Means for aerating and applying air pulsations within casts

• US 3,908,642 A
• Filed: 10/29/1973
• Issued: 09/30/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pred Vinmont
• Original Assignee: Pred Vinmont
• Inventors: Vinmont, Pred
• Primary Examiner(s): Trapp, Lawrence W.
• Application Number:
  US05/410,377
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 128/82.1,40,400,87,89,DIG.20
• US Class Current: 601/149
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/046 Incorporated ventilation or cooling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 15/00 Auxiliary appliances for wound dressings; Dispensing containers for dressings or bandages packaging of absorbent articles such as diapers, feminine hygiene absorbing pads or tampons A61F13/551; packaging of wound dressings A61F13/00072
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5053 mechanically controlled
• 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

Pulsating air is forced through openings in a cast around a limb. Diaphrams or bladders receive the air coming through the openings and expand and contract with the pulses of air, and vents are provided in the bladders to allow the air to escape therefrom. The expansion and contraction of the bladders in different locations beneath the casts massages the muscles. The air passing through the vents also ventilates the cast. The combined massaging and ventilation results in increased comfort and blood circulation. The air is fed through the openings in the cast by tubes which are also connected to a distributor. Air enters one side of the distributor under pressure. On the other side of the distributor are a plurality of connections for the hoses attached to the cast. A revolving plate covers the connectors except those under a cut-out section in the plate which are exposed to the pressure inside the distributor so that pressurized air can pass into the exposed connectors. Rotation of the plate sequentially causes air to flow through different hoses.

Claims

1. An improvement in means for aerating casts for easing discomfort to a person'"'"''"'"'s body part beneath a cast wherein the cast is provided with opening means for introducing air beneath the cast and delivery means are provided for delivering pressurized air from a source thereof through said opening means, comprising the provisions of:

pulsating means associated with said air delivery means for receiving pressurized air from said source and converting it into periodic pulses of pressurized air to flow in pulses through said opening means and against the body part beneath the cast, wherein the opening means comprises bladder means locatable under the cast and next to the skin, inflatable to press against the skin and the cast;

vent means in said bladder means to release air from said bladder means, said vent means releasing air beneath said cast to ventilate the skin beneath the cast.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the vent means are of such size and number that said vent means release air from said bladder at a rate which prevents the bladders from exerting the full air pressure on the limb.

3. An improvement in means for aerating casts for easing discomfort to a person'"'"''"'"'s body part beneath a cast wherein the cast is provided with opening means for introducing air beneath the cast, and delivery means are provided for delivering pressurized air from a source thereof through said opening means, comprising the provision of pulsating means including rotating plate means associated with said air delivery means for receiving pressurized air from said source and converting it into periodic pulses of pressurized air to flow in pulses through said opening means and against the body part beneath the cast, distributor means to distribute air from said source to said delivery means, said plate having a cut-out section, and said delivery means being connected in fluid communication with said distributor means and said plate means preventing air from flowing from said distributor means to said delivery means except through said cut-out section.

4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein said distributor means has a front wall, said wall having a plurality of openings, said delivery means comprising delivery connector tubes, each of said delivery connector tubes being connected to said distributing means at an associated opening of said plurality of openings, said rotating plate covering certain of said plurality of opening and said cut-out section covering others of said plurality of openings, said rotatable plate means being mounted for rotation whereby rotation of said rotatable plate means exposes different openings of said plurality of opening to fluid communication with said delivery means to cause pulsating air to flow through different tubes of said connector tubes to cause alternating, sequential inflating and delfating of said opening means.

5. A method of eliminating discomfort to a body part beneath a cast comprising:

a. driving periodic pulses of air to spaced locations beneath the cast, b. applying the periodic pulses of air to the limb beneath the cast by introducing said periodic pulses into bladder means beneath the cast, c. venting the air out of the cast.

6. The method of claim 5 including the step of venting the bladder means to deflate the bladder and Ventilate the limb under the case.