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US 10,016,335 B2Granted
Body pulsating apparatus and method
AssigneeElectromed, Inc.
InventorsCraig N. Hansen, Paul C. Cross
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and method coupled to a therapy garment to apply pressure and repetitive compression forces to a body of a person has a positive air pulse generator and a user programmable time, frequency and pressure controller operable to regulate the duration of operation, frequency of the air pulses and a selected air pressure applied to the body of a person. The air pulse generator has rigid displacers that are angularly moved with power transmission assemblies to draw air into the air pulse generator and discharge air pressure pulses to the therapy garment.
Claims61
An apparatus for applying pressure and high frequency pressure pulses to the thorax of a person, comprising:
- a garment having an air core adapted to be located on the thorax of the person for subjecting the thorax of the person to pressure and high frequency pressure pulses;
- a housing having an interior enclosed space defined at least in part by a front wall, a rear wall, an interior wall and an end wall;
- an air inlet passage for allowing air to flow into the enclosed space;
- an air outlet passage for allowing air and air pressure pulses to exit from the enclosed space;
- a hose connected to the garment and housing for transporting air and air pressure pulses from the air outlet passage to the air core of the garment;
- a first air displacer located in said enclosed space, the first air displacer comprising an arm mounted thereon, the arm comprising opposing first and second ends, wherein
- the first end of the arm is pivotally mounted on the first air displacer;
- and
- the second end of the arm connected to the first air displacer comprises:
- a recess and a bottom wall spaced above a top surface of the first air displacer;
- a bolt located within the recess and extending through the bottom wall is threaded into the first air displacer;
- and
- a biasing member located between a head of the bolt and the bottom wall;
- a second air displacer located in said enclosed space, the second air displacer comprising an arm mounted thereon, the arm comprising opposing first and second ends, wherein
- the first end of the arm is pivotally mounted on the second air displacer;
- and
- the second end of the arm connected to the second air displacer comprises:
- a recess and a bottom wall spaced above a top surface of the second air displacer;
- a bolt located within the recess and extending through the bottom wall is threaded into the second air displacer;
- and
- a biasing member located between a head of the bolt and the bottom wall;
- said first and second air displacers separating the enclosed space into first and second pumping chambers, and a pulsing chamber;
- said first and second pumping chambers being open to the air inlet passage for allowing air to flow into the first and second pumping chambers;
- said pulsing chamber being located between said first and second air displacers and open to the air outlet passage for allowing air and air pressure pulses to flow out of the pulsing chamber to the hose connected to the garment and housing;
- a check valve mounted on each of said first and second air displacers, the check valve operable to allow air to flow from the first and second pumping chambers into the pulsing chamber and prevent air to flow from the pulsing chamber into the first and second pumping chambers;
- a first power transmission assembly located in said first pumping chamber and rotatably mounted on the housing operable to angularly move said first air displacer between first and second positions, the first power transmission assembly comprising:
- a crankshaft rotatably mounted on the housing and drivably connected to the first power transmission assembly, the crankshaft comprising a crank pin offset from a rotational axis of the crankshaft;
- a roller member mounted on the crank pin, wherein the biasing member of the first air displacer biases the arm mounted on the first air displacer into engagement with the roller member;
- and
- two pairs of roller members mounted on the crank pin, each pair of roller members in engagement with the first air displacer on opposite sides of the arm mounted thereon;
- a second power transmission assembly located in said second pumping chamber and rotatably mounted on the housing operable to angularly move said second air displacer between first and second positions, the second power transmission assembly comprising:
- a crankshaft rotatably mounted on the housing and drivably connected to the second power transmission assembly, the crankshaft comprising a crank pin offset from a rotational axis of the crankshaft;
- a roller member mounted on the crank pin, wherein the biasing member of the second air displacer biases the arm mounted on the second air displacer into engagement with the roller member;
- and
- two pairs of roller members mounted on the crank pin, each pair of roller members in engagement with the second air displacer on opposite sides of the arm mounted thereon;
- a power train operably connected to the first and second power transmission assemblies to concurrently operate the first and second power transmission assemblies to angularly move the first and second air displacers in opposite directions toward and away from each other to draw air into the first and second pumping chambers and force air through each check valve into the pulsing chamber and expel air and air pressure pulses out of the pulsing chamber for transport into the air core of the garment;
- and
- a motor for driving the power train whereby the first and second power transmission assemblies angularly move the first and second displacers in opposite directions toward and away from each other.
