US4696289A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of promoting venous pump action
Assignee: Novamedix Distribution Ltd
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Filing: 1986-08-01
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Granted: 1987-09-29
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Expires: 2006-08-01
Abstract
Abstract The invention contemplates a non-invasive technique and apparatus for artificially stimulating the venous-return flow of blood from the foot by inducing fast-rising pulsed squeezing or necking-down of the vessels of the venous-pump mechanism within the foot. The stimulation results from transient flattening of the plantar arch, in that an induced transient spread of the heel with respect to the ball of the foot stretches, and therefore necks-down involved blood vessels; stimulation also results from such a squeeze of the plantar-arch region as to concurrently squeeze the involved blood vessels. Cyclically inflatable devices, local to the foot-pump region, are disclosed for inducing either or both of the indicated actions; and enhanced arterial throughput is achieved when the stimulating pulse is sustained for a brief period prior to a relaxation dwell between pulses.
Inventors
- 👤 Arthur M. N. Gardner
- 👤 Roger H. Fox
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 19:09
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61H; A61H9/00; A61H9/005; A61H9/0078; A61H2205/00; A61H2205/12; A61H2209/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a living body, which method comprises simultaneously applying (a) upward and spreading force at longitudinally spaced plantar regions of the sole of the foot, said regions being essentially limited by and between the ball and heel of the foot and (b) downward force at the region of the midtarsal joint, said forces being applied in a cyclical pattern of a relatively rapid-time period in which said forces are rapidly increased to a predetermined upper force limit, then said upper force limit is retained for a holding period of time before relaxation for a period substantially exceeding an application time, whereby said application time includes both said rapid increase time period and said holding time period and the arch of the foot is caused to flatten periodically and this to stretch and neck down the internal local sectional area of the veins of the lateral plantar complex, with resulting venous-pump action.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
161 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a living body, which method comprises simultaneously applying (a) upward and spreading force at longitudinally spaced plantar regions of the sole of the foot, said regions being essentially limited by and between the ball and heel of the foot and (b) downward force at the region of the midtarsal joint, said forces being applied in a cyclical pattern of a relatively rapid-time period in which said forces are rapidly increased to a predetermined upper force limit, then said upper force limit is retained for a holding period of time before relaxation for a period substantially exceeding an application time, whereby said application time includes both said rapid increase time period and said holding time period and the arch of the foot is caused to flatten periodically and this to stretch and neck down the internal local sectional area of the veins of the lateral plantar complex, with resulting venous-pump action.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
115 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a living body, which method comprises simultaneously applying vertically opposed squeezing forces between the plantar region of the sole of the foot and the region of the midtarsal joint, said forces being applied in a cyclical pattern of a relatively rapid-time period in which said forces are rapidly increased to a predetermined upper force limit, then said upper force limit is retained for a holding period of time before relaxation for a period substantially exceeding an application time, whereby said application time includes both said rapid increase time period and said holding time period to thereby stimulate the venous pump mechanism of the foot.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
115 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a living body, which method comprises simultaneously applying vertically opposed squeezing forces between the plantar region of the sole of the foot and the region of the midtarsal joint, said forces being applied in a cyclical pattern of a relatively rapid-time period in which said forces are rapidly increased to a predetermined upper force limit, then said upper force limit is retained for a holding period of time before relaxation for a period substantially exceeding an application time, whereby said application time includes both said rapid increase time period and said holding time period to thereby stimulate the venous pump mechanism of the foot.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
73 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a living body, which method comprises establishing a peripherally continuous confinement of the midtarsal and plantar regions of a foot, and shrinking the confinement in a cyclical pattern of relatively rapid short-duration action followed by the shrinking confinement being retained for a holding period of time exceeding the short-duration shrink action and then followed by a relatively long-duration release from shrink action.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
73 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a living body, which method comprises establishing a peripherally continuous confinement of the midtarsal and plantar regions of a foot, and shrinking the confinement in a cyclical pattern of relatively rapid short-duration action followed by the shrinking confinement being retained for a holding period of time exceeding the short-duration shrink action and then followed by a relatively long-duration release from shrink action.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
161 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which method comprises the steps of (a) applying a circumferential tie to the foot at the region of the midtarsal joint, (b) applying in a rapid period of time an upward and spreading force between the circumferential tie and the foot at longitudinally spaced plantar regions of the sole of the foot, said plantar regions being essentially limited by and between the ball and heel of the foot, (c) retaining said force for a holding period of time exceeding the rapid period of time of step (b), (d) relaxing said force for a period of time, and (e) cyclically repeating the force-application, the holding-period and the force-relaxation steps in a pattern wherein force-application is relatively rapid, whereby the arch of the foot is periodically caused to flatten and thus to stretch and neckdown the internal sentional area of veins of the plantar complex, with resulting venous-pump action.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
