using the second latch magnet and the stem magnet.
A valve device to enable a remnant limb to be secured in a prosthetic socket, comprising:
- a valve housing;
- a valve stem having a valve obstruction, wherein the valve stem is in the valve housing and the valve stem has a stem magnet;
- a valve seat formed into the valve housing to receive the valve obstruction;
- a spring to bias the valve stem and valve obstruction against the valve seat;
- and
- a valve latch, movable with respect to the valve housing and valve stem, the valve latch having a latch magnet, wherein a first position of the valve latch enables the latch magnet and stem magnet to magnetically hold the valve stem in an open position and a second position of the valve latch enables the valve stem and valve obstruction to be in a closed position as biased by the spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.