Sequential intermittent compression device

A device for applying compressive pressures against a patient's limb from a source of pressurized fluid, comprising:

• an elongated pressure sleeve for enclosing a length of the patient's limb, said sleeve having a plurality of separate fluid pressure chambers progressively arranged longitudinally along the sleeve from a lower portion of the limb to an upper portion of the limb proximal the patient's heart relative the lower portion;
• means for intermittently connecting said source in a timed sequence successively to more upwardly located separate chambers in the sleeve and continuously applying the source to the connected chambers during periodic compression cycles and for controlling the rate of pressure increases in the separate chambers at lesser rates in more upwardly located chambers to apply a compressive pressure gradient against the patient's limb by the sleeve which decreases from the lower to upper limb portions;
• and
• means for intermittently connecting the chambers to an exhaust means during periodic decompression cycles between said compression cycles.

A device for applying compressive pressures against a patient's limb from a source of pressurized fluid, comprising:

• an elongated pressure sleeve for enclosing a length of the patient's limb, said sleeve having a plurality of separate fluid pressure chambers progressively arranged longitudinally along the sleeve from a lower portion of the limb to an upper portion of the limb proximal the patient's heart relative the lower portion;
• means for intermittently forming a plurality of fluid pressure pulses from said source in a timed sequence during periodic compression cycles;
• means for connecting different pressure pulses of said sequence to separate sets of plural adjoining chambers in an arrangement with later pulses in said sequence being connected to more upwardly located chamber sets to apply a compressive pressure gradient against the patient's limb by the sleeve which decreases from the lower to upper limb portions;
• and
• means for intermittently connecting the chambers to an exhaust means during periodic decompression cycles between said compression cycles.

A device for controlling the operation of a compression sleeve from a source of pressurized gas, comprising:

• means for sequentially connecting said source at timed intervals to a plurality of separate outlet ports during an inflation cycle;
• means for controlling the duration of the timed intervals of the connecting means, the controlling means being capable of adjusting the duration of at least one of said intervals without modifying the duration of at least one of the other intervals;
• means for intermittently initiating the connecting means during periodic inflation cycles;
• and
• means for intermittently disconnecting the source from the outlet ports during periodic deflation cycles between said inflation cycles.

A device for controlling the operation of a compression sleeve from a source of pressurized gas, comprising:

• means for intermittently initiating periodic inflation cycles at the end of periodic deflation cycles;
• means responsive to the initiating means for forming a plurality of fluid pressure pulses from said source in a timed sequence during said inflation cycles;
• means for controlling the pressure rise times of said plural pulses at varying rates;
• and
• means for intermittently initiating the periodic deflation cycles at the end of the inflation cycles.