Patents by Inventor Steven Steinbarger
Steven Steinbarger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Publication number: 20130173020Abstract: Vacuum locking systems for prosthetic limbs are generally disclosed. An example double-wall socket system according to at least some aspects of the present disclosure may include a flexible liner shaped to accept a portion of a residual limb; a plunger pin mounted to a distal end of the flexible liner; an inner socket shaped to receive the flexible liner and the residual limb; an outer socket shaped to receive the inner socket, the flexible liner, and the residual limb; a locking mechanism mounted at least partially within the inner socket approximate a distal end of the inner socket; and a manifold mounted to a distal end of the outer socket. The manifold may be configured to be connected to a vacuum pump for withdrawing air from the double wall socket system.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2012Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: Prosthetic Design, Inc.Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Paul L. Galloway, Robert Hoskins, Steven Steinbarger, Martin S. Piszkiewicz
-
Patent number: 8444702Abstract: An elevated vacuum locking system for prosthetic limb. An exemplary embodiment may include a plunger pin mounted to a flexible liner and including a through passage between a location proximate the exterior of the liner and a distal end of the plunger pin; a locking mechanism mounted within the distal end of a socket; a manifold mounted to the exterior of the distal end of the socket and including a cavity adapted to receive the distal end of the plunger pin when the patient's residual limb and the liner are installed into the socket, the manifold including a through passage connecting an interior of the cavity to an exterior fitting; and a vacuum pump operative to withdraw air from the interior of the socket via the through passage of the plunger pin, the cavity, and the through passage of the manifold.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2011Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Prosthetic Design, IncInventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Paul L. Galloway, Robert Hoskins, Steven Steinbarger, Ronda Miller
-
Patent number: 8444703Abstract: An elevated vacuum locking system for prosthetic limb. An exemplary embodiment may include a plunger pin mounted to a flexible liner and including a through passage between a location proximate the exterior of the liner and a distal end of the plunger pin; a locking mechanism mounted within the distal end of a socket; a manifold mounted to the exterior of the distal end of the socket and including a cavity adapted to receive the distal end of the plunger pin when the patient's residual limb and the liner are installed into the socket, the manifold including a through passage connecting an interior of the cavity to an exterior fitting; and a vacuum pump operative to withdraw air from the interior of the socket via the through passage of the plunger pin, the cavity, and the through passage of the manifold.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2011Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Prosthetic Design Inc.Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Paul L. Galloway, Robert Hoskins, Steven Steinbarger, Ronda Miller
-
Patent number: 8211187Abstract: Elevated vacuum locking systems for prosthetic limbs are disclosed. Some example embodiments may include a manifold mounted to the exterior of the distal end of a socket and may include a cavity adapted to receive a distal end of a plunger pin when the patient's residual limb and a liner are installed into the socket. Some example manifolds may include a through passage fluidicly connecting an interior of the cavity to a fitting mounted on an exterior of the manifold and/or a spool valve arranged to selectively vent the cavity to atmosphere via the through passage and a vent hole. The spool valve may be axially slidable between an open position and a shut position within a channel integrally formed with the manifold.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2010Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Prosthetic Design, Inc.Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Paul L. Galloway, Robert Hoskins, Steven Steinbarger
-
Patent number: 8097042Abstract: In one embodiment, a double-wall prosthetic limb socket assembly includes: (a) a first substantially rigid inner-wall socket adapted to receive a patient's residual limb; and (b) a second substantially rigid outer-wall socket seating the first inner-wall socket therein, the second outer-wall socket including, (i) a distal, circular base-plate; and (ii) a molded circumferential wall bonded to and extending proximally from the distal, circular base-plate; where the circular base-plate includes a vacuum port extending radially from a circumferential outer side of the base-plate in fluid communication with a vacuum channel extending through the circular base-plate and out through an outlet hole in a proximal side of the circular base-plate; such that when the vacuum port is coupled to a vacuum pump, the vacuum will help to draw the first inner-wall socket into the second outer-wall socket.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2007Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Prosthetic Design, Inc.Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Steven Steinbarger, Robert Hoskins
-
Patent number: 8057551Abstract: A lanyard suspension system for a prosthetic limb that includes: (a) a lanyard cord adapted to extend from a distal end of a patient's residual limb; and (b) a lanyard lock assembly adapted to be seated at a distal end of a patient's prosthetic limb socket assembly. The lanyard lock assembly includes: (1) a lanyard lock base having a lanyard cord channel extending therethrough from an inlet hole in a proximal surface of the lanyard lock base to an outlet hole in one of a side surface and a distal surface of the lanyard lock base; and (2) a locking mechanism designed to allow the lanyard cord to substantially freely thread through the lanyard cord channel from the inlet hole to the outlet hole while substantially inhibiting the lanyard cord from threading in the opposite direction when in an active setting.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2005Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Prosthetic Design, Inc.Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Scott R. Schall, David G. Firth, Steven Steinbarger
