Cooling device equipped with a mechanically powered coolant pump.

Abstract

An apparatus and method of manufacture is provided that includes a mechanical coolant pump for facilitating pumping of coolant through a coolant loop, the mechanical coolant pump being coupled to a person and being physically powered by a designated movement of the person to pump the coolant, and the coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump being circulated by the coolant pump through a device engaged with the person to cool the device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising a mechanically powered cooling pump, for example, used with a prosthesis. A prosthesis is an artificial substitute or prosthesis for a part of a person's body, such as a leg or an arm. Prostheses are designed for functional reasons or for aesthetic reasons, or both. In one or more embodiments, a particular prosthesis includes a prosthetic socket, which is a device that joins a person's residual limb to a prosthetic limb, for example. This prosthetic socket is adjusted to fit the person based on the condition and shape of the residual limb. For the prosthesis to function well, the prosthetic socket needs to fit the person.

Background Art

[0002] Heat and sweating of a person within a prosthetic socket are often some of the biggest problems reported by prosthetic limb users.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] Specified drawbacks of the prior art are overcome, and further advantages are provided by the provision in one or more aspects of a device including a mechanical coolant pump. The mechanical coolant pump facilitates the pumping of coolant through a coolant loop. The device is coupled to a person, and the mechanical coolant pump is physically powered by a person's specified movement to pump the coolant. The coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump is circulated by a coolant loop through a device to cool the device engaged with the person.

[0004] In another embodiment, a device is provided that includes a mechanical coolant pump to facilitate pumping of coolant through a coolant loop. This device is coupled to a person, and the mechanical coolant pump is physically powered by the person's designated movements to pump the coolant. The coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump is circulated through a coolant loop that passes through the prosthesis socket of a prosthesis fitted by a person to cool the prosthesis socket. In one embodiment, the mechanical coolant pump is coupled to the prosthesis.

[0005] In a further embodiment, a method is provided which includes providing a mechanical coolant pump to facilitate pumping of coolant through a coolant loop. The mechanical coolant pump is physically powered to pump coolant by a specified movement of a person, and the mechanical coolant pump is provided as part of a person-fitted prosthesis. In operation, the coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump is circulated through a coolant loop through the prosthesis socket of the person-fitted prosthesis to cool the prosthesis socket.

[0006] Further features and advantages are realized through the techniques described herein. Other embodiments and aspects of the present invention are described in detail herein and considered as part of the claimed embodiments.

[0007] One or more aspects of the present invention are specifically pointed out and expressed in the claims at the end of this specification. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description used in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows one embodiment of a device for cooling a prosthesis, and comprises a cooling device with a coolant loop and a mechanical coolant pump, according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 2]This is a partial breakaway view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 3A] These are elevation views of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 3B] This figure shows an alternative embodiment of the apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 4A] This is a schematic diagram of the operation of one embodiment of a mechanical coolant pump for a device according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 4B] This is a schematic diagram of the operation of one embodiment of a mechanical coolant pump for a device according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 4C] This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a mechanical coolant pump for a device according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 5A] This figure shows a more detailed embodiment of the apparatus, including a cooling device such as those shown in Figures 1 to 3A, according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 5B] This figure shows a more detailed embodiment of the apparatus, including a cooling device such as those shown in Figures 1 to 3A, according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 5C] This figure shows a more detailed embodiment of the apparatus, including a cooling device such as those shown in Figures 1 to 3A, according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 5D] This figure shows a more detailed embodiment of the apparatus, including a cooling device such as those shown in Figures 1 to 3A, according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 5E] This figure shows a more detailed embodiment of the apparatus, including a cooling device such as those shown in Figures 1 to 3A, according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 5F] This figure shows a more detailed embodiment of the apparatus, including a cooling device such as those shown in Figures 1 to 3A, according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 5G] This figure shows a more detailed embodiment of the apparatus, including a cooling device such as those shown in Figures 1 to 3A, according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 5H]This figure shows a more detailed embodiment of the apparatus, including a cooling device such as those shown in Figures 1 to 3A, according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 5I] This figure shows a more detailed embodiment of the apparatus, including a cooling device such as those shown in Figures 1 to 3A, according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 6] This figure shows an alternative embodiment of the apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 7A] This figure shows another embodiment of the apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 7B] This figure shows another embodiment of the apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 7C] This figure shows another embodiment of the apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 7D] This figure shows another embodiment of the apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 7E] This figure shows another embodiment of the apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 8A] This figure shows a further embodiment of the apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 8B] This figure shows a further embodiment of the apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Figure 9] This figure shows one embodiment of a computing system for controlling or facilitating the control of one or more control valves in a cooling device according to one or more aspects of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Aspects of the present invention, as well as specific features, advantages, and details thereof, are described in general below with reference to non-limiting examples shown in the accompanying drawings. Well-known materials, fabrication tools, processing techniques, etc. are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples are illustrative of aspects of the present invention but are given by way of example only and not as a limitation. Various substitutions, modifications, additions or arrangements or combinations thereof within the scope of the underlying novel concept will be apparent to those skilled in the art with respect to the present disclosure. Further, reference is made to the drawings below, it being noted that the drawings are not drawn to scale for ease of understanding, and the same reference numbers used across different drawings designate the same or similar components. Also, a number of novel aspects and features are disclosed herein, and it should be noted that each disclosed aspect or feature can be combined with any other disclosed aspect or feature, as needed for a particular application, provided there is no particular contradiction.

