Apparatus and method for movement of blood by external pressure

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the legs are placed under constrictive pressure in sequence, first one leg and then the other, by activation of all the sections encircling the legs and subsequently the arms are placed under constrictive pressure in sequence, first one arm and then the other, by activation of all the sections encircling the arms.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 and including the further step, in each of said cycles, of applying a fifth pressure applying means to the buttock region and applying pressure to said buttock region during the predetermined time that all said sections are held activated.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 wherein the pressure is applied by said fifth pressure applying means in a series of pulses of pressure.

Claim 6

Medical apparatus comrising in combination five pressure applying means, each of said first to fourth pressure applying means being adapted for encircling one of the four limbs of a person, each of said first to fourth pressure applying means having differentially actuatable section for application to said limb in an array extending along said limb between a limb extremity and a junction with the body trunk, and actuating means having sequencing mesans for constrictively activating said sections to individually constrict each limb one at a time in a peristaltic-like sequence from the section nearest said extremity to the section nearest said body and to hold each limb constricted until all the limbs are constricted and to then hold all of said sections constrictively actuated simultaneously for at least 20 seconds and to then deactivate all of said sections; said fifth pressure applying means adapted for encircling the trunk of the person, and said actuating means activating said trunk pressure applying means after all of said sections have been constrictively activated and during the holding of said section.

Claim 7

Medical apparatus comrising in combination five pressure applying means, each of said first to fourth pressure applying means being adapted for encircling one of the four limbs of a person, each of said first to fourth pressure applying means having differentially actuatable section for application to said limb in an array extending along said limb between a limb extremity and a junction with the body trunk, and actuating means having sequencing mesans for constrictively activating said sections to individually constrict each limb one at a time in a peristaltic-like sequence from the section nearest said extremity to the section nearest said body and to hold each limb constricted until all the limbs are constricted and to then hold all of said sections constrictively actuated simultaneously for at least 20 seconds and to then deactivate all of said sections; said fifth pressure applying means adapted for encircling the trunk of the person, and said actuating means activating said trunk pressure applying means after all of said sections have been constrictively activated and during the holding of said section.

Claim 8

Medical apparatus according to claim 5 wherein when each actuatable section of said first through fourth pressure applying means is constricted from a relaxed state all sections closer to said limb extremity are in a constricted state.

Claim 9

Medical apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said actuatable sections of said first through fifth pressure applying means comprise a plurality of inflatable bladder pressure cuffs, and said actuating means comprise for each said pressure cuff a separate solenoid controlled pressurizing valve and a separate solenoid controlled venting valve coupled to a respective inlet and outlet of said pressure cuff, a pressure regulated source of pressurized air coupled to all of said pressurizing valves, and a vacuum container coupled to all of said venting valves, and program means for actuating said valves in a controlled sequence.

Claim 10

Medical apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said fifth pressure applying means is an air bladder, and further including means to pulse the bladder of said fifth pressure applying means with bursts of air pressure.

Claim 11

Medical apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said actuatable sections comprise a plurality of inflatable bladders.

Claim 12

Medical apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of said actuatable sections consist of at least four of said bladders adapted to be applied to said limb.

Claim 13

Medical apparatus according to claim 9, and further including air pressure valve means which connect each of the bladders within said first to fourth pressure applying means to each other, said valve means operating in sequence to permit air flow in sequence into each bladder.