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US 6,676,614 B1Granted
Vest for body pulsating method and apparatus
AssigneeElectromed, Inc.
InventorsCraig N. Hansen, Lonnie J. Helgeson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vest for a human body has an air core coupled to a pulsator operable to subject the vest to repeated pulses of air which applies and releases pressure to the body. The vest has a cover having a pocket accommodating the air core, shoulder straps, and end flaps. Releasable hook and loop fasteners connect the straps to chest portions of the vest and end flaps to each other. A releasable retainer secured to the end flaps prevent the end flaps and releasable fasteners from disengaging when air pressure pulses are applied to the vest. The air core has an air chamber and a sleeve having an air receiving passage and openings to allow air to flow from the air receiving passage into the air chamber. A coil spring within the sleeve maintains the air receiving passage open.
Claims34
A vest for applying repetitive pressure pulses to a human body comprising:
- a non-elastic outer cover, a flexible liner attached to the cover surrounding a pocket, an air core located in the pocket between the cover and liner adapted to accommodate air pressure pulses which apply pressure pulses to a human body wearing the vest, said air core having flexible side walls secured together providing an air chamber for accommodating air, said side walls having bottom portions, an elongated sleeve joined to the bottom portions of the side walls having an air receiving passage, said bottom portions having at least one passage open to said air chamber and air receiving passage to allow air and air pressure pulses to flow from the air receiving passage into said air chamber, and a flexible coil spring located within and extended along the length of the sleeve and the air receiving passage of said sleeve to maintain the air receiving passage open to allow air to flow in said air receiving passage.
A vest for applying repetitive pressure pulses to a human body comprising:
- a non-elastic outer cover, a flexible liner attached to the cover surrounding a pocket, an air core located in the pocket between the cover and liner adapted to accommodate air pressure pulses which apply pressure pulses to a human body wearing the vest, said air core having flexible side walls secured together providing an air chamber for accommodating air, said side walls having bottom portions, an elongated sleeve joined to the bottom portions of the side walls having an air receiving passage, said bottom portions having at least one passage open to said air chamber and air receiving passage to allow air and air pressure pulses to flow from the air receiving passage into said air chamber, a flexible coil spring located within and extended along the length of the sleeve and the air receiving passage of said sleeve to allow air to flow in the air receiving passage, said cover having a pair of shoulder straps and chest portions, first releasable means connecting the shoulder straps to the chest portions, first and second end flaps joined to opposite ends of the cover, said end flaps being located in overlapping relation when the cover, liner, and air core are located around the body of the person, second releasable means connecting the first and second end flaps to hold the liner and air core in contact with the body of the person whereby when the air core is subjected to air pressure pulses repetitive pressure pulses are transmitted to the body of the person.
A vest for applying repetitive pressure pulses to a human body comprising:
- a non-elastic outer cover, a flexible liner attached to the cover surrounding a pocket, an air core located in the pocket between the cover and liner adapted to accommodate air pressure pulses which apply pressure pulses to a human body wearing the vest, said air core having flexible side walls secured together providing an air chamber for accommodating air, said side walls having bottom portions, an elongated sleeve joined to the bottom portions of the side walls having an air receiving passage, said bottom portions having at least one passage open to said air chamber and air receiving passage to allow air and air pressure pulses to flow from the air receiving passage into said air chamber, means located within and along the length of the air receiving passage of said sleeve to allow air to flow in the air receiving passage, said cover having a pair of shoulder straps and chest portions, first releasable means connecting the shoulder straps to the chest portions, first and second end flaps joined to opposite ends of the cover, said end flaps being located in overlapping relation when the cover, liner, and air core are located around the body of the person, second releasable means connecting the first and second end flaps to hold the liner and air core in contact with the body of the person whereby when the air core is subjected to air pressure pulses repetitive pressure pulses are transmitted to the body of the person, said bottom portions of the side walls have a plurality of horizontal spaced first seals and upright second seals joined to the first seals joining the side walls, the space between the first seals being open to provide air flow passages open to said air chamber and air receiving passage to allow air to flow upwardly from the air receiving passage into said air chamber, apertures in said side walls adjacent said upright seals to allow air to flow out of the air chamber, and spacer means comprising loop pads secured to a side wall extended through said spaces between the seals to maintain said air flow passages open.
