VALVE FOR A PROSTHESIS SOCKET

• US 20170333226A1
• Filed: 05/12/2017
• Published: 11/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chabloz Composants
• Original Assignee: Chabloz Composants
• Inventors: CHABLOZ, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/54 Artificial arms or hands or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/60 Artificial legs or feet or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/80 Sockets, e.g. of suction type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5001 Cosmetic coverings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/543 Lower arms or forearms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/802 Suction sockets, i.e. utilizing differential air pressure to retain the prosthesis on the stump
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/805 having an air valve

Abstract

Valve for a prosthesis socket, the socket delineating an open cavity to receive a stump of an amputated limb and delineating a pass-through hole opening into the cavity and designed to receive the valve, the valve including a support in which a pass-through channel is formed and an element movable between an outlet position in which the element allow an air flow out of the channel in an outlet direction and a sealing position in which the element prevent any air flow inside the channel in an opposite direction to the outlet direction, the support including a thread configured to mount the support in removable manner inside the pass-through hole, and to enable disassembly of the support in an opposite direction to the outlet direction.

Claims

1. A valve for a prosthesis socket, the socket delineating an open cavity to receive a stump of an amputated limb and delineating a pass-through hole opening into the cavity and designed to receive the valve, the valve comprising:

a support in which a pass-through channel is formed,

an element mounted movable between an outlet position in which the element allows an air flow out of the channel in an outlet direction only and a sealing position in which the element prevents any air flow inside the channel in an opposite direction to the outlet direction, and

a base configured to be mounted inside the pass-through hole and comprising a hollow body and a receiving means,

the support comprising a fixing means configured to cooperate with the receiving means to mount the support in removable manner inside the pass-through hole,

the fixing means being configured to enable disassembly of the support in the opposite direction to the outlet direction.

2. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises a stop to prevent disassembly of the support in the outlet direction.

3. The valve according to claim 1, comprising an actuator configured to immobilize the element in the outlet position in order to allow an air flow out of the channel in the outlet direction and an air flow inside the channel in the opposite direction to the outlet direction.

4. The valve according to claim 3, wherein the actuator comprises a termination, and the support comprises a surface in which an opening of the channel and a longitudinal slot situated facing the termination are formed, the longitudinal slot enabling a deformable part of the element to be received to move the element away from the opening of the channel.

5. The valve according to claim 4, wherein the surface of the support comprises two flat areas situated on each side of the longitudinal slot, the two flat areas being inclined with respect to one another.

6. The valve according to claim 4, comprising a cap having a deformable tab on which the actuator is mounted, the tab enabling movement of the actuator for the termination to press on the element.

7. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises a housing, the valve comprising a removable piece configured to cooperate with the housing in order to disassemble the support in the opposite direction to the outlet direction.

8. A prosthesis socket delineating an open cavity for receiving a stump of an amputated limb and delineating a pass-through hole in the cavity, the socket comprising a valve according to claim 1 mounted inside the pass-through hole.