CN111345983A - Device for intermittently squeezing limb muscles - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for intermittently compressing muscles of a limb, comprising: an actuation portion comprising an actuation element; an attachment element capable of attaching the actuation portion to a user's limb in a manner substantially encircling the user's limb; wherein the actuating portion intermittently pulls and releases the traction member from one end side or both opposite end sides of the traction member so that the traction member can press the limb muscles when the device is attached around the limb and the traction member is pulled, and releases the pressing of the limb muscles when the traction member is released, thereby intermittently pressing or releasing the limb muscles; wherein the attachment element is segmented in the extrusion direction. Due to the segmentation of the attachment element, the blood return can be better promoted. Furthermore, the actuating portion comprises rollers for tensioning and releasing the traction elements, so as to reduce the friction resulting from the tensioning and releasing action, reducing the energy consumption.

Description

Device for intermittently squeezing limb muscles

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a portable device for promoting limb blood and lymph flow and preventing the formation of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

Background

DVT is a common type of health risk for modern humans. Which can lead to congestion, pain and swelling of the affected extremities, for example. By delivering blood clots to the lungs, circulation through the lungs can also be blocked, i.e., cause pulmonary embolism, resulting in diminished lung function, sometimes cardiac function, and even life risk.

During immobility, blood stasis is considered a major risk factor for the formation of DVT. Immobilization includes any period of lack of physical movement, whether in a supine or standing position, such as during long distance automobile travel, long distance flights, long periods of bed rest, work in a standing position or sitting in a chair for extended periods of time, and the like.

Increasing blood flow in the limb during periods of immobility has been demonstrated to be a method of preventing the formation of DVT in the limb. It can also help prevent Pulmonary Embolism (PE) usually caused by DVT. Increasing venous blood return from the limb during periods of immobility may also prevent the development of edema, pain and discomfort within the limb.

To prevent DVT, various aesthetic and portable devices have been developed to accommodate use on trips or offices.

The patent document of chinese patent publication No. CN1381289A discloses a rolling device which is conveniently unfolded and folded, and is in the shape of an oval roller after being unfolded, and is used for users to exercise shanks and feet in long-distance traffic. However, when the exercise device is used, the user acts a great amount of movement, which easily affects people around the user, and when the exercise device is used on a vehicle, the user is difficult to control and even roll away from the user due to the gravity and impact when the vehicle body goes up and down a slope or the plane is raised or pitched.

The device for preventing DVT, which is more suitable for use in vehicles and offices, is a device for promoting blood flow as disclosed in chinese patent publication No. CN1879586A, and as shown in fig. 1, 2, 3, is an electrically-powered portable device that can surround a limb such as a calf, intermittently pulls and releases an attachment member 1, such as a strap 1 fixed to a buckle 4, substantially surrounding the limb of a user, by an actuator (not shown), such as a motor, provided in an actuating portion 2, or intermittently actuates a moving plate 3 to intermittently press the limb muscle, for the purpose of promoting blood flow of the limb. However, in practice it has been found that although the device is effective in promoting blood flow to a localized area of the body where the device is used, such localized area blood flow does not significantly improve blood flow back to the heart. In addition, when the device uses the strap 1 to intermittently compress and release the muscle of the limb, the force of the strap 1 acting on the buckle 4 is not along the moving direction of the buckle 4, but is approximately perpendicular to the moving direction of the buckle 4, so that the buckle 4 is subjected to a large torque when moving linearly, and has a tendency of deflecting to make it difficult to normally maintain the linear movement, and the deflection simultaneously causes the side of the buckle 4 facing the limb to have obvious friction with the shell 25, so that the device has high energy consumption, high noise and easy damage.

Accordingly, there is a need for a device that is more energy efficient, quiet, smooth in actuation, and more effective in promoting blood or lymph flow, promoting blood return to the heart, to prevent or ameliorate the formation of DVT.

Disclosure of Invention

In accordance with the above objects, the present invention provides a portable device for intermittently compressing the muscles of a limb which promotes blood and/or lymph flow and prevents or reduces the risk of deep vein thrombosis.

