US1608239A - Therapeutic device - Google Patents

Description

Naif 23 i 926.

J. ROSETT THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Filed Dec. 9, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 23 1926 i,e0s,239 J. RQSETT THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Filed Dec. 9, 1925 4 SheetS S heet 2 ooooooo T EL wen/0r Nov.23., 1926"; I 608,239

I J. RQSETT M THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Filed Dec. 9. 1925 '4 Sheets-Sheet 5' mvemor Nov. 23 1926.

J. ROSETT THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Filed Dec. 9', 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFF-ICE.

JOSHUA ROSETT, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y.

THERAPEUTIC DEVICE.

Application filed Deceinber 9, 125. Serial No. 74,265.

This invention relates to therapeutic devices and particularly to a device for assisting in the circulation of the blood or for massaging the human body.

The general object of the invention is to provide means for relieving to a certain extent the work of the heart, where such relief is necessary, by propelling the venous blood of the body surface from the limbs and from the trunk toward the heart; and also for increasing the general nutrition of the body, in cases where this is desirable, by a systematic kneading of the tissues and consequent enhancement of circulation of the fluids in the lymphatic spaces.

Generally speaking, the device comprises what may be considered a pneumatic suit or garment adapted to be applied to the trunk and limbs of the patient. This neumatic suitcomprises or has embodied in it, collapsible transverse or circumferential tubes to which air under pressure may be admitted, in such a manner as to inflate the tubes one after another in groups so as to cause the garment to exert waves of pressure from the extremities of the limbs and from the lower portion of the trunk of the patient towards the region of the heart. The compressed air for operating the garment may be supplied from any suitable source, through a valve mechanism which is preferably automatically operated and serves to admit the compressed air to and allow it to escape from the tubes of the garment in proper sequence in all of the groups of such tubes. For conveniencc in handling the garment and applying it to a patient, it is preferably divided into a plurality of sections surrounding the trunk and limbs of the patient. There are preferably four of such sections, two of which respectively surround the arms of the patient, one of which surrounds the trunk and one leg of the patient. and the other of which surrounds the other leg of the patient. In each of these sections the transverse collapsible tubes are arranged in groups; and corresponding transverse tubes of the various groups are simultaneously inflated and deflated so. as to cause said tubes to exert waves of pressure as hereinbefore mentioned. The compressed air for inflating the transverse tubes is preferably supplied to them through longitudinal tubes, that is, tubes extending longitudinally of the body of the patient and iprO eeting beyond his shoulders and head. When the garment is made with four sections, as above described, four sets of such longitudinal tubes are preferably provided, and in each such set of longitudinal tubes, there is one tube extending to and connected with all of the corresponding transverse tubes in each group of transverse tubes in that section. For example, if (as in the garment hereinafter described) there are seven transverse tubes in each group, there will be seven longitudinal tubes leading to each section of the garment; and, if there are four sections of thegarment, there will be four such groups of seven longitudinal tubes. For convenience, the corresponding longitudinal tubes leading to the four sections of the garment may be connected together so that they will be simultaneously supplied with compressed air; the number of tubes through which the compressed air is supplied from the source to the garment being thus reduced to the number of transverse tubes in the groups of such tubes, that is, seven in the case of the garment hereinafter described.

The suit or garment comprising the present invention may be made of any suitable material and may be designed in many dif-, ferent ways without' departing from the spirit of the invention. In practice, it has been found that such a garment may advantageously be made of a fine air-tight textile fabric such as rubberized silk or cotton. Such material provides tubes which are readily inflated and deflated, and being substantially inelastic insures that the tubes will, when inflated, exert the desired pressure uponthe surface of the body of the patient.

