Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
  • A61H9/00—Pneumatic or hydraulic massage
  • A61H9/005—Pneumatic massage
  • A61H9/0057—Suction
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
  • A61H7/00—Devices for suction-kneading massage; Devices for massaging the skin by rubbing or brushing not otherwise provided for
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
  • A61H39/00—Devices for locating or stimulating specific reflex points of the body for physical therapy, e.g. acupuncture
  • A61H39/04—Devices for pressing such points, e.g. Shiatsu or Acupressure
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
  • A61H7/00—Devices for suction-kneading massage; Devices for massaging the skin by rubbing or brushing not otherwise provided for
  • A61H7/007—Kneading
  • A61H7/008—Suction kneading
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
  • A61H9/00—Pneumatic or hydraulic massage
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
  • A61H2201/00—Characteristics of apparatus not provided for in the preceding codes
  • A61H2201/02—Characteristics of apparatus not provided for in the preceding codes heated or cooled
  • A61H2201/0207—Characteristics of apparatus not provided for in the preceding codes heated or cooled heated
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
  • A61H2201/00—Characteristics of apparatus not provided for in the preceding codes
  • A61H2201/02—Characteristics of apparatus not provided for in the preceding codes heated or cooled
  • A61H2201/0221—Mechanism for heating or cooling
  • A61H2201/025—Mechanism for heating or cooling by direct air flow on the patient's body

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an apparatus for massaging the human or animal body of a living subject to be treated, said apparatus comprising, in the first place, a hollow body intended to be supported on the skin by suction means and, secondly, support elements to act by localized compression on the deep layers of the skin to be treated.
• the massage devices disclosed in the state of the art essentially use suction means to create a vacuum in a suction chamber, the thus sucked skin coming into contact with support elements, which, in a direction substantially orthogonal to the skin to be treated, are fixed with respect to the suction direction.
• the apparatus comprises a hollow body in which there is a member which exerts a mechanical action on the part of the skin, which is subjected to the depression, which has been created by suction and which reigns in said hollow body; said member may be a protuberance integral with the hollow body or a roller whose axis is carried by the hollow body or a membrane bearing reliefs; and in any case, the compression of the skin on the support member is exclusively generated by the depression in the suction chamber. Since the depression to which the skin can be subjected without generating lesions is necessarily of limited importance, it follows that the compression of the skin in the areas in contact with the support member is also necessarily limited. , so that one can not act with such an apparatus on the deep layers of the skin or on the underlying tissues or muscle zones.
• the support element that compresses a skin zone is a roller and, again, the compression by the roller is essentially a function of the vacuum established in the suction chamber. device being nevertheless capable of being used dynamically due to the presence of the roller.
• the edge of the walls of two suction chambers is used as support member, so that, again, the compression of certain areas of skin can only be limited since the partitions delimit the suction chambers and in addition, the edge of a partition has a limited area, which prevents the use of a significant depression due to the risk of skin lesions.
• French Patent 1,501,054 there is provided a simple construction apparatus comprising a plurality of suction chambers separated from each other by parallel bars; nothing is proposed to have an effect on the deep layers of the skin, the only support members being the separator bars of the different suction chambers and the use of the apparatus being performed by hand by application of 'moderate' pressure on the part of the body to be massaged; the device must be moved on the skin to treat to produce a ripple of the epidermis, which assumes a sliding of the device on the skin and it is also indicated that the portion to be massaged is coated with a lubricant to facilitate this sliding. It is clear that the pressure that can be applied by hand on such a device can be only light since it must slide on the skin, resulting in the compression at the right of the separation bars between two chambers suction is necessarily weak and can not act on the deep layers of the skin.
• this apparatus may comprise in particular on the one hand, an elongated pylon adapted to receive fastening means, on the other hand, a plurality of pressure bases each being a component that can be attached to one end of the pylon to deliver to the pylon; the pressure to be applied to the animal or human body, said bases being able to receive various anatomical parts of the therapist; and finally, a pressure head attached to the other end of the pylon, to apply to the animal or human body the pressure transmitted to the pylon by the pressure base.