The device of the present invention is a small, portable, simple electromechanical device that prevents thrombosis by converting energy, particularly electrical or magnetic energy, into mechanical force, squeezing and releasing limb muscles, promoting blood and/or lymph flow.

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a device for intermittently compressing muscles of a limb, comprising: an actuation portion comprising an actuation element; an attachment element capable of attaching the actuation portion to a user's limb in a manner that substantially encircles the user's limb; wherein the actuating portion intermittently pulls and releases the traction member from one end side or both opposite end sides of the traction member so that the traction member can press the limb muscles when the device is attached around the limb and the traction member is pulled, and releases the pressing of the limb muscles when the traction member is released, thereby intermittently pressing or releasing the limb muscles; wherein the actuating portion comprises a roller for tensioning and releasing the traction element. Due to the arrangement of the roller for tensioning or releasing the traction element, the friction caused by the tensioning and releasing action is reduced, reducing the energy consumption.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to a device for intermittently compressing muscles of a limb, comprising: an actuation portion comprising an actuation element; an attachment element for attaching the actuation portion to a user's limb in a manner substantially encircling the user's limb; a compression plate intermittently extended and retracted by the actuating portion such that the compression plate can compress a limb muscle when the device is attached around a limb and the compression plate is extended, and release compression of the limb muscle when the compression plate is retracted, thereby intermittently compressing or releasing the limb muscle; wherein the pressure plate is segmented in the extrusion direction.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to a device for intermittently compressing muscles of a limb, comprising: an actuation portion comprising an actuation element; an attachment element capable of attaching the actuation portion to a user's limb in a manner that substantially encircles the user's limb; wherein the actuating portion intermittently pulls and releases the traction member from one end side or both opposite end sides of the traction member so that the traction member can press the limb muscles when the device is attached around the limb and the traction member is pulled, and releases the pressing of the limb muscles when the traction member is released, thereby intermittently pressing or releasing the limb muscles; wherein the attachment element is segmented in the extrusion direction.

Since the attachment member or pressure plate is articulated, it is suitable for articulated actuation, increasing the modality of use of the device.

Wherein the segments are physically broken or cleaved from one another; alternatively, the segments are not physically disconnected or split from one another.

Preferably, the segments are actuated sequentially in said pressing direction by actuating elements. For example, for devices that are extruded using an attachment member, the aforementioned segments are released after being sequentially tensioned in the extrusion direction by the actuating member; for devices that use a platen for compression, the segments are retracted after being sequentially extended in the compression direction by the actuating element.

Preferably, the attachment element comprises an adjustable strap. The attachment element can thus be adjusted to a suitable degree of tension before use.

Preferably, the traction element comprises a traction rope, a tube for the traction rope to pass through is arranged in the node, and the actuating part tensions and releases the traction element through the traction rope; or the attachment element comprises a traction rope, a ring for the traction rope to pass through is arranged on the node, and the actuating part tensions and releases the attachment element through the traction rope. Due to the adoption of the traction rope, only the traction rope can be replaced after being worn, and the attachment element can be replaced. Furthermore, since the pull cord is easily adjustable in length, the attachment element can be adjusted to a suitable tension before use.

Preferably, in addition to the embodiments of the first aspect, the actuating portion also comprises a roller for tensioning and releasing the traction element.

Preferably, the aforementioned actuating element comprises an actuator and a transmission coupled to said actuator.

Preferably, the aforementioned actuation portion comprises a power source.

Preferably, the aforementioned actuation portion comprises a housing for accommodating the actuation element, the housing being a curved bottle-like container having a curvature conforming to the curvature of the user's limb.

Preferably, the device is adapted to be placed around the lower leg of a user.

Preferably, the aforementioned device further comprises a regulator for regulating the frequency of said intermittent squeezing and releasing.

Preferably, the aforementioned apparatus further comprises a force modifier for modifying the force applied to the limb muscles.

