Massaging sleeve for body limbs

A massaging sleeve for massaging body limbs comprises a plurality of inflatable cells in the form of inflatable bags individually received in compartments produced in a flexible covering adapted to be laid relatively flat and rolled into the shape of a sleeve. The cells are in a partially-overlapping relationship such that the outermost cell, which is inflated first, anchors that end of the sleeve to the body limb, while the subsequent inflation of the remaining cells in sequence tends to move the sleeve in the longitudinal direction such as to obviate the need for a shoulder harness. The inner end of the sleeve is formed with substantially rigid elements curved to conform to the curvature of the user's shoulder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a device for massaging the limbs of a 
body, and particularly to a massaging sleeve formed with a plurality of 
cells which are inflatable and deflatable to apply a squeezing pressure to 
the body limb for treating same against a number of medical disorders. The 
invention is particularly useful in the treatment of lymphatic disorders, 
such as congenital or secondary lymphedema in order to reduce excessive 
accumulation of fluids in the body tissue. Other possible applications of 
the invention are in the treatment of venous disorders, such as painful 
varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, and ulcus cruris. Still 
further possible applications are in the treatment of paralysis of the 
lower limbs because of long-standing muscular inactivity, and in the 
prevention of deep vein thrombosis during and after surgical operations. 
It has been found that beneficial results can be obtained in treating for 
the above disorders by sequentially compressing successive portions of the 
afflicted limb to produce a massaging or pumping action towards the heart. 
A number of techniques and apparatus have been devised for this purpose, 
in which the limb is massaged by means of a sleeve including a plurality 
of cells extending along the length of the sleeve, which cells are 
inflatable and deflatable to apply squeezing pressures to the limb. 
Examples of known devices for this purpose are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 
4,156,425; 4,013,069; and 2,781,041; in French Pat. Nos. 1,175,948 and 
2,246,260; and also in U.S. patent application No. 945,796 filed Sept. 26, 
1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,923 assigned to the same assignee as the 
present invention. In some of these known constructions, the inflatable 
cells are usually constructed as an integral unit either in sleeve form to 
enclose the limb, or in a relatively flat form to be wrapped into a sleeve 
and then to enclose the limb. Such known arrangements, however, wherein 
the inflatable cells are formed as an integral unit, produce repair and 
maintenance problems, since the repair or replacement of any one cell 
requires that the whole unit must be removed and repaired or replaced. 
Another known construction, illustrated for example in French Pat. No. 
1,175,948, includes individually-formed cells, but these are attached to a 
single supporting sheet, such that each cell must be constructed 
sufficiently strong to withstand the high pressure applied to it when 
inflated. Moreover, in this arrangement the massaging sleeve is 
inconvenient and difficult to apply, remove, use and also to store during 
non-use. 
Another drawback in some of the known massaging sleeves is that they 
require a shoulder harness, when the massaging sleeve is applied to the 
arm of the user, in order to support the massaging sleeve in place. Such a 
shoulder harness may be a source of considerable discomfort to the user. 
An object of the present invention is to provide a massaging sleeve of the 
foregoing type having advantages in the above respects. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a 
novel massaging sleeve formed with a plurality of cells extending along 
the length of the sleeve which cells are inflatable and deflatable to 
apply a squeezing pressure to a body limb when enclosed by the sleeve. The 
sleeve comprises an outer flexible covering adapted to be laid relatively 
flat and rolled into the shape of a sleeve to enclose the limb. The outer 
flexible covering includes a first panel of flexible sheet material 
forming one face of the covering, a second panel of flexible sheet 
material forming the opposite face of the covering, and a plurality of 
divider panels of flexible sheet material secured to the first and second 
panels along lines extending transversely thereof and dividing the space 
therebetween into a plurality of individual compartments each extending 
substantially the complete width of the first and second panels. The first 
and second panels are secured together along all their edges except for 
one longitudinal edge such that one edge of each of the compartments is 
open. In addition, the first panel is formed with a plurality of openings 
therethrough, one for each of the compartments. 