[0010] This specification discloses devices and methods for facilitating cooling of a device engaged with a person, such as a device worn by a person. As an example, in one or more embodiments, the device to be cooled can be part of a medical device worn by a person, such as a prosthesis. In a particular embodiment, the device to be cooled is a prosthetic socket of a prosthetic limb worn by a person.

[0011] The disclosed device includes a cooling device that includes a mechanical coolant pump driven by a specified movement of a person with whom the device to be cooled is engaged. The specified movement physically powers the mechanical coolant pump of the device even when there is no power at all. In one or more embodiments, the person's movement physically powers a mechanical coolant pump for pumping coolant that passes through the device through a coolant loop or that engages with the device. For example, in one or more embodiments, the device is configured to facilitate cooling of a person's skin at the interface between the person's body and the device. For example, the device is configured to facilitate lowering or maintaining the temperature of the skin within a prosthesis socket, for example, when the level of physical activity is high, at a comfortable level. By lowering the skin temperature, the device can effectively reduce or inhibit sweating on the person's skin at the interface with the device.

[0012] Although first described herein with respect to application to a prosthesis, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the devices and methods described are not limited to use with a prosthetic device, and the devices and methods described are adaptable for use with a variety of devices that are on or in intimate contact with a person's skin to adjust the temperature of the interface between the device and the skin. For example, the devices and methods described herein can be used to adjust the skin temperature at the interface of a person wearing an exoskeleton device or another device, and this device at least partially covers the person's skin such that comfort can be improved by a coolant flow through a coolant loop that passes through a device at or adjacent to the interface between the device and the person.

[0013] As an example, Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a device as disclosed herein, which is integrated into and forms part of a reinforced prosthesis 100. As described herein, the device includes a cooling device 110, which includes a coolant loop, a mechanical coolant pump, and a heat exchanger, according to one or more aspects of the present invention. The prosthesis 100 in Figure 1 shows only one embodiment of a prosthesis, particularly a prosthesis leg, which may benefit from a cooling device as described herein.

[0014] As illustrated, in one embodiment, the prosthesis 100 includes a prosthesis socket 101 having a fitting socket body 102 (such as a fitting socket formed from a rigid material) along with one or more soft inner liners 103 for comfort at the interface between the person and the prosthesis socket. In operation, the prosthesis socket 101 is configured or adjusted to receive the respective body parts of the person in order to wear the prosthesis 100. In the illustrated example of a prosthesis, the prosthesis 100 includes a support structure 104 (such as a metal rod), a spring 105, and a prosthesis 106, along with a cooling device, and is designed, for example, to facilitate the movement of the person wearing the prosthesis. It should be noted that a wide variety of prostheses are available that include a prosthesis socket such as the prosthesis socket 101 and receive the respective body parts of the person configured for that site. As mentioned above, excessive heat and sweating of the person at the interface where the prosthesis device is attached to the person are common complaints made by people wearing prosthesis devices.

[0015] Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the prosthesis 100 of Figure 1, illustrating, in one embodiment, a coolant loop 200 passing through the inside of the prosthesis socket 101, for example, the inner surface of the socket body 102, to facilitate the passage of coolant at or near the interface between the human body and the socket. In one or more embodiments, the tube 202 of the coolant loop 200 can be positioned in, for example, one or more grooves on the inner surface of the prosthesis device in contact with one or more soft liners 103. For example, the tube may be molded within the inner surface of the socket body 102 in such a manner that it does not affect the mechanical strength of the socket body. If necessary, in one embodiment, one or more temperature sensors (not shown) may also be provided, for example, on the inner surface of the socket body 102 and the liner 103, to measure a temperature related to the human skin temperature in the socket, and may provide feedback to, for example, an electronic controller that controls one or more adjustable coolant flow valves engaged with a mechanical coolant pump of the cooling device, as described below with reference to the embodiment of Figure 4C. In one or more embodiments, the cooling loop 200 is configured to include, optionally, one or more fluid channels through the prosthesis socket to facilitate cooling of the skin of the person wearing the device near or at the interface between the person and the device. In one or more embodiments, these channels are disposed on the inner surface of the prosthesis device that is in direct contact with the liner and / or the person. As an example, the channel can be formed by a relatively thick tube 202, such as a thick copper tube embedded in the inner surface of the socket body, and may be configured to receive fluid from the cooling device 110 to the cooling device via the socket tube 202, or via a tube or hose 201 connecting the channels.

[0016] In exemplary embodiments, the cooling device 110 described herein is configured to pump a coolant and to lower the temperature of the coolant. In one embodiment, the coolant may be water or an aqueous coolant. However, the concepts disclosed herein are readily adaptable for use with other types of coolants while still maintaining the advantages and unique features of the present invention.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, the cooling device includes, for example, a mechanical coolant pump and a heat exchanger from the coolant to the air, wherein the mechanical coolant pump is configured to circulate the coolant in a coolant loop between the cooling device and the device being cooled. As an example, Figures 3A and 3B illustrate exemplary embodiments of a cooled device including a cooling device according to one or more aspects of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3A shows the prosthesis 100 of Figures 1 and 2, which includes a prosthesis socket 101 as described above in relation to Figures 1 and 2, as well as a strut 104 and prosthesis 106. In the illustrated embodiment, the coolant loop 200 includes a coolant supply hose and a return hose 201 that facilitate the flow of coolant between, for example, a tube (or flow path) in the prosthesis socket 101 and the cooling device 110.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3A, in one or more embodiments, the cooling device 110 is integrated with the prosthesis 100, for example, as part of the support 104 of the prosthesis. In one or more embodiments, the cooling device 110 includes a mechanical coolant pump 300 and a heat sink 301. In the illustrated embodiments, the heat sink 301 includes a plurality of thermally conductive fins extending from, for example, a thermally conductive support structure (such as a cylindrical support), and a coolant flows through or across the plurality of thermally conductive fins in one or more tubular sections or flow paths, and the coolant is pumped by the mechanical coolant pump 300. As shown in Figure 3A, to at least partially facilitate walking or running movements of a person wearing the prosthesis, the prosthesis 100 may include a spring 105 disposed, for example, in the lower region of the support 104. As described herein, in one or more embodiments, the pump piston of the mechanical coolant pump 300 may be coupled to a further spring 302 to facilitate pumping of the coolant with one or more specified movements of a person, such as stepping motions while walking and running.

[0020] Figure 3B illustrates an alternative embodiment of prosthesis 100' that is similar to prosthesis 100 in Figure 3A, but uses a spring-type support 310, such as a blade-type support. In the embodiment of Figure 3B, the cooling device 110 can be constructed similarly to that described with reference to Figure 3A, except that in Figure 3B, the heat exchanger is removed to facilitate the illustration of the connection of the pump piston of the mechanical coolant pump 300 to the spring-type support 310 (in one embodiment). Furthermore, in Figure 3B, the pump piston divides the pump housing into first and second coolant chambers, each accompanied by its own coolant return line and coolant supply line, as illustrated by the tubes in Figure 3B and further described below with reference to Figures 4A and 4B.

[0021] Figures 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams of the operation of a mechanical coolant pump 300 of a device according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. As described above, when a cooling device including a mechanical coolant pump is coupled to a person (e.g., worn), cooling devices and methods including a mechanical coolant pump for facilitating the pumping of coolant through a coolant loop are provided herein. The pump is physically powered by the person's movement to pump the coolant, such as a stepping action while walking or running. The coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump circulates through a coolant loop that passes through a device to be cooled, such as a prosthesis socket. Beneficially, the mechanical coolant pump is self-powered by minimal human movement, such as inducing a pumping action, to move the coolant and facilitate temperature reduction at the interface between the person and the device. In one or more embodiments, the mechanical coolant pump is integrated inside the prosthesis structure itself, and since the pump operates mechanically and the pumping action naturally follows the designated movement of the person wearing the cooling device, no external power source or battery is required to generate the pumping action.

[0022] Referring to Figures 4A and 4B, in one embodiment, the mechanical coolant pump 300 includes a pump housing 400 and a pump piston 401, the pump piston 401 reciprocating within the pump housing 400 in response to human movement, dividing the inner sealed chamber of the pump housing 400 into a first coolant chamber 410 and a second coolant chamber 411. In the illustrated embodiment, the pump housing includes or is coupled to a coolant return line and a supply line 201, the coolant return line supplying coolant to a first coolant inlet 412 of the first coolant chamber 410 and a second coolant inlet 413 of the second coolant chamber 411, and the coolant supply line receiving coolant from each coolant chamber via a first coolant outlet 414 and a second coolant outlet 415 of the pump housing 440 in response to the action of the pump piston 401. In one embodiment, one or more check valves 420 are provided along the first and second coolant inlets 412, 413 or the first and second coolant outlets 414, 415 or both, for example, to prevent backflow of coolant and to ensure that coolant flows through the pump in the appropriate direction between the return line and the supply line 201 of the coolant loop. Furthermore, as shown in the figure, a bypass valve 430 may be provided to allow a controlled portion of the coolant in the coolant loop to pass between the return line and the supply line 201 rather than through the pump housing 400 of the mechanical coolant pump 300. In one embodiment, the bypass valve 430 provides a person with the function of controlling the degree of coolant pump pressure generated in the device by a specified movement of the person.

[0023] For example, if the device is a prosthesis such as a prosthetic leg, and a cooling device including a mechanical coolant pump is integrated with the prosthesis as described herein, then when a person steps on the prosthesis 450, this motion compresses a spring 402 (such as spring 302 or 310 in Figures 3A-3B) while moving the pump piston 401 upward (in this example) to draw the coolant through the first coolant inlet 412 into the first chamber 410, and simultaneously pushes the coolant from the second chamber 411 through the second coolant outlet 415. Release from a specified motion as shown in Figure 4B allows the spring 402 to move the pump piston 401 in the opposite downward direction (in one embodiment) within the pump housing 400, pushing the coolant out of the first coolant chamber 410 through the first coolant outlet 414, and simultaneously drawing the coolant through the second coolant inlet 413 into the second coolant chamber 411. In this way, human movement physically powers the mechanical coolant pump to drive or pump the coolant through the coolant loop, thereby facilitating the cooling of the interface between the device and the person, such as the interface between the prosthesis socket and the limb. Note that this description assumes that in one or more embodiments, a heat exchanger 301 (Figure 3A) is engaged with the cooling device, such as in the outer structure around the coolant pump, to facilitate the extraction of heat from the coolant as the coolant passes through the cooling device.

[0024] Figure 4C is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the mechanical coolant pump 300', similar to the mechanical coolant pump 300 described above in relation to Figures 3A to 4B. However, in the embodiment of Figure 4C, one or more throttle valves 440 are provided, for example, at the first and second coolant outlets from the pump housing. The throttle valves 440 can be controlled mechanically or electronically, for example, based on the person's weight and activity level, to control the damping of the device by the person's movement. The throttle valves 440 do not significantly affect the cooling of the device, but can add a level of comfort by controlling the compression / deployment speed or damping operation of the mechanical coolant pump as the pump piston is raised and lowered by specified person movement and spring bias.