Drawings

The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1-3 are prior art devices for intermittently compressing muscles of a limb.

FIG. 4 is an embodiment of the device of the present invention with the attachment member being a segmented strap.

Fig. 5 is another configuration of an attachment member of the device of the present invention comprising a segmented strap and a pull cord.

FIG. 6 is a partial view of yet another configuration of the attachment member of the device of the present invention showing only one segment of the attachment member.

Fig. 7 shows a specific structure of the actuator of the device of the present invention.

Figure 8 illustrates the actuation and force application of the device for intermittent compression of the muscles of a limb of the prior art or of some embodiments of the device of the present invention, which has some drawbacks.

Figures 9 and 10 are examples of the actuator portion of the device of the present invention modified for the defect shown in figure 8.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the actuation timing sequence of the device of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The invention relates to a device for intermittently squeezing limb muscles, in particular to a device for promoting blood or lymph flow, preventing DVT (digital visual tomography) from forming and better promoting limb blood to flow back to a heart. The device of the present invention involves using an attachment element, such as a strap, or using a plate, which is moved to compress the limb muscles, which promotes blood flow back into the heart more effectively than prior devices, such as devices that prevent the formation of DVT.

Generally, in the present application, the location of the heart of the user is defined as proximal and the limbs as distal. For convenience of presentation, the direction along the limb from the distal end to the proximal end is defined as the direction of blood return to the heart. The blood return direction is the direction in which the device squeezes blood to cause blood to return when the device is attached to the limb. For example, the DVT shown in fig. 1 is worn on the lower leg of the user, and the direction from the lower leg towards the upper leg is the squeezing direction of the blood flow promoting device and is denoted by reference sign V in this application. Further, a direction substantially perpendicular to the pressing direction is defined as a fastening direction, and is denoted by reference character H in the present application.

The attachment element or plate of the device for intermittent compression of a muscle of a limb according to the invention, when attached to the limb, has as a whole, in a multi-segment configuration, for example two or more segments, preferably 2-5, for example 2, 3, 4 segments, in the compression direction V, each of which can be actuated separately to compress or release the muscle of the limb.

In a particular embodiment, as shown in fig. 4, the attachment element 1 preferably used in the device for intermittently compressing the muscles of a limb according to the invention is a strip 1 (in this embodiment indicated by the same reference numeral as the attachment element), for example constituted by a plurality of segments 11, cut out of the strip in fig. 2 substantially along the fastening direction H, as the main body. The attachment element 1 in the form of a strip in fig. 4 is shown in 2 segments, but it can, of course, also be 3 or more segments. The attachment member 1 connects the attachment member 1 to the actuating portion through the end portions of two opposite ends of each link 11, for example, by various suitable connection means such as a buckle, a hasp, or a magic buckle.

In general, the segments of the strip may be physically broken or split from segment to segment, such as shown in FIG. 4. But may be physically unbroken or split from section to section as will be described below and in the following description of fig. 5. As long as the segments can be actuated from segment to segment, respectively, and actuation of one segment does not significantly affect the motion of the other segments, or the motion amplitude of the segment currently being actuated is significantly greater than the motion amplitude of the other segments not being actuated.

In a particular embodiment, as shown in fig. 5, the traction element 1 comprises a band 13 of overall double-layer structure, the band 13 of double-layer structure being divided into two or more segments 11, 3 segments being shown in fig. 5, by one or more joints 12 located in the middle of the band and extending substantially in the fastening direction H. The joint portion 12 may be formed by various suitable joining methods such as sewing, fusing, bonding, stapling, or the like, or a combination thereof, in accordance with the material of the tape body 13. The attachment element 1 further comprises a traction rope 5, in each segment 11, a tube 14 for passing the traction rope 5 is formed between the layers. The tube 14 may be formed of the band 13 itself in a double structure, or may be another tubular solid body disposed between the bands 13 in a double structure. The tube 14 need not be hollow cylindrical in the usual sense, but may be a hollow flat body formed between two layers of material. Each layer in the two-layer structure may in turn be composed of a plurality of layers. The pulling rope 5 is connected at its opposite ends to connection portions, such as buckles 4, on opposite sides of the actuating portion 2. Of course, alternative ways are possible, for example, with a buckle at the free end of the pulling rope 5, and a fastening rope or belt on the actuating part 2. The pulling rope 5 may be a rope in the general sense or it may be a flat strip of suitable width and thickness to pass through the tube 14. Since the body of traction element 1, i.e. strap 13, is segmented and each segment is provided with a traction rope 5 for fastening, traction element 1 as a whole is also segmented and can be actuated separately for each segment.

