US Patent Issued to United States Government As Represented By The Department of Veterans Affairs, Northwestern University on June 23 for "Vacuum pump systems for prosthetic limbs and methods of using the same" (Illinois Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 15 -- United States Patent no. 12,661,243, issued on June 23, was assigned to United States Government As Represented By The Department of Veterans Affairs (Washington) and Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.).

"Vacuum pump systems for prosthetic limbs and methods of using the same" was invented by Ryan J. Caldwell (Long Grove, Ill.) and Matthew J. Major (Chicago).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Pump systems for use in suspension of a prosthetic device from a residual limb and methods of suspending a prosthetic device from a residual limb are disclosed. The pump systems include a mechanically activated pump having a first compression member coupled to a second compress...