WO2003059240A1

WO2003059240A1 - Device for massaging the perforating vein

Info

Publication number: WO2003059240A1
Application number: PCT/AT2002/000345
Authority: WO
Inventors: Axel Kubelka
Original assignee: Evoluzione S.R.L.
Priority date: 2001-12-28
Filing date: 2002-12-09
Publication date: 2003-07-24
Also published as: AU2002360873A1; ATA20512001A; AT411811B; ATE396687T1; EP1460991B1; DE50212338D1; EP1460991A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a device (VOR) for massaging the perforating vein, comprising a loop (BUE) that is inserted into a shoe (SCH). Said loop (BUE) is provided with a bottom part (BOD) and at least one side part (SEI) protruding from said bottom part in a mounted position. The loop (BUE) is movable against a restoring force from a released position (ENT) into a pressure-generating position (DRU). In the pressure-generating position, the side part (SEI) is arranged essentially above the perforating vein in the area of the ankle and presses against the leg in said area.

Description

DEVICE FOR MASSAGE OF THE VENA PERFORANTIS

The invention relates to a device for massaging the vena perforantis.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a controller for a device for massaging the vena perforantis.

A device of the type mentioned is known from the Austrian patent application A 559/2000. This device has a floor cushion arranged in the sole area and a bladder arranged above the vena perforantis. A tube-like connection exists between the interior of the floor cushion and the bladder, as a result of which pressure is exerted on the leg by the body weight acting on the floor cushion when the foot appears.

The known device is suitable for supporting the backflow of blood from the legs towards the heart, especially when walking, since a pressure in the area of the vena perforantis is generated by the body weight when it occurs. During flights and long periods of sitting, this device requires the patient's active participation due to the special massage trigger mechanism in the form of a bladder, but the degree to which the backflow of blood is supported is very dependent on the force exerted by the patient to generate pressure in the patient Depends on the area of the perfora vein. If you sit for a long time, the force exerted by the patient or the frequency with which he exerts pressure on the vena perforantis may be too low to optimally support the return of blood to the heart.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a path which enables optimal blood return flow from the legs towards the heart, both when walking and when sitting.

This object is achieved according to the invention with a device of the type mentioned at the outset in that a strap which can be inserted into the interior of a shoe is provided with a bottom part and at least one side part which projects upwards from it in an assembled state, and the strap from a relief position against one Restoring force can be moved into a pressure generating position, the side part in the pressure generating position in the ankle area essentially lying above the vena perforantis and pressed against a leg in this area. In this way, very high pressure on the vena perforantis can easily be built up even with prolonged sitting with little effort, so that the backflow of blood towards the heart can be optimally supported.

The actuation of the bracket is facilitated in that the bracket can be moved into the pressure generating position about a pivot point located in a transition region between the base part and the side part.

Advantageously, the bracket is essentially L-shaped.

A preferred variant of the invention provides that the bracket can be brought into both the relief and the pressure generation position via a motor connected to a control. In this way, the pressure generation can be decoupled from the patient's participation when sitting for a long time.

In a favorable embodiment, a resilient placeholder is arranged between the base part and the shoe sole, wherein the resilient placeholder can consist, for example, of open-pore foam or can also be a spring.

The above-mentioned object can also be achieved with a control for actuating a device for massaging the vena perforantis, which is set up to exert pressure on the vena perforantis at predeterminable intervals via an actuating member of the device which is connected to it and is arranged above the vena perforantis , In this way, the intervals for exerting pressure can be specified, which means that the return of blood to the heart can also be supported during sleep. This solution can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems, especially on longer flights.

A particularly simple embodiment of the invention which is comfortable for the patient consists in that the actuating member is a bladder which can be clipped onto a shoe edge and which is connected to a fluid pump via a line.

The controller can advantageously be designed as a microcomputer.

The invention and further advantages are explained in more detail below with the aid of a few non-limiting exemplary embodiments which are shown in the drawing. This shows schematically: Fig. La a first variant of a device according to the invention in an assembled state;

Fig. Lb a second variant of a device according to the invention assembled state;

Fig. Lc a third variant of a device according to the invention in the assembled state;

Fig. Ld a fourth variant of a device according to the invention;

2a shows a device for massaging the vena perforantis with a control according to the invention;

2b shows the area II from FIG. 2a in more detail;

Fig. 2c, the device and the controller of Fig. 2a in an assembled state and

Fig. 3 shows a variant of the control and the device of Fig. 2a in an assembled state.

According to FIG. 1 a, a device according to the invention for massaging the vena perforantis has an essentially L-shaped bracket BUE with a bottom part BOD and a side part SEI protruding therefrom. In the assembled state of the bracket BUE, the side part runs essentially parallel to a foot, wherein a cushion or a bulge directed towards the foot can be provided in the side part in the area of the vena perforantis. The bracket BUE is rotatably mounted in a shoe in a transition area UEB between the side part SEI and the bottom part BOD. In the example shown here, the transition area UEB is rounded, the bottom part BOD having a concave shape with respect to a shoe sole SOL. Due to the special shape, the side part SEI can be moved from a relief position ENT in the direction of the foot to a pressure application position DRU when moving the bottom part BOD in the direction of the sole SOL, whereby pressure is exerted on the vena by the pad POL or a bulging of the side part SEI Perforantis can be exercised. The movement of the bottom part BOD into the pressure-exerting position DRU can be done by standing or walking due to the body weight or while sitting by deliberately exerting pressure on a patient, for example by depressing the bottom part BOD with the heel or sideways tilting of the foot, or as described further below , can be triggered by an external control STR. A cover ABD can be provided over the bottom part BOD of the bracket BUE. This cover ABD can, for example, be an integral foam body produced by foaming.