The sleeve further comprises a plurality of individual, inflatable bags 
each receivable in one of the compartments through the open end thereof 
and of a length extending substantially the complete width of the outer 
flexible covering. Each of the bags includes a port connector extending 
through the opening of its respective compartment for inflating and 
deflating the bag. 
According to another feature of the invention, the outermost cell, at the 
end of the sleeve to be inflated first, is disposed so as to engage the 
body limb for substantially the complete width of the cell, the remaining 
cells being in partially overlapping relation to said outermost cell and 
to each other, with the outer end of each such remaining cell overlying 
the inner end of the adjacent cell, such that the inflation of the 
outermost cell anchors that end of the massaging sleeve to the body limb, 
while the subsequent inflation of the remaining cells in sequence from the 
outermost end to the innermost end of the sleeve causes such cells to 
apply a force tending to move the overall sleeve in the longitudinal 
direction from the end of the outermost cell towards the end of the 
innermost cell. 
According to a still further feature, the massaging sleeve further includes 
one or more substantially rigid elements extending transversely across the 
plurality of cells at the innermost end of the sleeve, which substantially 
rigid elements are curved at the innermost end of the sleeve to conform to 
the curvature of the user's shoulder. 
A massaging sleeve constructed in accordance with the foregoing features 
provides a number of advantages over the above-mentioned known devices. 
Thus, if any cell ruptures or otherwise has to be repaired, it is only 
necessary to remove that one bag and repair or replace it, rather than to 
repair or replace the complete unit. Such arrangement also substantially 
reduces the maintenance problems, since it is only necessary to stock the 
various-sized bags for individual replacement whenever needed. In 
addition, the outer flexible covering defining separate compartments 
provides a very neat, compact, and secure carrier for the individual 
inflatable bags, such that the massage sleeve may be applied, removed, 
used and stored in a simple and convenient manner. Moreover, disposing the 
inflatable bags within individual compartments formed in the flexible 
outer covering provides the bags with substantial mechanical support to 
withstand the high pressure during inflation, so that relatively thin, 
pliable material may be used for these bags. 
In addition, by providing the specified overlapping relationship of the 
cells, a force is produced tending to move the sleeve longitudinally in 
the direction of its outermost end to its innermost end during the 
sequential inflation of the cells, which thereby obviates the need for a 
shoulder harness, and therefore avoids the discomfort that such a shoulder 
harness frequently causes. In addition, providing the rigid elements at 
the innermost end of the sleeve extending transversely across the 
uppermost cells causes the massaging sleeve also to apply a squeezing 
pressure to the upper shoulder region of the user, which has been found to 
produce significant beneficial results in many applications of the 
massaging sleeve. 
Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the 
description below.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
With reference first to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a massaging sleeve, 
generally designated 2, applied to the arm of a subject 4, e.g. for 
treating one of the disorders mentioned earlier. The massaging sleeve 2 is 
formed with a plurality of cells extending along the length of the sleeve, 
which cells are inflatable and deflatable to apply a squeezing or 
massaging pressure to the arm. In the example illustrated, the sleeve 2 
includes 10 such inflatable cells, designated 2a-2j. These cells are 
individually inflated and deflated by means of a plurality of tubes, 
generally designated 6, connected to control apparatus 8 for sequentially 
applying and releasing pressurized fluid with respect to these cells. 
The construction of the massage sleeve 2 is better illustrated in FIGS. 
2-5. Briefly, the sleeve includes an outer flexible covering of a material 
adapted to be laid relatively flat as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, or rolled 
into a tubular shape as shown in FIG. 1. The outer flexible covering is 
formed with a plurality of individual compartments each adapted to receive 
an inflatable bag such that when the sleeve is applied to the subject's 
arm during use, as shown in FIG. 1, each bag encircles a portion of the 
arm. 
More particularly, the flexible outer covering of the sleeve is made of 
sheet material defining a first panel 12 (FIG. 2) forming one face of the 
flexible covering, and second panel 14 (FIG. 3) forming the opposite face 
of the flexible covering. The two panels are joined together, as by 
stitching, along the top and bottom transverse edges, but only along one 
longitudinal edge as shown at 16 in FIGS. 2 and 3, defining the length of 
the sleeve when rolled in its tubular or sleeve form. The two panels are 
unjoined at their opposite edge, as shown by the solid line 18 in FIG. 3, 
to permit access between the two panels as will be described more 
particularly below. 
The individual compartments, generally indicated 20 in FIGS. 2 and 3, are 
formed between the two flexible sheets 12 and 14 be securing a plurality 
of divider panels 22 between the two sheets. Thus, as shown particularly 
in FIGS. 4 and 5, each divider panel 22 is attached, as by stitching, 
along one edge (e.g. its upper edge as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) to one of 
the face panels along a first line 24 extending width-wise i.e., 
transversely, of the flattened sleeve (which will be circumferentially of 
the sleeve when in its tubular form), and along its opposite edge to the 
outer face panel along a second line 26 extending parallel to but spaced 
from the first line 24. Thus, each of the divider panels 22 extends at a 
bias or angle with respect to the face panels 12 and 14, so that the 
individual compartments 20 defined by them would be in partially 
overlapping relationship. 
Each of the compartments 20 is adapted to receive an inflatable bag 30, 
illustrated in FIG. 6. Bag 30 is made of pliable plastic sheet material 
rolled into tubular form and sealed at its opposite ends 32 so as to be 
substantially flat when in its deflated condition, but to approach a 
cylindrical configuration in its inflated condition. Each inflatable bag 
30 is provided with a port connector 34 adapted to be received within an 
opening reinforced by a grommet 36 in panel 12 of the outer flexible 
covering. As shown particularly in FIG. 2, all these openings are arranged 
in a line to facilitate their connection to the respective one of the 
fluid pressure tubes 6 (FIG. 1) which apply the pressurized fluid to the 
inflatable bags 30. 
The illustrated device is retained in its sleeve or tubular form by a first 
zipper strip 40 extending along one edge, preferably the open edge, which 
zipper strip may be selectively attached to one of a plurality (three 
being illustrated) of zipper strips 41, 42, 43 (FIG. 2) extending at an 
angle adjacent to the opposite edge. Thus, the device may be formed as a 
sleeve of the required diameter (three diameters being possible in the 
device illustrated) by merely applying zipper strip 40 to the selected 
zipper strip 41, 42 or 43. 
Finally, the illustrated device includes straps 50 and 52 to facilitate 
wearing of the sleeve on the arm during use, as shown in FIG. 1. 
The manner of using the device will be apparent from the above description. 
First, the device is assembled with the inflatable bags 30 by inserting 
each bag into its respective compartment 20 through the open end 18 of the 
flexible covering (panels 12, 14) in its flat condition. A sleeve of the 
required diameter may then be formed by merely attaching zipper strip 40 
to the selected strip 41, 42 or 43, and is applied to the subject's arm 
with a snug fit as shown in FIG. 1, the sleeve being comfortably retained 
on the arm by the use of the straps 50 and 52. The tubes 4 may then be 
connected to the projecting connecting ports 34 of the individual 
inflatable bags 30 to supply the pressurized fluid to the individual bags 
30 within the compartments of the sleeve. 
The device 6 for supplying the pressurized fluid would include various 
presetting means, as shown by the front panel of the device in FIG. 1, for 
determining the pressure of the fluid, and the cycles of operation, to be 
applied to the individual cells of the sleeve to produce the desired 
massaging effect. 
