Compression Garment Pressure Control for Posture-Stable Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compression garments struggle to maintain a consistent target pressure for fluid cells regardless of the user's position or posture, affecting the quality and effectiveness of compression therapy.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a target pressure and adjustable manifold pressure mechanism, monitored by a single pressure sensor, to ensure consistent pressure delivery across fluid cells, along with a graphical user interface for intuitive therapy control and identification of the compression garment via wireless communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a compression garment uses a single pressure sensor in the manifold to monitor pressure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of fluid cell pressure may be insufficient to account for user position variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors manifold pressure via the single pressure sensor and dynamically adjusts the pump operation based on this feedback. The controller compares measured manifold pressure against target pressure values and modulates pump delivery accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that compensates for position-related pressure variations without requiring multiple sensors
Solution Approach 2:
The manifold acts as an intermediary component that distributes fluid to multiple fluid cells while serving as the measurement point for pressure monitoring. By measuring pressure at the manifold (the intermediary distribution point) rather than at each individual fluid cell, the system reduces sensor requirements while still enabling effective pressure control through the feedback mechanism
2Reliability
If the system dynamically adjusts manifold pressure to maintain target pressure in fluid cells, then the compression therapy effectiveness is improved, but the use of energy by the pump increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump operates in periodic cycles rather than continuously, delivering fluid to the manifold in controlled bursts. The controller activates the pump only when pressure adjustments are needed based on feedback from the pressure sensor, allowing the system to maintain target pressures through intermittent pumping action rather than continuous energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the pump delivery rate and timing based on real-time manifold pressure measurements and user position detection. By making the pump operation adaptive and responsive to changing conditions rather than fixed, the system optimizes energy usage by delivering fluid only when and where needed to maintain effective compression therapy
3Reliability
If the system accounts for user position and posture to maintain consistent target pressure, then the compression therapy quality is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and monitors only the critical parameter (manifold pressure) at the central distribution point rather than measuring pressure at each individual fluid cell or throughout the entire garment. This extraction of the key measurement point simplifies the control system while still enabling effective compensation for position variations through centralized pressure monitoring and adjustment
Data Source
AI summary
Compression garment systems and methods may deliver fluid to one or more fluid cells using a target pressure and an adjustable manifold pressure that may be adjusted to, for example, deliver an amount of fluid to the one or more fluid cells to achieve the desired target pressure. Further, the compression garment systems and methods may provide a graphical user interface depicting a human-shaped graphical element and a compression therapy graphical indication about the human-shaped graphical element. The compression therapy graphical indication may indicate, or show, where on the human-shaped graphical element the compression therapy may be delivered to. Still further, the compression garment systems and methods may include or use a communication interface to determine or identify a compression garment to be used therewith. The identity of the compression garment can be used to configure compression therapy for the compression garment.