Cross Reference to Related Application(s)

The present disclosure claims the benefit of United Kingdom Patent Application No. GB2013322.9 filed on 26 August 2020, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.

Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to a compression apparatus. More particularly, the present disclosure describes various embodiments of a compression apparatus and a method performed by the compression apparatus for applying compression pressure on a body part of a user.

Background

Arteries carry blood from the heart out to other parts of the body, such as the limbs, and veins carry blood back to the heart, and valves in the veins stop the blood from flowing backward. About 90% of venous return from the legs is through the action of the muscle pumps. Active compression benefits people with circulation issues or at risk for blood clots in the legs by improving venous return through effective muscle pump action. Compression clothing is one of these strategies that have been traditionally used to treat various lymphatic and circulatory conditions. Compression garments are thought to improve venous return through application of graduated compression to body parts, such as to the limbs from distal to proximal. The external pressure created may reduce the intramuscular space available for swelling and promote stable alignment of muscle fibres, attenuating the inflammatory response.

Active compression devices are beneficial by improving venous return through the application of active compression to the body parts. The contraction and relaxation of the muscle groups and blood vessels will mimic the muscle pump activity, thereby increasing circulation and reducing swelling of the muscles. This is beneficial in improving psychological aspects of recovery and have potential benefits for improving circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid. Improved circulation can result in reducing muscle swelling and treatment of conditions like deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

People, particularly the elderly, suffering from circulatory conditions such as venous insufficiency and lymphedema are often prescribed to wear static or passive compression socks by their physicians. While these compression socks apply compression pressure to the legs to alleviate these circulatory conditions, the compression levels of these medical graded socks tend to make them difficult to wear due to tightness. Older people with spinal issues and weak joints experience pain and little to no flexibility due to decreased range of motion. Compression sock wearing aid devices have been developed but the process of wearing these devices is timeconsuming and often requires the user to depend on another person to wear the sock. Compression provided by the sock mitigates the backflow of blood but does not directly or actively help upward flow towards the heart. Users are supposed to move around and engage in their daily activities while wearing the socks as it is a regular ongoing therapy.

However, static compression alone cannot treat these circulatory conditions which are often seen as a problem by obese older population and people with walking difficulties. Active compression devices attempt to address these mobility issues by acting as an external aid to pump blood towards the heart, and have improved effectiveness compared to static compression devices. Currently available active compression devices require AC power to operate and the devices are bulky and cumbersome, causing restrictions to move as the users have limited mobility while using the devices.

In addition, a typical medical procedure for treating people who suffer from lymphedema or venous insufficiencies is to undergo a recommended schedule of alternating active and static compression therapy throughout the day to maintain the circulation and reduce swelling. Similar treatments have also been recommended for athletes who are recovering from sports injuries. Such treatments require users to alternate both active and static compression devices throughout the day and some users may find it troublesome to do this daily and may even forgo the treatment after a few days, thus delaying their recovery.

Therefore, in order to address or alleviate at least the aforementioned problem or disadvantage, there is a need to provide an improved compression apparatus.

Summary

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is a compression apparatus for applying compression pressure to a body part of a user, the compression apparatus comprising: a wearable portion for the user to wear longitudinally on the body part, the wearable portion comprising a set of inflatable bladders arranged laterally across the wearable portion; a set of fluidic components connected to the inflatable bladders and through which the inflatable bladders can be inflated and deflated; and a set of inflation devices removably couplable to the fluidic components and configured for selective inflation and deflation of the inflatable bladders when coupled to the fluidic components to apply varying compression pressure to the body part, wherein the fluidic components are configured to prevent deflation of the inflatable bladders when the inflation devices are decoupled from the fluidic components, thereby sustaining constant compression pressure applied to the body part; and wherein each inflatable bladder comprises a plurality of baffles distributed within the respective inflatable bladder, such that each inflatable bladder comprises a plurality of bladder sections arranged laterally across the wearable portion and fluidically communicative with each other.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is a method performed by a compression apparatus for applying compression pressure to a body part of a user, the compression apparatus comprising a wearable portion for the user to wear longitudinally on the body part, the wearable portion comprising a set of inflatable bladders arranged laterally across the wearable portion, the method comprising: coupling a set of inflation devices to a set of fluidic components, the fluidic components connected to the inflatable bladders and through which the inflatable bladders can be inflated and deflated; and selectively inflating and deflating the inflatable bladders using the inflation devices coupled to the fluidic components to apply varying compression pressure to the body part, wherein the fluidic components are configured to prevent deflation of the inflatable bladders when the inflation devices are decoupled from the fluidic components, thereby sustaining constant compression pressure applied to the body part; and wherein each inflatable bladder comprises a plurality of baffles distributed within the respective inflatable bladder, such that each inflatable bladder comprises a plurality of bladder sections arranged laterally across the wearable portion and fluidically communicative with each other.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor of the compression apparatus, cause the compression apparatus to perform the method for applying compression pressure to a body part of a user.

A compression apparatus according to the present disclosure is thus disclosed herein. Various features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, by way of non-limiting examples only, along with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 A is an illustration of an exemplary compression apparatus, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 1 B is an illustration of the compression apparatus including inflatable bladders and inflation devices, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 1 C is a schematic illustration of the inflation devices of the compression apparatus, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 1 D is a schematic illustration of a valve of the compression apparatus, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 2A and Figure 2B are schematic illustrations of a solenoid valve of the compression apparatus during inflation and deflation, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 3A to Figure 3D are some schematic illustrations of the compression apparatus during inflation and deflation, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 4A to Figure 4F are some other schematic illustrations of the compression apparatus during inflation and deflation, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 5A to Figure 5G are some other schematic illustrations of the compression apparatus during inflation and deflation, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 6A to Figure 6E are some other schematic illustrations of the compression apparatus during inflation and deflation, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 7A to Figure 7G are some other schematic illustrations of the compression apparatus having internal valves in the bladders for inflation and deflation of internal bladder sections of the bladders, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 8 is a flowchart illustration of a method performed by the compression apparatus, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 9A to Figure 9D are illustrations of a user using the compression apparatus, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 10 is a schematic illustration of the compression apparatus communicative with an electronic device, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 11 is a schematic illustration of two compression apparatuses communicative with each other, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

