Patent ID: 8444703
Filing Date: 2013-05-21
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A method of donning a prosthetic limb comprising: providing a prosthetic limb having a socket sized and shaped to receive a patient's residual limb, the socket including a locking mechanism including a central opening mounted in a distal end of an interior of the socket; providing a flexible liner, the flexible liner including a distally-mounted plunger pin extending therefrom, the plunger pin including a longitudinal through passage extending from a distal end of the plunger pin to proximate the flexible liner; providing a vacuum pump fluidicly coupled to a manifold mounted to a distal exterior surface of the socket, the manifold including a cavity aligned with the central opening of the locking mechanism; providing a sealing sleeve proximate a proximal end of the socket; inserting the patient's residual limb into the flexible liner; inserting the patient's residual limb and the flexible liner into the socket such that the plunger pin enters a central opening in the locking mechanism and the locking mechanism releasably engages the plunger pin; placing the sealing sleeve to create a sealed connection between the flexible liner and the proximal end of the socket; operating the vacuum pump to withdraw air from within the socket via the longitudinal through passage; and wherein the plunger pin includes a radially extending flange located proximate the liner, the flange including a lateral through passage fluidicly connected to the longitudinal through passage; and wherein the step of operating the pump includes withdrawing air from within the socket via the lateral through passage and the longitudinal through passage.