Compression Therapy System and Method

• US 20190321252A1
• Filed: 05/19/2017
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arjo IP Holding AB (Arjo AB)
• Original Assignee: Huntleigh Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Newton, Michael David, Morris, Rhys John
• Granted Patent: US 11,504,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• 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 2201/5015 using specific interfaces or standards, e.g. USB, serial, parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5038 freely programmable by the user
• 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 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776

Abstract

An apparatus for promoting vascular circulation, including a garment configured to at least partially surround an anatomical structure of a patient. A compression element is coupled to the garment and configured to compress at least a portion of the anatomical structure when the compression element is actuated. A controller is configured to selectively actuate the compression element over a plurality of cycles. Each cycle has an actuated time during which the compression element is arranged to exert a first pressure and an unactuated time during which the compression element is arranged to exert a second pressure different than the first pressure, and the controller is configured to use a random value in determining the deflated time of one or more of the cycles.

Claims

1. An apparatus for promoting vascular circulation, comprising:

a garment configured to at least partially surround an anatomical structure of a patient;

a compression element coupled to the garment and configured to compress at least a portion of the anatomical structure when the compression element is actuated; and

a controller configured to selectively actuate the compression element over a plurality of cycles;

wherein each cycle has an actuated time during which the compression element is arranged to exert a first pressure and an unactuated time during which the compression element is arranged to exert a second pressure different than the first pressure, and the controller is configured to use one or more random values in determining the deflated time of one or more of the cycles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the random values are pseudorandomly generated by a mathematical algorithm.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the random values are selected from a pre-generated list of values.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the random values are calculated or determined by the controller in real time during use of the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the random values are selected from within a range defined between a minimum limit and a maximum limit.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an inflation pressure in the chamber when inflated by the controller is variable between different cycles.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to assign a predetermined value for the deflated time of at least one of the cycles.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller determines a set of random values for a set of cycles and arranges the set of random values in a forced sequence.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anatomical structure is a calf, a thigh, a foot, a leg, an arm, a hand, an abdomen, a buttocks, a portion of at least one of the foregoing, or combination including at least one of the foregoing.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compression element includes an inflatable chamber.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to be switchable between a first mode in which the random values are selected and a second mode in which the random values are not selected.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to provide the deflated time for each cycle in the plurality of cycles such that the deflated times for any set of two successive cycles are not the same.

6-11. -11. (canceled)

13-14. -14. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

21-22. -22. (canceled)

25-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A pump for inflating an inflatable chamber of a garment, comprising:

a controller configured to selectively inflate and deflate the chamber over a plurality of cycles, wherein each cycle has an inflated time and a deflated time, and the controller is configured to assign one or more random values for the deflated times of one or more of the cycles.

31. An apparatus for providing compression therapy to an anatomic structure of a patient, comprising:

a compression element configured to exert a first compression pressure and a second compression pressure different than the first compression pressure;

a controller configured to selectively actuate the compression element over a plurality of cycles, each cycle having an actuated time during which the compression element is exerting the first compression pressure and an unactuated time during which the compression element is exerting the second compression pressure, wherein the controller constantly variably sets the deflated times for each of the cycles such that the deflated times are not the same for any set of two sequential cycles in the plurality.

32. (canceled)

33. A method for using a compression apparatus configured to be positioned about an anatomic structure of a person comprising:

selectively actuating a compression element over a plurality of cycles, wherein each cycle has an actuated time during which the compression element is exerting a first compression pressure and an unactuated time during which the compression element is exerting a second compression pressure different than the first compression pressure; and

variably setting the deflated times for one or more of the cycles such that the deflated times are not the same for two sequential cycles in the plurality of cycles.

34-47. -47. (canceled)