Prosthetic vacuum system

摘要

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 battery life. 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.

主权项

1. 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 vacuum system comprising:
a concealable vacuum surge chamber comprised of a sealed reservoir having a volume capacity in the range of about 1.0 to about 1.75 cubic inches, a vacuum pump, a power source, tubing, tubing connectors, and means for sensing pressure and actuating the system, wherein,
a. the cavity is operatively connected to the surge chamber and the vacuum pump with the tubing and tubing connectors;b. the means for sensing pressure and actuating the system comprises a pressure sensor which is operatively associated with one of the cavity and the surge chamber,
i. said sensor being capable of triggering an actuation event when the negative pressure decays to a predetermined differential from atmospheric pressure to actuate the vacuum pump to increase the negative pressure in the cavity,ii. said sensor being capable of triggering an actuation event when the negative pressure reaches a predetermined threshold to de-activate the vacuum pump;c. said vacuum surge chamber being concealed in a component of the prosthetic device so that it neither impedes use of the device nor detracts from a cosmetically accurate limb.