The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 13, 2004
Filed:
Jan. 29, 2002
Carl A. Caspers, Avon, MN (US);
Otto Bock HealthCare LP, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A weight-actuated vacuum pump for a hypobarically-controlled artificial limb having a socket with a cavity to receive a residual limb. A dual-action pump has a housing fixedly attached to the socket of the artificial limb, a cylinder reciprocating within the housing and attached to the pylon of the artificial limb, a first chamber within the cylinder, a piston reciprocating within the first chamber, a second chamber between the cylinder and the housing, and valve means for connecting the first chamber and second chamber to the cavity and to atmosphere. A single-action pump has a housing fixedly attached to the pylon of the artificial limb with a first chamber therein, a piston reciprocating in the first chamber with a seal, forming a second chamber between the piston and the housing, an intake/exhaust port connected to the second chamber, and one-way valves connecting the second chamber to the cavity and to atmosphere. Ambulation causes the vacuum pump, under the influence of the wearer's body weight, to draw air out of the cavity, producing a vacuum within the cavity.