In the present disclosure, depiction of a given element or consideration or use of a particular element number in a particular figure or a reference thereto in corresponding descriptive material can encompass the same, an equivalent, or an analogous element or element number identified in another figure or descriptive material associated therewith. The use in a figure or associated text is understood to mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated. The recitation of a particular numerical value or value range herein is understood to include or be a recitation of an approximate numerical value or value range. The term “set” is defined as a non-empty finite organization of elements that mathematically exhibits a cardinality of at least one (e.g. a set as defined herein can correspond to a unit, singlet, or single-element set, or a multiple-element set), in accordance with known mathematical definitions. As used herein, the terms “first”, “second”, and “third” are used merely as labels or identifiers and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their associated terms.

For purposes of brevity and clarity, descriptions of embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a compression apparatus in accordance with the drawings. While aspects of the present disclosure will be described in conjunction with the embodiments provided herein, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the present disclosure to these embodiments. On the contrary, the present disclosure is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents to the embodiments described herein, which are included within the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be recognized by an individual having ordinary skill in the art, i.e. a skilled person, that the present disclosure may be practiced without specific details, and/or with multiple details arising from combinations of aspects of particular embodiments. In a number of instances, well-known systems, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as to not unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

In representative or exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, there is a compression apparatus 100 for applying compression pressure to a body part of a user. In some embodiments, this body part is an extremity such as a limb of the user, as illustrated in Figure 1A. The extremity or limb may be a lower limb of the user, such as the leg or a part of the leg. In some other embodiments, the body part may be the torso, neck, or navel area (or portions thereof) of the user. In yet some other embodiments, the body part may be distal parts of the user’s extremities, such as the digits or fingers.

The compression apparatus 100 includes a garment, particularly a wearable portion 102, for the user to wear on the body part. For example, the wearable portion 102 may be in the form of a sleeve like a compression sock shaped to be worn on the lower leg of the user, such as at the calf region. The wearable portion 102 may alternatively be in the form of a compression wrap which the user can wrap around the leg or other body parts like the neck or torso. Such compression wrap may include fastening portions with fastening surfaces such as hook-and-loop I touch fasteners which allow the wearable portion 102 to be fastened and tightened around the body part. The wearable portion 102 includes a set of one or more inflatable bladders 106 and a set of one or more fluidic components 108. The fluidic components 108 are connected to the inflatable bladders 106 so that the inflatable bladders 106 can be inflated and deflated through the fluidic components 108. Each inflatable bladder 106 may be connected to a respective fluidic component 108, such as a fluidic conduit, through which the inflatable bladder 106 can be inflated and deflated. More specifically, the wearable portion 102 includes a first inflatable bladder 106a connected to a first fluidic component 108a through which the first inflatable bladder 106a can be inflated and deflated. In some embodiments, the wearable portion 102 further includes a second inflatable bladder 106b and a third inflatable bladder 106c. The second inflatable bladder 106b is connected to a second fluidic component 108b through which the second inflatable bladder 106b can be inflated and deflated. The third inflatable bladder 106c is connected to a third fluidic component 108c through which the third inflatable bladder 106c can be inflated and deflated. It will be appreciated that there may be other embodiments wherein the wearable portion 102 has a different number of inflatable bladders 106 and fluidic components 108, such as two, four, or more.

The compression apparatus 100 further includes a set of one or more inflation devices 110 removably couplable to the fluidic components 108. The set of inflation devices 110 is configured for selective inflation and deflation of the set of inflatable bladders 106 through the fluidic components 108 to apply varying compression pressure to the body part of the user, specifically to various portions 104 of the user’s body part, such as upper calf region, lower leg region, and ankle region.

In some embodiments as shown in Figure 1 B, the compression apparatus 100 includes a plurality of inflatable bladders 106 and a plurality of inflation devices 110. Each inflation device 110 is configured for selective inflation and deflation of a respective one of the inflatable bladders 106 to apply varying compression pressure to a respective one of the portions 104 of the body part of the user. More specifically, the compression apparatus 100 includes a first inflation device 110a removably couplable to the first fluidic component 108a and configured for inflation and deflation of the first inflatable bladder 106a when coupled to the first fluidic component 108a to apply varying compression pressure to a first portion 104a of the body part. The compression apparatus 100 further includes a second inflation device 110b and a third inflation device 110c. The second inflation device 110b is removably couplable to the second fluidic component 108b and configured for inflation and deflation of the second inflatable bladder 106b when coupled to the second fluidic component 108b to apply varying compression pressure to a second portion 104b of the body part. Similarly, the third inflation device 110c is removably couplable to the third fluidic component 108c and configured for inflation and deflation of the third inflatable bladder 106c when coupled to the third fluidic component 108c to apply varying compression pressure to a third portion 104c of the body part.