[0025] As an example, in one or more embodiments, the throttle valve 440 is an adjustable electronic valve, and the control 460 or controller may be provided engaged with a device, for example, an integrated prosthetic limb. In one embodiment, the control 460 may include a processor 461 or microcontroller, a memory 462, one or more temperature sensors 463, a power supply 464, and optionally a transceiver 465. In one embodiment, the processor 461 and memory 462 are programmed or configured with code to control the throttle valve 440 according to user activity and comfort settings. In one embodiment, the processor 461 may include a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a general-purpose processor or a combination thereof configured to control the operation of the throttle valve 440 based, for example, on a sensed temperature. The power supply 464 may include one or more energy storage devices, such as batteries, that provide power to the processor and to the control for controlling the throttle valve 440. The temperature sensor 463 may be configured to monitor one or more of the following: the temperature of the air surrounding the cooling device, the temperature of the coolant supplied to the device being cooled, or the temperature of the coolant returned from the device being cooled, or a combination thereof. In one or more embodiments, if provided, the transceiver 465 may be configured to facilitate communication between the control 460 that controls the throttle valve 440 and one or more temperature sensors 463. In another embodiment, the transceiver 465 may be configured to facilitate communication between the control 460 and a separate computing device (not shown) such as a personal user's smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.

[0026] As a further example, Figures 5A–5I show further details of the cooling device 110 described above in relation to Figures 3A, 4A, and 4B. Referring together to Figures 5A–5I, the cooling device 110 is integrated in one embodiment into a prosthesis 100 that forms part of a support structure, for example in the case of a prosthetic leg. Coolant return hoses and supply hoses 201 connect the cooling device 110 to a portion of the coolant loop in the device being cooled, such as at the interface from the prosthesis socket to the human limb in the example of the prosthesis socket 101 described herein. The cooling device 110 includes a mechanical coolant pump 300 (including a pump piston 401 and a spring 302, as described herein) and a heat sink 301. In one embodiment, the heat sink 301 includes a thermal conductive structure 501 with one or more channels or channels 502 that are in contact with the inner surface of the thermal conductive structure 501, for example, so that heat is dissipated to the ambient air around the cooling device 110 by passing from the coolant in the channels or channels 502 through the thermal conductive structure 501 to a plurality of thermal conductive fins 503.

[0027] In the embodiments shown in Figures 5A to 5I, a plurality of thermal conductive fins 503 are shown in a horizontal orientation, although this is only an example. In one or more embodiments, the thermal conductive structure 501, the coolant pipe section 502, and the plurality of thermal conductive fins 503 may be formed from the same or different thermal conductive materials, such as the same or different metallic materials. As the coolant flows through the flow path or pipe section 502, the coolant is cooled by the conduction of heat across the thermal conductive structure 501 to the thermal conductive fins 503. One or more pipe or hose sections 505 may be provided within the heat sink 301 to fluidly connect the flow path or pipe section 503 to a suitable coolant inlet or coolant outlet of a mechanical coolant pump 300.

[0028] As an example, Figures 5H and 5I show a mechanical coolant pump along with one embodiment of the flow of coolant through a heat exchanger tube. As shown, the coolant flows through the heat sink tube section 502, transferring heat to the heat conductive fins 503 via the heat conductive structure 501 for dissipation into the ambient air, and the coolant is pumped by the mechanical coolant pump when a person moves, for example by stepping downward on the prosthesis and lifting the prosthesis, and in one embodiment, the mechanical coolant pump spring is loaded to bias the pump piston downward in one example. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other configurations of the heat exchanger 300 are available. For example, in one or more other embodiments, the flow path or tube section 502 within the heat sink 301 may be in direct contact with a plurality of heat conductive fins 503.

[0029] In one or more embodiments, the thermal conductive fins can be formed integrally with the thermal conductive structure 501, or can be attached to the outer surface of the thermal conductive structure by soldering, welding, or brazing. Those skilled in the art will understand that thermal conductive fins and other attachment mechanisms can be used to a greater or lesser extent. Furthermore, the orientation of the thermal conductive fins can vary depending on the application. For example, Figure 6 shows the cooling device 110 of Figures 5A to 5I, where the configuration and / or orientation of the thermal conductive fins 503 of the heat exchanger are angled, for example, to promote a natural convective cooling airflow across the fins, thereby facilitating the extraction of heat from the coolant passing through the heat exchanger of the cooling device.

[0030] Figures 7A to 7E show alternative embodiments of a cooling device including the cooling device 110' described above, in relation to Figures 1 to 6.