• the apparatuses described in this patent 1 800 644 make it possible to carry out massages by continuous pressure that is to say that they use a large compressive force on certain localized parts of the body of the patient to be treated, which makes it possible to produce beneficial effects on the deep tissues of the body.
• such devices do not generate significant pain because the compression is carried out gradually so that the skin to be treated is not abruptly subjected to a significant force; in addition, the pressure head is not moved relative to the skin as the pressure is applied, which avoids any pain related to friction on the skin. This results in a possibility of treating the deeper layers of the skin and the underlying tissues without generating pain that is difficult to tolerate for the subject to be treated.
• the subject of the present invention is therefore a device for massaging a living subject to be treated, this apparatus comprising a hollow body delimiting an internal volume by a side wall and a connecting wall, said side wall extending between the connecting wall and a peripheral border intended to be statically supported on an area of the skin of the subject to be treated, said internal volume being connected to a suction system to constitute, by pressing the peripheral edge on the skin, at least one suction chamber capable of being depressed with respect to the environment of the apparatus, said hollow body comprising, in its internal volume, at least one internal support element able to act by compression on the skin of the subject to be treated when the internal volume is connected to the reduced treatment pressure established by the suction system, characterized in that it comprises, in addition, at least one actuator for mechanically exerting on the skin, by means of at least one internal support element of the hollow body, a force F applied to the said (s) ( s) support element (s) continuously, variable or not, at least some of the internal support elements acting on the skin by localized continuous compression.
• an actuator may exert the force F by any means and, especially as will be described below in the various embodiments exemplifying the invention, by mechanical transmission of a force exerted by a operator or pneumatic action, but also by hydraulic, electrical or magnetic means.
• the force F which makes it possible to apply a localized continuous compression to certain areas of skin, is exerted by means of at least one actuator. It is the presence of this independent actuator of the suction system, which makes it possible to obtain the particularly interesting results of the combination of the two parts of the state technique, namely that relating to the use of a vacuum system. suction and that relating to the use of a force F applied by means of an actuator. In a preferred embodiment, such a actuator exerts a force F of a value independent of the pressure established by the suction system.
• the support elements are fixed inside the hollow body; advantageously, the internal support elements comprise at least one projecting finger and / or at least one elongated boss, whose free end is at an adjustable distance from a continuous smooth surface passing through the peripheral edge of the side wall .
• At least some internal support elements are movable in the hollow body through an actuator, in a direction of translation substantially perpendicular to a continuous smooth surface passing through the peripheral edge of the side wall of the hollow body; in such a case, it can be provided that a movable support element is constituted by a rectilinear finger, whose free end, facing outwardly of the hollow body, is rounded.
• the internal volume can be divided into several suction chambers separated from each other by at least one inner wall, each inner wall having a free edge located substantially at a continuous smooth surface passing through the peripheral edge of the side wall hollow body; alternatively, the vacuum chambers of the hollow body are subjected, independently and / or sequentially, to one or more reduced pressure (s) by means of a distribution member; each inner wall can be connected to the side wall of the hollow body so that its free edge connects to the peripheral edge of said side wall.
• the hollow body constitutes the pressure head of an actuator comprising a pylon, one end of which is mechanically connected to said body hollow and the other end receives a pressure base, which delivers to the pylon the force F continues to apply by the (or) element (s) bearing on the (or) area (s) of skin submitted ( s) with continuous compression;
• the force F acting on the hollow body may be applied by a pressure base adapted to receive a part of the therapist's body, which treats the subject by means of the apparatus;
• the pressure base may be a removable connection linked to equipment worn by the therapist.
• the force F acting on the hollow body is applied by a clamping means, which is supported on the subject to be treated.
