Vent valves for prosthetic devices

• US 4,595,172 A
• Filed: 03/29/1985
• Issued: 06/17/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gene Henderson
• Original Assignee: Gene Henderson
• Inventors: Henderson, Gene
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenthal, Arnold
• Application Number:
  US06/717,948
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 137/DIG. 4, 251/320, 251/321, 251/339, 220/367
• US Class Current: 251/321
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/80 Sockets, e.g. of suction type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/805 having an air valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 137/903 Rubber valve springs

Abstract

A valve especially designed for use in a prosthetic device such as an artificial limb wherein the limb stump is mounted within a mating socket provided by the prosthetic device and is firmly secured therein by vacuum sealing, the valve being is connected to vent the lower portion of the prosthesis socket when manually actuated. The valve includes a central core section of elastomeric material which is formed with a passageway therethrough for venting the prosthesis cavity and which is formed with an enlarged valve chamber and a valve set facing away from the prosthesis cavity. A valve member is mounted in the chamber and is moveable to and from the set to provide sealed and vented positions respectively. The movement of the valve is controlled by a finger engaging button which is in turn biased by elastomeric nodules to move the valve member to its seat thereby sealing the prosthesis chamber. The valve member may be moved to an open, venting position by depression of the operating button against the resilient resistance of the elastomeric nodules.

Claims

1. A vent valve for mounting in a wall of a low pressure chamber comprising,

an elastomeric body mounted in sealed relation in said wall and having a passageway therethrough venting said chamber to the atmosphere, said passageway being formed with an enlarged cavity providing a valve seat facing away from said chamber;

a valve member mounted in said cavity and having a stem extending to the exterior of said body and a button on the outer end of said stem adapted for manual engagement for moving said valve member from said seat to provide a vented position for said chamber; and

biasing means including a plurality of elastomeric nodules on said elastomeric body surrounding said passageway and positioned for engagement with said button for normally positioning said valve member in sealed position in said seat, said nodules being formed for compression upon inward displacement of said button to move said valve to said vented position.

2. The vent valve as defined in claim 1,

an externally threaded ring member surrounding said elastomeric body and formed for threading into an internally threaded ring member and for sealing said elastomeric body therebetween.

3. The vent valve as defined in claim 2,

said body being formed with an integral, annular body flange,

said internally threaded ring member being formed with an internal flange providing a seat for one side of said elastomeric body flange,

and said externally threaded ring member being formed for engagement with the opposite side of said body flange for sealing of said elastomeric body in said wall.

4. The vent valve as defined in claim 3,

said body having an annular rib, an internal surface of said externally threaded ring member having an annular recess dimensioned to receive said rib, for locating said elastomeric body therein.

5. The vent valve as defined in claim 4,

said externally threaded ring member being formed with upstanding guard portions, said button being nested within said portions for guiding said button for reciprocation of said valve member.