[0031] As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the cooling device 110' is also shown as being integrated within a prosthesis 100, which in this case forms part of a support structure, for example, in the case of a prosthetic leg. Coolant return hoses and supply hoses or lines connect the cooling device 110' to a portion of the coolant loop in the device being cooled, such as (in one embodiment) a portion of the coolant loop within or near the interface of the prosthesis socket to the human limb. In one embodiment, the cooling device 110' includes a heat sink 700 which includes an external thermal conductive structure 701, an internal thermal conductive structure 702, and a plurality of thermal conductive fins 703 oriented vertically between the thermal conductive external and internal structures 701, 702 and connecting the thermal conductive external and internal structures 701, 702. In one or more embodiments, the thermal conductive external structure 701 and the thermal conductive internal structure 702 may be, for example, cylindrical structures, and the thermal conductive fins are coupled to both structures and oriented vertically. In one or more embodiments, the thermal conductive structure 702 includes one or more channels or tube sections in contact with the inner surface of the thermal conductive internal structure 702, for example, so that heat passes from the coolant in the channel or tube section through the internal thermal conductive structure 702 to a plurality of thermal conductive fins 703 for dissipation to the ambient air around the cooling device. In the embodiments of Figures 7A to 7E, the plurality of thermal conductive fins 703 are shown in a vertical orientation, for example. It should also be noted that in one or more embodiments, the internal and external thermal conductive structures 701, 702, and the thermal conductive fins 703 may be formed from the same or different thermal conductive materials, such as the same or different metallic materials. When the coolant flows through the channel or tube section in the internal thermal conductive structure 702 or through the channel or tube section engaged with the internal thermal conductive structure 702, the coolant is cooled by conduction of heat across the internal thermal conductive structure 702 to the thermal conductive fins 703 for dissipation to the ambient air.

[0032] Heat convection into the ambient air can be facilitated by providing an air valve 710 within the air chamber 712 of the cooling device 110'. Figures 7C to 7E illustrate one operational embodiment of the air valve, etc. In Figure 7C, the air valve 710 is shown lying flat within the air chamber 712 of the cooling device embodiment, and the spring is in a nominally uncompressible state. In Figure 7D, a person steps on the prosthetic leg, and as shown, the weight of this person compresses the spring 302, moving the pump piston upward within the pump housing and moving the air valve 710 upward within the air chamber 712. During this action, the air valve 710 remains flat against the base frame 714 and moves upward in the air chamber 712, pushing air up over the vertically oriented thermal conductive fins 703 of the cooling device 110'. With this action, the spring 302 is compressed. As shown in Figure 7E, when a person releases their weight from the prosthesis, for example by lifting the prosthetic leg, the spring 302 moves the pump piston in the pump housing downward (in the example in Figure 7E) and also moves the air valve 710 downward. In one embodiment, the air valve 710 is a flexible valve, and as the valve moves downward within the air chamber 712, the valve is selected or manufactured to curve upward toward its outer edge, allowing air to move from around the valve into the air chamber 712.

[0033] As described above, the orientation of the thermal conductive fins can vary depending on the application. Figures 8A and 8B show further modifications of the cooling device 110” integrated within a prosthesis, such as those described herein. In this embodiment, the cooling device 110” is similar to the cooling device 110 described in relation to Figures 1 to 5I, except that the thermal conductive fins 503 are modified to include a portion of vertically oriented thermal conductive fins 800. This can be achieved, for example, by removing a selected portion of the thermal conductive fins 503 to allow for the inclusion of the vertically oriented fins 800. The vertically oriented fins 800 facilitate the cooling of the coolant when the person is making smaller movements, for example, and the vertically oriented thermal conductive fins 800 improve heat dissipation from the coolant within the cooling device 110" in that situation, while the horizontal thermal conductive fins 503 still facilitate heat dissipation when the person increases the movement of the prosthesis. In general, multi-directional fins may be included in cooling devices such as those disclosed herein to ensure efficient heat dissipation from the device to the ambient air during a wide variety of prosthesis movements, including, for example, when a person is sitting and stepping downwards on the prosthesis.

[0034] Those skilled in the art will recognize from the description provided herein that cooling devices are presented for integration with a person-worn device, for example, to facilitate cooling of the device at the interface between the device and the person. In one embodiment, the device includes a mechanical coolant pump to facilitate pumping of coolant through a coolant loop. The device is coupled with a person, and the mechanical coolant pump is physically powered by a designated movement of the person to pump the coolant. The coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump is circulated through a coolant loop through a person-worn device to be cooled, such as a person-worn device. In one or more embodiments, the cooling device is integrated as part of a prosthesis, and the coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump is circulated through a coolant loop through a prosthesis socket of a person-worn prosthesis to cool the prosthesis socket. In one or more embodiments, the cooling device is integrated as part of a prosthesis, such as part of the support structure of the prosthesis. If the prosthesis is a prosthesis, the designated movement may be a person's foot-stepping action on the prosthesis.

[0035] In one or more embodiments, a mechanical coolant pump includes a pump housing for fluid connection to a coolant loop and a pump piston slidable within the pump housing. The pump piston is physically powered by a specified movement of a person to at least partially facilitate the pumping of the coolant through the coolant loop.

[0036] In one embodiment, the cooling device further includes a spring that biases the pump piston in a first direction within the pump housing. In an exemplary embodiment, the pump piston divides the pump housing into a first coolant chamber and a second coolant chamber. The first coolant chamber has a first coolant inlet and a first coolant outlet, and the second coolant chamber has a second coolant inlet and a second coolant outlet. By fluidly connecting the first and second coolant inlets and the first and second coolant outlets with a coolant loop, a specified movement of a person moves the pump piston in a second direction within the pump housing, compressing the spring and drawing the coolant into the first chamber through the first coolant inlet, and simultaneously pushing the coolant from the second chamber through the second coolant outlet. Release from the specified movement of the person causes the spring to move the pump piston in a first direction within the pump housing, drawing the coolant through the first coolant inlet into the second coolant chamber, and simultaneously pushing the coolant out of the first coolant chamber through the first coolant outlet.

