US4841956A — Apparatus for inducing venous-return flow from th…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 168 words

A medical appliance for promoting venous-blood flow in a human leg, said appliance comprising a first acutator for application circumferentially to the foot to induce individually pulsed actuation of the foot pump of the leg, a second actuator for application circumferentially to the proximal region of the calf to induce individually pulsed actuation of the proximal calf pump of the leg, a third actuator for application circumferentially to the distal region of the calf to induce individually pulsed actuation of the distal calf pump of the leg, and cyclically operative means connected to all said actuators and operative to sequentially operate said actuators in the sequence of first-actuator pulsed operation, then second-actuator pulsed operation, then third-actuator pulsed operation, with a period of relaxation between third-actuator pulsed operation and the next cycle of said sequence, said period of relaxation being free of pulsed actuation and exceeding (a) the time between first-actuator pulsed operation and second-actuator pulsed operation, and (b) the time between second-actuator pulsed operation and third-actuator pulsed operation.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 168 words

A medical appliance for promoting venous-blood flow in a human leg, said appliance comprising a first acutator for application circumferentially to the foot to induce individually pulsed actuation of the foot pump of the leg, a second actuator for application circumferentially to the proximal region of the calf to induce individually pulsed actuation of the proximal calf pump of the leg, a third actuator for application circumferentially to the distal region of the calf to induce individually pulsed actuation of the distal calf pump of the leg, and cyclically operative means connected to all said actuators and operative to sequentially operate said actuators in the sequence of first-actuator pulsed operation, then second-actuator pulsed operation, then third-actuator pulsed operation, with a period of relaxation between third-actuator pulsed operation and the next cycle of said sequence, said period of relaxation being free of pulsed actuation and exceeding (a) the time between first-actuator pulsed operation and second-actuator pulsed operation, and (b) the time between second-actuator pulsed operation and third-actuator pulsed operation.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 171 words

A medical appliance, comprising a first inflatable cuff having circumferential-tie means adapted to peripherally envelop essentially only and to conform generally to the instep region of a foot and to the plantar region of the foot within the span between the ball and heel of the foot, a single inflatable bag defined within said circumferential-tie means and having an active-surface portion longitudinally limited to said span and conformable to the sole of the foot within said span; a second inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the upper calf of the leg; a third inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the lower calf of the leg; and cyclically operative pneumatic means to individually and transiently inflate said cuffs in a cycling sequence of first-cuff inflation, then second-cuff inflation, then third-cuff inflation, with a period of relaxation between third-cuff actuation and the next cycle of said sequence said period of relaxation exceeding (a) the time between first-cuff inflation and second-cuff inflation and (b) the time between second-cuff inflation and third-cuff inflation.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 171 words

A medical appliance, comprising a first inflatable cuff having circumferential-tie means adapted to peripherally envelop essentially only and to conform generally to the instep region of a foot and to the plantar region of the foot within the span between the ball and heel of the foot, a single inflatable bag defined within said circumferential-tie means and having an active-surface portion longitudinally limited to said span and conformable to the sole of the foot within said span; a second inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the upper calf of the leg; a third inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the lower calf of the leg; and cyclically operative pneumatic means to individually and transiently inflate said cuffs in a cycling sequence of first-cuff inflation, then second-cuff inflation, then third-cuff inflation, with a period of relaxation between third-cuff actuation and the next cycle of said sequence said period of relaxation exceeding (a) the time between first-cuff inflation and second-cuff inflation and (b) the time between second-cuff inflation and third-cuff inflation.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 169 words

A medical appliance comprising a first inflatable cuff having circumferential-tie means adapted to peripherally envelop essentially only and to conform generally to the instep region of a foot and to the plantar region of the foot within the span between the ball and heel of the foot, a single inflatable bag defined within said circumferential-tie means and having an active-surface portion longitudinally limited to said span and conformable to the sole of the foot within said span; a second inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the upper calf of the leg; and cyclically operative pneumatic pulsing means to individually and only transiently inflate said cuffs in a cycling sequence comprising a peaked first-cuff inflation pulse, and then a peaked second-cuff inflation pulse, wherein the peaks of said inflation pulses are spaced in time, and wherein there is a period of relaxation between the second-cuff inflation-pulse peak and the next cycle of said sequence, said period of relaxation exceeding the time between peaks of said first-cuff and second-cuff pulses.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 169 words

