Vacuum pump with shock absorption and controlled rotation for prosthetic devices

A vacuum pump for use with an artificial limb including a prosthetic foot having an integral pylon, the vacuum pump comprising:

• a housing couplable to a prosthetic structure, the housing including a first chamber;
• a shaft configured to be received by and to reciprocate within the first chamber, with the housing and shaft together forming a pump chamber, the shaft adapted to receive and secure a portion of the integral pylon of the prosthetic foot;
• and
• an intake port and an exhaust port in fluid communication with the pump chamber,
• such that stroke of the shaft within the pump chamber in a first direction results in expellation of gas out of the chamber through the exhaust valve, and stroke of the shaft in a second direction pulls gas into the pump chamber through the intake valve, which can create a vacuum in an external component coupled to the pump at the intake valve.

A vacuum pump having dual shock absorption for use with an artificial limb, the vacuum pump comprising:

• a housing couplable to a first prosthetic structure, the housing including a first chamber;
• a shaft couplable to a second prosthetic structure and configured to be received by and to reciprocate within the first chamber, such that the housing and shaft together form a pump chamber;
• a piston coupled to the shaft and positioned within the pump chamber, such that reciprocation of the shaft results in reciprocation of the piston within the pump chamber;
• an intake port and an exhaust port in fluid communication with the pump chamber;
• a mechanical spring element within the shaft;
• and
• a pneumatic spring within the pump and including a pneumatic spring chamber, with the mechanical spring element and pneumatic spring configured to absorb a shock to the shaft upon movement into the pump and return of the shaft to an extended position,
• such that stroke of the shaft within the pump chamber in a first direction results in expellation of gas out of the chamber through the exhaust valve, and stroke of the shaft in a second direction pulls gas into the pump chamber through the intake valve, which can create a vacuum in an external component coupled to the pump at the intake valve.