In order to be able to reduce the pressure on the vena perforantis again, a spiral spring FED can be provided under the base part BOD, which causes a restoring force which brings the base part BOD back into its relief position ENT when the load is released. Of course, other elements causing a restoring force, such as a cushion made of a cancellous material (FIG. 1b) or a leaf spring etc., are also conceivable instead of the spiral spring FED.

According to FIG. 1b, the strap BUE can be held in the desired position in the shoe by means of a fastening clip BKL which can be clipped onto the upper shoe edge RAN. A resilient placeholder PLH can be provided between the bottom part BOD of the bracket BUE and the shoe sole SOL. In the transition area UEB between the bottom part BOD and the side part SEI of the strap BUE, an axis ACH can also be provided, through which the strap BUE is fixed in the shoe SCH. In the area of this axis, the fastening clip can have a curvature KRU, the radius of curvature of the fastening clip BKL at this point being at least equal to the radius of curvature of the axis ACH.

According to FIG. 1c, the bracket BUE can be connected to the fastening bracket BKL so that it can rotate about the pivot point DRE. The bracket BUE can be positioned in the shoe SCH above the vena perforantis using the BKL fastening clip.

In the embodiment of the invention according to FIG. D, the BUE is integrated into a frame GES ', which can be inserted into a shoe and can be fixed to the edge of the shoe by means of a holding strap LAS.

According to Fig. 2a, an external, electronic control STR can be provided which, via an actuator, for example a pump PUM, an actuator connected to it, e.g. B. actuate a bladder that can be filled and emptied with a fluid and can exert pressure on the vena perforantis.

The actuator can also be the bracket BUE mentioned above, wherein the electronic control STR can be connected to an electric motor that can actuate a lifting or lowering mechanism connected to the bottom part BOD and the shoe SCH, for example a piston or lever a raising or lowering of the Bottom part BOD and thus exerting pressure on the vena perforantis through the side part SEI.

In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the actuator, as already mentioned above, is a pump PUM, which is connected to a bladder BLA via lines LEI. By actuating the pump PUM, a fluid, for example air or a liquid, can be pumped into the bladder BLA or out of the bladder BLA. The pump PUM is connected to an electronic control STR, for example a suitably programmed microprocessor. The control STR can be set up to control the suction and pressure direction of the pump PUM as well as the pump output at predetermined intervals and in this way to generate a predetermined pressure in the bladder BLA.

The bladder BLA and the lines LEI can also be filled with a plastic granulate, wherein the pump PUM can be designed as a pressure bladder which is connected to the bladder BLA via the line LEI. By manually exerting pressure or exerting pressure on the pressure bladder by means of a motor, the bladder can be compressed or decompressed, as a result of which pressure can be built up or reduced in the bladder BLA.

2b and 2c, the bladder BLA is arranged on a frame GES, which can be clipped onto the shoe edge RAN. As already mentioned above, the bladder BLA can be filled or emptied with a fluid by the pump PUM controlled by the control STR via a line LEI.

The pump PUM can be worn on the body as well as arranged externally, for example in an aircraft or vehicle. If the pump PUM is arranged in a flight or vehicle, a line LEI can run to each of the seats, to which the bladder BLA can be connected. In this way, vehicle occupants can take advantage of a massage of the vena perforantis if necessary.

In addition, according to FIG. 3, electrodes connected to the control STR can be provided as an actuator BET, which electrodes are arranged in the ankle area in the area of the vena perforantis. By applying a voltage to the electrodes, a targeted contraction of muscles in the vicinity of the vena perforantis can be achieved, which can support the return of blood to the heart. A laptop or a handheld PC, for example, can be used as the control and power supply for the electrodes, which can control the electrodes via a corresponding interface. A great advantage of the electronic control STR of the pressure generation on the vena perforantis is that the pressure can be generated at pre-defined intervals without the patient's intervention. On In this way it can be ensured that optimal support of the return of blood towards the heart can be guaranteed even when sitting for a long time.

Claims

1. Device (VOR) for massaging the vena perforantis, characterized in that a bracket (BUE) which can be inserted into the inside of a shoe (SCH) has a bottom part (BOD) and at least one side part which projects upwards in an assembled state ( SEI) is provided, and the bracket (BUE) can be moved from a relief position (ENT) against a restoring force into a pressure-generating position (DRU), the side part (SEI) in the pressure-generating position (DRU) in the ankle area essentially above the vena perforantis comes to rest and is pressed against a leg in this area.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bracket (BUE) can be moved into the pressure generating position about a pivot point (DRE) located in a transition region between the base part (BOD) and the side part (SEI).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bracket (BUE) is substantially L-shaped.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bracket (BUE) can be brought into a relief as well as into the pressure generating position via a motor connected to a control (STR).

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a resilient placeholder is arranged between the bottom part (BOD) and the shoe sole (SOL).

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the resilient placeholder consists of open-cell foam.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the resilient placeholder is a spring (FED).

8. Control (STR) for a device (VOR) for massaging the vena perforantis, which is set up to apply pressure via an associated actuating member (BET) of the device (VOR) arranged above the vena perforantis at predeterminable intervals to exercise the vena perforantis.

9. Control unit according to claim 8, characterized in that the actuating member (BET) is a bladder (BLA) which can be clipped onto a shoe edge and filled with a fluid and which is connected via a line to a fluid pump (PUM) controlled by the control unit stands, the pressure and suction direction are reversible, whereby by changing the pressure and suction direction of the pump (PUM) an inflation or collapse of the bladder (BLA) can be generated.

10. Control according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that it is designed as a microcomputer.