Prosthetic vacuum system
OwnerMorris J. Danzig, Donald Ray McKinneyinventors
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Abstract
An improved prosthetic device with a vacuum system for maintaining a negative pressure seal between the socket and the residual limb. The vacuum system includes a vacuum surge chamber which maintains seal vacuum and increases the time between recharging a Li ion battery, allowing the battery to be recharged-up to 500 times. The system is small, lightweight, and concealable within the prosthetic device so that it neither impedes use of the device nor detracts from a cosmetically accurate limb.
Claims15
A vacuum system for maintaining a negative pressure in a cavity between a socket of a prosthetic device and a residual limb on which the prosthetic device is attached, the system comprising the following;
- a generally planar foot portion forming a part of the prosthetic device;
- a generally planar heel portion secured adjacent to, but spaced apart from, the foot portion;
- a vacuum pump assembly;
- and
- a vacuum surge chamber secured between the foot portion and the heel portion, the vacuum surge chamber being operatively connected to the socket and to the vacuum pump assembly.
A vacuum system for maintaining a negative pressure in a cavity between a socket of a prosthetic device and a residual limb on which the prosthetic device is attached, the system comprising the following:
- a socket adapted and constructed to fit onto a residual limb of a patient;
- a generally tubular leg pipe forming a part of the prosthetic device;
- a vacuum pump assembly;
- and
- a vacuum surge chamber secured on the leg pipe, the vacuum surge chamber being operatively connected to the socket and to the vacuum pump assembly and having a contour adapted to correspond to one of the outer contour of the leg pipe and the outer contour of the socket.
A vacuum system for maintaining a negative pressure in a cavity between a socket of a prosthetic device and a residual limb on which the prosthetic device is attached, the system comprising the following:
- a socket adapted to fit onto the arm of a wearer;
- an arm assembly forming a part of the prosthetic device, the arm portion being connected to the socket;
- a vacuum pump assembly;
- and
- a vacuum surge chamber secured in the arm assembly, the vacuum surge chamber being operatively connected to the socket and to the vacuum pump assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.