The inflation devices 110 are decouplable from the fluidic components 108 which are configured to prevent deflation of the inflatable bladders 106 when the inflation devices 110 are decoupled from the fluidic components 108, thereby sustaining constant compression pressure applied to the respective portions 104 of the body part. Decoupling of the inflation devices 110 means disengaging the inflation devices 110 from continuing inflation of the bladders 106. Decoupling may be by way of physically separating the inflation devices 110 from the fluidic components 108, or alternatively by deactivating the inflation devices 110 so that they do not continue inflating the bladders 106. The inflation devices 110 may be deactivated by powering off or cutting off their power supply, or alternatively by fluidically isolating the inflation devices 110 from the bladders 106 so that, even if the inflation devices 110 are active, the bladders 106 are not inflated. The inflated bladders 106 may sustain the constant compression pressure by use of non-return or check valves in the fluidic components 108. More specifically as shown in Figure 1 B, the first fluidic component 108a is configured to prevent deflation of the first inflatable bladder 106a when the first inflation device 110a is decoupled from the first fluidic component 108a. The second fluidic component 108b is configured to prevent deflation of the second inflatable bladder 106b after the second inflation device 110b is decoupled from the second fluidic component 108b. Similarly, the third fluidic component 108c is configured to prevent deflation of the third inflatable bladder 106c when the third inflation device 110c is decoupled from the third fluidic component 108c. Accordingly, the inflation devices 110 are couplable to and decouplable from the fluidic components 108 to apply compression pressure to the body part. Particularly, when the inflation devices 110 are coupled to the fluidic components 108, the inflation devices 110 inflate and deflate the respective inflatable bladders 106 to apply varying compression pressure to respective portions of the body part. For example, when the wearable portion 102 is worn on the user’s body part, the inflatable bladders 106 apply varying compression pressure to different portions of the body part. As shown in Figure 1A, the wearable portion 102 can be worn on the body part such as a limb of the user, or more specifically the lower leg (below the knee), and varying compression pressure can be applied to different portions of the lower leg. When the wearable portion 102 is worn on the user’s lower leg, the first portion 104a of the user’s lower leg may correspond to an upper calf region, the second portion 104b of the user’s lower leg may correspond to a lower calf region, and the third portion 104c of the user’s lower leg may correspond to an ankle region.

The wearable portion 102 may include a fastening portion 114 to facilitate coupling of the inflation devices 110 to the fluidic components 108. For example, the fastening portion 114 may be provided as a loop material on the exterior of the sides of the wearable portion 102. This loop material can be detachably fastened to a hook material provided on the inflation devices 110. Each inflation device 110 may include a set of arms that extend therefrom for fastening to the wearable portion 102 and facilitating coupling to the fluidic components 108. The inner surface of the arms may include a hook material which can attach to the loop material on the fastening portion 114. A high shear resistant connection can thus be formed between the wearable portion 102 and the arms of the inflation devices 110. The arms provide fastening portions of the inflation devices 110 which are removably fastenable to the fastening portion 114 of the wearable portion 102. It will be appreciated that alternative methods of fastening or attaching the inflation devices 110 to the wearable portion 102, which thereby facilitates or strengthens coupling of the inflation devices 110 to the fluidic components 108, may be used. For example, the arms may be fastened to the wearable portion 102 via a hook and eye system, magnetic strips, or snap buttons. In alternative embodiments, the arms may be replaced by straps which attach to the wearable portion 102 via buckles or other types of strap fasteners. Alternatively, cable loops may extend from the inflation devices 110 and the wearable portion 102 may be provided with attachments for these cable loops.

The wearable portion 102 is formed of a stretchable material to cater for inflation and deflation of the inflatable bladders 106. The stretchable material may include a suitable fabric material. The stretchable material provides for adjustability to allow the wearable portion 102 to fit closely to the body part. The top and bottom edges of the wearable portion 102 may be provided with an elastic edge binding 116. Additionally, the force provided by the stretchable material provides a base level of compression. This base level of pressure may be called pretension pressure or initial pressure. It will be appreciated that in certain embodiments, these attributes may be provided by alternative features, such as an adjustable strap and fastener which would allow the user to manually vary the base level of compression and also to fit the wearable portion 102 to the body part. In one embodiment, the whole or majority of the wearable portion 102 is formed from a stretchable material so that a pre-tension is applied on the body part when the wearable portion 102 is worn. In another embodiment, at least the fastening parts of the wearable portion 102 is formed from a stretchable material. The material of the wearable portion 102 may be selected to provide a smooth surface finish of the wearable portion 102 reducing friction between contact surfaces, particularly with the user’s skin for comfort. Furthermore, fabrics with breathability and/or moisture-wicking may be used.

In the wearable portion 102, each inflatable bladder 106 is formed between a first membrane and a second membrane. The membranes may be formed from sheets of thermoplastic polyurethane which are bonded together along bonding lines, such as by using heat bonding. In some embodiments, the inflatable bladders 106 are fluidically separated in the wearable portion 102 such that they are independently inflatable and deflatable by the inflation devices 110. The inflation devices 110 can thus be individually controlled to apply varying compression pressure to respective portions of the body part. The varying compression pressure applied to the body part may be based on predefined compression patterns selected by the user. As shown in Figure 1 B, the first inflatable bladder 106a, second inflatable bladder 106b, and third inflatable bladder 106c are formed by an exterior boundary 118 which is formed from a bond that runs around the circumference of the inflatable bladders 106. Two internal boundaries 120 separate the first inflatable bladder 106a from the second inflatable bladder 106b, and the second inflatable bladder 106b from the third inflatable bladder 106c, respectively. In this embodiment, the internal boundaries 120 are substantially straight and run in a horizontal direction laterally across the wearable portion 102, although different arrangements are possible too. The first fluidic component 108a, second fluidic component 108b, and third fluidic component 108c are located close to the exterior boundary 118 in the respective inflatable bladders 106.

Each inflatable bladder 106 may include a plurality of baffles 122 distributed within the respective inflatable bladder 106. The baffles 122 divide the inflatable bladder 106 such that the inflatable bladder 106 comprises a plurality of bladder sections, such as at least two bladder sections 106’, 106” as shown in Figure 1 B, that are fluidically communicative with each other. These baffles 122 may further divide each bladder section 106’, 106” such that each bladder section 106’, 106” comprises a plurality of bladder segments 123 that are fluidically communicative with each other.

The wearable portion 102 is intended for the user to wear longitudinally on the body part, i.e. when the wearable portion 102 is worn on the body part, the wearable portion 102 is arranged longitudinally and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the body part. Using the longitudinal arrangement of the wearable portion 102 as a reference, the bladders 106 are arranged laterally across the wearable portion 102, i.e. arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the body part. The bladder sections 106’, 106” of each bladder 106 are arranged laterally across the wearable portion 102. The bladder segments 123 of each bladder section 106’, 106” may be elongated and may extend in various directions, such as longitudinally or laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body part. For example, the body part is a limb such as the lower leg, which has an elongated profile. The bladders 106 and bladder sections 106’, 106” are arranged laterally and perpendicularly to the longitudinal limb axis, and the bladder segments 123 of each bladder section 106’, 106” are arranged longitudinally and parallel to the longitudinal limb axis. The baffles 122 are formed as bonds between the membranes that form the bladders 106. The baffles 122 extend in various directions with gaps or breaks 121 that are offset on neighbouring baffles 122 to achieve fluid communication between the bladder segments 123 and between the bladder sections 106’, 106”. Arranging the baffles 123 in this manner to form the bladder sections 1067106” and bladder segments 123 increases the resolution of the inflatable bladders 106 and prevents the inflatable bladders 106 from bulging excessively when they are inflated. For example, the baffles 122 may be arranged such that the overall thickness of the inflatable bladders 106 after inflation is limited to less than 2 cm. The lateral arrangement of the bladder sections 106’, 106” and bladder segments 123 allows the inflatable bladders 106 to bend laterally around the body part. The pressure in each bladder section 106’, 106” can be controlled so that the inflatable bladders 106 can achieve even or graduated distribution of compression pressure across the surface area of the inflatable bladders 106, i.e. longitudinally along the wearable portion 102, thereby improving blood circulation for the user on the body part where the wearable portion 102 is worn.

With reference to Figure 1 C, each inflation device 110 includes an actuator 124 configured to inflate and deflate the inflatable bladders 106 to apply varying compression pressure to the body part. The actuators 124 are of various types that are configured to inflate and deflate the inflatable bladders 106 using a pump. For example, the actuators 124 are pneumatic pumps using a compressed air or gas source. Each inflation device 110 may have one or more pneumatic pumps depending on the pressure levels desired. For example, higher pressure levels can be achieved if the inflation device 110 has several pneumatic pumps cooperating with each other. Each of the fluidic components 108 may be or include a valve to prevent air or gas from escaping the respective inflatable bladder 106. The valve may be in the form of a mechanical non-return I check valve or an electronic I electromechanically operated valve such as a solenoid valve. When the inflation devices 110 are coupled to the inflatable bladders 106, the valves are opened in the forward direction so that the pumps can inflate the inflatable bladders 106. When the inflation devices 110 are decoupled from the fluidic components 108, such as by physical separation or by deactivating the inflation devices 110, the valves are closed in the reverse direction to prevent air or gas from escaping and thus prevent deflation of the inflatable bladders 106.

In some embodiments as shown in Figure 1 D, each fluidic component 108 includes a non-return valve 109A that is implemented to control the supply of air into and out of the respective inflatable bladder 106. The fluidic component 108 further includes an inlet 109B and an outlet 109C fluidically connected to the valve 109A. The inlet 109B is arranged to receive air from the inflation devices 110 and the outlet 109C is arranged to discharge the received air into the inflatable bladder 106 for inflation thereof. The inlet 109B and outlet 109C may be shielded with silicone tubing. The valve 109A may include components such as a plunger, displaceable sealing element, and spring that collectively function as the non-return mechanism to control the opening and closing of the valve 109A. Particularly, the displaceable sealing element may be a ball bearing that releasably seals the inlet 109B to prevent air or gas from escaping and thus prevent deflation of the inflatable bladder 106.

In the closed state, the ball bearing in the valve 109A seals the inlet 109B and prevents any air in the inflatable bladder 106 from escaping through the inlet 109B. When air flows from an inflation device 110 to the fluidic component 108, the valve 109A is opened in the forward direction to enable inflation of the inflatable bladder 106 by the inflation device 110. In the open state, the inlet 109B is pushed by the inflation device 110 inwards and consequently, the plunger disposed beneath the inlet 109B is displaced towards the outlet 109C. Displacement of the plunger causes the spring to compress which then pushes the ball bearing away from the inlet 109B, thereby unsealing or opening the inlet 109B. The inflation device 110 can thus discharge air into the open inlet 109B and out through the outlet 109C into the inflatable bladder 106 to inflate it. The spring may be held in compression by a suitable locking mechanism in the valve 109A. To reclose the valve 109A after inflating the inflatable bladder 106, the locking mechanism is released to allow the spring to extend, thereby pushing the ball bearing and plunger towards the inlet 109A. The ball bearing seals or closes the inlet 109B, preventing air from escaping in the reverse direction through the closed inlet 109B. Although the displaceable sealing element is described as a ball bearing, it will be appreciated that other types of sealing elements or seals may be used in place of or in cooperation with the ball bearing. It will be appreciated that this inflation process is similar or analogous to inflating a sports ball (e.g. basketball) or a tyre.

Each inflation device 110 further includes a sensor 126 configured for measuring the pneumatic pressure of the respective inflatable bladder 106. The compression pressure applied to the user’s body part can be monitored based on the measured pneumatic pressures. The sensors 126 may be implemented as pressure sensors which directly measure the compression pressure applied to the user’s body part. Alternatively, the sensors 126 may be configured to indirectly measure a quantity from which the applied compression pressure can be derived or estimated. For example, the sensors 126 may be implemented to measure variables of the actuators 124, such as the current or rotational in a motor position from which the torque on the motors and therefore the pressure applied to the user’s body part can be derived. Generally, the sensors 126 are configured to measure or sense the compression force or pressure. This measurement may be carried out by sensing variables of the actuators 124, such as input current, and deriving the compression pressure from these variables, or the compression force or compression pressure may be measured by the sensors 126.