• the displacement of a movable support member by the actuator is obtained by varying a control pressure P2 independent of reduced pressure P1, which acts in the internal volume of the hollow body.
• the hollow body has externally, carried by its side wall, at least one deformable flexible enclosure s' pressing on the skin of the subject to be treated, the deformation of said enclosure being obtained by a variation of pressure in said enclosure and producing a pinch said skin to secure the hollow body with the skin on which it is based.
• the hollow body externally carries at least one external support element capable of acting on the skin in an additional continuous compression, said additional continuous compression exerting on an area of the skin of the subject to be treated located outside the skin.
• the peripheral edge of the side wall of the hollow body and being of insufficient intensity to remove the support of said border peripheral on the skin.
• the hollow body externally carries at least one external support member capable of acting, in an additional continuous compression, on a skin area of the subject to be treated located outside the peripheral edge of the wall lateral of the hollow body, the additional continuous compression, whatever its intensity, never being able to remove the support of the peripheral edge of the hollow body on the skin of the subject to be treated, by means of a clamping device acting externally on the hollow body and bearing on the subject to be treated.
• the force F generated by the actuator (s) exerts on the side walls of the hollow body a deformation sufficient to reduce the depression in the internal volume permanently or pulsatingly depending on the elasticity of the side wall; the elasticity of the side wall can be chosen so that the depression in the internal volume causes a small leak to generate a mechanical oscillation of said side wall and a vibration at the peripheral edge of the hollow body.
• Figures 1 to 6 show a first embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembly formed by an actuator and its associated hollow body: the actuator is an apparatus of the type described and protected by EP 1800644; the hollow body that is associated with this actuator is the one shown in detail in Figures 2 to 6 of the present application;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of the interior of the hollow body of Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the hollow body of FIG. 2, seen along arrow RI of FIG. 2;
• FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line IV-IV of Figure 3;
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view along V-V of Figure 4.
• FIG. 6 is a sectional view along VI-VI of Figure 4.
• FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section of a hollow body according to a variant of the first embodiment corresponding to Figures 1 to 6, the section being made along VII-VII of Figure 8;
• FIG. 8 is a cross section of the hollow body of FIG. 7, along VIII-VIII of FIG. 7:
• FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another variant of the hollow body of the first embodiment corresponding to FIGS. 1 to 6;
• FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the hollow body of FIG. 9;
• Figure 11 is a section of the hollow body of Figure 10 along XI-XI of said Figure 10;
• Figure 12 is a section of the hollow body of Figure 11 along XII-XII of Figure 11;
• FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a therapist carrying a device acting on a patient by means of an apparatus according to the invention (actuator plus hollow body), said apparatus being associated with a hollow body without actuator;
• - Figure 14 shows, in perspective, the leg of a patient treated with a hollow body on which the force F is generated by a strap surrounding the patient's leg;
• FIG. 15 shows schematically in section a hollow body whose actuator is a suction system and moves protruding fingers, the holding of the hollow body on the skin being provided by one or more enclosure (s) subject (s) to an internal pressure;
• FIG. 16 is a sectional view of a variant of the peripheral chamber which is equipped with the hollow body of Figure 15, this variant can be adapted to any type of hollow body and in particular that of Figure 15;
• FIG 17 shows a schematic section of another variant of the peripheral chamber, which is equipped with the hollow body of Figure 15, this variant for adjusting the compression obtained by the elements of the enclosure.
• the apparatus according to this first embodiment of the invention comprises an actuator as described in EP1800644; this actuator essentially comprises three parts:
• an elongated pylon 11 consisting of two half-rods 11a, 11b interconnected by a dynamometer 11c capable of measuring the force exerted between the two half-rods 11a and 11b to bring them closer together; one of the other.
• the half-rod 11b has at its free end a plate 12 called "pressure base"; the pressure base 12 is shaped to receive various anatomical parts of the therapist may apply a force on the half-rod 11b to bring it closer to the half-rod 11a.
• the half-rod 11a is connected by its opposite end to the dynamometer 11c to a hollow body designated by 10 as a whole.
• the hollow body 10 delimits an internal volume by a side wall 3 and a connecting wall 4.
• the side wall 3 extends between the connecting wall 4 and a peripheral edge 2.
• the peripheral edge 2 is the free end of the side wall 3, which is connected, on the opposite side, to the connecting wall 4.
• the peripheral edge 2 defines a substantially flat opening, which puts the outside in communication with the internal volume of the hollow body 10; it is intended to be supported on the skin of the subject to be treated.
• the connecting wall 4 is substantially flat and forms an acute angle with the plane defined by the peripheral edge 2.
• the connection of the half-rod 11a with the hollow body 10 is achieved by putting in place the threaded free end of the half-rod connected in a threaded bore 16 formed in the connecting wall 4.
• the internal volume is connected to a suction system (not shown) by a channel 13, which passes through the connecting wall 4 and thus allows to connect the internal volume and a suction pipe 14; the internal volume of the hollow body 10 thus constitutes a suction chamber 5.
• the suction system is optionally coupled to a computer module for programming the pressure in the suction chamber 5.
• the hollow body 10 also comprises, in its internal volume, internal support elements, which are housed in the suction chamber 5 and consist of four protruding fingers 6 and four elongate bosses 7.
• the bosses 7 are arranged longitudinally at the front of the suction chamber, that is to say in the area of the hollow body, which is furthest away from the connecting wall 4; they extend towards the skin of the subject to be treated so that their free edges are substantially at the plane defined by the peripheral edge 2.
• the free edge of the bosses 7 has a rounded shape and adapted to come into contact with the skin of the subject to be treated without causing damage to the skin.
• the projecting fingers 6 have one end carried by the connecting wall 4, their other end being free substantially at the plane of the peripheral edge. These fingers are, in the embodiment described, screwed into corresponding bores of the connecting wall 4, which allows adjustment of the position of their free end relative to the plane of the peripheral edge 2.
• the side wall 3 and the connecting wall 4 are made of a material sufficiently strong to withstand the force F applied to the hollow body 10 by the half-rod 11a, and to transfer said force to the skin of the subject to be treated. Nevertheless, it is possible to envisage making certain parts of the peripheral edge 2 in a sufficiently deformable material to adapt the hollow body 10 to reliefs of the skin to be treated and thus ensure the sealing of the chamber suction 5 during the massage. Similarly, the fingers and the bosses are made of a sufficiently strong material to transfer said force F to the skin of the subject to be treated. However, it is possible to envisage bosses made of a deformable material depending on the physical conditions so that the suction allows for slight pinching of the skin of the subject to be treated under given conditions: for example by increasing the temperature. One can also consider a shape memory material.
• the outer face of the connecting wall 4 comprises two orifices: one is the outlet of the threaded bore 16 capable of receiving the threaded end of the half-rod 11a of the pylon 11, the other corresponds to the outlet of the channel 13 to which the suction pipe 14 is connected.
• the hollow body of the apparatus which has just been described may, in addition, comprise means (not shown) for heating and / or cooling the skin of the subject to be treated, for example a resistance heating or an air circuit independent of the suction chamber for injecting hot air or cold air.
• Hot air stimulates blood circulation and perspiration, and facilitates treatment; alternating hot air / cold air stimulates the immune system known manner and thus improves the general well-being of the subject to be treated.
• the hollow body of the apparatus may also include means of electrostimulation of the skin to be treated to promote the treatment, for example by contractions of the muscles located under the skin to be treated. Other means of stimulation are conceivable, such as infrared waves or ultrasound whose effects are known in the state of the art.
• the hollow body 10 can be made in different configurations, associating a shape and dimensions adapted to a specific part of the body of the subject to be treated and / or to a specific treatment.
• a hollow body whose circumferential edge is of circular shape allows a massage of the shoulder, while a rectangular hollow body is better for massage of flat areas of the body such as the back .
• the hollow body of an apparatus according to the invention can be made in a sufficiently large size to cover a large part of the body of the subject to be treated.
• the apparatus according to the invention is able to treat a living subject, and preferably the man or the equidae; the treatment associates support phases, phases of depression and / or displacement phases of the hollow body: the different phases are performed for specified periods.
• the suction chamber 5 is generally hermetically closed when the hollow body 10 is applied to the skin, which creates by depression a drive of the skin to be treated against the protruding fingers 6 and the elongate bosses 7; the aspirations are carried out by means of a suction system (not shown) via the channel 13 and the pipe 14.
• the use of the apparatus according to the invention is preferably done with the intervention of a therapist.
• the therapist using the device must apply a force F continuously but not necessarily constant, on at least one of the support elements of the hollow body 10 towards the skin of the patient. subject to be treated.
• the force F can be applied by any appropriate means and, in particular, either mechanically by a physical action of the therapist, or by a hydraulic or pneumatic action driven by the therapist.
• the force F can be between 10 and 250 Newton and preferably between 30 and 200 Newton and it can be maintained continuously for a time between 5 seconds and 3 minutes.
• the same values can be retained for a different actuator, in particular hydraulic or pneumatic.
• the force F thus applied by the therapist is sufficiently important to produce effects on the deepest layers of the skin without injuring the subject to be treated.
• the treatment with the apparatus according to the invention is made on determined points of the body, some of which are disclosed in patent EP 1 800 644.
• the protruding fingers allow a support at a point of said skin, while the elongate bosses allow support on a band. If the support is combined with the movement of the device along the skin, the depth treatment is performed on a line by means of the protruding fingers, and on a surface by the bosses. It is possible to envisage supporting elements that would support a surface.
• the effects of the suction on the skin to be treated are improved by the force F which makes a support on the skin to be treated: indeed, it is noted that, surprisingly, the effect of the support elements on the deep tissues
• the skin is favored by aspirations that stimulate the superficial circulation and promote the drainage of subcutaneous fatty tissue.
• the aspirations can be programmed, that is to say that it is possible to adjust the suction intensities and / or program continuous or discontinuous aspirations and / or set the duration of each operation of the suction program.
• the adjustable height of the projecting fingers 6 also makes it possible to adapt the hollow body 10 to a particular zone of the body and / or to a particular treatment: by way of example and in a nonlimiting manner, the treatment of zones of the body, where the Bony reliefs are superficial, requires the use of fingers not exceeding the area defined by the peripheral edge 2 of the side wall.
• the configurations of the hollow body 10 associate a number and position of the protruding fingers 6 and / or elongate bosses 7, which are also adapted to a specific part of the body of the subject to be treated and / or to a specific treatment.
• the combination of means of this variant of the invention produces beneficial effects in the superficial layers and deep layers of the skin and connective tissue, but also on subcutaneous muscle tissue, bone tissue and / or joints.
• the aspirations combined with the support of the fingers and bosses, stimulate the skin in a superficial way and make it possible to improve the blood circulation and to mobilize the subcutaneous tissue. In this way it is possible to improve the quality of the skin, especially by reducing the effects "orange peel".
• the combination of the effects of aspiration with those of force F stimulates the subcutaneous muscle tissue, which provides lasting relief for subjects suffering from myalgia such as fibromyalgia.
• the treatments with the apparatus according to the invention also make it possible to improve the posture of the subjects, for example in cases of kyphosis.
• the massage apparatus comprises a hollow body 10a similar to that of the variant of FIGS. 1 to 6 of the invention: the reference numbers of the different parts of the hollow body 10a have been chosen to be identical to those of the corresponding parts of the hollow body 10 but are followed by the index a.
• the hollow body 10a is composed of a housing
• the sole plate laterally delimits the internal volume 5a, which constitutes a suction chamber.
• the portion of the peripheral edge 2a of the side wall 3a bearing against the skin of the subject to be treated is constituted by the sole
• the suction chamber 5a is connected to a suction source (not shown) by a channel 13a formed in the sole 18 and in the part of the housing 17 forming the connecting wall 4a.
• a suction pipe 14a is connected to the channel 13a and allows communication between the suction chamber 5a and the suction system (not shown).
• the apparatus also comprises bearing elements of the hollow body 10a on the skin of the subject to be treated, consisting of protruding fingers 6a, elongate bosses 7a and a rounded boss 15a. ; said means are an integral part of the sole 18.
• the protruding fingers 6a are not adjustable in height.
• the housing 17 and the sole 18 are made of a material sufficiently resistant to withstand the force applied to the hollow body 10a and transfer said force to the skin of the subject to be treated.
• the housing 17 receives the pylon of an actuator according to patent EP 1 800 644 as represented in FIG. 1 of the present application, the half-rod connected to the hollow body 10 a being screwed into a tapped hole 16 a formed in the housing 17 .
• the sole 18 may consist of a flexible thermoplastic polymer or shape memory. Aspirations can be provided to move the elongated bosses by deformation.
• the sole may comprise at least one compound capable of a biological activity on the skin of the subject to be treated, for example a cosmetic compound and / or a medicament, in particular with delayed release.
• the apparatus according to this variant of the invention comprises a hollow body 10b similar to that of the previous variants.
• the reference numbers of the different parts of the hollow body 10b have been chosen identical to those of the corresponding parts of the hollow body 10 but are followed by the index b.
• the internal volume of the hollow body 10b is divided by two internal walls 19 to delimit a central suction chamber 20 and two lateral suction chambers 21.
• the suction chambers are connected to a suction system (not shown) by independent channels 130, 131, 132 connected to independent suction pipes.
• the central aspiration chamber 20 is connected to said suction system by a central channel 131 and the lateral chambers 21, by two channels 130, 132;
• the suction system makes it possible to generate reduced pressures of distinct values in each suction chamber.
• the apparatus according to this variant of the invention also comprises protruding fingers 6b, elongated bosses 7b preferably provided in the central suction chamber as well as rounded bosses 15b.
• the actuator used was that described in patent EP 1 800 644 schematically represented in FIG. 1; the force applied to a support element in a continuous manner is obtained by the thrust exerted by a therapist on a pressure base forming part of the actuator.
• the action to be exercised on the hollow body and according to the physiological constitution of the therapist it may be useful not to always use the same pressure base.
• FIG. 13 it can be seen that a therapist 23 is wearing a vest 24 for treating a patient 25.
• the vest 24 carries a plurality of female fasteners 26 in which The ends of half-rods 11b of switchgear towers such as that shown in FIG. 1 and described in the present description can be latched together.
• FIG. 13 shows a half-rod 11b fixed on a female fastener 26, the half-rod 11a of this actuator being connected to a hollow body 10 (or 10a) described above; the inside of the hollow body is subjected to a depression through the tube 14.
• the patient 25 can simultaneously be treated by another hollow body similar to the first, also subjected to an internal depression but not subject to an actuator (11a, 11b).
• the actuator which exerts a continuous force F on the hollow body subjected to depression is a simple strap tight around the body of the patient and bearing on the hollow body; this embodiment is shown in Figure 14.
• a hollow body 10 is placed on the body of a patient 27 and subjected to an internal vacuum through the tube 14, which connects the hollow body to an appropriate system (not shown).
• a strap 28 surrounds the body 27 of the patient and the hollow body 10 to apply the latter with a continuous force F to the area of the body of the patient 27 where the depression due to the hollow body 10 is exerted.