The pulling rope 5 can also fasten the band 13 to the actuating portion 2 in other ways, in which case the band 13 does not have to be double-layered or multi-layered. For example, fig. 6 shows one of the sections 11 of the belt body 13 of fig. 5. In this embodiment, one or more cord loops, such as loops 15, for removably threading the traction cord 5 are fixedly disposed at spaced intervals on an outer surface 16 of one of the segments of the strap body 13 (i.e., the side opposite the limb when the strap body 13 is attached to the limb). The ring 15 may be, for example, a metal ring, a string ring, a polymer ring, or the like. Of course, any other suitable means for fixedly mounting on the outer surface of belt body 13 for threading traction rope 5 is possible, such as one or more tubular members fixedly mounted on outer surface 16 of belt body 13. Also, in these embodiments, the pull cord 5 may be a flat strip of suitable width and thickness for passing through the loop or tube.

The structure and actuation of the actuation portion of the device of the present invention will now be described. Since traction element 1 is divided into a plurality of segments to be actuated separately in the present invention, its actuating portion 2 generally comprises the same number of actuating elements as the number of segments of traction element 1, each for tensioning or releasing each segment 11 of traction element 1. Since the actuating portion of the present invention comprises two or more actuating elements, it is generally suitably arranged, for example substantially in the pressing direction V, within the housing 25 of the actuating portion 2.

In a particular embodiment, as shown in fig. 7, the attachment element 1 is actuated in two segments, and two actuating elements 30 are provided in the actuating portion 2. Each actuating element 30 comprises an actuator 31, for example a motor, and a transmission member 26 for transmitting the action of the actuator 31 to the attachment element 1, and furthermore the actuating portion 2 comprises a power source 20 for powering the actuators of the actuating elements, including but not limited to a lithium-ion battery 21, for example a dry cell or a block, preferably a rechargeable battery. In the embodiment shown in fig. 7, the actuator 31 is, for example, a push-pull electromagnetic motor and has a central rod 32 that can reciprocate. In one embodiment, the transmission member 26 comprises, for example, at a side wall of the housing 25 of the actuating portion 2, a rectangular plate 33 arranged adjacent to a slot 61 for the passage of the buckle 4 for connecting the attachment element 1 through the housing 25. The plate member 33 has two long side edges 46 and two narrow side edges 45, and on the narrow side edges 45 side thereof, the plate member 33 is pivotally attached to the top and bottom walls of the housing 25 by the pivot means 39, thereby allowing the plate member 33 to rotate about the central axis at the pivot means 39. The actuator 31 is articulated, by means of its central rod 32 reciprocating, movably to one of the two long edges 46 of the rectangular plate 33, to which the movable buckle 4 is also connected, the other of the two long edges 46 of the plate 33 being articulated movably to one end of a link 35 that crosses the casing 25 substantially in the fastening direction H, the other end of the link 35 being connected to a movable buckle 34 located on the other side of the casing 25. Thus, the centrally hinged rectangular plate 33 is connected on one side to the actuator 31 by means of the central rod 32 and on the other side to the connecting rod 35, the reciprocating movement of the central rod 32 causing the plate 33 to rotate back and forth about its central axis, as a result of which the buckles 4 (directly connected to the plate 33) and 34 (connected by means of the connecting rod 35) can be pushed and pulled synchronously towards the inside and outside of the housing 25, thus causing the intermittent tightening or loosening of the attachment element 1. Preferably, the rotation angle of the plate member 33 is in the range of 20 to 60 degrees. Since the buckles 34 and 4 are allowed to approach each other simultaneously, the limb muscles are stressed more evenly in the tightening direction when the attachment member 1 is tightened to compress the limb muscles, which results in a better compression effect than a one-sided tightening attachment member, while the two-sided tightening also improves the efficiency of the device, which results in an effective energy saving.

