Pump system

Abstract

A vacuum suspension system includes a foot cover having a heel portion and a pump system located in the heel portion. The pump system includes upper and lower sections arranged to move in an axial direction relative to one another and a pump mechanism operatively connected to and positioned between the upper and lower sections. When the heel portion is loaded in stance the pump mechanism moves from an original configuration in which the volume of a fluid chamber defined by the pump mechanism is zero or near-zero, to an expanded configuration in which the volume of the fluid chamber is increased.

1 . A vacuum suspension system for use in combination with a prosthetic socket defining a cavity, the vacuum suspension system comprising:
 a foot cover defining an opening;   a prosthetic foot having an upper foot member and a lower foot member disposed generally below the upper foot member, the prosthetic foot having a heel member extending rearwardly to a free end and disposed below at least a portion of the lower foot member, the prosthetic foot insertable into the foot cover;   a pump system including a pump mechanism disposed in the opening of the foot cover, the pump mechanism being operable between the heel member and a support member coupled to the foot cover, the pump mechanism positioned in a space between the heel member and a bottom surface of the lower foot member.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the pump mechanism includes a housing containing a valve assembly, a membrane, and a connector, a fluid chamber is defined between the housing and the membrane, the valve assembly is arranged to only allow fluid to enter the pump mechanism and is arranged in fluid communication with the cavity of the prosthetic socket. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 2 , wherein the pump mechanism is movable between an original configuration in which a volume of the fluid chamber defined between the membrane and the housing is zero or near-zero, and an expanded configuration in which the volume of the fluid chamber is increased. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 2 , wherein the housing surrounds an outer radial edge portion of the membrane and forms a seal with the membrane, a bottom portion of the housing defines a pair of openings extending into the housing and forms at least one internal passageway providing fluid communication between the fluid chamber and the valve assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 2 , wherein the support member is pivotally connected to the housing, such that a cross member of the support member extends through a channel defined by the housing such that the housing is pivotally connected to the support member. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 5 , wherein the heel member and the cross member are arranged to move apart upon heel strike of the prosthetic foot such that the housing pivots about the cross member rotating the housing away from the heel member, as the housing rotates away from the heel member, the heel member pulls the membrane away from the housing, increasing a volume of a fluid chamber of the pump mechanism to create a vacuum in the pump mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 6 , wherein deformation of a center portion of the membrane varies the volume of the fluid chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the support member has a cross member extending in a transverse direction across the foot cover above the heel member and side members extending downwardly along the sides of the foot cover. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 8 , wherein the support member defines one or more side members extending along slots defined by the foot cover arranged to receive the side members. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the pump system is concealed within the foot cover. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more valve assemblies arranged to control fluid flow into and out of the pump mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the pump mechanism moves toward an original configuration when the foot cover is unloaded. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the pump system has upper and lower sections fitted within the foot cover such that during gait or when a load is applied to the foot cover, the upper section moves downward relative to the lower section, which causes a pin of the pump mechanism to push a center portion of a membrane away from a housing of the pump system to increase a volume of a fluid chamber, the increase in the volume of the fluid chamber creates a vacuum in the pump mechanism to draw fluid into the pump mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 13 , further comprising a tube system in fluid communication with the pump mechanism and the cavity of the prosthetic socket. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the pump system includes upper and lower sections arranged to move in an axial direction along an axis relative to one another, the upper section including a pin member defined along the axis of the upper and lower sections;
 wherein the pump mechanism is operatively connected to and positioned between the upper and lower sections, the pump mechanism including:
 a housing positioned between the upper and lower sections, the housing arranged to allow the pin member to slidably pass therethrough; and 
 a membrane situated on the housing such that a fluid chamber is defined between an upper side of the membrane and the housing; 
   wherein the pump system includes a biasing mechanism located within the housing between the upper and lower sections about the pin member and arranged to bias the pump mechanism toward an original configuration such that a vacuum is created in the pump mechanism during stance and automatically expels fluid to atmosphere during a swing phase of a user.   
     
