Pneumatic achilles sleeve
First Claim
1. A pneumatic sleeve assembly for applying dynamic pressure to the Achilles tendon of a human foot, the sleeve assembly comprisinga sleeve adapted to envelop a portion of the ankle and a portion of the foot, the sleeve comprising an ankle portion extending from the region of the ankle above the Achilles tendon to the foot and a substantially tubular foot portion surrounding the circumference of the foot in the region of the arch, an arch cell containing a volume of air positioned within said foot portion of said sleeve so as to be located under the arch of the foot, said arch cell being in communication with a conduit member, said arch cell being fabricated from a flexible material, so that upon application of external pressure to said arch cell air is expelled through said conduit member;
- an Achilles tendon cell containing a volume of air, said tendon cell being operatively connected to said arch cell via said conduit member, said tendon cell being positioned within said ankle portion of said sleeve so as to be located against the Achilles tendon, said tendon cell being fabricated from a flexible material, so that upon expelling of air from said arch cell through said conduit member into said tendon cell, said tendon cell exerts a dynamic pressure against the Achilles tendon; and
means for opening and releasably closing said ankle portion to facilitate application and removal of said assembly on the human.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The pneumatic Achilles sleeve assembly comprises a sleeve and at least one strap for fastening the sleeve around the ankle. The sleeve assembly positions an arch cell which contains a dynamic volume of air within the sleeve under a human foot. The arch cell is fabricated from a flexible material and is in communication with a conduit member. Upon application of external pressure to the arch cell, air is expelled from said air cell through said conduit member. The sleeve assembly also positions a tendon cell which contains a dynamic volume of air within the sleeve against the Achilles tendon. The tendon cell is in communication with the arch cell via the conduit member. The tendon cell is also fabricated from a flexible material. Upon the expelling of air from said arch cell, the air enters through the conduit member into the tendon cell which exerts a greater pressure against the Achilles tendon.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A pneumatic sleeve assembly for applying dynamic pressure to the Achilles tendon of a human foot, the sleeve assembly comprising
a sleeve adapted to envelop a portion of the ankle and a portion of the foot, the sleeve comprising an ankle portion extending from the region of the ankle above the Achilles tendon to the foot and a substantially tubular foot portion surrounding the circumference of the foot in the region of the arch, an arch cell containing a volume of air positioned within said foot portion of said sleeve so as to be located under the arch of the foot, said arch cell being in communication with a conduit member, said arch cell being fabricated from a flexible material, so that upon application of external pressure to said arch cell air is expelled through said conduit member; -
an Achilles tendon cell containing a volume of air, said tendon cell being operatively connected to said arch cell via said conduit member, said tendon cell being positioned within said ankle portion of said sleeve so as to be located against the Achilles tendon, said tendon cell being fabricated from a flexible material, so that upon expelling of air from said arch cell through said conduit member into said tendon cell, said tendon cell exerts a dynamic pressure against the Achilles tendon; and
means for opening and releasably closing said ankle portion to facilitate application and removal of said assembly on the human. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A pneumatic sleeve assembly for applying dynamic pressure to the Achilles tendon of a human foot, the sleeve assembly comprising
a sleeve adapted to envelop a portion of the ankle and a portion of the foot, the sleeve comprising an ankle portion extending from the region of the ankle above the Achilles tendon to the foot and a substantially tubular foot portion surrounding the circumference of the foot in the region of the arch, an arch cell containing a volume of air positioned within said foot portion of said sleeve so as to be located under the arch of the foot, said arch cell being in communication with a conduit member, said arch cell being fabricated from a flexible material, so that upon application of external pressure to said arch cell air is expelled through said conduit member; -
an Achilles tendon cell containing a volume of air, said tendon cell being operatively connected to said arch cell via said conduit member, said tendon cell being positioned within said ankle portion of said sleeve so as to be located against the Achilles tendon, said tendon cell being fabricated from a flexible material, so that upon expelling of air from said arch cell through said conduit member into said tendon cell, said tendon cell exerts a dynamic pressure against the Achilles tendon; and
a flexible, inelastic support means disposed behind said tendon cell. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A pneumatic sleeve assembly for applying dynamic pressure to the Achilles tendon of a human foot, the sleeve assembly comprising
a sleeve adapted to envelop a portion of the ankle and a portion of the foot, the sleeve comprising an ankle portion extending from the region of the ankle above the Achilles tendon to the foot and a substantially tubular foot portion surrounding the circumference of the foot in the region of the arch, an arch cell containing a volume of air positioned within said foot portion of said sleeve so as to be located under the arch of the foot, said arch cell being in communication with a conduit member, said arch cell being fabricated from a flexible material, so that upon application of external pressure to said arch cell air is expelled through said conduit member; - and
an Achilles tendon cell containing a volume of air, said tendon cell being operatively connected to said arch cell via said conduit member, said tendon cell being positioned within said ankle portion of said sleeve so as to be located against the Achilles tendon, said tendon cell being fabricated from a flexible material, so that upon expelling of air from said arch cell through said conduit member into said tendon cell, said tendon cell exerts a dynamic pressure against the Achilles tendon. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification