Limb pressure belt with active rhythm pressure applying and feedback adjusting functions and pressure applying device

Abstract

The invention discloses a limb pressure band with active rhythm pressure applying and feedback adjusting functions and a pressure applying device. The limb pressure belt comprises an elastic base body, artificial muscle fibers and a sensor; the elastic base body is provided with a first surface and a second surface, the artificial muscle fibers are arranged on the first surface, the sensor is arranged on the second surface, and the extending direction of the artificial muscle fibers is the same as the stretching direction of the elastic base body; when the pressure borne by the inductor changes or the inductor deforms, the electrical characteristics of the inductor change. According to the limb pressure band and the pressure applying device, pressure adjustment is carried out based on the artificial muscle fibers, adjustable pressure generated by the artificial muscle fibers is additionally added on the basis of basic pressure provided by the elastic base body, and the limb pressure band and the pressure applying device have the advantages of being light, flexible and portable; the pressure applying device based on the limb pressure belt has the functions of active rhythm pressure adjustment and feedback self-adaptive adjustment, and is novel in technology, high in innovativeness, high in application scene adaptability and rich in application scene.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of artificial muscles, and particularly to a limb pressure band and a pressure applying device with active rhythmic pressure application and feedback regulation functions. Background Art

[0002] Lower extremity varicose vein diseases and lower extremity venous diseases such as venous thrombosis that may occur after surgery are in a high incidence in the population, reducing people's quality of life. Given the extensive impact and serious consequences of such diseases, it is particularly important to seek effective treatment methods. Mechanical therapy has become a commonly used method for treating lower extremity venous diseases due to its unique mechanism of action and remarkable treatment effect. The working mechanism of mechanical therapy is to apply appropriate and continuous pressure to the lower extremities through specially designed equipment or devices, effectively promoting venous blood return, improving lower extremity blood circulation, and achieving the effect of preventing and treating lower extremity venous diseases.

[0003] Clinically, elastic stockings, intermittent pneumatic compression devices, and venous foot pumps are usually used to prevent lower extremity venous diseases. Elastic stockings can enhance the function of the diseased venous valves in the lower extremities, reduce blood reflux, and promote blood circulation, thereby assisting in the treatment of varicose vein diseases and reducing the formation of venous thrombosis. However, currently, medical pressure stockings lack active rhythmic pressure and real-time pressure monitoring functions. Active rhythmic pressure can adapt to the needs of the human body in different activity states, thus significantly improving the treatment effect. Real-time pressure monitoring allows users to understand the actual pressure value borne by the legs, thereby avoiding blood circulation obstruction caused by being too tight and failing to achieve the expected treatment effect due to being too loose. The intermittent pneumatic compression device uses cyclic inflation / deflation to enhance the blood flow capacity of the deep veins, achieving the effect of preventing thrombosis. The venous foot pump impacts the sole of the foot with pulsed gas in an extremely short time, enabling the venous blood in the lower extremities to obtain a pulsed acceleration similar to that during walking, thereby increasing the blood flow rate and preventing thrombosis. The main problems with the intermittent pneumatic compression device and the venous foot pump method are the limitations of the device complexity (requiring an air pump for assistance) on the application scenarios. They are mainly used in specialized medical institutions for treating patients with deep venous diseases, and their practical application in daily lightweight use scenarios is not realistic. This is mainly because such treatment methods often require professional equipment and skilled operations to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the treatment, and it is difficult to provide these necessary conditions and guarantees in ordinary living or working environments.

[0004] In summary, the main disadvantages of the limb pressure bands provided in the prior art include: 1) The pressure socks lack active rhythmic pressure and real-time pressure monitoring functions; 2) The intermittent pneumatic compression devices and venous foot pumps are complex and not portable, and require an air pump for assistance; 3) The intermittent pneumatic compression devices and venous foot pumps have great limitations on the application scenarios. They are mainly used in specialized medical institutions to treat patients with deep vein diseases, and their practical application for daily lightweight use scenarios is not realistic. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Aiming at the deficiencies of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a limb pressure band and a pressure application device with active pressure application and feedback adjustment functions.

[0006] To achieve the aforementioned invention purpose, the technical solutions adopted by the present invention include:

[0007] In the first aspect, the present invention provides a limb pressure band with active rhythmic pressure application and feedback adjustment functions, which includes an elastic matrix, artificial muscle fibers, and a sensor;

[0008] The elastic matrix has a first surface and a second surface facing away from each other. The artificial muscle fibers are arranged on the first surface, and the sensor is arranged on the second surface. Moreover, the extending directions of the artificial muscle fibers are all in the same direction as the stretching direction of the elastic matrix;

[0009] When the pressure received by the sensor changes or the sensor deforms, the electrical characteristics of the sensor change.

[0010] In the second aspect, the present invention also provides a limb pressure application device with active pressure application and feedback adjustment functions, which includes the above-mentioned limb pressure band and a controller. The controller has a current circuit and a signal circuit. The current circuit is connected to both ends of the artificial muscle fibers of the limb pressure band, and the signal circuit is connected to two electrodes of the sensor of the limb pressure band;

[0011] The controller dynamically adjusts the current value of the current circuit based on the pressure feedback signal obtained from the signal circuit.

[0012] Based on the above technical solutions, compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention at least include:

[0013] The limb pressure band and the pressure application device provided by the present invention perform pressure adjustment based on artificial muscle fibers, and an additional adjustable pressure generated by the artificial muscle fibers is added on the basis of the basic pressure provided by the elastic matrix. They have the advantages of being lightweight, flexible, and portable; the pressure application device based on this limb pressure band has the functions of active rhythmic pressure adjustment and feedback adaptive adjustment, with novel technology, high innovation, strong adaptability to application scenarios, and rich application scenarios.

[0014] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to enable those skilled in the art to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application and to implement it in accordance with the content of the specification, the following describes the preferred embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with detailed drawings as follows. Description of the Drawings

[0015] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural design diagram of a limb pressure band provided by a typical embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 It is a physical photo of a limb pressure band provided by a typical embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3 It is a photo of an application example of a limb pressure band provided by a typical embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the change in the active rhythmic contractile force of a limb pressure band provided by a typical embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the active rhythmic contractile force and the force state feedback state of a limb pressure band provided by a typical embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 6 It is a test chart of the change in the long-term working temperature of a limb pressure band provided by a typical embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 7 It is an infrared image of a limb pressure band provided by a typical embodiment of the present invention in the working state. Detailed Embodiments

[0022] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the inventors of this case have, through long-term research and a large number of practices, been able to propose the technical solution of the present invention. The following will further explain the technical solution, its implementation process and principles, etc.

[0023] In the following description, many specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0024] Moreover, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one component or method step with the same name from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these components or method steps.

[0025] An embodiment of the present invention provides a limb pressure band with active pressure application and feedback regulation functions, which includes an elastic matrix, artificial muscle fibers, and a sensor; the elastic matrix has a first surface and a second surface facing away from each other, the artificial muscle fibers are arranged on the first surface, the sensor is arranged on the second surface, and the extending directions of the artificial muscle fibers are all in the same direction as the telescopic direction of the elastic matrix; when the pressure received by the sensor changes or the sensor deforms, the electrical characteristics of the sensor change.

[0026] In some embodiments, the elastic matrix is strip-shaped and includes fastening structures arranged at both ends along the telescopic direction, which can be fastened to form an annular body.

[0027] In some embodiments, the elastic matrix itself is a closed ring.

[0028] In some embodiments, when the elastic matrix is strip-shaped, the fastening structure includes a plurality of fastening positions arranged in sequence along the telescopic direction, and after fastening, a variety of annular bodies with different circumferences are formed correspondingly.

[0029] In some embodiments, the elastic matrix is at least formed by weaving elastic fibers, and the materials of the elastic fibers include any one or a combination of two or more of rubber, latex, polyurethane, polyester fiber, silicone, spandex.

[0030] In some embodiments, the artificial muscle fibers have a helical structure and conductivity.

[0031] In some embodiments, the matrix fibers of the artificial muscle fibers include any one or a combination of two or more of nylon fiber, carbon nanotube fiber, polydimethylsiloxane fiber, nylon fiber, aramid fiber, polyimide fiber, liquid crystal elastomer fiber, carbon fiber, polyurethane fiber, and / or their composite fibers.

[0032] In some embodiments, the sensor includes a strain sensor and / or a pressure sensor. The strain sensor includes any one or a combination of two or more of a perception-driving integrated artificial muscle fiber, a membrane-type tensile strain sensor, and a linear tensile strain sensor. The pressure sensor includes any one or a combination of two or more of a perception-driving integrated artificial muscle fiber, a piezoelectric sensor, and an optical fiber sensor.

[0033] In some embodiments, when the sensor is selected from strain sensors, the tensile strain sensing direction of the strain sensor is in the same direction as the telescopic direction.

[0034] As some typical embodiments of the above technical solutions, reference can be made to Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, based on a nylon@silicone elastomer thermoresponsive helical structure artificial muscle fiber, a lightweight flexible pressure band with active rhythmic pressure and feedback functions is designed. Based on three adjustable basic pressures applied by the elastic band, rhythmic active pressure can be applied to the lower limbs of patients through the flexible artificial muscle fiber to promote blood circulation. Among them, the installed integrated sensing-driving artificial muscle fiber (similar to a pressure sensor) can feedback the working state of the contraction force, and rhythmic pressure control and autonomous working state adjustment can be achieved through a closed-loop circuit design. Compared with traditional mechanical therapies, the pressure band based on artificial muscle fibers has the advantages of flexibility, light weight, and portability.

[0035] Based on the limb pressure band provided by the above-mentioned embodiments, the second aspect of the embodiments of the present invention further provides a limb pressure application device with active rhythmic pressure application and feedback adjustment functions, which includes the limb pressure band provided by any of the above-mentioned embodiments and a controller. The controller has a current loop and a signal loop. The current loop is connected to both ends of the artificial muscle fiber of the limb pressure band, and the signal loop is connected to two electrodes of the inductor of the limb pressure band; the controller dynamically adjusts the current value of the current loop based on the pressure feedback signal obtained by the signal loop.

[0036] In some embodiments, the control of the current loop by the controller is a combination of rhythmic control and adaptive control. The rhythmic control includes a basic rhythm period, and the adaptive control includes adaptive current peak adjustment and adaptive rhythm period adjustment based on the signal loop.

[0037] The technical solutions of the present invention will be further described in detail below through several embodiments in combination with the drawings. However, the selected embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0038] Embodiment 1

[0039] This embodiment provides the preparation process of the limb pressure band shown above, which is specifically as follows:

[0040] Step 1: Design a simple snap structure that can adjust the force size at both ends of the elastic pressure band fabric to provide different initial pressures.

[0041] Step 2: Parallelly install multiple nylon@silicone elastomer artificial fibers on the pressure band fabric to convert the contraction force of the artificial muscle fiber into circumferential pressure.

[0042] Step 3: Install an artificial muscle fiber with an integrated sensing-driving function on the pressure band fabric to achieve the feedback function.

[0043] Figure 3This is a physical diagram of the limb pressure band based on artificial muscle fibers designed in this embodiment. Simple buckle structures for adjusting the force magnitude are designed at both ends of the pressure band fabric to provide different initial pressures. Three pre-stretched states of the buckle can meet the needs of different body types and different patients. Six artificial muscle fibers are arranged on the front of the pressure band fabric (the front faces outward to wrap the limb during application) to provide active rhythmic pressure. A sensing-driving integrated artificial muscle fiber is installed on the back of the pressure band fabric to provide a feedback function, and rhythmic pressure control and autonomous adjustment of the working state can be achieved through a closed-circuit design.

[0044] Figure 4 This is the active rhythmic pressure performance test of the pressure band based on artificial muscle fibers provided in this embodiment under three different buckle modes. The initial pressures under the three different buckle modes are 12.8 N, 15.4 N, and 17.1 N respectively, and the active rhythmic pressures provided by the artificial muscle fibers are ~3 N, ~2.5 N, and ~2 N respectively.

[0045] Figure 5 This is the test of the feedback performance during the application of the active rhythmic pressure of the pressure band based on artificial muscle fibers provided in this embodiment under three different buckle modes. There is a good linear relationship between the contraction force and the relative resistance change of the material, and the contraction force state of the fiber can be tracked in real time through the resistance change. The feedback signal can enable the active rhythmic pressure of the pressure band to achieve adaptive adjustment through closed-loop control.

[0046] Figure 6 This is the temperature change test during the working process of the pressure band based on artificial muscle fibers provided in this embodiment. During the driving process, it can be combined with Figure 7 As shown, the highest surface temperature of the artificial muscle fiber on the pressure band is ~180 °C, while the surface temperature of the fabric does not change significantly. The compression-release test of 4800 cycles shows that the pressure band has good long-term working stability. During the compression-release test of 4800 cycles, the highest temperature of this fabric is ~41.5 °C, which is lower than the temperature threshold (42 °C) of human low-temperature burns.

[0047] Example 2

[0048] In step 1, the material of the elastic pressure band fabric can be many types, such as rubber, latex, polyurethane, polyester fiber, silicone, spandex, etc.; the buckle structure can achieve more than 3 adjustable force modes.

[0049] Example 3

[0050] The nylon@silica elastomer artificial muscle fibers used in Step 2 can be replaced by artificial muscle fibers made of other materials or composite materials, such as carbon nanotube fibers and their composite fibers, polydimethylsiloxane fibers and their composite fibers, nylon fibers and their composite fibers, aramid fibers and their composite fibers, polyimide fibers and their composite fibers, liquid crystal elastomer fibers and their composite fibers, carbon fiber composite fibers, polyurethane fibers and their composite fibers, etc.

[0051] Example 4

[0052] The integrated perception-driving artificial muscle fibers used in Step 3 can be replaced by other flexible fibers or membrane sensors, such as stretchable silicone elastomer-based strain sensors, flexible sensors based on electrospun nanofiber elastic membranes, etc.; some commercial piezoelectric sensors or fiber optic sensors can also be used for replacement.

[0053] Based on the above embodiments, it can be clearly seen that the limb pressure band and the pressure application device provided by the embodiments of the present invention perform pressure regulation based on artificial muscle fibers, and an additional adjustable pressure generated by the artificial muscle fibers is additionally applied on the basis of the basic pressure provided by the elastic matrix, having the advantages of light weight, flexibility, and portability; the pressure application device based on the limb pressure band has the functions of active rhythmic pressure regulation and feedback adaptive regulation, with novel technology, high innovation, strong adaptability to application scenarios, and rich application scenarios.

[0054] It should be understood that the above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and the purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly, and it cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any equivalent changes or modifications made according to the spirit of the present invention should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A limb pressure band with active pressure application and feedback regulation functions, characterized in that, It includes an elastic matrix, artificial muscle fibers, and a sensor; The elastic matrix has a first surface and a second surface facing away from each other. The artificial muscle fibers are disposed on the first surface, and the sensor is disposed on the second surface. Moreover, the extending directions of the artificial muscle fibers are all in the same direction as the telescopic direction of the elastic matrix; When the pressure received by the sensor changes or the sensor deforms, the electrical characteristics of the sensor change.

2. The limb pressure band according to claim 1, wherein The elastic matrix is strip-shaped and includes fastening structures disposed at both ends along the telescopic direction, which can be fastened to form an annular body; And / or, the elastic matrix itself is a closed ring.

3. The limb pressure band according to claim 2, wherein When the elastic matrix is strip-shaped, the fastening structure includes a plurality of fastening positions arranged in sequence along the telescopic direction, and after fastening, various annular bodies with different circumferences are correspondingly formed.

4. The limb pressure band according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic matrix is at least formed by braiding elastic fibers, and the materials of the elastic fibers include any one or a combination of two or more of rubber, latex, polyurethane, polyester fiber, silica gel, spandex.

5. The limb pressure band according to claim 1, wherein The artificial muscle fibers have a helical structure and conductivity.

6. The limb pressure band according to claim 1, wherein The matrix fibers of the artificial muscle fibers include any one or a combination of two or more of nylon fiber, carbon nanotube fiber, polydimethylsiloxane fiber, nylon fiber, aramid fiber, polyimide fiber, liquid crystal elastomer fiber, carbon fiber, polyurethane fiber, and / or their composite fibers.

7. The limb pressure band according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor includes a strain sensor and / or a pressure sensor. The strain sensor includes any one or a combination of two or more of a sensing-driving integrated artificial muscle fiber, a membrane-shaped tensile strain sensor, and a linear tensile strain sensor. The pressure sensor includes any one or a combination of two or more of a sensing-driving integrated artificial muscle fiber, a piezoelectric sensor, and an optical fiber sensor.

8. The limb pressure band according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the sensor is selected as a strain sensor, the tensile strain sensing direction of the strain sensor is in the same direction as the telescopic direction.

9. A limb pressure-applying device with the functions of active rhythmic pressure application and feedback regulation, characterized in that, It includes the limb pressure band according to any one of claims 1-8 and a controller. The controller has a current circuit and a signal circuit. The current circuit is connected to both ends of the artificial muscle fibers of the limb pressure band, and the signal circuit is connected to two electrodes of the sensor of the limb pressure band; The controller dynamically adjusts the current value of the current circuit based on the pressure feedback signal obtained from the signal circuit.

10. The limb pressing device according to claim 9, wherein, The control of the current circuit by the controller is a combination of rhythm control and adaptive control. The rhythm control includes a basic rhythm period, and the adaptive control includes adaptive current peak adjustment and adaptive rhythm period adjustment based on the signal circuit.

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