[0037] In one embodiment, the pump housing is an elongated pump housing, and the cooling device further includes a heat sink. This heat sink includes at least one coolant tube section that fluidly connects at least one coolant chamber and a coolant loop of the pump housing, and a plurality of thermal conductive fins are at least partially mechanically coupled to the at least one coolant tube section to facilitate the transfer of heat from the coolant through the at least one coolant tube section to the ambient air around the device. In one or more embodiments, the cooling device further includes an air valve that operates in the air chamber by a specified movement of a person and the release of a specified movement of a person to force air to move across a plurality of thermal conductive fins, and in one embodiment includes one or more vertically oriented thermal conductive fins.

[0038] In one embodiment, the plurality of thermal conductive fins include a first plurality of thermal conductive fins oriented in a first direction and a second plurality of thermal conductive fins oriented in a second direction, where the first direction and the second direction are different directions.

[0039] In one or more embodiments, one or more control valves may be provided within the cooling device, such as within a coolant tubing section, to control the damping level of the mechanical coolant pump in operation. In one or more embodiments, the control valve may be an adjustable electronic valve with appropriate control, provided as part of the cooling system but not for driving the mechanical coolant pump itself. In one or more embodiments, to facilitate the control of coolant flow through the coolant loop by the mechanical coolant pump, a portion of the coolant in the coolant loop may bypass the pump housing, thereby allowing a bypass valve to be coupled across the pump housing, for example, to control the damping effect of the mechanical coolant pump.

[0040] As a further example, Figure 9 shows an embodiment of a computing environment 900, which includes a computing system 912 configured to implement one or more aspects of the controls disclosed herein. Well-known computing systems, environments, or configurations or combinations thereof that may be suitable for use with the computing system 912 include, but are not limited to, wireless computers, handheld or laptop computers or devices, mobile phones, programmable consumer electronic devices, tablets, and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

[0041] A computing system 912 can be described in the general context of computer system executable instructions, such as program modules, that are executed by a computer system. Generally, a program module includes routines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, etc., that perform a specific task or implement a specific abstract data type.

[0042] As illustrated in Figure 9, the computing system 912 is shown in the form of a general-purpose computing device. The components of the computing system 912 include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 916, system memory 923, and a bus 918 that connects various system components, including the system memory 923, to the processor 916.

[0043] In one embodiment, the processor 916 may be based on z / Architecture(R) provided by International Business Machines Corporation, or on other architectures provided by International Business Machines Corporation or other companies.

[0044] Bus 918 represents one or more of several types of bus structures, including memory buses or memory controllers, peripheral buses, accelerated graphics ports, and processor or local buses using any of the wide variety of bus architectures. Examples of such architectures include, but are not limited to, the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Expansion ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Interconnect (PCI) bus.

[0045] The computing system 912 may include a wide variety of computer system-readable media. Such media may be any available media accessible by the computing system 912, and may include both volatile and non-volatile media, and both removable and non-removable media.

[0046] System memory 923 may include computer system-readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) 930 or cache memory 932, or both. Computing system 912 may further include other removable / immovable, volatile / non-volatile computer system storage media. For example, a storage system 934 may be provided for reading from and writing to a non-removable non-volatile magnetic medium (not shown, usually called a “hard drive”). Not shown, a magnetic disk drive may be provided for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical disk drive may be provided for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk, such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other optical media. In such cases, each may be connected to bus 918 by one or more data media interfaces. As described below, the memory 923 may include at least one program product having a set of program modules or code (e.g., at least one) configured to perform the functions of the control embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] For example, but not limited to, a program / utility 940 having a set (at least one) of program modules 942, as well as an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data, may be stored in memory 932. Each of the operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data, or any combination thereof, may include embodiments of a networking environment. The program modules 942 generally perform functions or methodologies, or both, of embodiments of the present invention as described herein. Alternatively, control processing functions, modules, logic, etc. 901 may be provided within a computing environment 912 as disclosed herein.

[0048] The computing system 912 may also communicate with one or more external devices 914, such as a keyboard, pointing device, or display 924; one or more devices that allow a user to interact with the computing system 912; or any device (e.g., a network card, modem, etc.) that allows the computing system 912 to communicate with one or more other computing devices; or a combination thereof. Such communication may occur via the input / output (I / O) interface 922. Furthermore, the computing system 912 may communicate with one or more networks, such as a local area network (LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), or a public network (e.g., the Internet), or a combination thereof, via the network adapter 920. As shown above, the network adapter 920 communicates with other components of the computing system 912 via the bus 918. It should be understood that other hardware and / or software components, or both, which are not shown, may be used in conjunction with the computing system 912. Examples include, but are not limited to, microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data storage systems.

[0049] While descriptions of various embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustrative purposes, they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit oneself to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the described embodiments. The terms used herein have been chosen to best describe the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or improvement of existing technologies, or to enable those else skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0050] The control embodiments of the present invention may be systems, methods, or program products, or combinations thereof, at any possible level of technical detail of completeness. This computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to carry out embodiments of the present invention.

[0051] A computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible device capable of holding and storing instructions used by an instruction execution device. A computer-readable storage medium may, but is not limited to, electronic storage devices, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, electromagnetic storage devices, semiconductor storage devices, or any suitable combination of the above. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer-readable storage media includes portable computer diskettes, hard disks, random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random-access memory (SRAM), portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disks (DVDs), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanical encryption devices such as punched cards or grooved structures on which instructions are recorded, and any suitable combination of the above. As used herein, a computer-readable storage medium should not be interpreted as a primary signal such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through optical fiber cables), or electrical signals transmitted by wires.