Further ways of actuation and specific structures thereof can be seen further in chinese patent publication CN1879586A, the entire content of which is incorporated by reference into the present application. Since the actuating portion of the device of the invention comprises two or more actuating elements 30, it is generally suitably arranged, for example, in the pressing direction V in the housing 25 of the actuating portion 2. It should be noted, however, that not every actuation element need be identical as described in CN1879586A, some of which may be replaceable, consolidated, or suitably modified.

However, it has been found in practice that the above-described actuation of the tightening or loosening of the attachment member intermittently by means of a reciprocating buckle still presents some problems of unpleasantness of use. Taking fig. 8 as an example, the attachment member 1 is shown with one end connected to the fixed buckle 42 and the other end connected to the movable buckle 4. The actuator 31 is, for example, a rotary motor 35, the rotary motor 35 drives the rotary shaft 22 to rotate, and the transmission member 26 composed of a worm gear, a connecting rod and the like converts the rotation of the rotary shaft 22 into the reciprocating motion of the movable buckle 4, and the related more detailed structure can be further referred to in chinese patent publication CN 1879586A. However, in this device, when the attachment member 1 is used to intermittently compress and release the muscles of the limb, the force of the attachment member 1 acting on the buckle 4 is not in the movement direction F1 in which the buckle 4 is actuated to reciprocate, but in the direction F2 which is at an angle to the movement direction F1 of the buckle 4, the force of the attachment member 1 acting on the buckle 4 is also represented by F2, and the buckle 4 is reciprocated with a tendency to move sideways biased toward the side of the attachment member 1 by the force F2, which causes the buckle 4 to generate significant friction with the incision edge 62 of the incision 61 on the side close to the limb, and thus the noise, energy consumption and wear are large.

A further embodiment of the device of the present invention shown in fig. 9 provides an improved actuating element. The general construction of this embodiment is similar to that of fig. 8, however, in contrast to the transmission member 26 shown in fig. 8, the transmission member 26 of the blood flow promoting device shown in fig. 9 further comprises a flexible transmission belt 24, and a driven roller 50 fixedly arranged in the vicinity of the slot 61 of the housing 25, the transmission belt 24 passing the driven roller 50 and passing through the slot 61, the free end of which is generally connectable with a buckle 4 for connection with the attachment element 1 or its pulling cord 5. By setting the appropriate length of the belt 24, the buckle 4 does not pass over the driven roller 50 even when the limb muscles are tightened. By means of improvement, when the flexible transmission belt 24 moves, the driven roller 50 is driven to rotate, and the movable buckle 4 does not rub against the edge of the housing notch 61 any more, thereby obviously reducing the noise and energy consumption of the device. In some embodiments, the flexible drive belt 24 may also be in the form of a drive cord.

The device of the present invention shown in fig. 10 provides a schematic view of yet another improved actuating element. In this embodiment, the actuator 31 is, for example, a stepping motor (not shown), the end of the rotating shaft 22 is provided with a groove 23, the flexible transmission belt 24 is clamped in the groove 23 and extends to two driven rollers 50 respectively arranged at the cutting grooves 61 at both sides of the housing 25, and after crossing the driven rollers 50, extends out of the housing 25 from the cutting grooves 61, and the end of the flexible transmission belt 24 is provided with a buckle 4 for connecting the attachment element 1 or the pulling rope 5 thereof. The buckle 4 may be provided only at one end of the belt 24, or the buckles 4 may be provided at both ends thereof. When only one buckle 4 is provided, one end of the attachment member 1 or its pulling cord 5 may extend through the slot 61 into the housing 25 to act as a flexible drive belt 24, the other end being connected to the buckle 4 in use. Of course, the grooves 23 in which the belt is wound can also be of other configurations, such as perforations or the like perpendicular to the axis of rotation and extending through the axis of rotation 22.

