Pneumatic compression garment with noise attenuating means
View Patent ↗A compression garment for applying compression to a part of a wearer's body includes a flexible member, an inflatable bladder defining an inflatable chamber, and a port for communication between a source of pressurized air and the inflatable chamber. The garment also incorporates noise attenuation. The noise attenuation can include noise attenuating members on an air impingement surface of the inflatable bladder, or at least one air flow aperture in a delivery tube that delivers air into the inflatable chamber.
1. A pneumatic compression garment comprising:
a flexible member for placement on a limb of a human body;
an inflatable bladder in the flexible member defining an inflatable chamber; and
a port including a delivery tube fixedly secured and sealed to the inflatable bladder, the delivery tube having an air inlet outside the inflatable chamber adapted for communication with a source of pressurized air and an air outlet in communication with the inflatable chamber for delivery of air from the source of pressurized air into the inflatable chamber for inflating the inflatable chamber and thereby applying a compression force to the limb when the flexible member is in place on the limb, the delivery tube comprising an air outlet portion inside the inflatable chamber adjacent to a free end of the delivery tube within the inflatable chamber defining the air outlet of the port, the delivery tube including at least one air flow aperture in a sidewall of the delivery tube positioned on the air outlet portion of the delivery tube such that air flows through the at least one air flow aperture in a lateral direction relative to the tube into the inflatable chamber of the inflatable bladder to inflate the inflatable bladder, wherein the air outlet portion of the delivery tube terminates in an closed end for forcing air into the inflatable chamber through the air flow apertures.
2. The pneumatic compression garment of claim 1 , wherein the at least one air flow aperture comprises a plurality of air flow apertures in the sidewall of the delivery tube for flow of air through the plurality of air flow apertures in a lateral direction relative to the tube into the inflatable chamber of the inflatable bladder to inflate the inflatable bladder, the plurality of air flow apertures being spaced circumferentially around the sidewall of the air outlet portion of the delivery tube.
3. The pneumatic compression garment of claim 1 , wherein the at least one air flow aperture comprises a plurality of air flow apertures in the sidewall of the delivery tube for flow of air through the plurality of air flow apertures in a lateral direction relative to the tube into the inflatable chamber of the inflatable bladder to inflate it, the plurality of air flow apertures being spaced axially along the sidewall of the air outlet portion of the delivery tube.
4. The pneumatic compression garment of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of air flow apertures are also spaced circumferentially along the sidewall of the air outlet portion of the delivery tube.
5. The pneumatic compression garment of claim 1 , wherein the flexible member is configured for placement on a foot.
6. The pneumatic compression garment of claim 1 , wherein at least one air flow aperture comprises a plurality of air flow apertures in the sidewall of the delivery tube for flow of air through the plurality of air flow apertures in a lateral direction relative to the tube into the inflatable chamber of the inflatable bladder to inflate the inflatable bladder.
7. The pneumatic compression garment of claim 1 , wherein the delivery tube extends continuously from a location in the inflatable chamber of the bladder to a location outside the inflatable chamber.
8. The pneumatic compression garment of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable bladder includes opposing inner and outer sheets which define the inflatable chamber between the sheets, the delivery tube extending between and being fixedly secured and sealed to overlying edge margins of the inner and outer sheets of the bladder.