US5222478A — Apparatus for application of pressure to a human …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 209 words

An apparatus for applying external pressure variation to a given body portion of a user's body comprising: a sheath means adapted to be retained with respect to the given body portion; said sheath means including a flexible portion which is adapted to be formed into a selected shape which closely conforms with the given body portion to provide a closely form-fitting enclosure which envelopes the given body portion at essentially a minimum spacing therefrom when said sheath means is retained with respect to the given body portion; said sheath means including seal means which is operable to engage the user's body to form within said form-fitting enclosure an enclosed space intermediate said sheath means and the given body portion; connection means communicating with said enclosed space and adapted to be connected to a pressure medium source for applying the pressure of a pressure medium at variance from ambient atmospheric pressure within said enclosed space; and means operable for selectively rigidifying said flexible portion when retained with respect to the given body portion in a manner that upon said selectively rigidifying, said flexible portion is maintained in said selected shape to provide said closely form fitting enclosure at said essentially minimum spacing throughout application of pressure within said enclosed space.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 209 words

An apparatus for applying external pressure variation to a given body portion of a user's body comprising: a sheath means adapted to be retained with respect to the given body portion; said sheath means including a flexible portion which is adapted to be formed into a selected shape which closely conforms with the given body portion to provide a closely form-fitting enclosure which envelopes the given body portion at essentially a minimum spacing therefrom when said sheath means is retained with respect to the given body portion; said sheath means including seal means which is operable to engage the user's body to form within said form-fitting enclosure an enclosed space intermediate said sheath means and the given body portion; connection means communicating with said enclosed space and adapted to be connected to a pressure medium source for applying the pressure of a pressure medium at variance from ambient atmospheric pressure within said enclosed space; and means operable for selectively rigidifying said flexible portion when retained with respect to the given body portion in a manner that upon said selectively rigidifying, said flexible portion is maintained in said selected shape to provide said closely form fitting enclosure at said essentially minimum spacing throughout application of pressure within said enclosed space.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 additionally including pressure control means cooperable with said sheath means to selectively vary the magnitude of pressure within said enclosed space.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 additionally including pressure transmitting spacer means cooperable with said sheath means to limit the approach of said flexible portion toward the given body portion and to thereby define said minimum spacing.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said spacer means is substantially mutually coextensive with said enclosed space.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said spacer means includes porous means having sufficiently open porosity to permit the pressure medium to be distributed substantially throughout said enclosed space.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus as set forth in in claim 4 wherein said flexible portion is essentially coextensive with said sheath means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said seal means includes means cooperable with said sheath means to maintain a selected portion of said sheath means in sealed engagement with the user's body to form said enclosed space.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 additionally including adjustable retention means which is cooperable with said sheath means to permit said sheath means to be retained with respect to the given body portion.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 78 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means operable for selectively rigidifying said flexible portion includes a flexible, wall portion of said sheath means enclosing a sealed chamber and a plurality of interengageable elements confined within said sealed chamber, and means communicating with said sealed chamber and adapted to communicate with a vacuum pump means for drawing a partial vacuum within said sealed chamber to thereby engage said interengageable elements in essentially rigid mutual interengagement.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 additionally including an outer flexible wall portion which is coextensive with said flexible portion and said outer flexible wall portion carrying adjacent at least a portion of its perimeter a portion of said seal means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 10 additionally including air flow conveying conduit means traversing said sheath means and cooperable with said pressure medium source to provide air flow to and from said enclosed space.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 additionally including pressure monitoring means cooperable with said sheath means to monitor the pressure within said enclosed space.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sheath means comprises a respiratory assistance apparatus adapted to encompass the upper torso of a human body for application thereto of such pressure to effect respiratory assistance.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sheath means comprises a resuscitation apparatus adapted to encompass the upper torso of a human body for application thereto of such pressure to effect cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 192 words

