Compression Garment Capacitive Sensor Fit Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional compression systems for preventing blood clots in immobile patients are inefficient due to energy waste from loosely fitted garments, lack of precision in fit adjustment, and inability to monitor fit during use, especially for unusual limb profiles.
Innovation Solution
A compression garment with capacitive sensors and a control unit that evaluates fit based on gap signals between the garment and the body, ensuring proper inflation and adjustment for effective compression treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If compression garments are inflated to account for gaps between garment and patient, then compression coverage is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitive sensors perform preliminary detection of gap conditions before inflation occurs. The system evaluates fit quality using sensor data and only inflates the garment when proper fit is confirmed, preventing unnecessary energy consumption from inflating over-garment air volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
The capacitive sensors provide continuous feedback about the gap between garment and patient body. The control system uses this feedback to monitor fit quality and adjust inflation accordingly, ensuring compression is applied only when the garment is properly fitted, thereby reducing energy waste.
2Device complexity
If manual fit adjustment methods are used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical fit assessment (finger insertion method) with capacitive sensing technology. The capacitive sensors electronically detect gap conditions between the garment and patient body, providing precise quantitative measurements without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression garment system performs self-assessment of fit quality using integrated capacitive sensors. The system automatically evaluates whether proper fit has been achieved without requiring manual intervention or subjective judgment, enabling objective fit monitoring while maintaining relative system simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If fit adjustment is performed manually, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability to unusual limb profiles deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Capacitive sensors provide real-time feedback about fit conditions across different body profiles. The control system processes this feedback and adjusts inflation parameters accordingly, enabling the system to adapt to various limb shapes and sizes including unusual profiles such as large muscles or swollen tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts compression parameters based on real-time sensor data from capacitive elements distributed across the garment. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to accommodate varying body profiles and unusual limb geometries by continuously optimizing fit based on measured gap conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures efficient energy use by optimizing fit, improving compression efficacy, and enabling real-time monitoring of garment fit and use, enhancing the prevention of blood clots in immobile patients.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor generates a signal indicative of a gap between the garment and the body part when the garment is in the wrapped configuration
Implementation Method 2
one or more selectively inflatable bladders for applying compression to the body part upon inflation
Data Source
AI summary
Optimizing fit of a compression garment for use with a patient receiving compression therapy. Sensors formed on the garment detect characteristics of the fit of the garment in the vicinity of each sensor. The fit sensors may be capacitive disks imprinted on the garment. A controller computes overall fit of the garment on the patient based on signals from the sensors.