Patent US4269177A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4269177A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Therapeutic device

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1979-08-16
•
Granted: 1981-05-26
•
Expires: 1999-08-16
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A tubular inflated bag is progressively rolled onto a limb thereby applying continuous pressure to the limb. The bag is initially located about a tubular support and the limb to be treated is located axially parallel with respect to the support. An outer sleeve surrounds the tubular bag and is progressively moved toward the limb. As the sleeve moves toward the arm, the progress of the sleeve causes the bag to roll onto the limb progressively applying pressure to the limb. The progress of the sleeve is twice as fast as the progress of the bag. Therefore, the sleeve may be telescoping or collapsible so that the sleeve does not unnecessarily limit the movement of the bag.

Inventors

  • 👤 Stanley M. Clark

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 10:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61H; A61H9/00; A61H9/005; A61H9/0078; A61F; A61F5/00; A61F5/01; A61F5/30; A61F5/34

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 75 words
A method of urging bodily fluids to flow from a limb into the body which comprises the steps of: initally applying a fluid pressure to the limb at a first area remote from the body: and thereafter applying a continuous rolling fluid pressure from said first area progressively to successive adjacent areas of the limb closer to the body until a substantial portion of the limb has been subjected to said progressive rolling fluid pressure.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 75 words
A method of urging bodily fluids to flow from a limb into the body which comprises the steps of: initally applying a fluid pressure to the limb at a first area remote from the body: and thereafter applying a continuous rolling fluid pressure from said first area progressively to successive adjacent areas of the limb closer to the body until a substantial portion of the limb has been subjected to said progressive rolling fluid pressure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method of claim 1 further including the step of maintaining said pressure on the successive adjacent areas of the limb after the pressure is initially applied thereto while said application of rolling fluid pressure proceeds over the limb towards the body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 45 words
The method of claim 2 further including the step of thereafter releasing said fluid pressure on the limb progressively in a direction from an area adjacent the body toward the more remote areas of the limb until the pressure is completely released from the limb.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 3 in which the steps of applying, maintaining and releasing said fluid pressure to the limb are repeated in a cyclic fashion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 1 in which the steps of initially applying and thereafter applying fluid pressure to the limb are repeated in a cyclic fashion.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 103 words
An apparatus to promote circulation within a limb and to urge excess fluids to flow from the limb towards the body, said apparatus comprising: an inflatable, flexible bag; means to inflate said bag: means restraining the radially outward expansion of the bag in its inflated condition: means for moving said bag longitudinally relative said limb: means for rolling said bag inwardly upon itself as said relative longitudinal movement takes place to produce a rolling edge, thereby exerting an inward, rolling pressure upon the limb and urging fluids in the limb to move ahead of said rolling edge in the direction of the body.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 103 words
An apparatus to promote circulation within a limb and to urge excess fluids to flow from the limb towards the body, said apparatus comprising: an inflatable, flexible bag; means to inflate said bag: means restraining the radially outward expansion of the bag in its inflated condition: means for moving said bag longitudinally relative said limb: means for rolling said bag inwardly upon itself as said relative longitudinal movement takes place to produce a rolling edge, thereby exerting an inward, rolling pressure upon the limb and urging fluids in the limb to move ahead of said rolling edge in the direction of the body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 94 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 in which said restraining means comprises an external support extending parallel to said bag and said limb, and means to position said external support about said bag as the bag is inflated so that an inner surface of the support will restrain the expansion of the bag, said inner surface making frictional contact with said expanded bag whereby movement of said external support longitudinally with respect to said limb carries the expanded bag by virtue of said frictional contact in a rolling movement upon and along said limb.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 85 words
The apparatus according to claim 7, in which said bag is tubular and is mounted on and secured to the free end of a cantilever support and is secured to said cantilever support at a point adjacent the free end thereof and in which said external support comprises a sleeve co-axial with said cantilever support and said bag, said sleeve being moveable longitudinally with respect to said cantilever support to carry said expanded bag in a rolling movement from said cantilever support onto the limb.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 33 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 or 8 wherein the means to inflate said bag includes a means for increasing the pressure within said bag as the bag is rolled onto the limb.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 17 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the sleeve is comprised of a plurality of telescoping members.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the sleeve is comprised of a plurality of longitudinally hinged sections.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 77 words
An apparatus for exerting pressure upon a portion of a limb comprising: (a) base support means; (b) cantilever support; (c) means for supporting said cantilever support parallel to said base support; (d) a tubular bag located about said cantilever support and attached at one point thereto; (e) sleeve means coaxially located about said bag and said cantilever support; (f) means for sliding said sleeve means along said base support means; and (g) means for inflating said bag.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 77 words
An apparatus for exerting pressure upon a portion of a limb comprising: (a) base support means; (b) cantilever support; (c) means for supporting said cantilever support parallel to said base support; (d) a tubular bag located about said cantilever support and attached at one point thereto; (e) sleeve means coaxially located about said bag and said cantilever support; (f) means for sliding said sleeve means along said base support means; and (g) means for inflating said bag.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 74 words
An apparatus for exerting pressure upon a portion of the human body comprising an inflatable bag, means to inflate said bag with fluid under pressure, means to maintain said bag in an inflated condition, means to limit outward expansion of said bag when the bag is inflated, and means to cause said bag to roll inwardly and progressively upon said body portion to exert and maintain a substantially uniform pressure upon the body portion.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 74 words
An apparatus for exerting pressure upon a portion of the human body comprising an inflatable bag, means to inflate said bag with fluid under pressure, means to maintain said bag in an inflated condition, means to limit outward expansion of said bag when the bag is inflated, and means to cause said bag to roll inwardly and progressively upon said body portion to exert and maintain a substantially uniform pressure upon the body portion.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 169 words
A method of urging bodily fluids to flow from a limb into the body which comprises the steps of: initially applying a fluid pressure to the limb at a first area remote from the body thereafter applying a continuous rolling fluid pressure from said first area progressively to successive adjacent areas of the limb closer to the body until a substantial portion of the limb has been subjected to said progressive rolling fluid pressure; and maintaining said pressure in the successive adjacent areas of the limb after the pressure is initially applied thereto while said application of rolling, fluid pressure proceeds over the limb towards the body, wherein the steps of initially applying, thereafter applying, and maintaining said fluid pressure are comprised of the steps of providing a tubular inflated bag having an axial opening therein; locating the limb to be treated in a position coaxial with respect to the tubular bag; and urging the tubular bag axially toward the limb so that the bag rolls onto the limb.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 169 words
A method of urging bodily fluids to flow from a limb into the body which comprises the steps of: initially applying a fluid pressure to the limb at a first area remote from the body thereafter applying a continuous rolling fluid pressure from said first area progressively to successive adjacent areas of the limb closer to the body until a substantial portion of the limb has been subjected to said progressive rolling fluid pressure; and maintaining said pressure in the successive adjacent areas of the limb after the pressure is initially applied thereto while said application of rolling, fluid pressure proceeds over the limb towards the body, wherein the steps of initially applying, thereafter applying, and maintaining said fluid pressure are comprised of the steps of providing a tubular inflated bag having an axial opening therein; locating the limb to be treated in a position coaxial with respect to the tubular bag; and urging the tubular bag axially toward the limb so that the bag rolls onto the limb.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2091131A Cited
US2531074A Cited
US2699165A Cited
US2747570A Cited
US2781041A Cited
US3128761A Cited
US3450450A Cited
US3862629A Cited
US4013069A Cited
US4191177A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-05-25 1984-11-24 1985-05-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-05-25 1988-11-24 1989-05-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-05-25 1992-11-24 1993-05-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag