Constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot recuperating instrument for diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of medical instruments, and particularly discloses a constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot recuperating instrument for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The device comprises a control box, a medicine storage tank and a hard foot sleeve body. By arranging a closed-loop control system composed of a pressure sensor, a micro air pump and a main controller, the pressure of liquid medicine in the flexible inner container is monitored in real time and dynamically adjusted, and it is ensured that constant seepage pressure is maintained. A peristaltic pump is adopted to drive liquid medicine to circulate, and continuous and stable medicine permeation is achieved in cooperation with a medical silica gel porous membrane. The device is further provided with a heating module and a temperature sensor, and the temperature of the liquid medicine is accurately controlled within a safe range. A unique negative pressure recovery system can completely recover residual liquid medicine after treatment is finished, and waste is avoided. The buffer device can effectively absorb impact force generated by the foot. The problem that traditional pedicure equipment is low in medicine permeation efficiency due to unstable pressure is solved, and a safe and efficient household recuperating solution is provided for diabetic foot patients.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, specifically to a constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Background Technology

[0002] Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes, characterized by progressive damage and dysfunction of nerve fibers in the distal lower extremities. Patients often experience sensory abnormalities in the feet, such as numbness, tingling, or burning sensations, accompanied by protective sensory loss such as decreased pain and temperature sensation, and dulled touch. Due to impaired neuroregulation and microcirculatory disturbances, the skin of the feet is often dry and fragile, with significantly reduced wound healing ability and extremely low tolerance to mechanical stimulation and temperature changes. This unique pathophysiological state necessitates careful consideration when administering foot topical medications to these patients. It is crucial to ensure the continuous and stable absorption of the medication while strictly avoiding tissue damage caused by uneven pressure or temperature fluctuations.

[0003] Currently, traditional foot therapy devices used in clinical practice are mainly divided into two types: immersion type and wrap type. Immersion type foot therapy devices typically use rigid containers to hold medicated solutions, achieving foot therapy through overall immersion. However, they have the following significant drawbacks: a large amount of medicated solution is required to completely submerge the foot, leading to significant waste; as treatment time increases, the concentration of the medicated solution gradually dilutes due to water evaporation and drug absorption, affecting the therapeutic effect; the open container structure cannot maintain a stable medicated solution temperature, nor can it achieve precise control of osmotic pressure. Wrap type foot therapy devices use a flexible structure to wrap the medicated solution locally, which reduces the amount of medicated solution used, but still has significant shortcomings: during the medicated solution penetration process, the inner tank shrinks due to reduced volume, resulting in a less tight fit to the foot; when the patient's foot position changes slightly, the contact pressure between the medicated solution and the skin changes accordingly, causing unstable drug penetration rate and seriously affecting the therapeutic effect; existing devices generally lack real-time monitoring and dynamic adjustment mechanisms for internal medicated pressure, failing to meet the specific therapeutic needs of patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy who require constant osmotic pressure.

[0004] Therefore, a constant pressure herbal foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] (a) Technical problems to be solved To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a constant-pressure herbal foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. It has the advantages of real-time adjustment and maintenance of the osmotic pressure of the herbal solution and reduction of herbal solution waste. It solves the problems of poor treatment effect and serious herbal solution waste caused by unstable osmotic pressure and poor fit of traditional foot therapy devices.

[0006] (II) Technical Solution To achieve the aforementioned objectives of real-time control and maintenance of drug solution osmotic pressure and reduction of drug solution waste, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, including a control box; The control box contains a medicine storage tank and a rigid foot cover body, and the medicine storage tank is connected to a pneumatic control device. The bottom of the foot sleeve body is supported on the inner bottom surface of the control box by a buffer device; The foot sleeve body has a flexible inner liner inside, and the side of the flexible inner liner that is close to the foot is a permeable surface made of a porous membrane that can be permeated with medicine. The flexible inner liner is connected to an inlet pipe on the lower side and an outlet pipe on the upper side. The inlet and outlet pipes are connected to the medicine storage tank to form a closed medicine circulation loop. A peristaltic pump that drives the circulation of medicine is installed on the inlet pipe. A pressure sensor is provided inside the flexible inner liner or on the liquid circulation loop. The control box is also equipped with a main controller, which is connected to the pressure sensor and the air pressure control device and is configured to control the air pressure control device to operate according to the pressure signal fed back by the pressure sensor, thereby maintaining the pressure of the medicine liquid in the flexible inner liner at a constant preset value.

[0007] The air pressure control device is a miniature air pump.

[0008] The medicine storage tank has an opening at the top and is equipped with an openable and closable sealed lid.

[0009] The medicine storage tank is also equipped with a heating module for heating the medicine liquid and a temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature of the medicine liquid; both the heating module and the temperature sensor are electrically connected to the main controller.

[0010] The opening of the medicine storage tank is covered with a removable filter screen.

[0011] Both the inlet and outlet pipes are equipped with quick-release pipe connectors.

[0012] The quick-release pipe fitting is either a snap-fit ​​quick-sealing fitting or a threaded quick-tightening fitting.

[0013] The control box has a hinged door at the top, which is located directly above the quick-release pipe connector.

[0014] The buffer device is an elastic sponge pad, a silicone pad, or a set of miniature springs.

[0015] Specifically, the main controller is configured to pressurize or depressurize the air chamber at the top of the medicine storage tank by controlling the air pressure control device, so as to dynamically compensate for the fluctuation of the liquid pressure inside the flexible inner liner and ensure a constant penetration rate of the liquid.

[0016] (III) Beneficial Effects Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a constant pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, which has the following beneficial effects: The device uses a closed-loop control system consisting of a pressure sensor, a miniature air pump, and a main controller to monitor and dynamically adjust the pressure of the medication inside the flexible inner liner in real time, ensuring stable pressure. At the same time, combined with a medical-grade silicone porous membrane and a buffer device, it effectively buffers and absorbs the impact of foot shaking while maintaining continuous and stable medication penetration. This solves the problem of unstable drug penetration efficiency caused by pressure fluctuations in traditional devices, significantly improving the treatment safety and comfort for diabetic foot patients.

[0017] This device, through its optimized peristaltic pump position and negative pressure recovery system, can completely recover the residual medication in the flexible inner liner after treatment. Combined with a detachable filter and quick-release connector structure, it achieves efficient recycling of the medication and convenient system maintenance, avoiding medication waste and simplifying the cleaning process. Combined with a precise temperature control system, it provides diabetic patients with a safe, reliable, and easy-to-operate home foot care solution. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention; In the diagram: 1. Control box; 2. Medicine storage tank; 3. Foot sleeve body; 4. Air pressure control device; 5. Buffer device; 6. Flexible inner liner; 7. Permeable surface; 8. Water inlet pipe; 9. Water outlet pipe; 10. Peristaltic pump; 11. Pressure sensor; 12. Main controller; 13. Tank lid; 14. Heating module; 15. Temperature sensor; 16. Filter screen; 17. Pipeline quick-release connector; 18. Box door. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0020] Please see Figure 1 A constant pressure herbal foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy includes a control box 1, which contains a medicine storage tank 2 and a rigid foot cover body 3.

[0021] In this embodiment, the top of the medicine storage tank 2 is open and equipped with an openable and closable sealed tank cover 13, and a removable filter screen 16 covers the opening.

[0022] It should be noted that the sealing lid 13 uses a food-grade silicone sealing ring, achieving a reliable seal through a screw-on mechanism. This prevents leakage of the medicinal liquid while maintaining the system's airtightness, providing the necessary closed environment for subsequent pressure control. A transparent observation window is located in the center of the lid 13, allowing users to easily see the remaining liquid level. The filter screen 16 is made of stainless steel with a mesh diameter of 0.5mm, effectively intercepting medicinal residue without affecting the flow of the medicinal liquid. It is secured with snap-fit ​​mechanisms for easy disassembly and cleaning, preventing residue accumulation from affecting the circulation of the medicinal liquid.

[0023] In this embodiment, the upper part of the medicine storage tank 2 is connected to a pressure control device 4, which is a miniature air pump.

[0024] It should be noted that this miniature air pump is driven by a brushless motor, featuring low noise and minimal vibration. It is connected to the top of the medicine storage tank 2 via a precision air pipeline. The system pressure is adjusted by injecting or extracting air into the tank, thereby controlling the osmotic pressure of the medicine solution in the flexible inner liner 6. During use, the tank lid 13 should be kept closed to ensure airtightness.

