Prosthetic pressure relief valve system

• US 6,613,096 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2002
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raymond A. Shirvis
• Original Assignee: Raymond A. Shirvis
• Inventors: Shirvis, Raymond A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SNOW, BRUCE EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US10/117,642
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 623/32-37, 251/174, 251/176, 251/185, 251/227, 137/542
• US Class Current: 623/34
• 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: Y10T 137/7932 Valve stem extends through fixed spring abutment

Abstract

A cylindrical housing has a flange at an exterior end, male threads in an external surface remote from the flange, and a small axial hole, and female threads in an internal surface remote from the flange. A disk shaped fastener has internal threads rotatably supported upon the male threads of the housing. The fastener rotates to secure a prosthetic limb adjacent to the flange for operation and use and to allow separation of the limb from the housing. A cup-shaped end plug has a side wall with male threads receivable in the female threads of the housing and an end face with an axial opening. A plug with a pull string is positionable within a partly spherical surface adjacent to the interior end of the housing. A coil spring is positioned between the end plug and the spherical plug.

Claims

1. A prosthetic pressure relief valve system comprising:

a cylindrical housing having an internal surface and an external surface and an interior end and an exterior end, formed with a flange with male threads formed in the external surface remote from the flange, a small axial hole formed in the housing with female threads formed in the internal surface remote from the flange;

a disk shaped fastener with internal threads rotatably supported upon the male threads of the housing, the fastener being rotatable in a first direction to secure a prosthetic limb adjacent to the flange for operation and use, the fastener being rotatable in a second direction to allow separation of the prosthetic limb from the housing;

an end plug in a cup shaped configuration with a side wall formed with male threads receivable in the female threads of the housing and also formed with an end face formed with an axial opening; and

a partly spherical surface adjacent to the interior end of the housing with a plug positionable within the spherical surface and a coil spring positioned between the end plug and the spherical plug with a pull string.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plug is spherical in shape.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plug is less than hemispherical in shape.

4. A prosthetic pressure relief valve system 10 for safely and conveniently allowing a user to attach or remove a prosthetic limb comprising, in combination:

a prosthetic limb having an exposed outer surface and an interior surface adapted to removably receive an end of a user'"'"'s limb, the prosthetic limb having an aperture there through;

a cylindrical housing having an internal surface and an external surface and an interior end and an exterior end, formed with a flange with male threads formed in the external surface remote from the flange, a small axial hole formed in the housing with female threads formed in the internal surface remote from the flange;

a disk shaped fastener with internal threads rotatably supported upon the male threads of the housing, the fastener being rotatable in a first direction to secure the prosthetic limb adjacent to the flange for operation and use, the fastener being rotatable in a second direction to allow separation of the prosthetic limb from the housing;

an end plug in a cup shaped configuration with a side wall formed with male threads receivable in the female threads of the housing and also formed with an end face formed with an axial opening; and

a partly spherical surface adjacent to the interior end of the housing with a spherical plug positionable within the spherical surface and a coil spring positioned between the end plug and the spherical plug;

a pull string positioned within the coil spring having an end attached to the spherical plug, a knotted center section, and an exterior section extending through the axial opening in the end plug, whereby donning the prosthetic limb will remove air and cause a suction between the valve system and the prosthetic limb while pulling the string will separate the plug from the spherical surface to allow removing the prosthetic limb.