-
Publication number: 20110196510Abstract: An elevated vacuum locking system for prosthetic limb. An exemplary embodiment may include a plunger pin mounted to a flexible liner and including a through passage between a location proximate the exterior of the liner and a distal end of the plunger pin; a locking mechanism mounted within the distal end of a socket; a manifold mounted to the exterior of the distal end of the socket and including a cavity adapted to receive the distal end of the plunger pin when the patient's residual limb and the liner are installed into the socket, the manifold including a through passage connecting an interior of the cavity to an exterior fitting; and a vacuum pump operative to withdraw air from the interior of the socket via the through passage of the plunger pin, the cavity, and the through passage of the manifold.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2011Publication date: August 11, 2011Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Paul L. Galloway, Robert Hoskins, Steven Steinbarger, Ronda Miller
-
Publication number: 20110196511Abstract: An elevated vacuum locking system for prosthetic limb. An exemplary embodiment may include a plunger pin mounted to a flexible liner and including a through passage between a location proximate the exterior of the liner and a distal end of the plunger pin; a locking mechanism mounted within the distal end of a socket; a manifold mounted to the exterior of the distal end of the socket and including a cavity adapted to receive the distal end of the plunger pin when the patient's residual limb and the liner are installed into the socket, the manifold including a through passage connecting an interior of the cavity to an exterior fitting; and a vacuum pump operative to withdraw air from the interior of the socket via the through passage of the plunger pin, the cavity, and the through passage of the manifold.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2011Publication date: August 11, 2011Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Paul L. Galloway, Robert Hoskins, Steven Steinbarger, Ronda Miller
-
Patent number: 7927377Abstract: An elevated vacuum locking system for prosthetic limb. An exemplary embodiment may include a plunger pin mounted to a flexible liner and including a through passage between a location proximate the exterior of the liner and a distal end of the plunger pin; a locking mechanism mounted within the distal end of a socket; a manifold mounted to the exterior of the distal end of the socket and including a cavity adapted to receive the distal end of the plunger pin when the patient's residual limb and the liner are installed into the socket, the manifold including a through passage connecting an interior of the cavity to an exterior fitting; and a vacuum pump operative to withdraw air from the interior of the socket via the through passage of the plunger pin, the cavity, and the through passage of the manifold.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2009Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Prosthetic Design, Inc.Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Paul L. Galloway, Robert Hoskins, Steven Steinbarger, Ronda Miller
-
Publication number: 20110022183Abstract: Elevated vacuum locking systems for prosthetic limbs are disclosed. Some example embodiments may include a manifold mounted to the exterior of the distal end of a socket and may include a cavity adapted to receive a distal end of a plunger pin when the patient's residual limb and a liner are installed into the socket. Some example manifolds may include a through passage fluidicly connecting an interior of the cavity to a fitting mounted on an exterior of the manifold and/or a spool valve arranged to selectively vent the cavity to atmosphere via the through passage and a vent hole. The spool valve may be axially slidable between an open position and a shut position within a channel integrally formed with the manifold.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2010Publication date: January 27, 2011Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Paul L. Galloway, Robert Hoskins, Steven Steinbarger
-
Publication number: 20090306791Abstract: An elevated vacuum locking system for prosthetic limb. An exemplary embodiment may include a plunger pin mounted to a flexible liner and including a through passage between a location proximate the exterior of the liner and a distal end of the plunger pin; a locking mechanism mounted within the distal end of a socket; a manifold mounted to the exterior of the distal end of the socket and including a cavity adapted to receive the distal end of the plunger pin when the patient's residual limb and the liner are installed into the socket, the manifold including a through passage connecting an interior of the cavity to an exterior fitting; and a vacuum pump operative to withdraw air from the interior of the socket via the through passage of the plunger pin, the cavity, and the through passage of the manifold.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2009Publication date: December 10, 2009Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Paul L. Galloway, Robert Hoskins, Steven Steinbarger, Ronda Miller
-