Figure 11 shows the actuation sequence of the device of the invention in which the actuator is a stepper motor or a push-pull electromagnetic motor. Fig. 11(a) shows the actuation waveform of the first section at the distal end farthest from the centrifugal dirt in the squeezing direction V, and fig. 11(b) shows the actuation waveform of the second section next to the first section in the squeezing direction V, where the vertical axis P represents the driving source, which may be voltage-driven or current-driven, depending on the actuator employed, and the horizontal axis t represents time. When actuated, the actuator of the respective actuating element is driven into action, tensioning the respective link of the attachment element. At the beginning, the first section is driven for a time period of T1, and the second section is driven after T1 plus T2 for a time period of T3. Generally, the driving time duration of each section is equal or approximately equal, i.e., T1 and T3 are approximately equal, and T2 is a value that may be positive, negative, or zero, but whose absolute value is less than the driving time duration of the previous section, which means that the driving of the first section has not yet ended, or has just ended to begin driving the second section soon. When both sections are driven, both sections of the traction element are under tension, and then after a time period T4, the sections are driven in reverse to release the traction element. The sections may be substantially simultaneously actuated in reverse to release the entire traction element substantially simultaneously, for a period of time T5. Subsequently, after a relaxation period of time of duration T6, the aforementioned tightening and relaxing actions are repeated.

When the device works, the length of time for squeezing or compressing the limb muscles and the length of time for releasing the limb muscles can be provided with various schemes. In one embodiment, the apparatus provides intermittent compression approximately every 100 seconds or less. In one embodiment, the apparatus provides intermittent compression about every 30 seconds or less. In one embodiment, the device provides intermittent compression about every 2 seconds or more and less than about 300 seconds. In one embodiment, the device provides intermittent compression about every 2 seconds or less and greater than about 75 milliseconds. In one embodiment, the device provides intermittent compression about every 75 milliseconds to about 1 second. In one embodiment, the device provides intermittent compression synchronized with the user's heart rate. In one embodiment, the period of time that is squeezed is greater than or equal to the period of time that the muscles are relaxed, e.g., the overall period of time that the muscles are squeezed is greater than or equal to 1 second but less than or equal to 5 minutes, but the period of time that the muscles are relaxed should not be so short that there is sufficient time for blood to fill the portion of the limb that has just been squeezed after each squeeze. In another embodiment, the limb muscles are squeezed or compressed sharply and then released slowly and held for a release period of time, the length of time that the limb muscles are squeezed is less than or equal to the length of time that the limb muscles are released. In a preferred embodiment, T1, T3 are less than or equal to 1 second, T4 is about 2 seconds to 4 minutes, T5 is about 2 seconds, and T6 is about 3 to 20 seconds, each of which can be adjusted.

The example of fig. 11 shows the attachment member being divided into two segments, with two actuating members, and as the attachment member is divided into more segments, the next third segment, fourth segment, etc. will be driven after T3, with all drives pulling, then releasing the segments substantially simultaneously, and then repeating the pulling and releasing actions previously described after a relaxation time period of T6.

It should be noted that, in some actuating elements, such as the actuating element shown in fig. 8, the transmission member 26 has already converted the rotation of the rotating motor 35 into the reciprocating motion, so that it is not necessary to back-drive the actuator, i.e., the rotating motor 35, and it is only necessary to control the driving time thereof.

It is noted that the foregoing embodiments have been described primarily in the form of the attachment element pressing against the limb muscle, but as mentioned in the background, it is also possible to press against the limb muscle using a moveable plate, which is segmented and actuated in a timed sequence to press against the limb muscle, and in which the attachment element merely serves to secure the device of the invention to the limb.