     
         16 . A vacuum suspension system comprising:
 a prosthetic socket having an interior cavity;   a foot cover defining a foot opening;   a prosthetic foot having an upper foot member and a lower foot member disposed generally below the upper foot member, the prosthetic foot having a heel member extending rearwardly to a free end and disposed below at least a portion of the lower foot member, the prosthetic foot insertable into the foot cover, the prosthetic foot arranged to expand and compress;   a pump system including a pump mechanism disposed in the opening of the foot cover, the pump mechanism being operable between the heel member and a support member coupled to the foot cover, the pump mechanism positioned in a space between the heel member and a bottom surface of the lower foot member, the pump system including upper and lower sections arranged to move in an axial direction along an axis relative to one another, the upper section including a pin member defined along the axis of the upper and lower sections, wherein the pump mechanism is operatively connected to and positioned between the upper and lower sections, the pump mechanism including:
 a housing positioned between the upper and lower sections, the housing arranged to allow the pin member to slidably pass therethrough; and 
 a membrane situated on the housing such that a fluid chamber is defined between an upper side of the membrane and the housing; 
   a tube system in fluid communication with the pump mechanism and the interior cavity of the prosthetic socket;   wherein the pump mechanism is movable between an original configuration in which a volume of the fluid chamber defined between the membrane and the housing is zero or near-zero, and an expanded configuration in which the volume of the fluid chamber is increased;   wherein the pump system includes a biasing mechanism located within the housing between the upper and lower sections about the pin member and arranged to bias the pump mechanism toward the original configuration such that a vacuum is created in the pump mechanism during stance and automatically expels fluid to atmosphere during a swing phase of a user.   
     
     
         17 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 16 , wherein the support member is pivotally connected to the housing, such that a cross member of the support member extends through a channel defined by the housing such that the housing is pivotally connected to the support member. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 17 , wherein the heel member and the cross member are arranged to move apart upon heel strike of the prosthetic foot such that the housing pivots about the cross member rotating the housing away from the heel member, as the housing rotates away from the heel member, the heel member pulls the membrane away from the housing, increasing the volume of a fluid chamber of the pump mechanism to create a vacuum in the pump mechanism. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum suspension system of  claim 17 , further comprising a biasing mechanism arranged to return the pump mechanism according to movement of the prosthetic foot, the biasing mechanism including at least one band member having an elastomeric configuration extending around the heel member and the housing thereby biasing the housing toward the heel member. 
     
     
         20 . A vacuum suspension system comprising:
 a prosthetic socket having an interior cavity;   a foot cover defining a foot opening;   a prosthetic foot having an upper foot member and a lower foot member disposed generally below the upper foot member, the prosthetic foot having a heel member extending rearwardly to a free end and disposed below at least a portion of the lower foot member, the prosthetic foot insertable into the foot cover, the prosthetic foot arranged to expand and compress;   a pump system including a pump mechanism disposed in the opening of the foot cover, the pump mechanism being operable between the heel member and a support member coupled to the foot cover, the pump mechanism positioned in a space between the heel member and a bottom surface of the lower foot member;   a tube system in fluid communication with the pump mechanism and the interior cavity of the prosthetic socket;   wherein the pump system has upper and lower sections fitted within the foot cover such that during gait or when a load is applied to the foot cover;   wherein the pump system includes upper and lower sections arranged to move in an axial direction along an axis relative to one another, the upper section including a pin member defined along the axis of the upper and lower sections;   wherein the pump mechanism is operatively connected to and positioned between the upper and lower sections, the pump mechanism including:
 a housing positioned between the upper and lower sections, the housing arranged to allow the pin member to slidably pass therethrough; and 
 a membrane situated on the housing such that a fluid chamber is defined between an upper side of the membrane and the housing; 
   wherein the pump system includes a biasing mechanism located within the housing between the upper and lower sections about the pin member and arranged to bias the pump mechanism toward an original configuration such that a vacuum is created in the pump mechanism during stance and automatically expels fluid to atmosphere during a swing phase of a user;   wherein the pump mechanism is movable between an original configuration in which a volume of the fluid chamber defined between the membrane and the housing is zero or near-zero, and an expanded configuration in which the volume of the fluid chamber is increased.