[0025] It should be further explained that the liquid level of the medicine added each time is lower than the connection between the pressure control device 4 and the medicine storage tank 2, and the control box 1 is not sealed, which makes it easier for the pressure control device 4 to absorb and release gas from the outside, or the other end of the pressure control device 4 is directly connected to the outside.

[0026] A pressure sensor 11 is installed inside the flexible inner liner 6 or on the medicine circulation loop, and a main controller 12 is also installed in the control box 1. The main controller 12 is connected to the pressure sensor 11 and the air pressure control device 4 by signal, and is configured to control the air pressure control device 4 to operate according to the pressure signal fed back by the pressure sensor 11, thereby maintaining the medicine pressure in the flexible inner liner 6 at a constant preset value.

[0027] It should be noted that the pressure sensor 11 is a medical-grade piezoresistive sensor with a measurement accuracy of ±0.5%, which monitors the hydraulic pressure changes within the flexible inner liner 6 in real time. The main controller 12 uses a 32-bit ARM processor and runs a specially designed PID control algorithm, which can calculate the pressure deviation in real time and respond quickly to ensure that the system pressure remains stable within ±2% of the preset value.

[0028] In this embodiment, the bottom of the foot sleeve body 3 is supported on the inner bottom surface of the control box 1 by a buffer device 5, and a flexible inner liner 6 is provided inside. The buffer device 5 is an elastic sponge pad, a silicone pad, or a set of miniature springs.

[0029] It should be noted that the cushioning device 5 not only provides comfortable foot support, but more importantly, it absorbs the impact force generated by the patient's foot movement, preventing sudden pressure changes from affecting the stability of drug penetration and avoiding the rupture of the flexible inner liner 6. The micro-spring design is made of medical-grade stainless steel, which has excellent corrosion resistance and elastic recovery capabilities.

[0030] The flexible inner liner 6 has a permeable surface 7 on the side close to the foot, which is composed of a porous membrane that can be permeated with medicine. The lower side is connected to a water inlet pipe 8, and the upper side is connected to a water outlet pipe 9. The water inlet pipe 8 and the water outlet pipe 9 are connected to the medicine storage tank 2 to form a closed medicine circulation loop. A peristaltic pump 10 for driving the circulation of medicine is installed on the water inlet pipe 8.

[0031] It should be noted that the porous membrane uses biocompatible medical-grade silicone material with a pore size controlled between 5-10 micrometers. This ensures effective drug penetration without causing excessive drug loss due to overly large pores. The membrane thickness is 0.8 mm, exhibiting good flexibility and durability. The peristaltic pump 10 uses a stepper motor to precisely control the flow rate, with the speed adjustable within the range of 50-500 rpm, ensuring a stable flow rate for the drug solution. This design avoids the drug residue clogging problem that can occur with traditional impeller pumps, while also ensuring the uniformity of the drug solution concentration.

[0032] In this embodiment, the medicine storage tank 2 is also provided with a heating module 14 for heating the medicine liquid and a temperature sensor 15 for monitoring the temperature of the medicine liquid; the heating module 14 and the temperature sensor 15 are both electrically connected to the main controller 12.

[0033] It should be noted that the heating module 14 uses a PTC ceramic heating element, which has automatic temperature control characteristics. With the real-time monitoring of the temperature sensor 15, it can accurately control the temperature of the medicine solution within the safe treatment range of 35-42℃, with an error of no more than ±0.5℃.

[0034] Both the inlet pipe 8 and the outlet pipe 9 are equipped with quick-release pipe connectors 17, which are snap-on quick-sealing connectors or threaded quick-tightening connectors.

[0035] It should be noted that the quick-release pipe connector 17 features a unique self-sealing design, automatically sealing the pipe when disconnected to prevent leakage of the medication and ensuring no waste or environmental pollution when replacing or cleaning the inner tank. The snap-fit ​​connector is made of medical-grade polycarbonate, offering easy operation and reliable connection; the threaded quick-connect connector is made of stainless steel, providing a more robust connection. Users can choose the appropriate type based on their usage habits and needs.