It will be appreciated that the above-described construction for the sleeve 
enables each cell, particularly the inflatable bags 30, to be individually 
repaired or replaced if necessary, without requiring the removal, repair 
or replacement of the complete unit of inflatable cells. Moreover, the 
outer flexible covering formed with the separate compartments for 
individually receiving the inflatable bags, not only provides a convenient 
and simple arrangement for applying, removing and using the massaging 
sleeve, but also provides mechanical support for the bags during their 
inflation so that they may be constructed of relatively thin pliable 
plastic material. This reduces the cost of manufacture of the massaging 
sleeve, and also reduces its weight so as to make it more comfortable to 
wear. Manufacturing the cells as individual bags, rather than as an 
integral, multicell unit, also significantly lowers the cost of 
manufacture of the device, and further simplifies its maintenance, since 
it is only necessary to stock a plurality of the individual bags of the 
required sizes. 
FIGS. 7-10 illustrate a modification in the massaging sleeve, therein 
designated 102. 
Thus, it was found that when the massaging sleeve was constructed with the 
overlapping-cell arrangement as particularly illustrated in FIG. 4, the 
shoulder harness 50 (FIGS. 1 and 2) could be omitted. That is to say, in 
this arrangement the outermost cell 102a is inflated first, and is 
disposed so as to engage the body limb for substantially the complete 
width of the cell, the remaining cells 102b-102j being in partially 
overlapping relation to the end cell and to each other such that the outer 
end of each such remaining cell overlies the inner end of the adjacent 
cell. It was found that in such a construction, the inflation of the 
outermost cell 102a, which was inflated first, anchored that end of the 
massaging sleeve to the body limb, while the subsequent inflation of the 
remaining cells in sequence caused those cells to apply a force tending to 
move the overall sleeve along the arm in the longitudinal direction from 
the outermost end to the innermost end, i.e., from the hand to the 
shoulder in the illustration of FIG. 1. It was therefore seen that such an 
arrangement obviated the need for the shoulder harness 50 illustrated in 
FIGS. 1 and 2, and therefore avoided the discomfort that the use of such a 
shoulder harness may cause in many applications of the illustrated 
massaging sleeve. 
Accordingly, the massaging sleeve 102 illustrated in FIG. 7 is constructed 
in the same cell overlapping relationship as in the massaging sleeve of 
FIGS. 1-6, as particularly illustrated in FIG. 4, except that it does not 
includes the shoulder harness 50. 
Another change in the massaging sleeve illustrated in FIG. 7 is that it 
includes a plurality of spaced, substantially rigid elements, therein 
designated 150, extending transversely across a plurality of the cells at 
the innermost end of the sleeve. In this case, there are three such rigid 
elements 150 extending transversely across the three innermost cells, 
namely, cells 102h-102j of the massaging sleeve. As shown particularly in 
FIG. 8, each of the rigid elements 150 includes a straight portion 150s 
extending transversely across cells 102h and 102i, and a curved portion 
150c extending transversely across the innermost cell 102j. The curvature 
of portion 150c substantially conforms to the curvature of the user's 
shoulder. This innermost cell 102j, together with the underlying curved 
portions 150c of the rigid elements 150, not only more securely holds the 
massaging sleeve in place without the harness, but also applies a 
squeezing pressure to the upper shoulder region of the user, which has 
been found to be very beneficial in many applications of the massaging 
sleeve. 
Preferably, the rigidifying elements 150 have a flat inner face, as shown 
at 152 in FIG. 9, to provide a relatively large surface area for 
distributing the pressure to the shoulder region of the user. The outer 
face 154 of each rigid element 150 may be curved, as shown by the convex 
curvature in FIG. 9. These elements may be of plastic, metal (e.g., 
aluminum) or other material suitable to increase the rigidity of the upper 
portion of the sleeve. 
FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative cross-sectional configuration for each 
of the rigidifying elements, therein designated 150', in which its inner 
face 152' is flat, and its outer face includes a convex configuration only 
along its central area 154'. 
While the described preferred embodiments illustrate ten inflatable cells, 
it will be appreciated that other numbers may be used, e.g. twelve. Also, 
in the preferred embodiments the inflating fluid is air, but other fluids, 
e.g. water, could be used. 
Other variations, modifications and applications of the invention will be 
apparent.