161 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which method comprises the steps of (a) applying a circumferential tie to the foot at the region of the midtarsal joint, (b) applying in a rapid period of time an upward and spreading force between the circumferential tie and the foot at longitudinally spaced plantar regions of the sole of the foot, said plantar regions being essentially limited by and between the ball and heel of the foot, (c) retaining said force for a holding period of time exceeding the rapid period of time of step (b), (d) relaxing said force for a period of time, and (e) cyclically repeating the force-application, the holding-period and the force-relaxation steps in a pattern wherein force-application is relatively rapid, whereby the arch of the foot is periodically caused to flatten and thus to stretch and neckdown the internal sentional area of veins of the plantar complex, with resulting venous-pump action.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
117 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a living body, which method comprises the steps of (a) applying at a rapid rate of time, vertically opposed squeezing forces to the foot at the region of the midtarsal joint and at the plantar region therebeneath, (b) holding said squeezing forces for a period of time exceeding the rapid rate of time of step (a), (c) relaxing said forces for a period of time, and (d) cyclically repeating the force-application, the holding-period and the force-relaxation steps in a pattern wherein force-application is relatively rapid, whereby step (a) is a vein-compression step wherein the veins of the plantar complex are periodically compressed, with resulting venous-pump action.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
117 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a living body, which method comprises the steps of (a) applying at a rapid rate of time, vertically opposed squeezing forces to the foot at the region of the midtarsal joint and at the plantar region therebeneath, (b) holding said squeezing forces for a period of time exceeding the rapid rate of time of step (a), (c) relaxing said forces for a period of time, and (d) cyclically repeating the force-application, the holding-period and the force-relaxation steps in a pattern wherein force-application is relatively rapid, whereby step (a) is a vein-compression step wherein the veins of the plantar complex are periodically compressed, with resulting venous-pump action.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
128 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which method comprises the steps of (a) establishing a peripherally continuous plantar confinement of the foot at the region of the midtarsal joint, (b) achieving shrinking of the confinement in a period of time, (c) retaining the shrinking confinement for a holding period of time, (d) relaxing the shrinking confinement for a period of time, and (e) cyclically repeating the shrinking, holding and relaxing steps in a pattern wherein the shrinking step is relatively rapid, whereby step (b) is a vein-compression step wherein the veins of the plantar complex are periodically compressed, with resulting venous-pump action, and wherein the holding period of time exceeds the time to achieve the shrinking confinement of step (b).
Claim 12
Independent Claim
128 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which method comprises the steps of (a) establishing a peripherally continuous plantar confinement of the foot at the region of the midtarsal joint, (b) achieving shrinking of the confinement in a period of time, (c) retaining the shrinking confinement for a holding period of time, (d) relaxing the shrinking confinement for a period of time, and (e) cyclically repeating the shrinking, holding and relaxing steps in a pattern wherein the shrinking step is relatively rapid, whereby step (b) is a vein-compression step wherein the veins of the plantar complex are periodically compressed, with resulting venous-pump action, and wherein the holding period of time exceeds the time to achieve the shrinking confinement of step (b).
Claim 13
Independent Claim
153 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which comprises the steps of (a) selecting a relatively stiff sole member of length to overlie the ball and heel of the foot and to span the plantar arch, (b) securing the same to the foot with referencing support at the ball and heel, (c) applying in a rapid period of time an upward force between the sole member and the plantar arch, (d) retaining said force for a holding period of time exceeding the rapid period of time of step (c), (e) relaxing said force for a period of time, and (f) cyclically repeating the force-application, the holding period and the force-relaxation steps in a pattern wherein force application is relatively rapid, whereby step (c) is a vein-compression step wherein the internal sectional area of the veins of the plantar complex is periodically reduced, with resulting venous-pump action.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
153 words
The method of promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which comprises the steps of (a) selecting a relatively stiff sole member of length to overlie the ball and heel of the foot and to span the plantar arch, (b) securing the same to the foot with referencing support at the ball and heel, (c) applying in a rapid period of time an upward force between the sole member and the plantar arch, (d) retaining said force for a holding period of time exceeding the rapid period of time of step (c), (e) relaxing said force for a period of time, and (f) cyclically repeating the force-application, the holding period and the force-relaxation steps in a pattern wherein force application is relatively rapid, whereby step (c) is a vein-compression step wherein the internal sectional area of the veins of the plantar complex is periodically reduced, with resulting venous-pump action.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
138 words
The method of enhancing arterial flow while also promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which method comprises the steps of (a) applying vertically opposed squeezing forces to the foot at the region of the midtarsal joint and at the plantar region therebeneath, (b) maintaining the squeezing forces for a holding period of time, (c) relaxing said forces for a period of force-relaxation time, and (d) cyclically repeating said steps in a pattern wherein the timing of step (b) is greater than that of step (a) and the timing of step (c) is greater than that of step (b), whereby step (a) is a vein-compression step wherein venous-pump action results from compression of the veins of the plantar complex, and whereby arterial flow is enhanced as a consequence of step (c) following step (b).