The invention will be understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View, more or less diagrammatic in character, showing a garment embodying the invention applied to a patient, and connected with a suitable source of Figure 3 is a sectional elevation through sai valve mechanism on the line 33 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through said valve mechanism on the line H of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view, somewhat diagrammatic in character, of the outside of a garment spread out on a fiat. surface;

Figure 5 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line 5--5 of Figure 5;

Figures 6 to 12 are diagrammatic plan views showing how the corresponding transverse tubes in the various sections of the garment are related to their longitudinal tubes, and how such assemblages of such transverse and longitudinal tubes are related to one another in the completed garment;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary view of a portion of one of the sections of the, garment, showing th e relation between the transverse and longitudinal tubes; Figure 14 is adiagrammatic sectional elevation of that portion of the garment shown in Figure 13, llustrating how the longitu dinal tubes may be arranged with reference to the transverse tubes;

- Figure 15 is a fragmentary side view of;

the lower portion of a leg and foot of a patient, showing how certain ofthe transverse tubes may be left unused, when the garment is applied to a patient of short stature;

. Figure 16 is a transverse sectional elevation through a transversetube, a longitudinal tube and a portion of the fastening device, illustrating the construction of-the garment at these points;

' Figure 17 1s a fragmentary sectional ale vation of. one end of a transverse tubea illustrating a hookforming part of the fastening device; and A p Figure 18 is a fragmentary view of a union suit studded with buttons for use with the arment under. some conditions.

'T e garment embodying the invention, best illustrated as a whole in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings, comprises transverse tubes a, longitudinal tubes 6, cross tubes 0, and intake or coupling pipes (1. As' will be apparent from Figure 5, the transverse'tubes a are arranged in four-sections, viz, section RA intended to be secured around the right arm of the patient; section LA applicable -to the left arm of the patient; section TRL applicable to the trunk and. ri ht leg of the patient; and section LL app icable to the l left leg of the patient. In each of these sections, the transverse tubes are arranged in groups of seven so far as possible, and the correspondingtra'nsversetubes a of the va-' rious groups are connected to a correspond ing longitudinal tube b, of which there are seven extending to each section of the gar- .ment. These seven longitudinal tubes b,

3 extending to the four sections of the garment, are connected to seven corresponding cross tubes 0, each of which is provided with a coupling piped. In order to indicate graphically how the transverse tubes a, longitudinal tubes I), cross tubes 0 and coupling pipes d are related, numerals 1 to 7 are used in Figures 5, 13 and 14 of the drawings, to indicate that those tubes and pipes bearing the same numeral are connected to one another. For example, in each section of the garment, all of the transverse tubes a bearing the numeral 7 communicate with a longitudinal tube b bearing the numeral 7; and all four of such longitudinal tubes communicate with a cross tube a bearing the numeral 7 which communicates with a coupling pipe d bearing the numeral 7 Figures 6 to 12 show diagrammatically how the, various sets of tubes making up the garment may be made so that whensuperimposed one-upon another, with the cross tubes 0 and the longitudinal tubes 6 directly on top of one another, the transverse tubes a will be arranged in slightly overlapping relation as shown in Figure 5. That is, F igure 6 shows all of the tubes a, b and 0, and

as I

the coupling pipe (I bearing the numeral. 1; v

Figure 7 shows all of thetubes a, b and c, and the coupling piped, bearing the numeral 2; Figure 8 shows all of'the tubes a, b, and 0, and the coupling pipe d, bearing the numeral3, etc. However, of course, it is to be understood that the number of transverse tubes in a group may be fixed at some number other than seven, for example, six or eight, without departing from; the principle involved. 7

- Havingthus explainedthe theory. upon which a garment embodying the invention may be constructed,tthedetailed construction of the particular garment illustrated in" the accompanying drawings will now be explained. As hereinbefore stated, the vari- J ous tubesmay conveniently be made of rubs berized silk or cotton. As best shown in Figure 16,the transverse tubes a of such material may be made by folding a strip thereof. longitudinally and then folding over. I

and cementing one ee edge thereof upon the other, as shownat 17 in that figure. The ends of said tubes may also be closed in a similar manner. The tubes b and a may be constructed in the same way, or' as illustrated in Figure 5", which shows the edges of the fabric" overlapped and cemented along one side as indicated at 19, instead of along the edge of such tubes.

Communication between the transverse tubes a and. the longitudinal tubes b, and between the longitudinal tubes b and the cross tubes 0, and between the cross tubes 0 and the coupling pipes (I may be readily effected by means of metal eyelets as shown in Figure 16. In this figure, the flange end sleeve portion of the eyelet is shown at 20 and the ring portion thereof at 21, these parts being crimped together in a wellknown manner with the fabric ofthe adjacent walls of the tubes a and 7) between them. The fabric of the tubes is pierced for the reception of the eyelets, and the eyelets are inserted and crimped, before the edges of the fabric are cemented togetherat 17 or 19 (Figures 16 and 5?) to form the tubes. Other methods, however, of providing communication between tubes a and I), b and a, and c and d may be used, the particular one just described being merely illustrative of a construction thathas been found satisfactory.

In order to provide for the securing of 1 the transverse tubes a around the trunk and limbs of the patient, adjustable means must.

be provided for securing the ends of these tubes together. Obviously, various forms of such securing means may be employed. In the garment illustrated in the drawings, this means comprises a hook 24 secured by an eleyet 25, or in any other suitable manner, to one end of each tube a; and a series of eyelets 26, which may be inserted in a fabric strip 27 secured by cement at its edges 28 to the outside of the'tran'sverse tube a, as best shown in Figures 5, 16 and 17.

In making up-the garment, it will be found convenient to assemble the corresponding transverse tubes a, longitudinal tubes 6, cross tubes 0 and coupling tubes at as illustrated in Figures 6 to 12. After the corresponding transverse tubes a have been thus secured to their longitudinal tubes I) at proper distances from the cross tubes 0, the sets of tubes shown in Figures 6 to 12 may be assembled, to form the garment shown in Figureil, by superimposing the cross tubes d and the longitudinal tubes 6. The manner of superimposing these sets of tubes is best shown in Figures 13 and 1%}, which maybe considered as representing one of arm sections RA of the garment. It will be noted from Figures 13 and 14 that I the transverse tubes a are in overlapping relation. It will also be apparent from Figure 14, how the longitudinal tubes 1) are arranged with reference to the transverse tubes a. In order to maintain the proper relation between the various sets of tubes shown in Figures 6 to 12, after they are assembled into the garment, the overlapping edges of the transverse tubes 0 are preferably cemented together for some distance each side of the longitudinal tubes or; and the longitudinal tubes 6 are also cemented to one another at various points about midway of their width. In order to further assist in holding the transverse tubes (1 in proper relation to one another, strips 30 of fabric may be cemented to the tubes, on the outer side thereof, as shown in Figure 5. In this way, the four sections, RA, LA,

TRL and LL of the garment are given sufficient stability to permit their being handled with ease. Inasmuch as not more than two of the cross tubes 0 and not more than two longitudinal tubes 6 in each section areinflated at any one time, as hereinafter explained, no difficulty-arises from the fact that these tubes are cemented to one another. In order to facilitate application of the transverse tubes a to the feet and hands of the patient, the last few of such tubes .at the end of each section of the garment, are left free and uncemented to one another along their edges, as shown in Figure 5 at the ends of sections RA and TRL.

. Of course, it is desirable that the garment be capable of use with patients of different stature. Persons of different statures, of course, have different lengths of trunk and arms and legs, which means that tall patients require the use of more transverse tubes at than short patients. For general use, the garment must have sufficient transverse tubes a to be capable of use with a tall beyond the end of the arms and legs, thereby leaving these transverse tubes inactive. Ad justments for diflerent lengths of trunk are also easily made by designing the trunk portion of thegarment, that is, the upper portion of the section 'lR-L',.so as to fit a short person, say one about 5 ft. 3 in. tall, and by using for the lower part of the trunk of a tall person, one or more of the transverse tubes at which form the upper parts of the thigh sections of the garment when it is applied to ashort person. The manner in which the trunk portion of the garment is thus lengthened for tall persons will be apparent fromliigure 5, in which the upper three transverse tubes a in the section TRL are provided with eyelets 26' which may be engaged by the hooks 24 on the ends of the three upper transverse tubes (1 in the section LL, thereby in effect combining the three upper tubes in each leg section of the garment into three tubes capable of surrounding the trunk of the patient. The three upper" transverse tubes in the section LL are provided with auxiliary hooks 24. which are adapted to engage the eyelets 26 on the tubes at of the section TRL, when are converted into tubes capable of surrounding the trunk of the patient.

With the aid of Figureslto 4,-one means for supplying compressed air to the garthe distributing va ve V. The construction of this distributing valve -.V is shown in Figment for tht erplroper use thereofwill nowjbe described. s means may take many forms and theone hereinafterdescribed is to be considered-as merely'illustrative. 'As has been hereinbefore, mentioned, com-.- pressed air-at suitable pressure must be sup plied to andrelieved from. the couphn ipes d one after another, so as inflate an deflate the seven transverse tubes one after another in the various sections 'of'the gar"- ment. It is desirable that the expansion of v each transverse tube a shall take place before the receding transverse. tube a has be-' gun to co apse, and as soon as the expansion of a tube has. been accomplished the air V in the preceding adjacent transverse tube should e promptly released. This method of inflating. and deflating the transverse tubes a, is accomplished by the apparatus which will now be explained.

Referring to Figure 1, the Cpatieplt i? shown wit t ie garas lyingupon a table or be ment properly applied. When so arranged, the cross tubes 0 are beyond the head of the patient, and'the coupling tubes at are in position to be attached -to pipes or tubes 40 leading to a distributin valve V which will be hereinaftei describe A supply of compressed air may be obtained fromany suitable pump slnot shown), from which itmay pass throu I a pipe 42 to a storage tank T, rom which it may assthrough a pipe 44; to

ures 2, 3 and 4. Asshown in those figures said valve comprises a'cas'ing composed 0 ends 5.0 and 51, substantially circular in shape butp'rovided with feet 52 and 53, said ends being bolted to, a cylindrical shell 55 by means of bolts56; These seven pipes 40, communicate with openings in the shell 5 spaced'at equal angular distances around thejcircumference of said shell as best shown in Figure 3. The pipe 44 leading to the air storage tank T also communicates with 1 an o ning in the shell 55 but at a point lonitu inally at some distance from the openings with which the pipes 40 communicate.

Within'the casing formed by the end members 50 andv51 and theshell 55, is a rotating. valve member, the shaft 58 of which is "journaled in the end members 50 and .51. Said shaft 58 carries a pulley 59 by which it may be rotated by hand or any suitable sourceiof power not shown. As best shown in Figure 4, the rotating. meinber of. the valveis grooved as indicated at.61 opposite the point where the pipe 44 communicates with the casing.' Communicating with this groove 61, is a longitudinally extending cavity; 62 in the cylindrical face of that portion of'the rotating valve member which is opposite the points at, which the pipes 40 communicate with the valve casing. This portion of the rotating valve member is also provided witli a circumfereutially extending 1 cavity 65, from-which extends an exhaust passageformed bythe radial hold 66, and

the'axial hold 68 lathe-rotating valve member. The length ofthe cavities 62 and .70

on the circumference of the rotating valve Y member will be apparent vfrom Fi re "3. 1 "Frpm this figure it will be evidentt at the v 1 cavity -62 is capable of spanning the distance between the two adjacent pipes 40, thereby insurin that compressed air from the pi' '44 will e admitted to a pipe '40 before said supply of compressed air is cut oif from the previou'spipe 40. It will also be apparent? rom Figu're 3, that the cavity- 65 is o haus't from each pipe 40 soon after compressed airhas been admitted to-the succeedmg pipe 40. Assuming that the rotating ortion of the valve revolves inthe direction 8 r indicated by the arrow in Figure 3, it will be apparent that compressed air'will beadmitted by this valve mechanism successively, to the pipes 40 and will be allowedto exhaust t i inflation and deflation of the transverse erefrom, so asvto cause the desired V I Sufi'l: clent length so that it Wlll permit airto ex a tubes at which are in communication with I a said pipes-40 through the longitudinal tubes? 1), cross tubes 0 and coupling pipes d. -In

the operation of the device, the rotating 9 member-of the .valve mechanism V may be driven at any desiredspeed depending upon the rate at which it is desired to, a'pply waves of pressure to the surface of the body of the. patient. For example, the rotating 9 member of the valve may be driven at a rate-e of from 15 to 20 revolutions per minute.