In use, the actuators 124 of the inflation devices 110 are configured to inflate and deflate the respective inflatable bladders 106 according to predefined compression patterns. The pressure sensors 126 provide feedback to the inflation devices 110 so that the inflatable bladders 106 can individually be inflated to a required pressure. The actuators 124 inflate the inflatable bladders 106 via the fluidic components 108 which also prevent deflation of the bladders 106, even after the actuators 124 are decoupled from the fluidic components 108, thereby sustaining or holding the individual bladders 106 at the desired constant compression pressure which is applied to the respective portions 104 of the body part. The actuators 124 may be recoupled to the fluidic components 108to deflate the inflatable bladders 106 according to the compression patterns. Alternatively, the fluidic components 108 may be manually opened to deflate the inflatable bladders 106. In some embodiments, the compression apparatus 100 includes a battery for powering the inflation devices 110. Alternatively, each inflation device 110 may include a battery for powering itself. The battery may be a rechargeable battery or a primary battery and may be implemented as a plurality of cells. For example, the rechargeable battery may be a 3.7 V, 2200 mAh or 1800 mAh battery. The compression apparatus 100 may include a charging port, such as a USB port, for charging the battery. The USB port may also be used for communication of data, such as for extracting any data collected by the compression apparatus 100 after a period of usage by the user. Each inflation device 110 may similarly include a charging port for charging the battery of the inflation device 110. In some embodiments, the battery of the compression apparatus 100 may be replaced by a power supply configured to provide suitable electrical power, for example by converting a mains voltage.

In some embodiments, the compression apparatus 100 includes a main control device 112 configured for controlling the inflation devices 110 to apply varying compression pressure to the respective portions of the body part. More specifically, the main control device 112 is configured to control the first inflation device 110a when it is coupled to the first fluidic component 108ato thereby control inflation and deflation of the first inflatable bladder 106a. The main control device 112 is similarly configured to control the second inflation device 110b and third inflation device 110c when they are coupled to the second fluidic component 108b and third fluidic component 108c, respectively, to thereby control inflation and deflation of the second inflatable bladder 106b and third inflatable bladder 106c, respectively. The compression apparatus 100 is operable to apply varying compression pressure to different portions of the body part, wherein such varying compression pressure may be based on the predefined compression patterns.

The main control device 112 includes a processor, storage for the compression patterns, a user interface, and a wireless communication module. The processor may be implemented as a general-purpose processor that is operable to execute processor executable instructions or may be a hard-wired processor. The storage for compression patterns stores data that indicates compression patterns that may be used by the processor to generate control signals for the inflation devices 110. The storage for compression patterns may be implemented as a non-volatile storage. The user interface may be implemented as any form of interface that allows the user to input commands and parameters. For example, the user interface may be implemented as a display and a plurality of input buttons, or a capacitive I touch screen display. The wireless communication module may include one or more of an infrared communication module, a Bluetooth communication module, and a Wi-Fi communication module, which allows the controller to send and receive data and commands from an electronic device or a wireless-enabled device, such as a smartphone device or a computer device. The main control device 112 may further include a log memory module to collect and store data collected by the compression apparatus 100 during usage. The data may then be downloaded to the electronic device via the wireless communication module. Alternatively, the compression apparatus 100 may include a data communications port, such as a USB port, for physically connecting to the electronic device to download the collected data.

In some other embodiments, each inflation device 110 incorporates a controller, such as in the form of a printed circuit board, configured for controlling the respective inflation device 110. Thus, instead of having the main control device 112, functions of the main control device 112 can be distributed among the controllers of the inflation devices 110. In one embodiment, the first inflation device 110a, second inflation device 110b, and third inflation device 110c each includes a respective controller. The controllers may each contain parts of a complete controller that function together as the main control device 112 to control all three inflation devices 110. Thus, the controllers may be considered together as a single main control device 112. In another embodiment, the first inflation device 110a and second inflation device 110b each includes a respective controller, but the third inflation device 110c does not include a controller. The first and second controllers may each contain parts of a complete controller that function together as the main control device 112 to control all three inflation devices 110. Thus, the first and second controllers may be considered together as a single main control device 112.

When in operation, the processor of the main control device 112 generates control signals for the actuators 124 of the inflation devices 110 based on compression pattern data stored in the storage for compression patterns. These control signals may be, for example, controlled current and voltage signals to drive the respective actuators 124. The processor may receive feedback signals from the sensors 126 for measuring pneumatic pressure of the inflatable bladders 106 as well as from sensors such quadrature encoders, and may adjust the current and voltage supplied to the actuators 124, such that the compression pressure applied to the user’s body part is as specified by compression pattern data stored in the storage for compression patterns.

Some of the processing implemented by the main control device 112 may be carried out by an electronic device, such as a smartphone or other computing device, which is communicative with the main control device 112 via the wireless communication module. In such embodiments, the storage for compression patterns may also be implemented in the electronic device. It will be appreciated that additional compression patterns may be downloaded and stored in the storage for compression patterns and/or on the electronic device.

The user may select his preferred compression pattern via the main control device 112 and/or the electronic device. The compression pattern may involve a sequence of compression cycles. Each compression cycle may be considered to comprise a compression period followed by a relaxation period. During the compression period, the compression pressure applied by each inflatable bladder 106 is increased from an initial pressure or pretension pressure to a peak pressure value. For example, the compression pressure increases to a peak of 110 mmHg within a period of 10 seconds. During the relaxation period, the pressure in each inflatable bladder 106 returns to a stable or sustained pressure or back to the initial pressure. The stable or sustained pressure may range from 20 to 50 mmHg and provides static compression pressure to the body part. Details of various compression patterns are described in PCT publication WO 2019/059848.

As described above, in the active compression patterns, varying compression pressure is applied to the different portions of the body part of the user and the compression patterns may be applied to either the arms or legs of the user. It is noted that there may be graduated pressure or a pressure gradient in the compression patterns across the different portions of the body part. For example if the body part is a limb, this graduation or gradient in the compression patterns would be from a distal part of the limb to a proximal part of the limb. This graduated pressure improves venous return. It is noted that in addition to enhancing blood circulation, the compression patterns described herein may also enhance lymph flow in the body part. In addition, the compression patterns may be beneficial for users such as athletes when recovering. This external pressure reduces intramuscular space available for swelling and promotes the stable alignment of muscle fibres, reducing the inflammatory response and muscle soreness. Another advantage of active compression is that it mimics the calf muscle pump and supports the user even when he is seated. Active compression empties the lower compartments of the leg preventing blood pooling which in turn increases venous flow towards the heart. Various experiments on active compression have been performed and active compression appears to prevent calf swelling which occurs due to long-term sitting and it also acts to mitigate decrease in blood flow. Details of these experiments are also described in PCT publication WO 2019/059848.