Furthermore, although in the foregoing embodiments, each link of the tautenable traction elements or moving plates is actuated in correspondence with one device, it is also possible that one link, every second next to it or every third link constitutes a group, each group sharing one actuation element, so that the various links of the traction elements or moving plates are actuated in groups.

Furthermore, but with more sections, one or some of the sections may also be provided without a corresponding actuating element, so that this section will then move substantially without or following the section immediately following it.

Furthermore, the device of the present invention, as shown in the prior art of fig. 2, generally further comprises: a switch 6 for turning the device on or off; a frequency regulator 7 for regulating the frequency of the intermittent pressing, for example by regulating the rotational speed of the motor; a force adjuster 8 for adjusting the amount of force applied to the limb muscles by the attachment member or the moveable plate, for example adjusting the length of the traction cable near the actuation portion when the traction cable is pulled tight, or adjusting the distance of movement of the moveable plate. Generally, the actuating part

While the specific embodiments set forth herein represent particularly preferred embodiments of the invention, many other modifications and variations of the structure of the present invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art, which fall within the scope of the present invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the detailed description is only illustrative of the principles of the present invention and not restrictive thereof.

Claims (9)

1. An apparatus for intermittently compressing muscles of a limb, comprising: an actuation portion comprising an actuation element; an attachment element capable of attaching the actuation portion to a user's limb in a manner that substantially encircles the user's limb; wherein the actuating portion intermittently pulls and releases the traction member from one end side or both opposite end sides of the traction member so that the traction member can press the muscle of the limb when the device is attached around the limb and the traction member is pulled, and releases the pressing of the muscle of the limb when the traction member is released, thereby intermittently pressing or releasing the muscle of the limb, characterized in that the actuating portion includes a roller for pulling and releasing the traction member.

2. An apparatus for intermittently compressing muscles of a limb, comprising: an actuation portion comprising an actuation element; an attachment element for attaching the actuation portion to a user's limb in a manner substantially encircling the user's limb; a footplate intermittently extended and retracted by the actuator portion such that the footplate can compress a limb muscle when the device is attached around a limb and the footplate is extended, and release compression of the limb muscle when the footplate is retracted, thereby intermittently compressing or releasing the limb muscle, wherein the footplate is segmented in the direction of compression.

3. An apparatus for intermittently compressing muscles of a limb, comprising: an actuation portion comprising an actuation element; an attachment element capable of attaching the actuation portion to a user's limb in a manner that substantially encircles the user's limb; wherein the actuating portion intermittently pulls and releases the traction member from one end side or both opposite end sides of the traction member so that the traction member can press the limb muscles when the device is attached around the limb and the traction member is pulled, and releases the pressing of the limb muscles to intermittently press or release the limb muscles when the traction member is released, characterized in that the traction member is segmented in the pressing direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein: the traction element comprises an adjustable strap; or

The traction element comprises a traction rope, a pipe for the traction rope to pass through is arranged in the section, and the actuating part tensions and releases the traction element through the traction rope; or

The traction element comprises a traction rope, a ring for the traction rope to pass through is arranged on the node, and the actuating part tensions and releases the traction element through the traction rope.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 or 4, wherein: the actuating portion includes a roller for tensioning and releasing the traction member.

6. The apparatus according to any of claims 2-5, wherein: in use, the segments are sequentially actuated in the direction of extrusion by the actuating element.

7. The apparatus according to any of claims 2-6, wherein: the segments are physically broken or cleaved from one another; alternatively, the segments are not physically disconnected or split from one another.

8. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein:

the device further comprises a regulator for regulating the frequency of said intermittent compression and release and/or a force regulator for regulating the force applied to the limb muscles; or

The actuation portion includes a power source; or

The actuating element comprises an actuator and a transmission coupled with the actuator; or

The actuation portion includes a housing for receiving the actuation element, the housing being a curved bottle-like container having a curvature conforming to the curvature of the user's limb.

9. A device according to any preceding claim, adapted to be placed around the lower leg of a user.

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