Compression integument
First Claim
1. A compression integument for applying controllable compression to a portion of the anatomy of a user, comprising:
- an elongated body sized and configured to be applied to a portion of the anatomy of the user, the elongated body including at least two segments, each segment configured to encircle a different part of the user'"'"'s anatomy;
one or more shape-changing elements supported by the elongated body and configured to apply a compressive force to the portion of the anatomy of the user; and
a controller configured to selectively actuate the one or more shape-changing elements to reduce the effective length of the elongated body, to thereby apply pressure to the portion of the anatomy of the user by way of the elongated body, wherein the controller includes;
a circuit board integrated into one segment of the elongated body;
a microcontroller mounted to the circuit board, the microcontroller programmed to actuate the shape-changing elements according to a compression protocol stored in a memory of the microcontroller;
a distribution circuit board in each of the at least two segments other than said one segment; and
a ground plane in each of the at least two segments, wherein the memory wires are electrically connected between the ground plane and the distribution circuit board in a corresponding segment of the elongated body, and further wherein the circuit board in said one segment and the distribution circuit board in each of the at least two segments other than said one segment are electrically connected by a flexible multiconductor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile compression integument for applying controllable scrolling or intermittent sequential forces, such as compression forces, to the body and limbs of a user comprises an elongated fabric body sized to encircle a limb of a user, one or more shape-changing elements carried by the fabric body and configured to apply a compression pressure to the limb through the fabric body upon changing shape in response to a stimulus, and a micro-processor based controller for selectively actuating the one or more shape-changing elements to reduce the effective diameter of the integument encircling the limb, to thereby apply pressure to the limb.
30 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A compression integument for applying controllable compression to a portion of the anatomy of a user, comprising:
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an elongated body sized and configured to be applied to a portion of the anatomy of the user, the elongated body including at least two segments, each segment configured to encircle a different part of the user'"'"'s anatomy; one or more shape-changing elements supported by the elongated body and configured to apply a compressive force to the portion of the anatomy of the user; and a controller configured to selectively actuate the one or more shape-changing elements to reduce the effective length of the elongated body, to thereby apply pressure to the portion of the anatomy of the user by way of the elongated body, wherein the controller includes; a circuit board integrated into one segment of the elongated body; a microcontroller mounted to the circuit board, the microcontroller programmed to actuate the shape-changing elements according to a compression protocol stored in a memory of the microcontroller; a distribution circuit board in each of the at least two segments other than said one segment; and a ground plane in each of the at least two segments, wherein the memory wires are electrically connected between the ground plane and the distribution circuit board in a corresponding segment of the elongated body, and further wherein the circuit board in said one segment and the distribution circuit board in each of the at least two segments other than said one segment are electrically connected by a flexible multiconductor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A compression integument for applying controllable compression to a portion of the anatomy of a user, comprising:
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an elongated body sized and configured to be applied to a portion of the anatomy of the user; one or more shape-changing elements supported by the elongated body and configured to apply a compressive force to the portion of the anatomy of the user, wherein the one or more shape-changing elements are memory wires that contract in length upon application of a current; at least two ribs connected to a portion of the elongated body, wherein each of said one or more shape-changing element memory wires spans between and is engaged to adjacent ones of said at least two ribs; an electrical power supply; and a controller configured to selectively apply a current from the power supply to the one or more memory wires to reduce the effective length of the elongated body, to thereby apply pressure to the portion of the anatomy of the user by way of the elongated body, wherein the controller includes a circuit board integrated into the elongated body and a microcontroller mounted to the circuit board, the microcontroller programmed to actuate the shape-changing elements according to a compression protocol stored in a memory of the microcontroller, wherein each end of each of said one or more shape-changing element memory wires is anchored to a different one of said at least two ribs, and each of said at least two ribs includes a pulley arrangement about which each of said one or more shape-changing element memory wires is engaged. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for applying compression to the limb of a user, comprising:
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wrapping a compression integument around the limb of the user for a snug fit, the compression integument including; a plurality of ribs spaced apart on an elongated body configured to encircle the limb of the user; a plurality of shape-changing wires configured to shrink in length upon application of an electrical current, wherein two wires span the space between each facing side of each adjacent rib, the two wires positioned at the opposite ends of each rib; and a controller configured to selectively apply electrical current to the plurality of wires; and operating the controller to continuously and sequentially; apply a current to the wires spanning the space between ribs at like first ends of the ribs to contract the compression integument at the first end; apply a current to the wires spanning the space between ribs at the like second ends of the ribs to contract the compression integument at the second end; remove the current applied to the wires at the first ends of the ribs to allow the wires to return to their neutral length and thereby remove the compression at the first end; and remove the current applied to the wires at the second ends of the ribs to allow the wires to return to their neutral length and thereby remove the compression at the second end.
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18. A compression integument comprising:
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a body configured to a least partially encircle a part of the body of the user for a snug fit; at least three ribs spaced apart on the elongated body; a plurality of wires including, for each adjacent pair of said at least three ribs, only two shape-changing wires configured to contract in length upon application of an electrical current, a first one of the only two wires spanning the space between each facing side of each adjacent rib only at one end of each adjacent rib, and a second one of the only two wires spanning the space between each facing side of each adjacent rib only at an opposite end of each adjacent rib; and a controller configured to selectively apply electrical current to the plurality of wires causing the wires to contract to urge at least some of the ribs into a closer spaced apart relationship at said one end, said opposite end or both ends. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification