Hydrostatic-Pressure Bladder Compression for Non-Immersion Body Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices for managing adverse effects of gravitational forces, such as those causing conditions like preeclampsia, hypertension, and motion sickness, are either ineffective, cumbersome, or uncomfortable, leading to poor patient compliance, and there is a lack of effective non-pharmacological means to manage conditions like clinical shock and fluid accumulation.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using flexible bladders filled with a substance to exert a gradient of pressure forces on the body, redistributing weight from primary bearing regions to larger surfaces, mimicking hydrostatic forces, and incorporating a frame for support and reducing friction, allowing for devices like chairs, wearable suits, and stretchers to provide buoyancy without immersion in water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water immersion is used to exert hydrostatic forces on the body, then therapeutic benefits for cardiovascular and other systems are achieved, but convenience and accessibility are reduced due to requirements for swimming pools and risk of drowning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary substance (fluid or gas) contained within bladders that are positioned against the body. This intermediary transmits the hydrostatic pressure forces to the body without requiring actual water immersion, thereby maintaining therapeutic effectiveness while eliminating safety risks and convenience issues associated with water immersion
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the hydrostatic pressure environment by using bladders filled with substance that can be pressurized to simulate the pressure gradient experienced during water immersion. This allows patients to receive the same therapeutic benefits without needing to be in water
2Reliability
If traditional external compression devices are used to treat conditions like preeclampsia and venous insufficiency, then some therapeutic effect is achieved, but compliance is poor due to discomfort and cumbersomeness
Solution Approach 1:
The compression system is divided into multiple independent bladders that can be positioned at different locations on the body. Each bladder can be independently pressurized to provide graduated compression forces, allowing for customized treatment while maintaining comfort and ease of use
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pneumatic or hydraulic pressure applied to fluid-filled bladders to generate the compression forces. This allows for precise control of pressure levels and distribution, providing effective therapy while maintaining comfort through smooth, evenly distributed pressure rather than rigid mechanical compression
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 effectively reduces sympathetic activity, minimizes discomfort, and facilitates fluid redistribution, providing therapeutic benefits for conditions like preeclampsia, hypertension, and motion sickness, while offering a safe and comfortable alternative to traditional devices.
Implementation Method 1
exert a gradient of pressure forces on the body and redistribute the load from the primary weight bearing regions to a larger surface of the body
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure describes a system and a method for applying a gradient of external compressive forces on the body of a person, in a manner analogous to how water exerts hydrostatic forces on the body of a person immersed in water. According to an embodiment, the system may be a chair or a suit and is applicable for effecting physiological changes in the body such as increased diuresis and/or amniotic fluid levels, preeclampsia treatment in pregnant women, reduced hypertension, shift in fluids from interstitial space into intravascular compartment, increased venous return from lower extremities, reduced sympathetic tone and total peripheral resistance, reduced work load on the heart, reduced motion sickness, and the like.