US 4,149,529 AGranted

Portable thermo-hydraulic physiotherapy device

AssigneeJobst Institute, Inc.

InventorsThomas Copeland, Terry L. Sandman, Dennis G. Mosiniak

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Abstract

A portable apparatus for controllably cooling and variably, intermittently applying pressure to a portion of a body part of a mammalian organism comprising a liquid supply and control unit having means to store, circulate, cool, agitate, and pressurize a fluid and means to communicate via fluid communication means to a hydraulic appliance having a unitary body, with an unrestricted inlet port to receive the fluid, and an outlet port in association with a fluid flow retardation means secured to the interior surface of the outlet port. The reservoir in the supply unit is arranged with a heat exchanger immersed in the liquid and agitating means to avoid thermal stratification of the liquid. The reservoir is mounted in the supply unit with sufficient support to sustain the weight of a human and has an open top of sufficient dimensions to receive a human limb whereby the reservoir can be employed as a whirlpool bath. A cover is provided for the open top when the reservoir is not used as a whirlpool bath.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A system for applying liquid pressure to an animal body portion comprising a liquid control station;

a liquid reservoir in said station;
a liquid pump in said station;
a liquid flow circuit including said reservoir and pump and having a plurality of paths within said station;
means for selectively establishing each of a plurality of liquid flow paths each including said pump and said reservoir and each providing relatively unrestricted flow of said liquid;
a liquid pressure regulator, a liquid conduit from said flow circuit to said regulator;
an appliance having a closed envelope of flexible liquid impervious material having a liquid inlet port and a liquid exit port and adapted to be constrained against said animal body portion;
a liquid conduit from said regulator to said liquid inlet port of said appliance;
a liquid conduit from said liquid exit port of said appliance to said liquid flow circuit;
and a liquid flow restricting means within said appliance and between the appliance interior and said exit port whereby hydraulic pressure established by said regulator is imposed on said appliance by restricting flow therefrom while the liquid flow from said appliance to said reservoir through said liquid conduit from said appliance and said liquid flow circuit is relatively unrestrained.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/833,719Filed 16 Sep 1977
Granted: 17 Apr 1979
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

A61H 9/0078
Pneumatic massage: with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs
A61H 33/02
Bathing devices for special therapeutic or hygienic purposes: bathing devices for use with gas-containing liquid, or liquid in which gas is led or…
A61F 2007/0054
Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body: with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
A61H 35/006
Baths for specific parts of the body: for the feet