Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A tubular cuff apparatus for achieving and maintaining fluid- and gas-depleted regions in parts of the body of a patient comprising a plurality of substantially annular chambers extending around an axis, said chambers being distributed one after the other adjacent to one another along said axis, walls separating said chambers and constitued by elastic material, a common outer circumferential, substantially slot-like pressure cell enclosing said annular chambers, said pressure cell extending along said axis and including connection means for pressurizing said cell by a pressure medium from an external pressure source, said pressure cell including a separating wall facing said chambers and constituted of elastic material, and valve means connected to said separating wall for selectively opening or closing communication between adjacent chambers for passage of a pressure medium between adjacent chambers, the outermost one of said chambers including connection means for pressurizing said outermost chamber from an external pressure source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
A tubular cuff apparatus for achieving and maintaining fluid- and gas-depleted regions in parts of the body of a patient comprising a plurality of substantially annular chambers extending around an axis, said chambers being distributed one after the other adjacent to one another along said axis, walls separating said chambers and constitued by elastic material, a common outer circumferential, substantially slot-like pressure cell enclosing said annular chambers, said pressure cell extending along said axis and including connection means for pressurizing said cell by a pressure medium from an external pressure source, said pressure cell including a separating wall facing said chambers and constituted of elastic material, and valve means connected to said separating wall for selectively opening or closing communication between adjacent chambers for passage of a pressure medium between adjacent chambers, the outermost one of said chambers including connection means for pressurizing said outermost chamber from an external pressure source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pressure cell includes an outer wall and spacer means on said outer wall for maintaining a specific distance between said outer wall and said separating wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said spacer means comprises spacer elements which divide said pressure cell into a plurality of intercommunicating cavities.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises a plurality of valve devices each associated with a respective chamber, the valve device associated with the end chamber most remote from said connection means selectively providing communication between said end chamber and said pressure cell via a communication means therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each annular chamber includes wall dividing each chamber into subchambers distributed one after the other in the circumferential direction of said chamber, said valve means including valve devices arranged around each annular chamber to selectively close communication between said subchambers at an internal pressure in each subchamber related to the pressure in said pressure cell.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising duct means located in the vicinity of the end chamber most remote from said connection means for connecting said end chamber to said pressure cell.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said duct means comprises a duct in said separating wall.