A medical appliance comprising a first inflatable cuff having circumferential-tie means adapted to peripherally envelop essentially only and to conform generally to the instep region of a foot and to the plantar region of the foot within the span between the ball and heel of the foot, a single inflatable bag defined within said circumferential-tie means and having an active-surface portion longitudinally limited to said span and conformable to the sole of the foot within said span; a second inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the upper calf of the leg; and cyclically operative pneumatic pulsing means to individually and only transiently inflate said cuffs in a cycling sequence comprising a peaked first-cuff inflation pulse, and then a peaked second-cuff inflation pulse, wherein the peaks of said inflation pulses are spaced in time, and wherein there is a period of relaxation between the second-cuff inflation-pulse peak and the next cycle of said sequence, said period of relaxation exceeding the time between peaks of said first-cuff and second-cuff pulses.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 168 words

A medical appliance comprising a first inflatable cuff having circumferential-tie means adapted to peripherally envelop essentially only and to conform generally to the instep region of a foot and to the plantar region of the foot within the span between the ball and heel of the foot, a single inflatable bag defined within said circumferential-tie means and having an active-surface portion longitudinally limited to said span and conformable to the sole of the foot within said span; a second inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the lower calf of the leg; and cyclically operative pneumatic pulsing means to individually and only transiently inflate said cuffs in a cycling sequence comprising a peaked first-cuff inflation pulse, then a peaked second-cuff inflation pulse, wherein the peaks of said inflation pulses are spaced in time, and wherein there is a period of relaxation between the second-cuff inflation-pulse peak and the next cycle of said sequence, said period of relaxation exceeding the time between peaks of said first-cuff and second-cuff pulses.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 168 words

A medical appliance comprising a first inflatable cuff having circumferential-tie means adapted to peripherally envelop essentially only and to conform generally to the instep region of a foot and to the plantar region of the foot within the span between the ball and heel of the foot, a single inflatable bag defined within said circumferential-tie means and having an active-surface portion longitudinally limited to said span and conformable to the sole of the foot within said span; a second inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the lower calf of the leg; and cyclically operative pneumatic pulsing means to individually and only transiently inflate said cuffs in a cycling sequence comprising a peaked first-cuff inflation pulse, then a peaked second-cuff inflation pulse, wherein the peaks of said inflation pulses are spaced in time, and wherein there is a period of relaxation between the second-cuff inflation-pulse peak and the next cycle of said sequence, said period of relaxation exceeding the time between peaks of said first-cuff and second-cuff pulses.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 148 words

A medical appliance according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, wherein said cyclically operative pneumatic means includes a distributor having separate supply-tube connections to the respective cuffs and wherein said pulsing means is operative to provide cuff-pulsing pressure in accordance with the following criteria: (a) for each pulse, a pressure rise to a predetermined maximum of 220-mm Hg or less within two seconds; (b) upon achievement of said maximum; dropping the pressure in each cuff at least to one seventh of said maximum pressure before repeating pulsed application of pressure to said each cuff; (c) providing a delay interval in the range up to fifteen seconds between a pulse to the foot cuff and the next-succeeding pulse to a calf cuff; and (d) providing an interval in the range of 10 to 50 seconds after calf-cuff pulsing and the next-succeeding pulse to the foot cuff.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 131 words

A medical appliance according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, wherein said pulsing means is operative to provide calf-pulsing pressure in accordance with the following criteria: (a) for each pulse, a pressure rise to a predetermined maximum of 220-mm Hg or less within two seconds; (b) upon achievement of said maximum, dropping the pressure in each cuff at least to one seventh of said maximum pressure before repeating pulsed application of pressure to said each cuff; (c) providing an interval in the range of about three or four seconds between a pulse to the foot cuff and the next-succeeding pulse to a calf cuff; and (d) providing an interval in the range of 10 to 50 second after calf-cuff pulsing and the next-succeeding pulse to the foot cuff.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 129 words

A medical appliance according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, wherein said pulsing means is operative to provide cuff-pulsing pressure in accordance with the following criteria: (a) for each pulse, a pressure rise to a predetermined maximum of 220-mm Hg or less within two seconds; (b) upon achievement of said maximum, dropping the pressure in each cuff at least one seventh of said maximum pressure before repeating pulsed application of pressure to said each cuff; (c) providing a delay interval in the range up to fifteen seconds between a pulse to the foot cuff and the next-succeeding pulse to a calf cuff; and (d) providing an interval in the range of 15 to 40 seconds after calf-cuff pulsing and the next-succeeding pulse to the foot cuff.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-06-26	1992-12-26	1993-06-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-06-26	1996-12-26	1997-06-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-06-26	2000-12-26	2001-06-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for inducing venous-return flow from the leg

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