An apparatus for enclosing a selected body portion of a human body comprising: an enclosing means which is adapted to confront the selected body portion; seal means associated with said enclosing means and operable to encompass a peripheral extent of the selected body portion and to sealingly engage said peripheral extent in a manner to define an enclosed space which extends adjacent the selected body portion and is enveloped by said enclosing means; said enclosing means including a flexible portion which is adapted to be formed into a selected shape which closely conforms with at least a corresponding adjacent part of the selected body portion to provide a closely form-fitting enclosure which envelopes said corresponding adjacent part of the body portion at essentially a minimum spacing therefrom; means operable for selectively rigidifying said flexible portion in a manner that upon said selective rigidifying said flexible portion is maintained in said selected shape; and pressure medium connection means communicating with said enclosed space and adapted to be connected to a pressure medium source to provide within said enclosed space pressure at variance from ambient atmospheric pressure for application to the selected body portion.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 192 words

An apparatus for enclosing a selected body portion of a human body comprising: an enclosing means which is adapted to confront the selected body portion; seal means associated with said enclosing means and operable to encompass a peripheral extent of the selected body portion and to sealingly engage said peripheral extent in a manner to define an enclosed space which extends adjacent the selected body portion and is enveloped by said enclosing means; said enclosing means including a flexible portion which is adapted to be formed into a selected shape which closely conforms with at least a corresponding adjacent part of the selected body portion to provide a closely form-fitting enclosure which envelopes said corresponding adjacent part of the body portion at essentially a minimum spacing therefrom; means operable for selectively rigidifying said flexible portion in a manner that upon said selective rigidifying said flexible portion is maintained in said selected shape; and pressure medium connection means communicating with said enclosed space and adapted to be connected to a pressure medium source to provide within said enclosed space pressure at variance from ambient atmospheric pressure for application to the selected body portion.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said flexible portion includes a flexible wall means defining a sealed containment and a plurality of interengageable means disposed within said containment.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said means in rigidifying said flexible portion includes means for drawing a partial vacuum within said containment to permit ambient air pressure acting on said flexible wall means to move said interengageable means into mutual interengagement.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 17 additionally including adhesive means which is effective to maintain said interengageable means in mutual interengagement upon release of said partial vacuum within said containment.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said adhesive is a heat curing adhesive co-mingled with said interengageable means within said containment.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said adhesive means is a hot melt adhesive co-mingled with said interengageable means within said containment.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said interengageable means and said adhesive means are common integral units comprised of a plurality of discreet particles of adhesive.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein said interengageable means includes a plurality of solid particles.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 27 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein said solid particles are of a size that they collectively exhibit the character of a volume of powder.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein said solid particles are of a size that they collectively exhibit the character of a volume of granulated matter.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein said solid particles are of a size that they collectively exhibit the character of a mass of discreet beads of matter.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein said plurality of solid particles includes a plurality of discreet styrofoam particles or layers of material.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 118 words

An apparatus for enclosing a selected body portion of a human body comprising: an enclosing means which is adapted to confront the body portion; said enclosing means including a flexible portion which is adapted to be formed into closely conforming relation with respect to at least a corresponding adjacent part of the body portion; first rigidifying means selectively operable to temporarily rigidify said flexible portion to maintain said closely conforming relation of said flexible portions with said corresponding adjacent part of the body portion; and second rigidifying means operable to maintain the rigidity of said flexible portion in said closely conforming relation with said corresponding adjacent part of the body portion after release of said first rigidifying means.

Claim 30

Independent Claim 118 words

An apparatus for enclosing a selected body portion of a human body comprising: an enclosing means which is adapted to confront the body portion; said enclosing means including a flexible portion which is adapted to be formed into closely conforming relation with respect to at least a corresponding adjacent part of the body portion; first rigidifying means selectively operable to temporarily rigidify said flexible portion to maintain said closely conforming relation of said flexible portions with said corresponding adjacent part of the body portion; and second rigidifying means operable to maintain the rigidity of said flexible portion in said closely conforming relation with said corresponding adjacent part of the body portion after release of said first rigidifying means.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 27 wherein said flexible portion includes a flexible wall means defining a sealed containment and a plurality of interengageable means disposed within said containment.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein said first rigidifying means includes means for drawing a partial vacuum within said containment to permit ambient air pressure acting on said flexible wall means to move said interengageable means into mutual interengagement.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 29 wherein said second rigidifying means includes adhesive means which is effective to maintain said interengageable means in said mutual interengagement upon release of said partial vacuum within said containment.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-06-28	1996-12-28	1997-06-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-06-28	2000-12-28	2001-06-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-06-28	2004-12-28	2005-06-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for application of pressure to a human body

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag