PORTABLE COMPRESSION DEVICE

• US 20080319359A1
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jonathan L Pearlman
• Original Assignee: Jonathan L Pearlman
• Inventors: Pearlman, Jonathan L., Moomiaie-Qajar, Remo
• Granted Patent: US 8,388,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/152
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 11/00 Belts, strips or combs for massage purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2011/005 with belt or strap expanding and contracting around an encircled body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/10 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2209/00 Devices for avoiding blood stagnation, e.g. Deep Vein Thrombosis [DVT] devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0263 using rotating unbalanced masses

Abstract

A portable compression device for compressing at least a portion of a mammal'"'"'s limb is provided. The portable compression device can use mechanical compression to apply an external pressure to the portion of the limb to thereby propagate blood flow return in the direction of the mammal'"'"'s heart. In at least one embodiment, the portable compression device can accomplish this mechanical compression through the use of at least one frame, actuator, drum, and flexible elongate member. The actuator can move the drum between a first position and a second position. The flexible elongate member can be engaged with at least a portion of the drum and can at least partially circumscribe a portion of the limb of the mammal, such that the movement of the drum between the first and second positions can apply tension to the flexible elongate member to thereby apply a compressive force to the limb.

Claims

1. A portable limb compression assembly configured to promote blood flow in a mammal, the assembly comprising:

a frame;

a drum configured to be engaged with the frame;

an actuator configured to be operably engaged with the drum, wherein the actuator is configured to move the drum between a first position and a second position; and

a flexible elongate member configured to be engaged with a portion of the drum, wherein the flexible elongate member is configured to at least partially surround at least a portion of a limb of the mammal, wherein the flexible elongate member has a first perimeter around the portion of the limb when the drum is in the first position, wherein the flexible elongate member has a second perimeter around the portion of the limb when the drum is in the second position, and wherein the first perimeter is larger than the second perimeter such that a compressive force can be applied to the portion of the limb when the drum in is the second position.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame includes an aperture configured to slidably receive a portion of the flexible elongate member therethrough at least when the actuator moves the drum between the first position and the second position.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible elongate member includes:

a first portion having a first length; and

a second portion having a second length, wherein the first length is shorter than the second length such that the first portion can apply a greater compressive force to the portion of the limb than the second portion when the drum is moved between the first position and the second position.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuator further comprises a drive shaft extending therefrom, wherein the drum further comprises an aperture configured to receive the drive shaft, and wherein the drive shaft is configured to be operably engaged with the aperture such that the actuator can rotate the drum between the first position and the second position.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the drum further comprises a slot, and wherein the flexible elongate member is configured to be engaged with the slot such that the drum can at least partially coil the flexible elongate member therearound at least when the drum is moved between the first position and the second position.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible elongate member includes a first end and second end, wherein the first end is configured to be fixedly attached to a portion of the frame, and wherein the second end is configured to be engaged with a portion of the drum.

7. A plurality of the assemblies of claim 1, wherein the actuators of the plurality of the assemblies are configured to be actuated one of sequentially and randomly.

8. A plurality of the assemblies of claim 1, further comprising a connection member, wherein the frames of the plurality of the assemblies are configured to be at least partially engaged with each other using the connection member.

9. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising one of a boot and a resilient sleeve, wherein one of the boot and the resilient sleeve is configured to at least partially surround the portion of the limb of the mammal, and wherein at least a portion of the assembly is configured to be at least partially positioned on one of the boot and the resilient sleeve.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame further comprises a first projection and a second projection, wherein the first and second projections are configured to act against one of the portion of the limb and a resilient sleeve, and wherein the first and second projections are configured to distribute a force applied to the frame over an area of the portion of the limb when the drum is in the second position.

11. A portable limb compression assembly configured to promote blood flow in a mammal, the assembly comprising:

a cam shaft including a camming surface;

an actuator configured to be operably engaged with the cam shaft, wherein the actuator is configured to move the cam shaft between a first position and a second position;

a frame, wherein at least a portion of the cam shaft is configured to be engaged with the frame; and

a flexible elongate member configured to at least partially surround a portion of a limb of the mammal and at least partially surround a portion of the cam shaft, wherein the camming surface is configured to be engaged with a portion of the flexible elongate member such that a compressive force can be applied to the portion of the limb when the cam shaft is in the second position.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the actuator is configured to rotate the cam shaft between the first position and the second position.

13. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the flexible elongate member further comprises a conductive element configured to provide heat to the portion of the limb.

14. The assembly of claim 11, wherein one of the flexible elongate member and the frame includes a transducer configured to provide one of ultrasonic waves and vibration waves to the portion of the limb.

15. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the frame includes a slot, and wherein the slot is configured to slidably receive a portion of the flexible elongate member therethrough at least when the actuator moves the cam shaft between the first position and the second position.

16. A portable limb compression assembly configured to promote blood flow in a mammal, the assembly comprising:

a first frame;

a second frame, wherein the first frame is configured to be used in conjunction with the second frame on a portion of a limb of the mammal;

a cam shaft including;

a first camming surface configured to be at least partially aligned with the first frame; and

a second camming surface configured to be at least partially aligned with the second frame;

an actuator configured to be operably engaged with a portion of the cam shaft, wherein the actuator is configured to move the cam shaft between a first position and a second position;

a first flexible elongate member configured to at least partially surround a first portion of the limb, wherein the first camming surface is configured to engage a portion of the first flexible elongate member such that a first compressive force can be applied to the first portion of the limb when the cam shaft is in the first position; and

a second flexible elongate member configured to at least partially surround a second portion of the limb, wherein the second camming surface is configured to engage a portion of the second flexible elongate member such that a second compressive force can be applied to the second portion of limb when the cam shaft is in the second position.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the actuator is configured to continuously rotate the cam shaft such that the first and second compressive forces can be sequentially applied to the first and second portions of the limb to promote the blood flow in the mammal.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the first flexible elongate member and the second flexible elongate member together comprise a resilient sleeve.

19. A portable limb compression assembly configured to promote blood flow in a mammal, the assembly comprising:

a frame;

an actuator;

a worm operably engaged with the actuator such that the actuator can rotate the worm;

a worm gear configured to be driven by the worm when the worm is rotated by the actuator, wherein the worm gear is configured to be rotatably attached to a portion of the frame; and

a crank engaged with a portion of the worm gear, wherein a flexible elongate member is configured to be attached to a portion of the frame on a first end and configured to be attached to a portion of the crank on a second end, wherein a middle portion of the flexible elongate member is configured to at least partially surround a portion of a limb of the mammal, wherein the worm gear is configured to reciprocate the crank while the worm gear is driven by the worm such that the length of the middle portion of the flexible elongate member at least partially surrounding the portion of the limb can be shortened to thereby apply a compressive force to the limb, and such that the length of the middle portion of the flexible elongate member can be lengthened to thereby reduce the compressive force being applied to the limb.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the frame further comprises a sub-frame, wherein the sub-frame comprises:

a first stop;

a second stop, wherein the worm is configured to be positioned at least partially between the first stop and second stop; and

a crank receiving member, wherein the crank is configured to be slidably engaged with the crank receiving member such that the worm gear can reciprocate the crank in a linear direction when the worm gear is driven by the worm.

21. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the worm gear includes a pin extending therefrom, wherein the crank includes a slot, and wherein the pin is configured to act within the slot when the worm gear is driven by the worm such that the crank can be reciprocated in a linear direction.

22. A method of sequentially compressing a limb of a mammal using a portable sequential compression device, the method comprising:

providing a first frame assembly including;

a first flexible elongate member, wherein the first flexible elongate member is configured to be engaged with at least a portion of the first frame assembly, and wherein the first flexible elongate member is configured to at least partially surround the limb;

providing a second frame assembly including;

a second flexible elongate member, wherein the second flexible elongate member is configured to be engaged with at least a portion of the second frame assembly, and wherein the second flexible elongate member is configured to at least partially surround the limb; and

providing an actuator configured to move the first elongate member and the second elongate member between a first position and a second position, wherein the first flexible elongate member is configured to apply a first compressive force to the limb when in the first position, and wherein the second flexible elongate member is configured to apply a second compressive force to the limb when in the second position.