Although usage of active compression has been rapidly increasing due to its added benefits compared to static compression, active compression devices especially the pneumatic pumps are bulky and cumbersome, causing mobility issues as the users have limited mobility while wearing the compression sleeve which is tethered to the controller. The compression apparatus 100 of the present disclosure advantageously allows the inflation devices 110 to be decoupled from the fluidic components 108 which prevent deflation of the inflatable bladders 106, thereby sustaining constant compression pressure applied to the respective portions 104 of the body part. Specifically, after the user has used the inflation devices 110 to inflate the inflatable bladders 106 according to the desired compression patterns, the inflation of the inflatable bladders 106 may reach a constant or static compression pressure, such as ranging from 20 to 50 mmHg. The inflation devices 110 are then decoupled from the fluidic components 108, enabling the inflatable bladders 106 to apply and sustain this constant or static compression pressure to the respective portions 104 of the body part while the user continues to wear the wearable portion 102 on the body part. This static compression pressure applied to the body part is similar to the static compression provided through compression socks.

Therefore, the compression apparatus 100 advantageously allows the user to easily alternate between active compression and static compression modes. Active compression requires the inflation devices 110 to be attached to the wearable portion 102 and coupled to the fluidic components 108 but is more useful in treating circulatory conditions such as venous insufficiency, lymphedema, and DVT to improve circulation and reduce swelling. On the other hand, the user can switch to static compression mode by decoupling the inflation devices 110, allowing the user to move around more freely while the inflatable bladders 106 continue to maintain a sustained level of static or passive compression pressure on the body part. The user may also choose to remove the wearable portion 102, such as to take a break, and re-wear it afterwards without losing the compression pressure that is sustained in the wearable portion 102. Given that static and active compressions serve two different purposes, it is evident that having both compression modes in the compression apparatus 100 for compression therapy is clearly advantageous to the user who can select the suitable compression mode for himself.

Many embodiments described above relate to each inflatable bladder 106 being selectively inflatable and deflatable by a respective inflation device 110 through a respective fluidic component 108. With the embodiment as shown in Figure 1 B, each fluidic component 108 may include a solenoid valve 150 such as a 3/2 solenoid valve or 3/2-way pneumatic valve. It will be appreciated that the fluidic components 108 may include other types of valves for various configurations, such as but not limited to 5/3 solenoid or pneumatic valves. During inflation of a bladder 106 as shown in Figure 2A, the inflation device 110 is coupled to the solenoid valve 150 to pump in air. Upon decoupling, particularly by deactivation, of the inflation device 110, the solenoid valve 150 prevents deflation of the inflated bladder 106 and sustains constant compression pressure. It will be appreciated that the solenoid valve 150 may prevent deflation in a similar manner as the non-return I check valves described above. The solenoid valve 150 is configurable to discharge the air from the bladder 106 and deflate the bladder 106, as shown in Figure 2B. The solenoid valve 150 may have an internal spool 151 that is configurated to switch between inflation and deflation modes.

In another embodiment as shown in Figure 3A, the fluidic components 108 include first solenoid valves 152 and second solenoid valves 154 connected between the inflation devices 110 and inflatable bladders 106. Specifically, there is one first solenoid valve 152 and one second solenoid valve 154 connected between a respective inflation device 110 and a respective inflatable bladder 106. During inflation as shown in Figure 3B, the first solenoid valve 152 is coupled to the inflatable bladder 106 and the inflation device 110 is coupled to the second solenoid valve 154. The inflation device 110 pumps air into the bladder 106 via the second solenoid valve 154 and first solenoid valve 152 sequentially. Upon decoupling, particularly by deactivation, of the inflation device 110, the first solenoid valve 152 and/or second solenoid valve 154 prevents deflation of the inflated bladder 106 and sustains constant compression pressure. For example as shown in Figure 3C, the internal spool 151 of the first solenoid valve 152 switches between an open state and a normally closed state. As shown in Figure 3D, the inflated bladder 106 can be deflated by switching the internal spool 151 to the open state. During deflation, air is released from the bladder 106 to the atmosphere via the first solenoid valve 152 and second solenoid valve 154 sequentially.

In some embodiments as shown in Figure 4A, the compression apparatus 100 includes a plurality of inflatable bladders 106 and an inflation device 110 for simultaneously inflating the inflatable bladders 106. The fluidic components 108 are fluidically communicative with each other for the simultaneous inflation of the bladders 106.

As shown in Figure 4A, the fluidic components 108 include first solenoid valves 152 each coupled to a respective inflatable bladder 106. The fluidic components 152 further include a second solenoid valve 154 which the inflation device 110 is coupled to. The second solenoid valve 154 is connected to the first solenoid valves 152 such that the second solenoid valve 154 is common to all the bladders 106. In one embodiment, the first inflatable bladder 106a, second inflatable bladder 106b, and third inflatable bladder 106c are simultaneously inflated by the inflation device 110. All the bladders 106 will be inflated at the same flow rate and to the same pressure level. In one embodiment, the first inflatable bladder 106a, second inflatable bladder 106b, and third inflatable bladder 106c are sequentially inflated by the inflation device 110, as shown in Figure 4B to Figure 4D. Each bladder 106 may thus be inflated independently from the others. After the respective bladder 106 has been inflated to the desired pressure level, the internal spool 151 of the respective first solenoid valve 152 returns to the normally closed state to prevent deflation of the inflated bladder 106. As shown in Figure 4E, all the bladders 106 are inflated to the desired pressure level and the first solenoid valves 152 prevent their deflation, thus sustaining constant compression pressure. During deflation as shown in Figure 4F, air is released from the bladders 106 to the atmosphere via the first solenoid valves 152 and common second solenoid valve 154 simultaneously or sequentially. Each inflated bladder 106 may thus be deflated independently from the others.

