Cooling system and method for a prosthetic socket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11364142-B2
Application number	US-201816211974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2018
Priority date	May 11, 2016
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

A prosthetic socket cooling system and method includes a thermally conductive heat spreader including a curved shaped portion configured to maximize contact with a residual limb of a user. A heat extraction subsystem is coupled through a wall of the prosthetic socket and to the thermally conductive heat spreader and is configured to maintain a desired temperature inside the prosthetic socket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A prosthetic socket cooling system comprising:
a thermally conductive heat spreader, the entire thermally conductive heat spreader adapted to be placed around an outer circumference away from a distal end of a residual limb of a human subject and extending around a portion of the outer circumference of the residual limb and made of a single layer solid sheet of a thermally conductive material curved around a single axis to form a curved shaped portion configured to maximize contact with the outer circumference of the residual limb of a user; and
a heat extraction subsystem coupled through a wall of the prosthetic socket and to the thermally conductive heat spreader configured to maintain a desired temperature inside the prosthetic socket.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the heat extraction subsystem includes a thermal electric cooler (TEC) having a predetermined shape and a flat surface having a predetermined surface area.

3. The system of claim 2 in which the heat extraction subsystem includes a heat sink coupled to the TEC and a fan positioned to urge air over the heat sink.

4. The system of claim 3 in which the fan is configured to urge the air in a downward direction from the prosthetic socket towards a foot of the user.

5. The system of claim 4 further including a conduit coupled to the fan configured to direct the air in the downward direction.

6. The system of claim 5 further including flexible bellows coupled to the fan configured to direct the air in a downward direction.

7. The system of claim 4 further including a protective housing coupled to the prosthetic socket configured to allow the fan to direct the air in the downward direction when a suspension sleeve placed over the residual limb and the prosthetic socket.

8. The system of claim 3 in which the heat extraction subsystem further includes a user interface, an electronic section, one or more temperature sensors, one or more accelerometers, and a power supply.

9. The system of claim 8 further including a housing about the fan, the TEC, the heat sink, the user interface, the electronics section, and the battery.

10. The system of claim 9 in which the electronics section further includes a controller subsystem.

11. The system of claim 10 in which the controller subsystem is configured to operate the TEC based and/or the fan based on signals from the user interface and/or the one or more temperature sensors and/or the one or more accelerometers.

12. The system of claim 11 in which the controller subsystem and the one or more temperature sensors are configured to measure and/or estimate skin temperature of the residual limb of the user and adjust a cooling temperature of the TEC based on the measured or estimated skin temperature and a predetermined set point temperature.

13. The system of claim 11 in which one or more of the controller subsystem, the one or more temperature sensors, or the one or more accelerometers are configured to measure or estimate one of more of: a skin temperature of the residual limb of the user, a temperature of a hot-side of the TEC, a temperature of a cold-side of the TEC, an ambient temperature, or motion activity of the user and the controller subsystem is configured to adjust the temperature of the TEC such that a desired temperature is maintained inside the prosthetic socket based on one or more of the measured and/or estimated skin temperature, the temperature of the hot-side of the TEC, the temperature of the cold-side of the TEC, the ambient temperature, the motion activity, and a predetermined set point temperature.

14. The system of claim 11 in which the controller subsystem is configured to adjust the temperature of the TEC such that a desired temperature inside the prosthetic socket is maintained based on a temperature set point provided by the user.

15. The system of claim 11 in which one or more of the controller subsystem, the one or more temperature sensors, and the one or more accelerometers are configured to measure or estimate one or more of: a skin temperature of the residual limb of the user, a temperature of a hot-side of the TEC, a temperature of a cold- side of the TEC, an ambient temperature, and or motion activity of the user and the controller subsystem is configured to adjust the temperature the TEC such that a desired temperature inside the prosthetic socket is maintained based on one or more of the measured and/or estimated skin temperature, the temperature of the hot-side and the cold-side of the TEC, the ambient temperature, the motion activity, and a temperature set point provided by the user.

16. The system of claim 11 in which the controller subsystem is configured to activate the TEC for a first predetermined duration of time and not activate the TEC for a second predetermined duration of time based on a set point provided by the user such that the desired temperature inside the prosthetic socket is maintained.

17. The system of claim 11 in which one or more of the controller subsystem, the one or more temperature sensors, or the one or more accelerometers are configured to determine one or more of: an ambient temperature, a temperature of a hot-side of the TEC, a temperature of a cold-side of the TEC, or motion activity of the user and the controller subsystem is configured to activate the TEC for a first predetermined duration of time and not activate the TEC for a second predetermined duration of time based on a set point provided by the user such that the desired temperature inside the prosthetic socket is maintained.

18. The system of claim 2 further including a thermally conductive adapter coupled between the thermally conductive heat spreader and the heat extraction subsystem.

19. The system of claim 18 in which the thermally conductive adapter includes a curved surface on one side configured to approximately match the curved shaped portion of the thermally conductive heat spreader and a flat surface on the other side configured to approximately match the flat surface and predetermined surface area of the TEC.

20. The system of claim of claim 18 in which the thermally conductive heat spreader includes a flat portion.

21. The system of claim 20 in which the thermally conductive adapter includes a flat surface on one side configured to approximately match the flat portion of the thermally conductive heat spreader and a flat surface on the other side and configured to approximately match the predetermined shape, flat surface, and predetermined surface area of the TEC.

22. The system of claim 21 in which the flat surface on the side configured to approximately match the flat portion of the thermally conductive heat spreader is sized to conform to the residual limb of the user.

23. The system of claim 18 further including a thermally conductive spacer coupled between the thermally conductive adapter and the TEC.

24. The system of claim 2 in which the thermally conductive heat spreader is sized to maximize performance of the TEC.

25. The system of claim 1 in which the portion of the outer circumference of the residual limb includes fifty percent to seventy five percent of the circumference of the residual limb.

26. A prosthetic socket cooling system comprising:
a thermally conductive heat spreader, the entire thermally conductive heat spreader adapted to be placed around an outer circumference away from a distal end a residual limb of a huma

Assignees

• Vivonics Inc
• Liberating Tech Inc

Inventors

• Myers Ryan
• Leroy Kristen
• Cohen Ian
• Hirschman Gordon B
• Hunt Thane R
• Keough Kevin E
• Luna Carlos Martinez
• Farrell Todd R
• Johansson Jennifer L
• Labrecque Brendan

Classifications

• A61F2/80

  Sockets, e.g. of suction type · CPC title

• F28F2255/00

  Heat exchanger elements made of materials having special features or resulting from particular manufacturing processes · CPC title

• A61F2007/0096

  with a thermometer · CPC title

• A61F2007/0228

  with belt or strap, e.g. with buckle · CPC title

• A61F5/01

  Orthopaedic devices, e.g. long-term immobilising or pressure directing devices for treating broken or deformed bones such as splints, casts or braces · CPC title