Patent ID: 8636678
Filing Date: 2014-01-28
Classification: A61F,A61H

Abstract:
1. An inflatable bladder for use in a compression foot cuff configured to be secured to a foot of a wearer, the inflatable bladder comprising: a fluid-impermeable inner bladder layer for being positioned adjacent to a foot of a wearer; a fluid-impermeable, integrally formed outer bladder layer secured in opposing relation to the inner bladder layer to define an inflatable chamber; wherein the inner and outer bladder layers define a foot-underlying portion of the bladder that underlies the wearer's foot when the compression foot cuff is secured to the foot of the wearer, and a wing portion extending laterally outwardly from the foot-underlying portion; wherein a thickness of the outer bladder layer at the foot-underlying portion is greater than a thickness of the inner bladder layer to provide rigidity to the outer bladder layer so that the inflatable chamber expands more toward the wearer's foot than away from wearer's foot when the foot cuff is secured to the wearer's foot, and the thickness of the outer bladder layer at the foot-underlying portion is greater than a thickness of the outer bladder layer at the wing portion so that the wing portion of the inflatable bladder is more flexible than the foot-underlying portion of the outer bladder layer to wrap around a superior portion of the wearer's foot, wherein the outer bladder layer has a rib formed on an inner surface of the outer bladder layer to resist bending of the outer bladder layer and wherein the rib forms a groove in an outer surface of the outer bladder layer; wherein the inner bladder layer and outer bladder layer are secured to each other along a line extending generally adjacent to perimeter of the inflatable bladder, the groove and rib being formed on the outer bladder layer separately from the line connecting the inner bladder layer to the outer bladder layer, the rib and groove extending only partially along the perimeter of the inflatable bladder such that the rib and groove extend a lesser distance along the perimeter than the line and extend only along the foot-underlying portion of the inflatable bladder.