Publication number: 20090299491Abstract: A modular shock absorber for a prosthetic limb which may be selectively interconnected between a socket for receiving a residual limb and other prosthetic limb components. An exemplary modular shock absorber includes a generally C-shaped body having a substantially planar first extension coupled to a prosthetic socket, a substantially planar second extension coupled to a prosthetic knee chassis, a substantially curved closed end connecting the first extension and the second extension, and a bias interposing the first extension and the second extension. Some exemplary modular shock absorbers may include first and second extensions that are horizontally and/or angularly offset relative to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2009Publication date: December 3, 2009Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Scott R. Schall, Lucinda Busch, Steven Steinbarger, Robert Hoskins, Paul L. Galloway
-
Publication number: 20090082869Abstract: A prosthetic coupling providing height and rotation adjustability. Exemplary embodiments include a Double Ended Pyramid Adapter (DEPR) allowing a prosthesis to be height adjusted and rotated using a single adapter. An exemplary DEPR also has an anti-rotation locking feature that selectively inhibits rotation of the components with respect to one another, and can selectively be unlocked to allow rotation when desired. An exemplary DEPR adapter allows for height and rotation adjustment, and may be utilized with transfemoral patients for height adjustments between the distal end of the socket and the prosthetic knee.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2008Publication date: March 26, 2009Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Christos Lemonis, Lucinda Busch, Paul L. Galloway, Steven Steinbarger
-
Knee disarticulation/low-profile prosthetic knee-joint assembly including adjustable distal coupling
Patent number: 7479163Abstract: Improvements to a prosthetic knee-joint assembly include: a proximal segment having lower-profile design with a surface adapted for mounting to an above-knee prosthetic limb socket; a releasable lock featuring at least one of two complementary surfaces with radial grooves, which increase friction between the two surfaces to prevent rotation or sliding of a coupler component with respect to the knee-joint assembly; and visual indicia markings for determining the position of a distal coupling relative to the distal segment of the knee-joint.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2006Date of Patent: January 20, 2009Assignee: Prosthetic Design, Inc.Inventors: Tracy C. Slemker, Steven Steinbarger -
Publication number: 20070168045Abstract: The present invention relates to a double wall prosthetic limb assembly, a vacuum attachment plate component of the outer-wall socket and a method for fabricating double wall prosthetic limb assemblies. The method involves the use of a prefabricated tooling system for fabricating a dual socket for a prosthetic limb.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2007Publication date: July 19, 2007Inventors: Tracy Slemker, Steven Steinbarger, Robert Hoskins
-
Publication number: 20050256589Abstract: A lanyard suspension system for a prosthetic limb that includes: (a) a lanyard cord adapted to extend from a distal end of a patient's residual limb; and (b) a lanyard lock assembly adapted to be seated at a distal end of a patient's prosthetic limb socket assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2005Publication date: November 17, 2005Inventors: Tracy Slemker, Scott Schall, David Firth, Steven Steinbarger
-
Publication number: 20050203638Abstract: A modular prosthetic limb component is adapted to be selectively/removably interconnected between a prosthetic knee component and a prosthetic socket component, where the modular component provides or augments stance flexion approximate the proximate knee component.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2005Publication date: September 15, 2005Inventors: Tracy Slemker, Scott Schall, Lucinda Busch, Steven Steinbarger, Robert Hoskins
-
Patent number: 6231618Abstract: A pyramidal link-plate assembly for coupling a prosthetic limb upright assembly to another prosthetic limb component includes: a base plate member having a dome extending from a distal end and a cavity opening onto a distal apex of the dome, where the cavity includes a conically shaped portion with a diameter that widens with the distance from the distal apex of the dome; and a rotatable member which includes a substantially conically shaped body positioned within the conical portion of the cavity and which includes a frustopyramidal boss extending distally therefrom out through the opening in the distal apex of the dome. The conically shaped body of the rotatable member, positioned within the cavity, also widens with the distance from the distal apex of the dome. The boss is adapted to be received within an a central opening of a conventional annular coupling-socket.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 1999Date of Patent: May 15, 2001Assignees: Prosthetic Design, Inc., CaTech, Inc.Inventors: Scott Schall, Tracy Slemker, Lanny Wiggins, Steven Steinbarger
-
Patent number: 6033440Abstract: A pyramidal link-plate assembly for coupling a prosthetic limb upright assembly to another prosthetic limb component includes: a base plate member having a dome extending from a distal end and a cavity opening onto a distal apex of the dome, where the cavity includes a conically shaped portion with a diameter that widens with the distance from the distal apex of the dome; and a rotatable member which includes a substantially conically shaped body positioned within the conical portion of the cavity and which includes a frustopyramidal boss extending distally therefrom out through the opening in the distal apex of the dome. The conically shaped body of the rotatable member, positioned within the cavity, also widens with the distance from the distal apex of the dome. The boss is adapted to be received within an a central opening of a conventional annular coupling-socket.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1998Date of Patent: March 7, 2000Assignee: Prosthetic Design, Inc.Inventors: Scott Schall, Tracy Slemker, Lanny Wiggins, Steven Steinbarger