Controllable Compression Garments Using Shape Memory Alloys And Associated Techniques And Structures

• US 20150073318A1
• Filed: 09/10/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Newman, Dava J., Holschuh, Bradley T., Obropta, Edward W. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US14/482,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20150073318A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/84
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 2400/32 Therapeutic use
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 2400/38 Shaping the contour of the body or adjusting the figure
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/32 Therapeutic use
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/38 Shaping the contour of the body or adjusting the figure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/00051 Accessories for dressings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/08 Elastic stockings; for contracting aneurisms
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 17/008 High-altitude pressure suits
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 6/00 Space suits

Abstract

An active compression garment includes at least one passive member to at least partially surround a body part of interest and at least one active actuator member including a shape memory alloy (SMA) that is coupled to the at least one passive member. The at least one active actuator member may be configured to apply compression to, or remove compression from, the body part of interest based on the presence or absence of an applied stimulus.

Claims

1. A compression garment comprising:

at least one passive member to at least partially surround a body part of interest; and

at least one active actuator member that is coupled to the at least one passive member, the at least one active actuator member including a shape memory alloy (SMA) and being configured to apply compression to or remove compression from the body part of interest based on the presence or absence of an applied stimulus.

2. The compression garment of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one passive member includes at least one flexible passive member.

3. The compression garment of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one passive member includes at least one rigid or semi-rigid passive member.

4. The compression garment of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one active actuator member is located within a seam associated with the at least one passive member.

5. The compression garment of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one active actuator member includes a yarn within a tri-axial braid structure.

6. The compression garment of claim 5, wherein:

the at least one active actuator member includes at least one of;

a zero-degree yarn of the tri-axial braid structure and a circumferential yarn of the tri-axial braid structure.

7. The compression garment of claim 1, wherein:

the compression garment includes a tourniquet having a flexible cuff and a base unit, the base unit housing one or more SMA coil actuators that are coupled to the flexible cuff through openings in the base unit.

8. The compression garment of claim 7, wherein:

the base unit of the tourniquet includes direction changing structures to change a direction of forces generated by the one or more SMA coil actuators to a circumferential direction associated with the flexible cuff.

9. The compression garment of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one passive member includes at least one flexible passive member and at least one rigid or semi-rigid passive member, wherein the at least one active actuator member is coupled between the at least one flexible passive member and at least one rigid or semi-rigid passive member.

10. The compression garment of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one passive member includes at least two rigid or semi-rigid passive members, wherein the at least one active actuator member is coupled between the at least two rigid or semi-rigid passive members.

11. The compression garment of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one active actuator member is part of an SMA actuator cartridge having multiple SMA coil segments coupled between two end caps.

12. The compression garment of claim 11, wherein:

the SMA actuator cartridge further includes an intermediate spacer element located between the two end caps to maintain the multiple SMA coil segments in a desired spatial relationship with respect to one another, wherein the multiple SMA coil segments are substantially parallel to one another when held taut between the end caps.

13. The compression garment of claim 11, wherein:

the multiple SMA coil segments are all part of a single continuous SMA coil structure.

14. The compression garment of claim 1, wherein:

the compression garment includes a mechanical counter-pressure (MCP) space suit.

15. A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator for use in a compression garment, comprising:

an SMA coil encapsulated within an elastomeric resin material, wherein the elastomeric resin material is pliable enough to allow the SMA coil to contract and expand.

16. The SMA actuator of claim 15, wherein:

the SMA coil is configured to return to a trained state when a stimulus is applied thereto.

17. The SMA actuator of claim 16, wherein:

the elastomeric resin material is configured to return the SMA coil to a deformed state when the stimulus is removed from the SMA coil.

18. The SMA actuator of claim 15, wherein:

the elastomeric resin material includes a flexible material with a stiffness that is sufficiently low to enable activation, but sufficiently high to provide a restoring force when deactivated.

19. A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator cartridge for use in a compression garment, the cartridge comprising:

two passive polymer end caps; and

multiple active SMA coil segments coupled between the two passive end caps.

20. The SMA actuator cartridge of claim 19, further comprising:

at least one intermediate spacer member between the two passive polymer end caps to hold the multiple SMA coil segments in a desired spaced relationship with respect to one another.

21. The SMA actuator cartridge of claim 19, wherein:

the multiple SMA coil segments are all part of a single SMA coil structure.

22. The SMA actuator cartridge of claim 19, wherein:

the two passive polymer end caps each include structures for use in coupling the SMA actuator cartridge to passive members within a compression garment.

23. The SMA actuator cartridge of claim 19, wherein:

the multiple active SMA coil segments coupled between the two passive end caps are substantially parallel to one another at least when the segments are held taut between the end caps.

24. The SMA actuator cartridge of claim 19, further comprising:

terminals for applying an electrical stimulus signal to the multiple active SMA coil segments.