Apparatus and method for applying an adaptable pressure waveform to a limb
First Claim
1. Apparatus for applying an adaptable pressure waveform to a patient'"'"'s limb for augmenting venous blood flow in the limb, comprising:
- an inflatable sleeve for positioning onto a limb to apply a pressure to the limb beneath the sleeve when inflated with gas;
pressure transducing means for sensing the pressure of gas in the sleeve and for producing a sleeve pressure signal indicative of the sensed pressure;
pressure waveform application means responsive to the sleeve pressure signal and a reference pressure waveform signal for controlling the supply of pressurized gas to the sleeve so that the sensed pressure in the sleeve is maintained near a varying pressure indicated by the reference pressure waveform signal; and
waveform register means for producing the reference pressure waveform signal indicative of a reference pressure waveform during a cycle time period wherein the reference pressure waveform includes a maximum pressure at a time within the cycle time period and a rate of pressure increase in an interval leading to the maximum pressure and wherein the waveform register means includes waveform adaptation means for allowing the rate of pressure increase to be changed from a first rate to a second rate without changing the maximum pressure at the time the rate of pressure is increased.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for applying an adaptable pressure waveform to a patient'"'"'s limb for augmenting venous blood flow in the limb comprises: an inflatable sleeve for positioning onto a limb to apply a pressure to the limb beneath the sleeve when inflated with gas; pressure transducing means for sensing the pressure of gas in the sleeve and for producing a sleeve pressure signal indicative of the sensed pressure; pressure waveform application means responsive to the sleeve pressure signal and a reference pressure waveform signal for controlling the supply of pressurized gas to the sleeve so that the sensed pressure in the sleeve is maintained near a varying pressure indicated by the reference pressure waveform signal; and waveform register means for producing the reference pressure waveform signal indicative of a reference pressure waveform during a cycle time period wherein the reference pressure waveform includes a maximum pressure at a time within the cycle time period and a rate of pressure increase in an interval leading to the maximum pressure and wherein the waveform register means includes waveform adaptation means for allowing the rate of pressure increase to be changed from a first rate to a second rate without changing the maximum pressure at the time.
54 Citations
17 Claims
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1. Apparatus for applying an adaptable pressure waveform to a patient'"'"'s limb for augmenting venous blood flow in the limb, comprising:
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an inflatable sleeve for positioning onto a limb to apply a pressure to the limb beneath the sleeve when inflated with gas;
pressure transducing means for sensing the pressure of gas in the sleeve and for producing a sleeve pressure signal indicative of the sensed pressure;
pressure waveform application means responsive to the sleeve pressure signal and a reference pressure waveform signal for controlling the supply of pressurized gas to the sleeve so that the sensed pressure in the sleeve is maintained near a varying pressure indicated by the reference pressure waveform signal; and
waveform register means for producing the reference pressure waveform signal indicative of a reference pressure waveform during a cycle time period wherein the reference pressure waveform includes a maximum pressure at a time within the cycle time period and a rate of pressure increase in an interval leading to the maximum pressure and wherein the waveform register means includes waveform adaptation means for allowing the rate of pressure increase to be changed from a first rate to a second rate without changing the maximum pressure at the time the rate of pressure is increased. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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5. Apparatus for applying an adaptable pressure waveform to a patient'"'"'s limb for augmenting venous blood flow in the limb, comprising:
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an inflatable sleeve for positioning onto a limb to apply a pressure to the limb beneath the sleeve when inflated with gas;
pressure transducing means for sensing the pressure of gas in the sleeve and for producing a sleeve pressure signal indicative of the sensed pressure;
pressure waveform application means responsive to the sleeve pressure signal and a reference pressure waveform signal for controlling the supply of pressurized gas to the sleeve so that the sensed pressure in the sleeve is maintained near a varying pressure indicated by the reference pressure waveform signal; and
waveform register means for producing the reference pressure waveform signal indicative of a reference pressure waveform during a cycle time period wherein the reference pressure waveform includes a maximum pressure at a time within the cycle time period and a rate of pressure increase to the maximum pressure and wherein the waveform register means includes waveform adaptation means for allowing the maximum pressure to be changed from a first level to a second level at the time within the cycle time period while allowing independent changing at that time the rate of pressure increase to the maximum pressure. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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17. A method of applying an adaptable pressure waveform to a patient'"'"'s limb for augmenting venous blood flow in the limb, comprising the steps of:
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positioning an inflatable sleeve onto a limb so that pressure is applied to the limb when the sleeve is inflated with gas;
sensing the pressure of gas in the sleeve;
controlling the supply of pressurized gas to the sleeve so that the sensed pressure in the sleeve is maintained near a varying pressure corresponding to a reference pressure waveform;
producing the reference pressure waveform during a cycle time period wherein the reference pressure waveform includes a maximum pressure at a time within the cycle time period and a rate of pressure increase in an interval leading to the maximum pressure; and
allowing the rate of pressure increase of the reference pressure waveform to be changed from a first rate to a second rate without changing the maximum pressure at the time.
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Specification