# US 2013/0158443 A1 · System and Method of Administering Compression Therapy > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0158443 A1 - Document ID: US20130158443A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/325,180 - Filed: 2011-12-14 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-14 - Inventors: Robert Kraal; John O. Lindahl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158443A1 ## CPC - A61H 9/0078: {with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs (mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776)} - A61F 7/02: Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling - A61H 2201/0207: heated - A61H 2201/0214: cooled - A61H 2201/0257: by a heat accumulator, e.g. a sand or liquid reservoir - A61H 2201/1697: Breathability of the material - A61H 2201/5002: Means for controlling a set of similar massage devices acting in sequence at different locations on a patient - A61H 2201/5012: using the internet - A61H 2201/5015: using specific interfaces or standards, e.g. USB, serial, parallel - A61H 2201/5097: wireless - A61H 2205/04: neck - A61H 2205/062: Shoulders - A61H 2205/065: Hands - A61H 2205/081: Back - A61H 2205/084: Chest - A61H 2205/088: Hip - A61H 2205/102: Knee - A61H 2205/12: Feet - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract A method of operating a circulation facilitating assembly having a thermal treatment assembly having the steps of: providing pump assembly; placing a bladder of a first leg assembly in fluid communication with the pump assembly; placing a bladder of a second leg assembly in fluid communication with the pump assembly; placing a bladder of a thermal treatment assembly in fluid communication with the pump assembly, the thermal treatment assembly further comprising a thermal pad which is one of heated or cooled so that it is at a temperature other than ambient temperature; sequentially cycling at least one or both of the first leg assembly and second leg assembly, and, the thermal treatment assembly to complete a single cycle, comprising the steps of by: inflating the respective bladder to a predetermined pressure, holding the predetermined pressure for a predetermined period of time; and deflating the respective bladder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a circulation facilitating assembly having a thermal treatment assembly comprising the steps of: providing pump assembly; placing a bladder of a first leg assembly in fluid communication with the pump assembly; placing a bladder of a second leg assembly in fluid communication with the pump assembly; placing a bladder of a thermal treatment assembly in fluid communication with the pump assembly, the thermal treatment assembly further comprising a thermal pad which is one of heated or cooled so that it is at a temperature other than ambient temperature; sequentially cycling at least one or both of the first leg assembly and second leg assembly, and, the thermal treatment assembly to complete a single cycle, comprising the steps of by: inflating the respective bladder to a predetermined pressure, holding the predetermined pressure for a predetermined period of time; and deflating the respective bladder. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sequentially cycling each of the first leg assembly, second leg assembly and thermal treatment assembly comprises the sequential steps of: cycling the first leg assembly; cycling the second leg assembly; cycling the first leg assembly a second time; cycling the second leg assembly a second time; and cycling the thermal treatment assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein each step of cycling within the step of sequentially cycling comprises about one minute. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sequentially cycling each of the first leg assembly, second leg assembly and thermal treatment assembly comprises the sequential steps of: cycling the first leg assembly; cycling the first leg assembly; cycling the thermal treatment assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of repeating the step of sequential cycling a predetermined amount of times. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the steps of: providing a second thermal treatment assembly; replacing the thermal treatment assembly with a second thermal treatment assembly wherein the second thermal treatment assembly includes a second bladder which is of a different size as compared to the bladder of the thermal treatment assembly, wherein the cycle time is different due to the replacement of the thermal treatment assembly with the second thermal treatment assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the cycle time comprises about three minutes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the pump assembly further includes a controller and a user input, the user input configured to adjust at least one of cycle time and pressure for each of the bladder of the first leg assembly, the second leg assembly and the thermal treatment assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the thermal treatment assembly is structurally configured to retain the thermal pad in operable position to treat at least one of a back region, rib region, hips region, knee region, ankle region, toe region, finger region, wrist region, elbow region, shoulder region and neck region of a patient. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the pump assembly further includes a housing which includes a pump, a power source coupled to the pump, a first compressive outlet, a second compressive outlet, a third compressive outlet, a valve, the valve selectively placing the pump in fluid communication with the first compressive outlet, the second compressive outlet and the third compressive outlet, and a controller coupled to the pump and the valve to control the same. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the housing of the pump assembly has a length a width and a thickness, none of which exceeds 10 inches.