• Figure 15 shows a cross section of an apparatus 100 according to the invention comprising an actuator and a hollow body.
• the reference numbers of the different parts of the hollow body have been chosen to be identical to those of the corresponding parts of the hollow body 10 but are followed by the index c.
• the actuator 211 is a pneumatic system operated by a control pressure P2; in this apparatus, the hollow body 10c defining a suction chamber is located below the actuator 211, the assembly consisting of the hollow body and the actuator being placed on the skin area to be treated.
• the lower part of the apparatus 100 constitutes a hollow body 10c formed of a cylindrical side wall 2c and a ceiling 101, a chamber of suction 5c being defined by said hollow body when the apparatus is placed on the skin 103.
• This suction chamber 5c is thus defined between the side wall 2c, the ceiling 101 and the skin 103, on which the part is based. bottom of the side wall.
• the ceiling 101 is traversed by projecting fingers 6c capable of translation relative to the ceiling 101; the fingers 6c slide in bores, the sealing of the sliding being obtained by means of sealing rods 102.
• the projecting fingers 6c are distributed over the entire surface of the ceiling 101; their lower part located in the vicinity of the skin to be treated 103 is rounded to allow localized compression of the skin without causing any lesion thereof.
• the upper ends of the fingers 6c are integral with a movable plate 104; the plate 104 can slide in the interior space 105 defined by the cylindrical upper part of the side wall of the apparatus 100, this space being delimited by a cover plate 106 secured to the upper end of said side wall, the plate 106 constituting a connecting wall at the level of the upper part of the side wall.
• the movable plate 1045 is subjected to a reduced pressure P 2 on its face opposite the ceiling 101 to cause the fingers 6c to move towards the skin 103.
• the upper ends of the fingers 6c comprise thrust washers 107, which form a limitation of the travel of the plate 104 towards the ceiling 101.
• the lower part of the apparatus 100 that is to say the one which is substantially at the level of the suction chamber 5c, has one or more flexible enclosures 110 on the outside.
• a flexible enclosure which is hooked on the lower part of the side wall of the hollow body 10c by means of two snap-on beads 111; such a flexible enclosure thus forms, in the embodiment shown, a peripheral belt of the lower part of the suction chamber 5c; it would be possible to provide that the flexible enclosure is not circular but consists of several regularly distributed portions around the axis of the device in which case the snap beads would be replaced by the bonding beads.
• the flexible enclosure 110 is connected to a pump which provides a sufficient air flow to establish in the enclosure a pressure P0 greater than atmospheric pressure.
• the enclosure 110 is, for example, made of a plastic material but the thickness of this enclosure varies so that the establishment of the pressure P0 in the enclosure causes a similar the lower part of the enclosure in the direction of the axis of the apparatus 100. A pinching of the skin is thus effected in the direction of the axis of the treated zone, which results in a maintenance of the apparatus 100 at the right of the selected area on the skin 103.
• the suction chamber 5c is connected by a pipe 112 to a vacuum pump capable of establishing in the suction chamber 5c a pressure Pi less than the ambient atmospheric pressure. Since the lower edge 2c of the side wall of the hollow body is substantially sealing against the skin 103, the establishment of the reduced pressure Pi in the suction chamber 5c causes a deformation of the skin towards the ceiling 101 .
• the chamber 114 defined between the ceiling 101 and the plate 104 is connected by a pipe 113 to a vacuum pump, which establishes in the chamber 114 a reduced pressure P 2 lower than the atmospheric pressure; under these conditions, since the chamber 114 is substantially sealed due to the sealing ring 108, the plate 104 moves towards the ceiling 101 so that the projecting fingers 10c, which descend towards the skin 103, create on the skin localized continuous compression, which is independent of the depression established in the suction chamber 5c and can therefore achieve a high value compression capable of treating the deep layers of the skin in points.
• the plate 104 is displaced by stretching the springs 109, which are in an area directly connected to the atmosphere by a bore 115.
