Long-Term Therapeutic Pressure Applicator and Real-Time Monitoring System

A therapeutic pressure applicator and monitoring device to apply an applied pressure to a body part of a person wearing treatment gear for long-term pressure treatment of the body part, the treatment gear having an inside surface adapted to engage the body part, and the inside surface having at least one securement recess, the therapeutic pressure applicator and monitoring device comprising:

• a pressure adjusting mechanism having a housing and a sensing component, said housing having a base and a threaded rearward tube, said base having front and rear surfaces, said sensing component having a main body, a threaded outer tube forming a forward tube and a rearward radial mounting rim, said main body having front and rear main body surfaces, said rearward and forward tubes being in mated threaded engagement, said housing and sensing component forming an interior chamber, and said sensing component being rotatable relative to said housing to move said sensing component along a path of travel between retracted and extended positions relative to said base of said housing;
• a computer module and power source held by said pressure adjusting mechanism in said interior chamber, said module having a processor, memory and transceiver connected by an internal circuitry, and said processor and transceiver being in electrical powered communication with said power source;
• a force sensor positioned along said rear main body surface of said sensing component and being in electrical sensing communication with said processor;
• a pressure focusing plate having front and rear sides, said plate rear side having a predetermined rear surface area, said focusing plate being held by said radial mounting rim of said sensing component with said front side positioned in registry over said rear main body surface;
• said front side having a pressure focusing structure forming a contact zone, said contact zone being smaller than said predetermined rear surface area, and said contact zone being aligned over and in force transmitting engagement with said sensor;
• and,
• a cushion having front and rear cushion surfaces, said front cushion surface being secured to said rear side of said focusing plate, and said rear cushion surface being adapted to apply the applied pressure to the body part of the person.

Pressure treatment gear for applying and monitoring applied pressure to a body part of a person, the pressure treatment gear comprising:

• gear worn by the person on the body part for long-term pressure treatment of the body part, said gear having an inside surface adapted to engage the body part, and said inside surface having at least one securement recess;
• a pressure adjusting mechanism having a housing and a sensing component, said housing having a base and a threaded rearward tube, said base having front and rear surfaces, said sensing component having a main body, a threaded outer tube forming a forward tube and a rearward radial mounting rim, said main body having front and rear main body surfaces, said rearward and forward tubes being in mated threaded engagement, said housing and sensing component forming an interior chamber, and said sensing component being rotatable relative to said housing to move said sensing component along a path of travel between retracted and extended positions relative to said base of said housing;
• a computer module and power source held by said pressure adjusting mechanism in said interior chamber, said module having a processor, memory and transceiver connected by an internal circuitry, and said processor and transceiver being in electrical powered communication with said power source;
• a force-sensing sensor positioned along said rear main body surface of said sensing component and being in electrical sensing communication with said processor;
• a pressure focusing plate having front and rear sides and a perimeter, said plate rear side having a predetermined rear surface area, said focusing plate being held by said mounting rim of said sensing component with said front side positioned in registry over said rear main body surface;
• said front side having a pressure focusing structure forming a contact zone, said contact zone being smaller than said predetermined rear surface area, and said contact zone being aligned over and in force transmitting engagement with said sensor;
• and,
• a cushion having front and rear cushion surfaces, said front cushion surface being secured to said rear side of said focusing plate, and said rear cushion surface being adapted to apply the applied pressure to the body part of the person.

A worn system for monitoring and adjusting an applied pressure exerted on a person, comprising:

• pressure treatment gear worn by the person having a pressure adjusting mechanism adapted to exert the applied pressure on the person, said pressure adjusting mechanism having a sensor configured to collect real-time pressure signal data associated with the applied pressure at preset time intervals;
• a local monitoring device having a display screen;
• a first processing circuitry disposed in the pressure adjusting mechanism and configured to:
• collect the pressure signal data;
• process the pressure signal data into processed pressure data;
• transmit the processed pressure data;
• and,
• a second processing circuitry disposed in the local monitoring device and configured to:
• receive the processed pressure data;
• display the processed pressure data on the display screen;
• compare the processed pressure data with a pressure range criteria;
• and,
• trigger an alarm if the processed pressure data is not within the desired pressure range criteria.

A system for monitoring and adjusting an applied pressure exerted by a pressure applicator device worn by a person during long-term pressure therapy, comprising:

• means for collecting real-time pressure data corresponding to the applied pressure applied by a pressure applicator device;
• means for transmitting said real-time pressure data to a second device with a display screen and predetermined pressure range data;
• means for collecting said real-time pressure data on said second device;
• means for displaying said real-time pressure data on said display screen;
• means for comparing said real-time pressure data to said predetermined pressure range data;
• means for triggering an alarm on said second device if said real-time pressure data is outside said predetermined pressure range data;
• and,
• wherein if an alarm is triggered, means for rotatably adjusting the pressure applicator to adjust the applied pressure until said real-time pressure data is within said predetermined pressure range data.