Claim 16
Independent Claim
138 words
The method of enhancing arterial flow while also promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which method comprises the steps of (a) applying vertically opposed squeezing forces to the foot at the region of the midtarsal joint and at the plantar region therebeneath, (b) maintaining the squeezing forces for a holding period of time, (c) relaxing said forces for a period of force-relaxation time, and (d) cyclically repeating said steps in a pattern wherein the timing of step (b) is greater than that of step (a) and the timing of step (c) is greater than that of step (b), whereby step (a) is a vein-compression step wherein venous-pump action results from compression of the veins of the plantar complex, and whereby arterial flow is enhanced as a consequence of step (c) following step (b).
Claim 17
Independent Claim
140 words
The method of enhancing arterial flow while also promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which method comprises the steps of (a) establishing a periphally continuous confinement of the foot at the region of the midtarsal joint, (b) shrinking the confinement to compress the veins of the plantar complex, thereby promoting venous-pump action while impeding arterial flow into veins of the plantar complex, (c) maintaining the shrinking confinement for a holding period of time, (d) relaxing the shrinking confinement for a relaxing period of time, and (e) cyclically repeating steps (b), (c) and (d) in a sequential pattern wherein the relaxation step is for a period of time that is relatively long compared to the combined time of steps (b) and (c), whereby arterial flow is enhanced as a consequence of step (d) following step (c).
Claim 18
Independent Claim
140 words
The method of enhancing arterial flow while also promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which method comprises the steps of (a) establishing a periphally continuous confinement of the foot at the region of the midtarsal joint, (b) shrinking the confinement to compress the veins of the plantar complex, thereby promoting venous-pump action while impeding arterial flow into veins of the plantar complex, (c) maintaining the shrinking confinement for a holding period of time, (d) relaxing the shrinking confinement for a relaxing period of time, and (e) cyclically repeating steps (b), (c) and (d) in a sequential pattern wherein the relaxation step is for a period of time that is relatively long compared to the combined time of steps (b) and (c), whereby arterial flow is enhanced as a consequence of step (d) following step (c).
Claim 19
Independent Claim
168 words
The method of enhancing arterial flow while also promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which method comprises the steps of (a) selecting a relatively stiff sole member of length to overlie the ball and heel of the foot and to span the plantar arch, (b) securing the same to the foot with referencing support at the ball and heel, (c) applying upward force between the sole member and the plantar arch to compress the veins of the plantar complex, thereby promoting venous-pump action while impeding arterial flow into veins of the plantar complex, (d) maintaining said force for a holding period of time, (e) relaxing said force for a period of time, and (f) cyclically repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) in a sequential pattern wherein the relaxation step is for a period of time that is relatively long compared to the combined time of steps (c) and (d), whereby arterial flow is enhanced as a consequence of step (e) following step (d).
Claim 20
Independent Claim
168 words
The method of enhancing arterial flow while also promoting venous pump action in the leg of a human body, which method comprises the steps of (a) selecting a relatively stiff sole member of length to overlie the ball and heel of the foot and to span the plantar arch, (b) securing the same to the foot with referencing support at the ball and heel, (c) applying upward force between the sole member and the plantar arch to compress the veins of the plantar complex, thereby promoting venous-pump action while impeding arterial flow into veins of the plantar complex, (d) maintaining said force for a holding period of time, (e) relaxing said force for a period of time, and (f) cyclically repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) in a sequential pattern wherein the relaxation step is for a period of time that is relatively long compared to the combined time of steps (c) and (d), whereby arterial flow is enhanced as a consequence of step (e) following step (d).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 4 or claim 5 or claim 7, in which said forces are retained for a holding period of up to five seconds.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 6, in which the shrinking confinement is retained for a holding period of up to five seconds.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4 or claim 5 or claim 7, in which said forces are retained for a holding period of approximately three seconds.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 6, in which said shrinking confinement is retained for a holding period of approximately three seconds.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
21 words
The method of any one of claims 8, 9 and 10, in which the holding period is up to five seconds.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
20 words
The method of any one of claims 8, 9 and 10, in which the holding period is approximately three seconds.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
25 words
The method of any one of claims 4, 5, 7, 8 and 10, in which the force application is developed in one second or less.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 6 or claim 9, in which the step of shrinking the confinement is developed in one second or less.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of any one of claim 4, 5, 7, 8 and 10, in which the force application is developed within 0.5 second.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 6 or claim 9, in which the step of shrinking the confinement is developed within 0.5 second.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
30 words
The method of any one of claims 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, in which the period of relaxation is in the range of 10 to 60 seconds.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
31 words
The method of any one of claims 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, in which the vein-compression step is pneumatic and to a peak pressure of at least 200-mm Hg.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
25 words
The method of any one of claims 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, in which the period of relaxation is approximately 20 seconds.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4374518A
Cited
US4614179A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-09-28 | 1991-03-30 | 1991-09-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-09-28 | 1995-03-30 | 1995-09-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-09-28 | 1999-03-30 | 1999-09-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |