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.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed relating to a mechanical vacuum socket pump used to establish a vacuum in a socket of an artificial limb. In one case, the pump includes a housing within which two pistons coaxially reciprocate. A surface of each of the pistons is linked hydraulically, such that driving one piston causes movement of the other piston through a hydraulic chamber. One piston is also linked to a pneumatic chamber such that movement of that piston draws air from a limb socket or expels air to the atmosphere upon movement of the piston's pneumatic surface. The surface area of the hydraulic surface of this piston is significantly less than the surface area of the pneumatic surface, so a small volumetric displacement of hydraulic fluid may cause a large displacement of air. Thus, the pump efficiently pumps air with minimal compression and extension of the pump as a whole.

Pump systems for use in suspension of a prosthetic device from a residual limb and methods of suspending a prosthetic device from a residual limb are disclosed. The pump systems include a mechanically activated pump having a first compression member coupled to a second compression member, a compressible bladder disposed between the first and second compression members, and coupling elements that engage and couple together the first and second compression members. The mechanically activated pump may be connected with an electrically activated pump within a fluid circuit of a hybrid pump system to provide vacuum engagement between a prosthetic device and a residual limb.

Embodiments include a cooling device for a medical device. The cooling device including a controller configured to receive data from one or more temperature sensors and a pump, configured to be operated by the controller, to circulate a cooling fluid through a cooling system and through fluid channels in the medical device. The cooling device is configured to be worn by a user and to be selectively coupled to the medical device by the user.

A prosthetic system includes a prosthetic foot having an upper foot element with a concave-forward facing portion and foot portion extending forwardly therefrom. An intermediate foot element is disposed below the upper foot element and has a front portion coupled to the foot portion of the upper foot element. A lower foot element is disposed below the intermediate foot element. A pump system is coupled to the prosthetic foot and comprises a pump mechanism including a housing defining a cavity, and a membrane situated in the cavity. The pump mechanism is movable between an original configuration and an expanded configuration. An arm member is connected to the pump mechanism and operatively coupled to the intermediate foot element. The arm member is arranged to move the pump mechanism toward at least the expanded configuration upon movement of the intermediate foot element relative to the upper foot element.

An interchangeable lock-pump prosthetic system that includes a universal dummy, vacuum pump, and mechanical lock. Each of the three objects have similar geometries for the purpose of fitting into a prosthetic, whereupon a user may for instance, swap the vacuum pump with the lock, depending on the needs of the user and without changing to a separate prosthetic. The universal dummy is an inactive component and acts as a placeholder during manufacturing of the socket, for the eventual inclusion of the vacuum pump or mechanical lock. The vacuum pump is a pressure dependent object that acts to remove any residual air between the socket and the elastomeric liner. The lock takes advantage of a mechanical locking pin which receives a properly configured liner, thus securing the user within the prosthetic socket.

The present disclosure relates to variable recruitment actuator systems and related methods. In one embodiment, a variable recruitment actuator system utilizes a central hydraulic pump, an accumulator, a plurality of variable recruitment actuators, and a pressurized reservoir of hydraulic fluid to provide highly efficient hydraulic regenerative energy harvesting in systems requiring both eccentric and concentric motion. In another embodiment, a powered prosthetic or orthotic device, or a legged robot, utilizes a system as previously described to capture energy from the eccentric motion of the knee joint to provide concentric motion of both the knee and ankle joints later on in a gait cycle.

A prosthetic system includes a prosthetic foot having an upper foot element with a concave-forward facing portion and foot portion extending forwardly therefrom. An intermediate foot element is disposed below the upper foot element and has a front portion coupled to the foot portion of the upper foot element. A lower foot element is disposed below the intermediate foot element. A pump system is coupled to the prosthetic foot and comprises a pump mechanism including a housing defining a cavity, and a membrane situated in the cavity. The pump mechanism is movable between an original configuration and an expanded configuration. An arm member is connected to the pump mechanism and operatively coupled to the intermediate foot element. The arm member is arranged to move the pump mechanism toward at least the expanded configuration upon movement of the intermediate foot element relative to the upper foot element.

A prosthetic system includes first and second parts rotatable relative to one another about a joint. The first and second parts are adapted to form at least part of a weight bearing connection between a prosthetic foot and a socket. A pump system includes a pump mechanism operatively connected to the first and second parts. Rotation of the first part and/or the second part about the joint moves the pump mechanism between an original configuration in which the volume of a fluid chamber defined by the pump mechanism is zero or near-zero, and an expanded configuration in which the volume of the fluid chamber is increased.

A prosthetic system includes a prosthetic foot defining an upper surface and having a flexible configuration and a pump system attached to the prosthetic foot. The pump system includes a pump mechanism defining a fluid chamber having variable configuration and an actuating part. The actuating part is arranged to selectively engage with and separate a distance from the upper surface of the foot plate to move the pump mechanism between a first position in which a volume of the fluid chamber is zero or near-zero and a second position in which the volume of the fluid chamber is expanded relative to the first position. The volume of the fluid chamber increases when the actuating part moves away from the upper surface of the foot plate.