Shock absorbing apparatus and method

Abstract

The present invention in one embodiment is a vacuum pump including a compressible elastomeric member with an internal reservoir enclosing a volume of fluid, an outlet port providing fluid communication between the internal reservoir and a fluid sink, and an inlet port providing fluid communication between the internal reservoir and a fluid source. The pump further includes first and second pressure elements coupled to the elastomeric member on opposing sides. At least one of the first and second pressure elements is adapted to apply a longitudinal force along, and a rotational force about, an axis extending through the compressible elastomeric member. Upon the application of a longitudinal compression force to the compressible elastomeric member, fluid flows from the internal reservoir to the fluid sink and upon the application of a longitudinal expansion force, fluid flows from the fluid source to the internal reservoir. Upon the application of a rotational force, the elastomeric member exerts a counter-rotational force.

1 . A shock absorbing member configured for use in a prosthetic device, the shock absorbing member comprising:
 a toroid shaped body having:
 a top end having a top surface; 
 a bottom end having a bottom surface; 
 a outer sidewall extending from the top surface to the bottom surface; 
 an interior cavity; 
   at least one inlet opening arranged in fluid communication with the interior cavity;   wherein the body is compressible to absorb shock.   
     
     
         2 . The shock absorbing member of  claim 1 , wherein the top and bottom ends are elastically rotatable relative to each other to absorb rotational forces applied to the body. 
     
     
         3 . The shock absorbing member of  claim 1 , further comprising an inner sidewall defining a central aperture extending from the top surface to the bottom surface. 
     
     
         4 . The shock absorbing member of  claim 1 , wherein the outer sidewall includes a contoured portion. 
     
     
         5 . The shock absorbing member of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one top protrusion extending from the top surface, and at least one bottom protrusion extending from the bottom surface, wherein the top and bottom protrusions operate to apply rotational forces to the top and bottom ends of the body. 
     
     
         6 . The shock absorbing member of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one top protrusion and the at least one bottom protrusion interface with a prosthetic device. 
     
     
         7 . The shock absorbing member of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one outlet opening arranged in fluid communication with the interior cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The shock absorbing member of  claim 7 , wherein one of the at least one inlet opening and at least one outlet opening is positioned at the top end, and the other of the at least one inlet opening and the at least one outlet opening is positioned at the bottom end. 
     
     
         9 . The shock absorbing member of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one inlet opening and the at least one outlet opening are each positioned at one of the outer sidewall, the top surface, or the bottom surface. 
     
     
         10 . A prosthetic device, comprising:
 a compressible shock absorbing member including:
 a body portion defined by opposing top and bottom ends and an outer sidewall extending between the top and bottom ends, the outer sidewall being configured to collapse upon application of at least one of a compression force and a torsional force; 
 at least one top protrusion extending from the top end and being configured to connect the compressible shock absorbing member to a first portion of the prosthetic device; 
 at least one bottom protrusion extending from the bottom end and being configured to connect the compressible shock absorbing member to a second portion of the prosthetic device; 
   wherein relative movement between the first and second portions of the prosthetic device applies the compression force or torsional force.   
     
     
         11 . The prosthetic device of  claim 10 , wherein the body portion further defines an interior cavity, the interior cavity being accessible through at least one of a first opening and a second opening that are each located in the outer sidewall, the top end or the bottom end. 
     
     
         12 . The prosthetic device of  claim 10 , wherein the body portion further includes an aperture extending from the top end to the bottom end, the aperture being defined by an inner sidewall of the body portion. 
     
     
         13 . The prosthetic device of  claim 10 , wherein the outer sidewall is contoured radially outward and the body portion is toroid shaped. 
     
     
         14 . The prosthetic device of  claim 10 , wherein the outer sidewall comprises an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         15 . The prosthetic device of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one top protrusion includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart top protrusions, and the at least one bottom protrusion includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart bottom protrusions. 
     
     
         16 . A spring member for use at an interface between components of a prosthetic device, the spring member comprising:
 an elastomeric body being deformable from a rest position to a deformed position upon application of at least one of a compression force and a torsional force, and being configured to return to the rest position after removal of the at least one of the compression force and torsional force;   projections extending from opposing ends of the elastomeric body, the projections being configured to connect the spring member to the components of the prosthetic device, wherein at least the torsional force is applied to the elastomeric body through the projections.   
     
     
         17 . The spring member of  claim 16 , wherein the elastomeric body includes a contoured sidewall that is deformable upon application of at least one of the compression force and the torsional force to the elastomeric body. 
     
     
         18 . The spring member of  claim 17 , wherein the elastomeric body defines a hollow cavity configured to contain a volume of fluid. 
     
     
         19 . The spring member of  claim 18 , wherein the elastomeric body includes at least one inlet opening and at least one outlet opening, the inlet and outlet openings being in fluid communication with the hollow cavity. 
     
     
         20 . The spring member of  claim 16 , wherein the elastomeric body includes a planar top surface and a planar bottom surface, and the projections extend away from the top and bottom surfaces of the elastomeric body. 
     
     
         21 . The spring member of  claim 16 , wherein the elastomeric body provides gradually increasing resistance to deformation upon application of the torsional force. 
     
     
         22 . The spring member of  claim 16 , wherein the elastomeric body includes an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall, at least one of the outer and inner sidewalls being bowed radially outward. 
     
     
         23 . The spring member of  claim 16 , wherein the elastomeric body is symmetrical about a central longitudinal axis thereof. 
     
     
         24 . A method of absorbing forces in a prosthetic device, comprising:
 providing an elastomeric force absorbing member having a top and a bottom end and at least one sidewall extending between the top end and the bottom end;   positioning the elastomeric force absorbing member between components of the prosthetic device;   distorting a shape of the elastomeric force absorbing member from a rest shape by compressing the at least one sidewall to absorb compression forces between the components;   distorting the shape of the elastomeric force absorbing member from the rest shape by twisting the top and bottom ends relative to each other to absorb torsional forces between the components;   moving fluid into and out of the elastomeric force absorbing member;   returning the elastomeric force absorbing member to the rest shape.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the elastomeric force absorbing member includes projections extending from the top and bottom ends, and positioning the elastomeric force absorbing member includes placing the projections into contact with the components of the prosthetic device. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the elastomeric force absorbing member includes a cavity, and moving fluid into and out of the cavity occurs when distorting the shape of the elastomeric force absorbing member during at least one of compressing the at least one sidewall and twisting the top and bottom ends relative to each other. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the elastomeric force absorbing member includes a cavity and at least one opening in fluid communication with the cavity, the method comprising creating fluid flow through the at least one opening. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the elastomeric force absorbing member includes a hollow interior, and changing the elastomeric force absorbing member between a rest shape and a distorted shape changes a volume of the hollow interior and causes fluid to move into and out of the hollow interior.