Abstract:
The sequential compression device for treatment and prophylaxis of deep vein thromboses includes a compression sock having a plurality of electromechanical units positioned along the calf muscle of a user&#39;s leg. Each of the electromechanical units includes a front housing component and a back housing component. The front housing component of the unit includes a compressor piston positioned in communicating relation with the user&#39;s calf muscle and the back housing component of the unit includes a magnet and a copper coil. The magnet is positioned in communicating relation with the compressor piston of the front housing component. Upon activation, the compressor piston selectively compresses the small saphenous vein to simulate the effect of the calf muscle during walking and promote the flow of blood back to the user&#39;s heart.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to medical devices, and more particularly to a sequential compression device for treatment and prophylaxis of deep vein thromboses (DVT). 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Deep vein thromboses (DVT) are blood clots that form in a vein deep in the body. Blood clots occur when blood thickens and clumps together. Most deep vein blood clots occur in the lower leg or thigh. The small saphenous vein (SSV) is located in the back of the leg calf. Such symptoms as leg pain, tenderness, edema, or swelling are typically associated with deep vein thromboses (DVT). Many times, deep vein thrombosis occurs for no obvious reason. Common symptoms include pain, swelling, and redness in the leg, arm, or other area. However, the risk of developing DVT is increased in certain circumstances, such as damage to a vein&#39;s inner lining, age, a long period of not moving, injury to a deep vein from surgery, pregnancy in the first 6 weeks after giving birth, and blood becoming thicker or more likely to clot than normal. 
     The goals of DVT treatment are to prevent thrombus growth, relieve symptoms, and to prevent DVT and pulmonary embolism (PE) recurrence. The use of compression stockings is an important adjunct to pharmacological treatment in patients with DVT. Compressions stockings help prevent swelling associated with deep vein thrombosis. These stockings are worn on the leg from the feet to about the level of the knees. This pressure helps reduce the chances that blood will pool and clot. 
     Although the application of compression stockings can appear simple, it must be considered that inappropriately worn stockings have the potential to cause significant problems. Excess pressure may break the skin, especially in older patients. 
     Thus, a sequential compression device for treatment and prophylaxis of deep vein thromboses solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The sequential compression device for treatment and prophylaxis of deep vein thromboses includes a compression sock having a plurality of electromechanical units positioned along the calf muscle of a user&#39;s leg. Each of the electromechanical units includes front and rear housing components. The front housing component of the unit includes a compressor piston positioned in communicating relation with the user&#39;s calf muscle, and the rear housing component of the unit includes a magnet and a copper coil. The magnet is positioned in communicating relation with the compressor piston of the front housing component. Upon activation, the compressor piston pulsates against the user&#39;s calf to simulate the effect of the calf muscle during walking in order to promote the flow of blood back to the user&#39;s heart 
     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is an environmental perspective view of an embodiment of a sequential compression device for treatment and prophylaxis of deep vein thromboses according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the sequential compression device of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary electromechanical unit in the sequential compression device of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of an exemplary assembled electromechanical unit of  FIG. 2 , shown at rest. 
         FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of the electromechanical unit of  FIG. 3A , shown when activated. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing generation of an electromagnetic field in the electromechanical unit of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a control panel for the sequential compression device of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of exemplary electronic sequences for activation of the sequential compression device of  FIG. 1A  in different modes. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The sequential compression device for treatment and prophylaxis of deep vein thromboses is a stocking  12  worn on the leg  10  from the feet  18  to about knee level. The device generates sequential pressure only over the SSV vein (small saphenous vein) through six electromechanical units  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  allocated over the SSV vein that simulate the effect of the calf muscle during walking. The units  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  provide a gentle sequential compression to promote the flow of blood back to the heart. These units  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  are wired to the control panel  16 . The control panel  16  is attached to lateral side of the device  12  and houses the power supply batteries. The stocking is connected to the leg via belts  14  including mounting fasteners. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  the electromechanical unit  20 , as well as units  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 , and  30 , includes five pieces. It contains a powerful cuboid magnet  36 , which is a Rare Earth Neodymium N35 magnet. It also contains a copper coil  38 , which wired to the control panel  16 . The coil  38  and the magnet  36  are combined into an assembly in the rear housing component  34 . The front housing component  40  contacts the back of the leg calf  10 . The curvature of the front housing component  40  fits the curvature of the back of the leg calf. All six electromechanical units  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  38 ,- 30  are similar in their components, except the curvature of the front housing component  40 . The curvature of the front housing component  40  is different in each unit  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  according to the location or elevation of the unit on the back of the leg calf  10 . Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the compressor piston  42  extends through a channel in the front housing component  40  and is magnetically attached to the magnet  36 . The compressor piston  42  has an elongate polygonal shaft keyed to the channel and a square or rectangular bearing plated centered at one end of the shaft. The compressor piston  42  converts the movement of the magnet  36  when the coil  38  gets electric power. The force and distance that the compressor piston  42  extends out of the channel in the front housing component  40  depends on the voltage and the duration of the electric current that flows in the coil  38 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , the cuboid magnet  36  generates a magnetic field all of the time. The magnet  36  is in a loosened state until the coil  38  generates another magnetic field due to the flow of electric current. At this moment, the southern pole of the magnet  36  is attracted to the northern pole of the coil  38 . At the same time, the northern pole of the magnet  36  is also attracted to the southern pole of the coil  38 . The magnet  36  will be forced to occupy a new position in the direction  44  and pushes the compressor piston  42  out of the front housing component  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , there is a control panel  16 . The entire system is preferably low voltage and electrically powered, having a microcontroller board  44  and operating battery  56 , e.g., a 3.7V battery, which is connected to module  46 . Module  46  is a six-channel relay module shield. Each channel is wired to the coil  38  on of a corresponding electromechanical unit  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 . An external battery  58  can be connected to the relay module  46  to provide longer operational time of the device. The microcontroller board  44  holds the controller, which may be provided from any of a number of sources, an Arduino® microcontroller control board being exemplary. The controller output  62  is six pulse width modulation (PWM) signals. Each channel is wired to one module  46 . A USB connector  50  connects the control board  44  to computers. An infrared (IR) wireless remote control module  54  connects the control board  44  to an infrared remote control  60 . A Bluetooth module  64  may pair the control board  44  to a smart phone. An SD (secure digital) card interface module with SD slot socket  52  saves data and connects to the control board  44 . A 12V battery  48  operates the Microcontroller board  44 . 
     Software makes it easy to write code and to upload it to the board  44  through the USB connection  50 . Different code, which represents different operational modes, can be saved through the interface module  52 . The code environment is written in Java® and based on processing and other open-source software. 
     With respect to modes of operation, the sequential compression device has two main functions. The first function is to pump the blood in the SSV through a sequential squeezing along the vein, sequentially upward from the feet to about the level of knees. The compressor piston  42  in the electromechanical unit  30  will project and squeeze the vein. This action is accomplished by starting the electric current in the coil  38  at the lowest electromechanical unit  30  in response to the software code programmed into the microcontroller  44 , which connects the power from the battery  56  to the relay  46  and to the coil  38 . After an interval, the electromechanical unit  30  will release its pressure on the vein, and the magnet  36  will move rearward to release pressure on the vein. And so in sequence, the electromechanical units will compress and release the vein until reaching the upper electromechanical unit  20 , and then start another loop of sequential compression. 
     Alternatively, the electromechanically units  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  may be programmed to compress the vein in pairs, as detailed in sequence modes  600  shown in  FIG. 6 . For example, in Mode  1 , in time interval  1 T, only unit  30  is activated. Then, in time interval  2 T, both units  28  and  30  are activated to apply compression to the vein. In time interval  3 T, both units  26  and  28  are activated, while unit  30  is off, the pattern of activation and inactivation continuing as shown in the pattern for Mode  1 . Mode  2  is similar to Mode  1 , but with the start of the next cycle of compression overlapping the end of the previous cycle. 
     The software code will control this sequential action and the microcontroller  44  will transfer the code instruction to electric current flow intended time period (T) to the coils  38  in the electro mechanical unit  20 - 30 . The total time to complete one loop or cycle is six times the period (T). Blood flow is high for a small time period (T). Normally, the blood speed in the vein ranges between 5 cm/sec to 15 cm/sec. The calculated time (T) ranges between 0.2 sec and 0.6 sec for a device of length 18 cm. 
     The value of time (T) is adjusted using the Infrared IR remote control  60  or using a smart phone paired to the Bluetooth module  64 . Thereby, the patient can adjust the blood flow in the SSV according to the recommendation of the physician. According to a pilot experiment, Unit  20  is subjected to 3.7 v of electric current; and the maximum force generated was measured as 205 grams, which is enough to compress the SSV. Less compression force can be generated for a patient of low Body Mass Index (BMI) by exchanging the compressor piston  42  with another having a bearing surface of less height. 
     The second function of the sequential compression device is to massage the SSV. This action can be done by vibrating mode for the upper units  20 ,  22 ,  44 , for very small period of time (T) that is ranged between 0.05 sec and 0.1. This is shown in Mode  3  of  FIG. 6 , which shows a different activation pattern, showing unit  24  activated in the first time interval  0 , then unit  22  activated in the second time interval  1 T, and then an alternating pattern of both units  20  and  24  activated in the next time interval, followed by only unit  22  in the following time interval, an alternating pattern that continues through each cycle of vein compression, thereby massaging the vein. 
     These modes of operation are stored as software codes on an SD card interface  52 , and the patient can control different variables, such as mode of operation and the value of time interval (T), using the Infrared IR remote control  60  or using a smart phone paired to the Bluetooth module  64 . The external battery  58  can be wired to the device  12  to provide longer operational time of the device. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.