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US 6,287,345 B1Granted
Valve assembly for a prosthetic limb
AssigneeThe Ohio Willow Wood Company
InventorsTracy C. Slemker, Dennis E. Meyer, Scott R. Schall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A prosthetic limb comprises a socket for receiving a patient's residual limb, and an upright assembly. The socket includes a base provided in its distal end. The base includes a chamber therewithin and an channel for providing fluid communication between the chamber and the interior of the socket. A duct extends through the socket and engages the base such that it is in fluid communication with the chamber. A valve is coupled to the duct to allow controlled or forced gas transfer to and from the interior of the socket. A seal is provided between the base and the socket to facilitate suction between the patient's residual limb and the socket.
Claims33
A prosthetic limb comprising:
- a prosthetic limb socket shaped for receiving a patient's residual limb, the socket having a socket wall, a socket interior, a proximal opening, and a distal end;
- an upright assembly;
- and
- a valve assembly including,
- a base having a first surface and a second surface, fitted within the socket interior at the distal end of the socket, wherein said first surface faces the socket interior and the second surface faces the socket wall, wherein the base includes a channel extending therethrough providing fluid communication between the first surface and the second surface;
- a coupler, carried on the base, releasably attaching the upright assembly to the distal end of the socket and to the base;
- a valve extending through the socket and coupled to the base for controlling the flow of air from the socket interior and through the channel;
- and
- an O-ring member extending from the second surface of the base and providing an air-tight seal between the base and the socket wall.
6 more elements
A prosthetic limb, comprising:
- a prosthetic limb socket including a socket wall,
- a socket interior configured to contain a patient's residual limb,
- a proximal opening, and
- a distal end;
- an upright assembly;
- a base removably coupled to the distal end of the socket, the base including a channel extending therethrough and opening into the socket interior;
- a coupler, carried on the base, releasably attaching the upright assembly to the distal end of the socket;
- and
- a valve coupled to the base for controlling the flow of air through the channel.
6 more elements
A prosthetic limb, comprising:
- a prosthetic limb socket shaped for receiving a patient's residual limb, the socket having a socket wall, a socket interior, a proximal opening, and a distal end;
- an upright assembly;
- a base-plate fitted within the socket interior at the distal end of the socket, the base-plate including a channel extending into the base and opening onto the socket interior;
- a valve extending through the socket wall and coupled to the base-plate for controlling the flow of air from the socket interior and through the channel;
- and
- a bolt extending from the upright assembly, through the socket wall and into the base-plate;
- whereby the base-plate facilitates the passage of air from the socket interior and also facilitates the coupling of the upright assembly to the socket.
4 more elements
A prosthetic limb, comprising:
- a prosthetic limb socket shaped for receiving a patient's residual limb, the socket having a socket wall, a socket interior, a proximal opening, and a distal end;
- a base-plate fitted within the socket interior at the distal end of the socket, the base-plate including a channel extending into the base-plate and opening onto the socket interior;
- and
- a port communicating with the channel, the port facilitating the coupling of a pump thereto so as provide a forced transfer of air to or from the socket interior.
1 more element
A prosthetic limb, comprising:
- a socket having an interior configured to contain wear's residual limb, a distal end, and an inner surface;
- a valve assembly removably coupled to the distal end of the socket, providing fluid communication between the socket interior and the ambient;
- and
- an upright assembly removably coupled to the distal end of the valve assembly.
1 more element
A prosthetic limb socket configured to receive a residual limb, said prosthetic limb socket comprising:
- a proximal opening;
- a socket wall and a distal end configured to define a socket interior,
- said distal end comprising a releasably attached base including
- a channel configured to conduct fluid between said socket interior and an exterior of said prosthetic limb socket, and
- a check valve located along said channel and configured to spontaneously open said channel in response to a socket interior pressure higher than an exterior pressure and close said channel in response to said socket interior pressure substantially equal to and less than said exterior pressure.
2 more elements
A device comprising:
- a prosthetic limb socket having a socket wall and a releasably attached base plate at a distal end of said prosthetic limb socket that define a prosthetic limb socket interior, said prosthetic limb socket interior configured to contain a residual limb therein;
- a channel located within said releasably attached base plate and configured to conduct fluid between said prosthetic limb socket interior and a prosthetic limb socket exterior and located within said releasably attached base plate;
- and
- a valve located along said channel and configured to seal and open said channel.
1 more element
A device, comprising:
- means for receiving a residual limb;
- means for attaching said means for receiving and an upright assembly, said means for attaching being releasably attached to said means for receiving and including
- means for transporting fluid between an interior of said means for receiving and an exterior of said means for receiving.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.