Rotatable Heel Strap and Differential Bladder Garment for Pump Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inflatable medical garments for enhancing blood circulation lack customization and comfort due to universal sizing and limited adjustment options, which can lead to suboptimal fit and reduced patient compliance during treatments like deep-venous thrombosis therapy.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a rotationally positionable heel-strap, separate dorsum straps with hook-and-loop fasteners, and a bladder retention system, allowing for differential movement between the upper fabric and bladder, enabling a customizable fit and improved comfort by accommodating various foot sizes and orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If universal sizing is used for the garment, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but patient comfort and fit customization deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The heel strap is divided into a first end and a second end that can be positioned and secured at different locations around the foot. The first end is attached to the upper fabric at one location while the second end can be secured at a different location, allowing the strap to be configured for different foot sizes and shapes while using a single universal garment design.
Solution Approach 2:
The heel strap is configured to be rotatable relative to the upper fabric, enabling dynamic adjustment of the strap's position and orientation. This rotational capability allows the same garment to adapt to different foot orientations and patient anatomies without requiring multiple sized garments.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the heel strap is fixed in position, then structural stability is improved, but patient comfort and adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The heel strap is configured to be rotatable relative to the upper fabric through a pivot point or attachment mechanism. This dynamic feature allows the strap to be positioned at different angles and locations to accommodate various foot shapes and patient comfort requirements, while still maintaining secure structural attachment when positioned.
Solution Approach 2:
The heel strap is pre-attached to the upper fabric at a fixed first end, providing structural stability and proper positioning. The second end is left adjustable and removable to allow patient-specific customization of the strap's final position and tension, combining structural integrity with adaptability.
3Strength
If the bladder is fully integrated with the upper fabric, then structural integrity is improved, but differential movement and comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The bladder is separated from the upper fabric at certain regions, creating distinct zones with different degrees of integration. This segmentation allows the bladder to maintain structural integrity where needed while enabling differential movement in other areas to accommodate foot expansion and contraction during the pumping cycle, improving patient comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the bladder have different attachment characteristics to the upper fabric. Some areas are fully integrated for structural support, while other areas allow relative movement to accommodate dynamic foot dimensions during therapy. This local variation in attachment quality optimizes both structural integrity and comfort.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of an impulse therapy garment for use in pump therapy for enhancing venous and arterial blood flow. The garment may be advantageously fitted to a human foot, and may include a rotationally positionable heel-strap, an air inlet connector, separate dorsum straps, or other features. For example, other garments may include a washer having a center hole locatable around the stem and configured to be forcibly retained against the outer surface of the fabric by snap-fit using annular stem protrusions extending from an external surface of the stem. In further embodiments, a garment may include a bladder retention fastener configured to retain an end of the bladder to the fabric to allow substantially differential movement between the fabric and non-retained portions of the bladder during inflation and deflation of the bladder.