[0052] The computer-readable program instructions described herein may be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to each computing / processing device, or to an external computer or external storage device via a network such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, or a wireless network, or a combination thereof. This network may include copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmissions, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, or edge servers, or a combination thereof. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives computer-readable program instructions from the network and transfers those computer-readable program instructions for storage in the computer-readable storage medium within each computing / processing device.

[0053] The computer-readable program instructions for performing the operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, configuration data for integrated circuits, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk(R) and C++, and procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer, further partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, an electronic circuit including, for example, a programmable logic circuit, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA) may be personalized by executing computer-readable program instructions by utilizing state information of computer-readable program instructions in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

[0054] Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowcharts or block diagrams, or both, of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present invention. It will be understood that each block in the flowcharts or block diagrams, or both, and any combination of blocks in the flowcharts or block diagrams, or both, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0055] The above computer-readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a dedicated computer, or another programmable data processing device for manufacturing a machine, so as to create a means for instructions executed via the processor of a computer or other programmable data processing device to perform functions / operations explicitly shown in the blocks of a flowchart or block diagram, or both. These computer-readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can be made to function in a particular way in a computer, a programmable data processing device, or other device, or a combination thereof, so as to provide a product containing instructions that perform modes of functions / operations explicitly shown in the blocks of a flowchart or block diagram, or both.

[0056] The computer-readable program instructions described above may be further loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing device, or other device so that the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable device, or other device perform functions / operations explicitly shown in a flowchart or block diagram, or both.

[0057] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible embodiments of the systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions containing one or more executable instructions for performing a specialized logical function. In some alternative embodiments, the functions described in the blocks may occur in an order different from the order shown in the drawings. For example, two blocks shown consecutively may actually be executed almost simultaneously, or the blocks may be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions they relate to. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagram or flowchart, or both, and combinations of blocks in the block diagram or flowchart, or both, are implementable by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs a specialized function or operation, or a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0058] In addition to the above, one or more control mechanisms may be provided, proposed, deployed, managed, or serviced by a service provider that provides management of the customer environment. For example, a service provider may create, maintain, or support computer code or computer infrastructure, or both, that execute one or more mechanisms for one or more customers. In return, the service provider may receive payments from the customer, for example, under a sales contract or a fee contract or both. Additionally or alternatively, the service provider may receive payments from the sale of advertising content to one or more third parties.

[0059] In one embodiment, an application for performing one or more embodiments may be deployed. For example, the deployment of the application includes providing a computer infrastructure capable of performing one or more control embodiments.

[0060] In a further embodiment, a computing infrastructure may be deployed that includes integrating computer-readable code into a computing system, and the control code combined with the computing system can perform one or more embodiments.

[0061] In a further embodiment, a process for integrating a control computing infrastructure may be provided, which includes integrating computer-readable code into a computer system. This computer system includes a computer-readable medium, which includes one or more embodiments. The code combined with the computer system can execute one or more control embodiments.

[0062] While various embodiments have been described above, these are merely examples. For instance, computing environments of other architectures may be used to incorporate and utilize one or more control embodiments. Furthermore, different instructions, instruction formats, instruction fields, or instruction values, or combinations thereof, may be used. Many variations are possible.

[0063] Furthermore, other types of computing environments can benefit and be used. For example, a data processing system suitable for storing and / or executing program code is available, comprising at least two processors directly or indirectly coupled to memory elements via a system bus. These memory elements include, for example, local memory used during the actual execution of program code, bulk storage, and cache memory providing temporary storage for at least some program code to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution.

[0064] Input / output or I / O devices (including, but not limited to, keyboards, displays, pointing devices, DASDs, tapes, CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, and other memory media) can be coupled to the system either directly or via an intermediary I / O controller. Network adapters can also be coupled to the system to allow data processing systems to be coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices via an intermediary private network or public telephone network. Modems, cable modems, and Ethernet(R) cards are just some of the types of network adapters available.

[0065] The terms used herein are for the sole purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Where used herein, unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well. The terms "comprise" (and any form of "comprise," such as "comprises" and "comprising"), "have" (and any form of "have," such as "has" and "having"), "include" (and any form of "include," such as "includes" and "including"), and "contain" (and any form of "contains" and "containing") are open-ended linking verbs. Consequently, a method or device that "comprises," "has," "includes," or "contains" one or more steps or elements possesses, but is not limited to possessing only, those one or more steps or elements. Similarly, steps or elements of a method or device that “comprises,” “has,” “includes,” or “contains” one or more features possess, but are not limited to possessing only, one or more of those features. Furthermore, a device or structure configured in a particular way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways not enumerated.

[0066] Where present, all means or steps of the following claims and corresponding structures, materials, actions, and equivalents of functional elements are intended to include, in particular, any structures, materials, or actions for performing a function in combination with other claimed elements. The description of the present invention is presented for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the disclosed forms. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Embodiments are selected and described to best illustrate the principles and practical applications of one or more aspects of the invention and to enable other those skilled in the art to understand one or more aspects of the invention with respect to various embodiments with various modifications suitable for a particular intended use.

Claims

1. It is a device, A mechanical coolant pump for facilitating the pumping of coolant through a coolant loop, wherein the device is coupled to a person, and the mechanical coolant pump is physically powered by the person's specified movements to pump the coolant. The coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump contains a coolant, which is circulated by the coolant loop through the device to cool the device that engages with the person, and A device comprising a heat sink for cooling the coolant in the coolant loop.

2. The aforementioned mechanical coolant pump is The pump housing is fluid-connected to the aforementioned coolant loop, A pump piston that is slidable within the pump housing, wherein the pump piston is physically powered by the specified movement of the person in order to at least partially facilitate the pumping of the coolant through the coolant loop. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a spring, the spring biasing the pump piston in a first direction within the pump housing.

4. A device, A mechanical coolant pump for facilitating the pumping of coolant through a coolant loop, wherein the device is coupled to a person, and the mechanical coolant pump is physically powered by the person's specified movements to pump the coolant, and comprises a spring, The coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump is circulated through the coolant loop passing through the device to cool the device that has engaged with the person. The aforementioned mechanical coolant pump is The pump housing is fluid-connected to the aforementioned coolant loop, A pump piston that is slidable within the pump housing, wherein the pump piston is physically powered by the specified movement of the person in order to at least partially facilitate the pumping of the coolant through the coolant loop. Equipped with, The spring biases the pump piston in a first direction within the pump housing, The pump piston divides the pump housing into a first coolant chamber and a second coolant chamber. The first coolant chamber has a first coolant inlet and a first coolant outlet, and the second coolant chamber has a second coolant inlet and a second coolant outlet. A device wherein the first and second coolant inlets and the first and second coolant outlets are fluidly connected to the coolant loop, such that the designated movement of the person moves the pump piston in a second direction within the pump housing, compresses the spring, draws the coolant through the first coolant inlet into the first coolant chamber, and simultaneously pushes the coolant out of the second coolant chamber through the second coolant outlet, and upon release from the designated movement of the person, the spring moves the pump piston in a first direction within the pump housing, draws the coolant through the second coolant inlet into the second coolant chamber, and simultaneously pushes the coolant out of the first coolant chamber through the first coolant outlet.

5. A device, A mechanical coolant pump for facilitating the pumping of a coolant through a coolant loop, wherein the device is coupled to a person, and the mechanical coolant pump is physically powered by the person's specified movements to pump the coolant, The coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump is circulated through the coolant loop passing through the device to cool the device that has engaged with the person. The aforementioned mechanical coolant pump is The pump housing is fluid-connected to the aforementioned coolant loop, A pump piston that is slidable within the pump housing, wherein the pump piston is physically powered by the specified movement of the person in order to at least partially facilitate the pumping of the coolant through the coolant loop. Equipped with, The pump housing is an elongated pump housing, the device is equipped with a heat sink, and the heat sink is The pump housing comprises at least one coolant chamber and at least one coolant pipe section that fluidly connects the coolant loop, To facilitate the transfer of heat from the coolant through the at least one coolant tube section to the ambient air around the device, a plurality of heat-conducting fins are provided, which are at least partially mechanically coupled to the at least one coolant tube section. A device equipped with the following features.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising an air valve that operates in an air chamber by the specified movement of the person and the release of the specified movement of the person in order to force air to move across the plurality of heat-conducting fins.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of thermal conductive fins comprises a first plurality of thermal conductive fins oriented in a first direction and a second plurality of thermal conductive fins oriented in a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are different directions.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising one or more control valves in the at least one coolant pipe section for controlling the damping level of the mechanical coolant pump during operation.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a bypass valve coupled across the pump housing, which allows a portion of the coolant in the coolant loop to bypass the pump housing, in order to facilitate control of the coolant flow through the coolant loop by the mechanical coolant pump.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the device is the prosthesis socket of a prosthesis fitted by the person for cooling the prosthesis socket, and the mechanical coolant pump is coupled to the prosthesis.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the prosthesis is a prosthetic leg, the specified movement is the foot-stepping action of the person using the prosthetic leg, and the mechanical coolant pump is integrated as part of the prosthetic leg.

12. A method, wherein the said method is To provide a mechanical coolant pump for facilitating the pumping of a coolant through a coolant loop, and a heat sink for cooling the coolant liquid in the coolant loop, wherein the mechanical coolant pump is physically powered to pump the coolant by a specified movement of a person, A method wherein the mechanical coolant pump is provided as part of a prosthesis to be fitted by a person, and in operation, the coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump is circulated by the coolant loop through the prosthesis socket of the prosthesis when fitted by a person to cool the prosthesis socket.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the prosthesis is a prosthetic leg, the specified movement is the foot-stepping action of the person on the prosthetic leg, and the mechanical coolant pump is integrated as part of the prosthetic leg.

14. The aforementioned mechanical coolant pump is The pump housing is fluid-connected to the aforementioned coolant loop, A pump piston that is slidable within the pump housing, wherein the pump piston is physically powered by the specified movement of the person in order to at least partially facilitate the pumping of the coolant through the coolant loop, A spring that biases the pump piston in a first direction within the pump housing and It is equipped with, The pump piston divides the pump housing into a first coolant chamber and a second coolant chamber. The first coolant chamber has a first coolant inlet and a first coolant outlet, and the second coolant chamber has a second coolant inlet and a second coolant outlet. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first and second coolant inlets and the first and second coolant outlets are fluidly connected to the coolant loop, the designated movement of the person moves the pump piston in a second direction within the pump housing, compresses the spring, draws the coolant through the first coolant inlet into the first coolant chamber, and simultaneously pushes the coolant out of the second coolant chamber through the second coolant outlet, and upon release from the designated movement of the person, the spring moves the pump piston in a first direction within the pump housing, draws the coolant through the second coolant inlet into the second coolant chamber, and simultaneously pushes the coolant out of the first coolant chamber through the first coolant outlet.

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