Portable device for the enhancement of circulation and for the prevention of stasis related dvt

• US 20040073146A1
• Filed: 09/03/2003
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tylerton International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flowmedic Limited
• Inventors: Avni, Yuval, Weintraub, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,157,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/134
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 11/02 Massage devices with strips oscillating lengthwise
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1215 Rotary drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1642 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1664 linear
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/06 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/10 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/02 with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/001 without substantial movement between the skin and the device

Abstract

The present invention provides a portable device and method for enhancing blood flow in a limb and for reducing the risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) formation by applying periodic squeezing forces on a limb, in particular a lower limb. The device comprises a flask-like casing box and a strap connected to opposite sides of said casing such as to form a closed loop around the limb. Said box contains machinery for actuating periodical change in the circumference of said closed loop between a contracted and a relaxed positions.

Claims

1. A portable device for enhancing blood and lymph flow in a limb and for preventing stasis related disorders, the device comprising:

a casing box encasing a power source, a motor powered by said power source and a machinery coupled to said motor;

a strap connectable to opposite sides said casing box for encircling said limb so as to form a closed loop around said limb;

wherein said machinery actuates periodical change in the circumference of said loop between a contracted and a relaxed states by a predetermined length interval, thereby applying intermittent squeezing forces on the limb.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the strap is an adjustable strap.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of end of the strap is coupled to said machinery and wherein said periodical change in the circumference of said closed loop is actuated by intermittently pulling and releasing said at least one end in and out said casing box.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein both ends of the strap are coupled to said machinery and wherein said periodical change in the circumference of said closed loop between said contracted and relaxed positions is actuated by intermittently and simultaneously pulling and releasing the two ends in and out said casing box.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a compressing plate extending from one face of the casing box substantially parallel to said face and said compressing plate is pressed against the muscles of said limb when the device is worn around the limb, said compressing plate is coupled to said machinery and said periodical change in the circumference of said loop is actuated by intermittently extending and retracting said pressing plate from said casing box.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the disorder is a venous disease.

7. The device of claim 4 wherein the venous disease is a deep vein thrombosis.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the disorder is an arterial disease.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein said casing box is placed against the muscles of said limb and wherein said strap is placed against the bone of said limb.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein said casing box is placed against the bone of said limb and wherein said strap is placed against the muscles of said limb.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said casing box is a curved flask-like box having a curvature to fit the curvature of said limb.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein said limb is a leg and wherein said device is placed around the calf.

13. The device of claim 1 further comprising regulator for regulating the frequency of said periodical change.

14. The device of claim 1 further comprising regulator for regulating the length interval between said contracted and relaxed states.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein said periodical change comprises fast transition from relaxed to contracted state, followed by a short duration of a contracted state and a longer duration of relaxed state.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein said strap is a retractable strap retractably wound at one side of the casing box.

17. The device according to claim 16 wherein the free end of the strap is provided with a male member and wherein the second opposite side of the casing box is provided with a complementary female member for allowing quick fastening of the strap around the limb.

18. A device according to claim 1 wherein the motor is an electrical motor having a spinning worm shaft, and wherein the machinery comprises a speed reducing wheel coupled to said shaft and a crankshaft means coupled to said wheel and connected to at least one end of the strap by means of a laterally movable connector for intermittently pulling and releasing said strap in and out the casing box.

19. A device according to claim 1 wherein the motor is a pull-push electromagnetic motor having a reciprocating rod, and wherein the machinery comprises a tooth-wheel coupled to said reciprocating rod by means of a spike-tooth projected from said reciprocating rod and a crankshaft means coupled to said wheel and connected to at least one end of the strap by means of a laterally movable connector for intermittently pulling and releasing said strap in and out the casing box.

20. A device according to claim 1 wherein the motor is an electrical motor having a spinning worm shaft, and wherein the machinery comprises:

a speed reducing wheel coupled to said shaft;

a disk of an irregular perimeter centrically mounted on said speed reducing wheel;

at least one movable connector connecting to at least one end of the strap, said connector is coupled to the perimeter of the disk so that when the disk revolves around its axis, the movable connector moves laterally between protracted and retracted positions in accordance with said irregular perimeter.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein said movable connector is provided with a biasing spring for allowing quick transition between protracted position to retracted position, thereby actuating a sharp squeezing of muscles.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein said power supply means is a rechargeable or non-rechargeable DC batteries encased inside said casing.