35 more elements
An apparatus for applying pressure and high frequency pressure pulses to the thorax of a person, comprising:
- a garment having an air core adapted to be located on the thorax of the person for subjecting the thorax of the person to pressure and high frequency pressure pulses;
- a housing having an enclosed space defined at least in part by a front wall, a rear wall, an interior wall and an end wall;
- an air inlet passage to allow air to flow into the enclosed space;
- an air outlet passage to allow air and air pressure pulses to exit from the enclosed space;
- a hose connected to the garment and housing for transporting air and air pressure pulses from the air outlet passage to the air core of the garment;
- an air displacer assembly located in said enclosed space separating the enclosed space into at least one air pumping chamber and an air pulsing chamber, said air displacer assembly having:
- at least one air displacer located between the at least one air pumping chamber and the air pulsing chamber, the at least one air displacer rotatably mounted on the housing for angular movement between first and second positions;
- and
- a check valve operable to allow air to flow from the at least one air pumping chamber into the air pulsing chamber and prevent air to flow from the air pulsing chamber into the at least one air pumping chamber;
- a power drive system operable to angularly move the air displacer assembly between the first and second positions to allow air to flow from the at least one air pumping chamber into the air pulsing chamber and prevent air to flow from the air pulsing chamber into the at least one air pumping chamber;
- and
- an anti-backlash device operable to minimize lost motion when angularly moving the at least one air displacer between the first and second positions.
9 more elements
An apparatus for generating air pulses, comprising:
- a housing having an interior enclosed space;
- an air inlet passage for allowing air to flow into the enclosed space;
- an air outlet passage for allowing air and air pulses to exit from the enclosed space;
- a first air displacer located in said enclosed space, the first air displacer rotatably mounted on said housing for angular movement in said enclosed space;
- a second air displacer located in said enclosed space, the second air displacer rotatably mounted on said housing for angular movement in said enclosed space;
- said first and second air displacers separating the enclosed space into first and second pumping chambers and a pulsing chamber;
- said first and second pumping chambers being in communication with the air inlet passage for allowing air to flow into the first and second pumping chambers;
- said pulsing chamber being located between said first and second air displacers and in communication with the air outlet passage for allowing air and air pulses to flow out of the pulsing chamber;
- a check valve mounted on each of the first and second air displacer, the check valves operable to allow air to flow from the first and second pumping chambers into the pulsing chamber and prevent air to flow from the pulsing chamber into the first and second pumping chambers;
- a power drive system operable to angularly move the first and second air displacers to draw air into the first and second pumping chambers and force air into the pulsing chamber and out of the pulsing chamber through the air outlet passage;
- a first anti-backlash device operable to minimize lost motion when angularly moving the first air displacer;
- and
- a second anti-backlash device operable to minimize lost motion when angularly moving the second air displacer.
10 more elements
An apparatus for generating air pressure pulses, comprising:
- a housing having an enclosed space;
- an air inlet passage to allow air to flow into the enclosed space;
- an air outlet passage to allow air and air pressure pulses to exit from the enclosed space;
- an air displacer assembly located in said enclosed space separating the enclosed space into an air pumping chamber and an air pulsing chamber, said air displacer assembly having at least one air displacer located between the air pumping chamber and the air pulsing chamber and rotatably mounted on the housing for angular movement between first and second positions;
- a check valve operable to allow air to flow from the air pumping chamber into the air pulsing chamber and prevent air to flow from the air pulsing chamber into the air pumping chamber;
- a power drive system operable to angularly move the at least one air displacer between the first and second positions to allow air to flow from the air pumping chamber into the air pulsing chamber and out of the air pulsing chamber through the air outlet passage;
- and
- an anti-backlash device operable to minimize lost motion when angularly moving the at least one air displacer between said first and second positions.
5 more elements
An apparatus for applying pressure and high frequency pressure pulses to the thorax of a person, comprising:
- a garment having an air core adapted to be located on the thorax of the person for subjecting the thorax of the person to pressure and high frequency pressure pulses;
- a housing, having;
- an interior enclosed space;
- an air inlet passage for allowing air to flow into the enclosed space;
- and
- an air outlet passage for allowing air and air pressure pulses to exit from the enclosed space;
- a hose connected to the garment and housing for transporting air and air pressure pulses from the air outlet passage to the air core of the garment;
- a first air displacer located in said enclosed space, the first air displacer rotatably mounted on said housing for angular movement in said enclosed space;
- a second air displacer located in said enclosed space, the second air displacer rotatably mounted on said housing for angular movement in said enclosed space;
- said first and second air displacers separating the enclosed space into first and second pumping chambers, and a pulsing chamber;
- said first and second pumping chambers being open to the air inlet passage for allowing air to flow into the first and second pumping chambers;
- said pulsing chamber being located between said first and second air displacers and open to the air outlet passage for allowing air and air pressure pulses to flow out of the pulsing chamber to the hose connected to the garment and housing;
- at least one check valve operable to allow air to flow from the first and second pumping chambers into the pulsing chamber and prevent air to flow from the pulsing chamber into the first and second pumping chambers;
- a power drive system operable to angularly move the first and second air displacers to draw air into the first and second pumping chambers and force air through the at least one check valve into the pulsing chamber and out of the pulsing chamber into the hose;
- and
- an anti-backlash device operable to minimize lost motion when angularly moving the first and second displacers between the first and second positions.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.