In some embodiments as shown in Figure 5A, the compression apparatus 100 includes a plurality of inflatable bladders 106 and a plurality of inflation devices 110. The additional inflation devices 110 increase the flow rate and shortens the duration to inflate the bladders 106. The fluidic components 108 include first solenoid valves 152 each coupled to a respective inflatable bladder 106. The fluidic components 152 further include second solenoid valves 154 each coupled to a respective inflation device 110. The fluidic components 152 further include a common third solenoid valve 156 connected to the first solenoid valves 152 and second solenoid valves 154. The inflatable bladders 106 are sequentially inflated as shown in Figure 5B to Figure 5D. For example, during inflation of the first bladder 106a, no air is communicating to the second bladder 106b and third bladder 106c. As shown in Figure 5E, all the bladders 106 are inflated to and held at their desired pressure levels and the internal spools 151 of the first solenoid valves 152 are in their normally closed states prevent deflation, thus sustaining constant compression pressure. Optionally, one or more of the bladders 106, such as the first bladder 106a as shown in Figure 5F, may be further inflated to a higher pressure level or may be inflated in a pulsating mode, i.e. a pattern of increasing and decreasing pressure levels. During deflation as shown in Figure 5G, air is released from the bladders 106 to the atmosphere via the second solenoid valves 154 and common third solenoid valve 156. In some variants of the embodiments as shown in Figure 5A, the fluidic components 108 similarly include first solenoid valves 152, second solenoid valves 154, and a common third solenoid valve 156. The inflatable bladders 106 are simultaneously inflated as shown in Figure 6A to Figure 6C. The bladders 106 may be inflated to a common pressure level or different pressure levels. During inflation, the air communicates to all the bladders 106 at the same time. When a bladder 106 reaches the desired pressure level, the internal spool 151 of the respective first solenoid valve 152 returns to the normally closed state and the air stops communicating to said bladder 106 but continues to communicate to the remaining bladders 106. As shown in Figure 6D, all the bladders 106 are inflated to and held their desired pressure levels and the internal spools 151 of the first solenoid valves 152 are in their normally closed states prevent deflation, thus sustaining constant compression pressure. During deflation as shown in Figure 6E, air is released from the bladders 106 to the atmosphere via the second solenoid valves 154 and common third solenoid valve 156.

While several configurations of the compression apparatus 100 have been described in various embodiments herein, it will be appreciated that other configurations having inflation I deflation variants are possible. For example, the compression apparatus 100 may have solenoid valves that enable independent inflation I deflation of the inflated bladders 106 at individual flow rates, thus allowing for each bladder 106 to be pressurised to different pressure levels. The individual valves may be controlled to selectively inflate the bladders 106 but at different flow rates, achieving different pressure levels at the respective inflated bladders 106. The valves may be configured for independent deflation of the inflated bladders 106. For example, the first inflated bladder 106a may be deflated while the second inflated bladder 106b and third inflated bladder 106 remain inflated.

As described above and shown in Figure 1 B and similarly in Figure 3A, Figure 4A, and Figure 5A, each inflatable bladder 106 has baffles 122 that form the bladder sections 106’, 106” and bladder segments 123. Each bladder 106 further has gaps 121 between neighbouring baffles 122 to achieve fluid communication between the bladder segments 123 and between the bladder sections 106’, 106”. In some embodiments as shown in Figure 7A, each bladder 106 includes internal valves 125 disposed in some of the gaps 121 to control fluid communication through the gaps 121 and across the bladder sections 106’, 106”. For example, the internal valve 125 is a bidirectional gate valve that control the flow of fluid to and from the respective bladder sections 106’, 106”. The opening and closing of the internal valve 125 are controlled by the pressure gradient between the bladder sections 106’, 106”, i.e. fluid flows from higher pressure to lower pressure bladder sections 106’, 106”.

In one example as shown in Figure 7B to Figure 7G, an inflatable bladder 106 has an upper bladder section 106’ and a lower bladder section 106”. The inflatable bladder 106 further has an internal valve 125 separating the bladder sections 106’, 106”. The fluidic component 108 is disposed at the lower bladder section 106” such that the inflation device 110 inflates and deflates via the lower bladder section 106”. As shown in Figure 7B, the internal valve 125 is in the closed state when the lower bladder section 106” is being inflated. The lower bladder section 106” is inflated until it reaches a pressure level (Pvaive.open) predetermined by the internal valve 125. As shown in Figure 7C, when the lower bladder section 106” reaches Pvaive.open, the internal valve 125 opens due to the lower bladder section 106” being of sufficiently higher pressure than the upper bladder section 106’ (Po). Further, due to the inflation of the lower bladder section 106”, the lower bladder section 106” stiffens and this would cause the lower bladder section 106” to expand, thereby aiding the opening of the internal valve 125. When the internal valves 125 switches to the open state, air would flow from the lower bladder section 106” to the upper bladder section 106’. As shown in Figure 7D, both bladder sections 106’, 106” would now be inflated by the inflation device 110 until they reach another predetermined pressure level (Pvaive, close), at which stage the internal valve 125 would close. The closure would also be aided by the expansion of the bladder sections 106’, 106” as a result of being inflated. As shown in Figure 7E, the internal valve 125 is in the closed state and the lower bladder section 106” can be further inflated by the inflation device 110 to a pressure level higher than that of the upper bladder section 106’. The final pressure levels of the lower bladder section 106” and upper bladder section 106’ are P2 and Pvaive, close, respectively, wherein P2 is higher than Pvaive, close. The inflation device 110 can be decoupled and the fluidic component 108 prevents deflation of the bladder 106, thereby sustaining the constant compression pressure levels in the respective bladder sections 106’, 106”.