• the therapist by means of this apparatus, can thus treat the skin by aspiration in a known manner and simultaneously apply a treatment by compressions. localized continuous value adjustable by the pressure P 2 .
• the apparatus according to the invention can, in place of the peripheral enclosure 110, which has been previously described, comprise an external support element 116, which is hooked on the border of the side wall 2c of the hollow body 10c.
• the outer support element 116 if it is established over the entire periphery of the apparatus, can be fixed as for the apparatus of Figure 15 by means of two snap-fastening beads 111a; but if it is only placed on different portions of the periphery, the snap beads are replaced by bonding beads.
• This external support element may be made of a solid plastic material or formed of a chamber as for the embodiment of FIG. 15. This external support element has a shape different from that of FIG.
• FIG. 17 there is provided a device making it possible to modulate the compression forces made with external support elements of the type of those described for FIG. 16.
• the elements external bearing 117 similar to those 116 of Figure 16 are connected to a piston 118 disposed in a cylinder body 19 where they slide; sliding is effected in a sealed manner by the sealing rods 120.
• the cylinder body 119 is fixed on the outer edge of the lower part of the side wall 2c of the suction chamber by means of two bonding beads 121.
• the space defined in the body cylinder 119 above the piston 118 is connected by a pipe 122 to a pump capable of establishing in this part, a compressed air pressure P 3 ; on the contrary, the part, which is below the piston 118, is in the open air because of the clearance 123 formed between the external support element 117 and the cylinder body 119; it is possible to provide an elastic return away from the skin 103 the external support element 117 when the pressure P 3 is suppressed.
• the therapist when using the apparatus according to the invention, can establish a more or less important pressure P 3 , it being understood that the force applied by the external support element 117 is limited to prevent the chamber suction 5c is no longer sealed due to the lifting of the peripheral edge 2c. It should be noted that this type of embodiment can provide both an arrangement of the cylinder body 119 over the entire periphery of the suction chamber or an arrangement only on certain portions of this periphery.
• the pneumatic control due to the use of the pressure P 2 could be replaced by a purely mechanical control of the displacement of the projecting fingers.
• the portion of the projecting fingers remote from the skin would be threaded and a threaded wheel, external to the hollow body 10 could, by simple rotation, move the corresponding finger to the skin to generate a localized continuous compression.
• the actuator would then be constituted by said knobs and the therapist who maneuver them.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Rehabilitation Therapy (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Pain & Pain Management (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Dermatology (AREA)
• Massaging Devices (AREA)
• Percussion Or Vibration Massage (AREA)

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• 2010
  • 2010-11-25 FR FR1004576A patent/FR2967893B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2011
  • 2011-11-24 KR KR1020137016112A patent/KR101861881B1/ko active IP Right Grant
  • 2011-11-24 BR BR112013012970-0A patent/BR112013012970B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2011-11-24 ES ES11808241.1T patent/ES2588746T3/es active Active
  • 2011-11-24 MX MX2013005911A patent/MX2013005911A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2011-11-24 PT PT118082411T patent/PT2642962T/pt unknown
  • 2011-11-24 CN CN201180065668.9A patent/CN103338736B/zh active Active
  • 2011-11-24 WO PCT/FR2011/000619 patent/WO2012069716A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2011-11-24 CA CA2819093A patent/CA2819093C/en active Active
  • 2011-11-24 DK DK11808241.1T patent/DK2642962T3/en active
  • 2011-11-24 EP EP11808241.1A patent/EP2642962B1/de active Active
  • 2011-11-24 JP JP2013540419A patent/JP5988987B2/ja active Active
  • 2011-11-24 US US13/989,487 patent/US20130245507A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2013
  • 2013-05-27 TN TNP2013000223A patent/TN2013000223A1/fr unknown
  • 2013-05-29 MA MA35943A patent/MA34682B1/fr unknown

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