The manner in which the rment is ap- Y lied to a patient will be 0 vious. After eing spread out upon a table orbed, with 1 the side opposite to thatshown in Figure 3 uppermost, the patient is laced thereon and the various transverse 'tuhes a are fastened around. his trunk, legs and arms,-,by means of the hooks 24 and eyelets 26. Adjustment .to

the effect-of the garment is preferably e'nlianced by clothing the patient with a union suit 7 0 studded on the inside. with buttons 71, as shown in Figure 18, t 1e garment bein then a pliedover this suit.

It will enote that the comfort atie'nt maybe continued as added 1 of the. patient during. treatment is prompted by the fact that, although he is almost com- 9 be modified in many respects without de- I Ear-tin from the spirit of the invention as efine in the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is:

1. In a therapeutic device adapted to be applied to the body of a patient, a garment containing transverse collapsible inelastic tubes adapted to surround the body. and means for repeatedly inflating and deflating said tubes one after another so as to cause them to exert waves of pressure upon the surface of the body from the extremities toward the upper part of the chest.

2. In a therapeutic device adapted to be applied to the body of a patient, a garment containing groups of transverse collapsible inelastic tubes adapted to surround the body, and means for successively inflating and deflating the tubes in each group one after another so as to cause them to exert waves of pressure upon the surface of the body from the extremities toward the upper part of the chest.

3. In a therapeutic device adapted to be applied to the body of a patient, a garment containing a plurality of collapsible inelastic tubes, means for securing each tube around the body ofthe patient, longitudinally extending tubes connected to said transverse tubes, and means for temporarily inflating said transverse tubes one after another through a medium under pressure supplied through, said longitudinal tubes.

4. In a therapeutic device adapted to be, applied tothe body of apatient. a garment containing transverse collapsible inelastic tubes adapted to surround the body and arranged in a plurality of sections which surround various parts of the body, and means for repeatedly inflating and deflating said tubes one after another in each of said sections;

5. In a therapeutic device adapted to be applied to the body of a patient, transverse collapsible inelastic tubes adaptedto surround the body and arranged in a plurality of sections surrounding the trunk and limbs of the patient, the tubes in each section being arranged in groups, and means for inflating and deflating the corresponding tubes of are various groups one after another soasto cause said tubes to exert waves of pressure upon the surfaces of the trunk and limbs of the patient from the extremities toward the upper part of the chest.

6. In a therapeutic device adapted to be I applied to the body of a patient, transverse collapsible tubes arranged in groups and adapted'to surround the trunk and limbs of the patient, longitudinal tubes connected to corresponding transverse tubes in said groups, and means for temporarily furnishing compressed air through said longitudinal tubes to said transverse tubes, whereby the latter are inflated and deflated one after another in the several groups.

applied to the body of a patient, transverse collapsible tubes arranged in a plurality of sections SUII'OIlIldiIlg various parts of the b dy, the transverse tubes in each section being arranged in groups, longitudinal tubes connected to corresponding transverse tubes in the groups of each section, and means for temporarily furnishing compressed air 7. In a therapeutic device adapted to be through said longitudinal tubes to said transverse tubes one after another, whereby the tubes of each group are inflated and deflated one after another so as to cause them to exert waves of pressure upon the surface of the body.

8. In as therapeutic device adapted to be applied to the body of a patient, a garment containing transverse collapsible tubes. certain of which are adapted to surround the arms of the patient, certain of which are adapted to surround the trunk of the pa- ,tient, certain of which are adapted to-surround the legs of the patient, and certain of which may be united so as to surround the trunk and may be used separately so as to surround the. legs of the patient: and means for inflating. and deflating said tubes one after another in groups so as to cause them to exert Waves of pressure" upon the surface of the body in a direction from the extremities towards the upper part of the chest of the patient.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature to this specification.

. JOSHUA ROSET'E.

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