[0036] In this embodiment, the top of the control box 1 is provided with an openable and closable door 18 connected by a hinge, and the door 18 is located directly above the quick-release pipe connector 17.

[0037] It should be noted that the cabinet door 18 is made of transparent acrylic material, making it easy to observe the internal workings. The hinge design has a positioning function, allowing it to remain open at any angle for convenient operation and maintenance.

[0038] Workflow Description: In use, the user first opens the door 18 and installs the flexible inner tank 6 via the quick-release connector 17. The prepared herbal medicine is then poured into the storage tank 2 and the lid 13 is sealed. After starting the equipment, the system automatically completes the following process: the heating module 14 heats the medicine to the set temperature; before the peristaltic pump 10 starts working, the user places their feet into the flexible inner tank 6, and then the peristaltic pump 10 starts working, pumping the medicine from bottom to top into the flexible inner tank 6 until it is completely filled. The permeable surface 7 of the flexible inner tank 6 is completely in contact with the feet. During this process, the pressure sensor 11 monitors the pressure changes in the inner tank in real time; the main controller 12 precisely adjusts the operation of the air pump according to the pressure feedback signal, maintaining a constant permeable pressure by controlling the air pressure inside the storage tank 2. When the system detects that the pressure has reached the preset constant value, it enters the stable treatment stage. Throughout the treatment process, the system continuously monitors and adjusts the pressure parameters to ensure the best treatment effect. After treatment, first turn off the peristaltic pump 10, then adjust the air pressure control device 4 to work in reverse. By drawing air out of the medicine storage tank 2, a negative pressure environment is created, causing the medicine in the flexible inner liner 6 to flow back to the medicine storage tank 2 from the inlet pipe 8 and the outlet pipe 9 under the action of pressure difference. After all the medicine is recovered, turn off all systems. At this time, the flexible inner liner 6 is in a deflated state. The user can easily remove the deflated flexible inner liner 6 for cleaning and disinfection through the quick-release connector 17.

[0039] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, comprising a control box, characterized in that: The control box contains a medicine storage tank and a rigid foot cover body, and the medicine storage tank is connected to a pneumatic control device. The bottom of the foot sleeve body is supported on the inner bottom surface of the control box by a buffer device; The foot sleeve body has a flexible inner liner inside, and the side of the flexible inner liner that is close to the foot is a permeable surface made of a porous membrane that can be permeated with medicine. The flexible inner liner is connected to an inlet pipe on the lower side and an outlet pipe on the upper side. The inlet and outlet pipes are connected to the medicine storage tank to form a closed medicine circulation loop. A peristaltic pump that drives the circulation of medicine is installed on the inlet pipe. A pressure sensor is provided inside the flexible inner liner or on the liquid circulation loop. The control box is also equipped with a main controller, which is connected to the pressure sensor and the air pressure control device and is configured to control the air pressure control device to operate according to the pressure signal fed back by the pressure sensor, thereby maintaining the pressure of the medicine liquid in the flexible inner liner at a constant preset value.

2. The constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air pressure control device is a miniature air pump.

3. The constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy according to claim 1, characterized in that: The medicine storage tank has an opening at the top and is equipped with an openable and closable sealed lid.

4. The constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy according to claim 1, characterized in that: The medicine storage tank is also equipped with a heating module for heating the medicine liquid and a temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature of the medicine liquid; both the heating module and the temperature sensor are electrically connected to the main controller.

5. A constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy according to claim 3, characterized in that: The opening of the medicine storage tank is covered with a removable filter screen.

6. The constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the inlet and outlet pipes are equipped with quick-release pipe connectors.

7. A constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy according to claim 6, characterized in that: The quick-release pipe fitting is either a snap-fit ​​quick-sealing fitting or a threaded quick-tightening fitting.

8. A constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the control box is equipped with a hinged door, which is located directly above the quick-release connector for the pipeline.

9. A constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cushioning device is an elastic sponge pad, a silicone pad, or a set of miniature springs.

10. A constant-pressure traditional Chinese medicine foot therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main controller is specifically configured to pressurize or depressurize the air chamber at the top of the medicine storage tank by controlling the air pressure control device, so as to dynamically compensate for the fluctuation of the liquid pressure inside the flexible inner liner and ensure a constant penetration rate of the liquid.

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