Compression and Decompression Control System and Vascular Strengthening Method

• US 20150150560A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kaatsu Japan Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kaatsu Japan Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sato, Yoshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,775,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12 for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord specially adapted for vas deferens or fallopian tubes A61F6/20; materials for ligaturing blood vessels A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1635 Hand or arm, e.g. handle hand-held, A61H2201/0153; fore-arm support, A61H2003/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/164 Feet or leg, e.g. pedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5002 Means for controlling a set of similar massage devices acting in sequence at different locations on a patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5035 Several programs selectable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5071 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0092 Cuffs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0085 using pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4011 to the lower limbs means for physically limiting movements of body parts A63B69/0057
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4017 to the upper limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4025 Resistance devices worn on the user's body A63B21/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/053 higher pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2213/006 under hypoxy conditions, i.e. oxygen supply subnormal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2214/00 Training methods
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03508 For a single arm or leg, A63B21/0726 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0355 A single apparatus used for either upper or lower limbs, i.e. with a set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limb or limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0059 worn by the user

Abstract

Provided are a method for strengthening blood vessels with extreme ease and a compression and decompression control system used for performing the method. A compression and decompression control system 1 includes a band adapted to be placed around a particular part of a limb of a user and to apply a compression force to the particular part and a controller for controlling the compression force applied to the particular part with the band. The controller controls the compression force applied with the band in a manner that a compression operation applying a predetermined compression force to the particular part and a decompression operation completely removing the compression force applied to the particular part by the compression operation are alternately repeated. Repetition of the compression operation and the decompression operation allows the vascular endothelial cells of blood vessels of the user to generate a larger amount of nitric oxide, thereby strengthening the blood vessels.

Claims

1. A compression and decompression control system comprising:

a band adapted to be placed around a particular part of a limb of a user and to apply a compression force to the particular part; and

a controller for controlling the compression force applied to the particular part with the band,

wherein the controller controls the compression force applied with the band in a manner that a compression operation applying a predetermined compression force to the particular part and a decompression operation completely removing the compression force applied to the particular part by the compression operation are alternately repeated, and

wherein, for plural times of the compression operations, the controller sets the compression force in each compression operation to be higher than the corresponding compression force in the next preceding compression operation.

2. The compression and decompression control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a shape retaining member for retaining a loop shape of the band that has been placed around the particular part;

a gas bag provided on the band; and

a pressure control unit for supplying a gas to the gas bag through a certain tube or for removing a gas from the gas bag,

wherein the controller controls the pressure control unit to achieve the compression operation and the decompression operation.

3. The compression and decompression control system according to claim 1, wherein the controller sets a duration of each of the compression operation and the decompression operation within a range from 10 to 30 seconds.

4. The compression and decompression control system according to claim 1, wherein the band has a width ranging from 2.5 to 3 cm and is placed around a position near a base of an arm of the user.

5. The compression and decompression control system according to claim 4, wherein the controller sets the compression force in the compression operation within a range from 100 to 200 mmHg.

6. The compression and decompression control system according to claim 4, wherein the controller sets the number of times of each of the compression operation and the decompression operation to three times.

7. The compression and decompression control system according to claim 4, wherein the controller sets the compression force in the compression operation within a range from 200 to 300 mmHg.

8. The compression and decompression control system according to claim 4, wherein the controller sets the number of times of each of the compression operation and the decompression operation to four or five times.

9. The compression and decompression control system according to claim 1, wherein the band has a width ranging from 5 to 6 cm and is placed around a position near a base of a leg of the user.

10. The compression and decompression control system according to claim 9, wherein the controller sets the compression force in the compression operation within a range from 200 to 300 mmHg.

11. The compression and decompression control system according to claim 9, wherein the controller sets the number of times of each of the compression operation and the decompression operation to five times.

12. (canceled)

13. A method for strengthening blood vessels, the method including no medical practice, the method comprising alternately repeating:

a compression step of applying a compression force to a particular part of a limb of a user with a band that is adapted to be placed around the particular part; and

a decompression step of completely removing the compression force applied to the particular part in the compression step, thereby allowing vascular endothelial cells of blood vessels of the user to generate a larger amount of nitric oxide to strengthen the blood vessels,

wherein, for plural times of the compression steps, the compression force in each compression step is set to be higher than the corresponding compression force in the next preceding compression step.

14. The method for strengthening blood vessels according to claim 13, wherein a shape retaining member for retaining a loop shape of the band that has been placed around the particular part, a gas bag provided on the band, and a pressure control unit for supplying a gas to the gas bag through a certain tube or for removing a gas from the gas bag are used, and the pressure control unit is controlled to perform the compression step and the decompression step.

15. The method for strengthening blood vessels according to claim 13, wherein a duration of each of the compression step and the decompression step is set within a range from 10 to 30 seconds.

16. The method for strengthening blood vessels according to claim 13, wherein the band has a width ranging from 2.5 cm to 3 cm and is used to apply the compression force to a position near a base of an arm of the user in the compression step.

17. The method for strengthening blood vessels according to claim 16, wherein the compression force applied to the position near the base of the arm of the user is set within a range from 100 to 200 mmHg in the compression step.

18. The method for strengthening blood vessels according to claim 16, wherein the number of times of each of the compression step and the decompression step is set to three times.

19. The method for strengthening blood vessels according to claim 16, wherein the compression force applied to the position near the base of the arm of the user is set within a range from 200 to 300 mmHg in the compression step.

20. The method for strengthening blood vessels according to claim 16, wherein the number of times of each of the compression step and the decompression step is set to four or five times.

21. The method for strengthening blood vessels according to claim 13, wherein the band has a width ranging from 5 cm to 6 cm and is use to apply the compression force to a position near a base of a leg of the user in the compression step.

22. The method for strengthening blood vessels according to claim 21, wherein the compression force applied to the position near the base of the leg of the user is set within a range from 200 to 300 mmHg in the compression step.

23. The method for strengthening blood vessels according to claim 21, wherein the number of times of each of the compression step and the decompression step is set to five times.

24. (canceled)

25. A method for controlling a compression and decompression control system, the system including a band adapted to be placed around a particular part of a limb of a user and to apply a compression force to the particular part, the method comprising a compression and decompression control step of controlling the compression force applied with the band in a manner that a compression operation applying a predetermined compression force to the particular part and a decompression operation completely removing the compression force applied to the particular part by the compression operation are alternately repeated,

wherein, in the compression and decompression control step, for plural times of the compression operations, the compression force in each compression operation is set to be higher than the corresponding compression force in the next preceding compression operation.

26. The method for controlling a compression and decompression control system according to claim 25, wherein the compression and decompression control system further includes a shape retaining member for retaining a loop shape of the band that has been placed around the particular part, a gas bag provided on the band, and a pressure control unit for supplying a gas to the gas bag through a certain tube or for removing a gas from the gas bag, and in the compression and decompression control step, the pressure control unit is controlled to achieve the compression operation and the decompression operation.

27. The method for controlling a compression and decompression control system according to claim 25, wherein a duration of each of the compression operation and the decompression operation is set within a range from 10 to 30 seconds in the compression and decompression control step.

28. The method for controlling a compression and decompression control system according to claim 25, wherein the band has a width ranging from 2.5 to 3 cm and is placed around a position near a base of an arm of the user, and in the compression and decompression control step, the compression force in the compression operation is set within a range from 100 to 200 mmHg.

29. The method for controlling a compression and decompression control system according to claim 28, wherein the number of times of each of the compression operation and the decompression operation is set to three times in the compression and decompression control step.

30. The method for controlling a compression and decompression control system according to claim 25, wherein the band has a width ranging from 2.5 to 3 cm and is placed around a position near a base of an arm of the user, and in the compression and decompression control step, the compression force in the compression operation is set within a range from 200 to 300 mmHg.

31. The method for controlling a compression and decompression control system according to claim 30, wherein the number of times of each of the compression operation and the decompression operation is set to four or five times in the compression and decompression control step.

32. The method for controlling a compression and decompression control system according to claim 25, wherein the band has a width ranging from 5 to 6 cm and is placed around a position near a base of a leg of the user, and in the compression and decompression control step, the compression force in the compression operation is set within a range from 200 to 300 mmHg.

33. The method for controlling a compression and decompression control system according to claim 32, wherein the number of times of each of the compression operation and the decompression operation is set to five times in the compression and decompression control step.

34. A compression and decompression control system comprising:

a band provided with a gas bag;

a fastener for retaining a loop shape of the band that has been placed around a particular part of at least any of limbs of a user;

a pump for supplying a gas to the gas bag through a certain tube or for removing a gas from the gas bag; and

a controller for controlling a compression force applied to the particular part with the band,

wherein the controller controls the pump in a manner that a compression operation applying a predetermined compression force to the particular part and a decompression operation completely removing the compression force applied to the particular part by the compression operation are alternately repeated, whereby controlling the compression force applied with the band, and

wherein, for plural times of the compression operations, the controller sets the compression force in each compression operation to be higher than the corresponding compression force in the next preceding compression operation.