23. A portable device for enhancing blood and lymph flow in a limb and for preventing stasis related disorders by applying squeezing forces on the limb, the device comprising:

a flask-like casing box having a curvature to fit the curvature of the limb, the box encasing a power source, a motor powered by said power source and a machinery coupled to said motor;

a strap having two ends connectable to opposite sides of the box for encircling said limb so as to form a closed loop around said limb;

wherein said machinery actuates a periodical change of a controllable length interval in the circumference of said loop, between a contracted and a relaxed states, by intermittently pulling and releasing at least one end of the strap in and out the casing box, thereby applying intermittent squeezing forces on the limb.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein the machinery actuates periodical change in the circumference of the loop by intermittently and simultaneously pulling and releasing the two ends of the strap in and out the casing box.

25. The device of claim 23 further comprising a regulator for regulating the frequency of the periodical change and a regulator for regulating the length interval between the contracted and relaxed states.

26. The device of claim 23 wherein a cycle of the periodical change is an asymmetrical cycle comprising fast transition from relaxed to contracted state, followed by a duration of a contracted state and a longer duration of relaxed state.

27. The device of claim 23 wherein the length interval is of 1 to 50 mm.

28. The device of claim 23 wherein said strap is a retractable strap retractably wound at one side of the casing box and the free end of the strap is provided with a quick connector connectable to a complementary connector provided at the second opposite side of the casing box.

30. The device of claim 28 wherein the machinery comprises a spring to facilitate the transition from contracted to relaxed state and for allowing the quick transition from relaxed to contracted position.

29. A portable device for enhancing blood and lymph flow in a limb and for preventing stasis related disorders by applying periodical squeezing forces to the limb, the device comprising:

a casing box encasing a power source, a motor powered by said power source and a machinery coupled to said motor;

a strap connectable to opposite sides said casing box for encircling said limb so as to form a closed loop around said limb;

wherein said machinery actuates cycles of periodical change in the circumference of said loop between a contracted and a relaxed states by a controllable length interval, the cycle comprising a fast transition from relaxed to contracted state, followed by a duration of a contracted state and a longer duration of relaxed state.

31. A portable device for enhancing flow in a lower limb and for preventing stasis related disorders, by applying squeezing forces on the limb, the device comprising:

a flask-like curved box encasing a power source, a motor powered by said power source and a machinery coupled to said motor;

a strap retractably mounted at one side of the casing box, the free end of the strap is provided with connecting member to allow quick connection to opposite side of said box for forming a closed loop around said limb;

the machinery actuates periodical change in the circumference of said loop between a contracted and a relaxed states by intermittently pulling and releasing at least one end of the strap in and out the casing box by a controllable length interval,

32. A portable device for enhancing blood and lymph flow in a lower limb and for preventing stasis related disorders, by applying squeezing forces on the limb, the device comprising:

a flask-like casing box having a curvature to fit the curvature of the limb, the box encasing a power source, an electrical motor provided with a spinning shaft, a regulator for regulating the speed of the spinning shaft and a machinery coupled to said motor;

the machinery comprising a speed reducing wheel coupled to said shaft and a disk of an irregular perimeter;

a strap connectable to two opposite sides of the casing box by at least one laterally movable connector for forming a closed loop around the limb;

wherein the at least one movable connector is coupled to the perimeter of the disk so that when the disk revolves around its axis, the movable connector moves between protracted and retracted positions in accordance with said irregular perimeter, actuating cycles a periodical change in the circumference of the encircling loop between a contracted and a relaxed states and the spring mechanism allows for sharp transition from protracted position to retracted position for allowing a sharp squeezing of muscles.

33. A portable device for enhancing blood and lymph flow in a limb and for preventing stasis related disorders, the device comprising:

a casing box encasing a power source, a motor powered by said power source and a machinery coupled to said motor;

a strap having two ends connectable to opposite sides of said casing box for encircling said limb so as to form a closed loop around said limb; and

a compressing plate extending from one face of the casing box, the compressing plate is pressed against the muscles of said limb when the device is worn around the limb, and the compressing plate is intermittently extending and retracting from said casing box, thereby applying intermittent pressing forces on the limb.

34. A method for enhancing circulation in a limb for preventing stasis related disorders, the method comprising;

forming a closed loop around the limb, the loop comprising a strap;

intermittently shortening and relaxing the circumference of the loop for applying squeezing forces on the limb.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein shortening and relaxing the circumference of the loop is actuated mechanically by a motor coupled to a machinery, the motor and the machinery encased in a box and the machinery intermittently pull and release at least one end of the strap in and out of the box