Peristaltic Pump Prosthetic Socket Vacuum System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional prosthetic systems with internal or external vacuum pumps are cumbersome, energy-intensive, and prone to mechanical failures due to complex valve systems, which can lead to air leakage and reduced attachment security on the amputation stump.
Innovation Solution
A peristaltic pump is used to generate negative pressure within the prosthetic socket, eliminating the need for separate valves and reducing the number of moving parts, with a design that includes a single pump element and a friction wheel planetary gear for efficient torque transmission, allowing for secure attachment without continuous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a membrane pump is used as an internal vacuum pump, then negative pressure can be generated, but the pump becomes space- and weight-intensive and requires complex valve circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the valve system from the vacuum pump design. The peristaltic pump generates negative pressure through direct mechanical compression of the hose by rollers, without requiring any valves for operation or pressure maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the complex mechanical valve system with a purely mechanical peristaltic pumping action. The rollers compressing the hose create the vacuum through direct mechanical means, substituting the need for valve-based pressure control.
2Reliability
If valves are included in the vacuum system, then air penetration can be prevented, but the system becomes prone to contamination and requires intensive maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention completely removes the valve component from the system. The peristaltic pump maintains negative pressure and prevents air leakage through its continuous pumping action and the flexibility of the hose, eliminating contamination and maintenance issues associated with valves.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible hose in the peristaltic pump system acts as a dynamic seal that prevents air leakage without requiring rigid valve mechanisms. The hose can deform and adapt while maintaining the vacuum seal, avoiding the contamination problems of traditional valves.
3Reliability
If an external vacuum pump is used, then the pump function can be provided, but the wearer must carry the pump as a separate component and connect it to the prosthetic shaft
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the vacuum pump directly into the prosthetic shaft structure. The peristaltic pump is integrated as an internal component, eliminating the need for separate carrying and connection operations. The pump becomes an inherent part of the prosthesis that the wearer already has with them.
4Reliability
If membrane pumps and valves are used, then negative pressure can be maintained, but the production becomes complex and cost-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the valve system from the design, simplifying manufacturing. The peristaltic pump with rollers and hose can be produced using standard manufacturing techniques without the complex valve assembly processes required by traditional vacuum systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The peristaltic pump provides a reliable, space-efficient, and cost-effective solution for maintaining negative pressure, reducing air leakage and ensuring secure attachment of the prosthetic socket to the amputation stump without the need for complex valve systems.
Implementation Method 1
the pump for generating the negative pressure in the volume is a peristaltic pump
Implementation Method 2
a friction wheel planetary gear for efficient torque transmission
Data Source
AI summary
The prosthesis has a prosthesis shaft, which has an inner surface and is formed at an amputation socket. The amputation socket is arranged, such that inner surface is opposite to amputation socket. A pump is a peristaltic pump (1). The peristaltic pump has a housing (2) with a peripheral wall (4), a base and a cover (6). A pump element is arranged in the housing. A friction-reducing layer, particularly polytetrafluoroethylene-fiber film is arranged at inner side of the cover or the inner side of the base of the housing. A hose is made from silicone or a thermoplastic elastomer or polyurethane.