An air core useable to apply repetitive pressure pulses to a human body comprising:
- flexible side walls secured together providing an air chamber for accommodating air, said side walls having bottom portions, an elongated sleeve joined to the bottom portions having at least one passage open to said air chamber and air receiving passage to allow air and air pressure pulses to flow from the air receiving passage into said air chamber, and a flexible coil spring located within and extended along the length of the sleeve and the air receiving passage of said sleeve to maintain the air receiving passage open to allow air to flow in said air receiving passage and from the air receiving passages into the air chamber.
An air core useable to apply repetitive pressure pulses to a human body comprising:
- flexible side walls secured together providing an air chamber for accommodating air, said side walls having bottom portions, an elongated sleeve joined to the bottom portions having at least one passage open to said air chamber and air receiving passage to allow air and air pressure pulses to flow from the air receiving passage into said air chamber, and means located within and along the length of the air receiving passage of said sleeve to maintain the air receiving passage open to allow air to flow in said air receiving passage and from the air receiving passages into the air chamber, said bottom portions of the side walls have a plurality of spaced seals joining the side walls, the spaces between the seals being open to provide air flow passages open to said air chamber and air receiving passage to allow air and air pressure pulses to flow upwardly from the air receiving passage into said air chamber, and spacer means comprising loop pads secured to a side wall extended through said spaces between the seals to maintain said air flow passages open.
An air core useable to apply repetitive pressure pulses to a human body comprising:
- flexible side walls secured together providing an air chamber for accommodating air, said side walls having bottom portions, an elongated sleeve joined to the bottom portions having at least one passage open to said air chamber and air receiving passage to allow air and air pressure pulses to flow from the air receiving passage into said air chamber, and means located within and along the length of the air receiving passage of said sleeve to maintain the air receiving passage open to allow air to flow in said air receiving passage and from the air receiving passages into the air chamber, said bottom portions of the side walls have a plurality of horizontal spaced first seals and upright second seals joined to the first seals joining the side walls, the space between the first seals being open to provide air flow passages open to said air chamber and air receiving passage to allow air to flow upwardly from the air receiving passage into said air chamber, apertures in said side walls adjacent said upright seals to allow air to flow out of the air chamber, and spacer means comprising loop pads secured to a side wall extended through said spaces between the first seals to maintain said air flow passages open.
A vest for applying repetitive pressure pulses to a human body comprising:
- a non-elastic outer cover, a flexible liner attached to the cover surrounding a pocket, an air core located in the pocket between the cover and liner, said air core having a bottom portion and an air chamber to accommodated air pressure pulses which apply pressure pulses to a human body wearing the vest, an elongated sleeve joined to the bottom portion of the air core having an air receiving passage, said bottom portion having at least one passage open to the air chamber and air receiving passage to allow air and air pressure pulses to flow from the air receiving passage into said air chamber, coil means located within and along the length of the air receiving passage of the sleeve to maintain the circumferential shape of the sleeve and passage for receiving air open to allow air to flow in said air receiving passage, said cover having a pair of shoulder straps and chest portions, first releasable means connecting the shoulder straps to the chest portions, first and second end flaps joined to opposite ends of the cover, said end flaps being located in overlapping relation when the cover, liner, and air core are located around the body of the person, second releasable means connecting the first and second end flaps to hold the liner and air core in contact with the body of the person whereby when the air core is subjected to air pressure pulses repetitive pressure pulses are transmitted to the body of the person, and third releasable means connecting the first and second end flaps operable to prevent the second releasable means from releasing the first and second end flaps during the application of repetitive pressure pulses to a human body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.