Moreover, the sustained constant pressure levels can be such that for each bladder 106, the lower bladder section 106’ has a pressure level higher than that of the upper bladder section 106”. Across the wearable portion 102, the first bladder 106a may have a higher average pressure than that of the second bladder 106b, which may in turn have a higher average pressure than that of the third bladder 106c. As such, the wearable portion 102 is able to sustain compression pressure levels that are graduated across the bladders 106 and graduated within each bladder 106. The wearable portion 102 can thus provide the user with higher resolution compression and enhanced compression experience on the body part.

The bladder 106 can be deflated by recoupling and using the inflation device 110. As shown in Figure 7F, the internal valve 125 is in the closed state when the lower bladder section 106” is being deflated to the atmosphere. The lower bladder section 106” is deflated until the pressure level equalizes with the upper bladder section 106’ (P vaive, close). As shown in Figure 7G, continued deflation of the lower bladder section 106” reduces its pressure level to below that of the upper bladder section 106’. The pressure difference causes the internal valve 125 to open up towards the upper bladder section 106’ which can then be deflated to the atmosphere. When both bladder sections 106’, 106” are deflated and their pressure levels are normalised, the internal valve 125 would return to its original closed state.

In various embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to Figure 8, there is a method 200 performed by the compression apparatus 100 for applying compression pressure to a body part of a user. As shown in Figure 9A, the user wears the wearable portion 102 on the body part which is shown as the leg, although the body part may be another limb such as the arm. The wearable portion 102 may be in the form of a compression sock or a compression wrap which the user can tighten or loosen around the body part. With reference to Figure 9B, the user then attaches a set of one or more inflation devices 110 to the wearable portion 102 and couples them to the fluidic components 108. All the inflation devices 110 may be housed together in a single body or casing. In a step 202 of the method 200, the main control device 112 detects coupling of the inflation devices 110 to the fluidic components 108.

The user then operates the main control device 112 and the inflation devices 110 to selectively control inflation and deflation of the inflatable bladders 106. Specifically, a step 204 of the method 200 includes selectively inflating and deflating the inflatable bladders 106 to apply varying compression pressure to the body part. The compression apparatus 100 is now in the active compression mode which performs active or dynamic compression to the body part.

The user may alternate to the static compression mode after active compression mode. In the static compression mode, the inflation devices 110 apply constant compression pressure to the body part and the desired constant compression pressure may range from 20 to 50 mmHg. Once the constant compression pressure is reached, the user decouples the inflation devices 110 from the fluidic components 108 and detaches them from the wearable portion 102, as shown in Figure 9C. In a step 206 of the method 200 and with reference to Figure 9D, the fluidic components 108 prevent deflation of the inflatable bladders 106 when the inflation devices 110 are decoupled from the fluidic components 108, thereby sustaining constant compression pressure applied to the body part. As mentioned above, decoupling of the inflation devices 110 may be by way of physically separating the inflation devices 110 or by deactivating the inflation devices 110. The inflated bladders 106 may sustain constant compression pressure by use of non-return, check, and/or solenoid valves in the fluidic components 108 as described above. The fluidic components 108 prevent air in the inflated bladders 106 from escaping and the inflated bladders 106 continue to sustain constant or static compression pressure applied to the body part similar to a static compression sock. At the same time, in the static compression mode, the wearable portion 102 with the inflated bladders 106 is portable enough for the user to wear and move around freely and engage in normal daily activities.

In some embodiments, the first to third inflation devices 110a-c are coupled to the first to third fluidic components 108a-c to inflate the first to third inflatable bladders 106a-c and to apply compression pressure to the first to third portions 104a-c of the body part. In the static compression mode, each inflation device 110a-c applies a respective constant compression pressure to the respective portion 104a-c of the body part. For example, the constant compression pressures at the first portion 104a (e.g. upper calf region) may be 50 mmHg, at the second portion 104b (e.g. lower calf region) may be 40 mmHg, and at the third portion 104c (e.g. ankle region) may be 30 mmHg. The inflation devices 110a-c are decoupled from the fluidic components 108a-c and the respective inflated bladders 106a-c sustain the respective constant compression pressures applied to the respective portions 104a-c of the body part. In the same example, the inflated bladders 106a-c sustain a graduated constant compression pressure applied to the respective portions 104a-c of the body part, increasing from the distal part to the proximal part of the body part.

If the user prefers to return to active compression therapy, he can recouple the inflation devices 110 to the fluidic components 108 and select active compression with the desired compression pattern and compression intensity. The inflation devices 110 gradually inflates and deflates the inflatable bladders 106 to apply varying compression pressure to the body part and thus perform active compression on the body part. Accordingly, the compression apparatus 100 is able to selectively function in active compression and static compression modes.

The main control device 112 includes computer-readable instructions that are executed by the processor perform various steps of the method 200. The computer- readable instructions may be referred to in some contexts as computer-readable storage media and/or non-transitory computer-readable media. Non-transitory computer-readable media include all computer-readable media, with the sole exception being a transitory propagating signal per se.

The user interface of the main control device 112 includes a set of input elements, such as push buttons or touch I capacitive sensors, for receiving user input or commands from the user. The user interface may have a first input element for powering on/off the compression apparatus 100, a second input element for selecting the compression intensity or pressure level applied to the body part, and a third input element for selecting the desired compression pattern. The user interface may further include a set of visual devices that display information about usage of the compression apparatus 100. For example, the visual devices may include six RGB (red, green, blue) LEDs (light emitting diodes).

In some embodiments with reference to Figure 9, the user may remotely control the compression apparatus 100 by use of an electronic device 128, such as a smartphone, communicatively linked to the main control device 112 via wireless communications 130. The wireless communication module of the compression apparatus 100 may be communicative with the electronic device via a Bluetooth communications protocol, such as BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). A software or mobile application may be installed and executed on the electronic device 128 to perform various functions of the compression apparatus 100, such as to select the desired compression pattern and compression intensity to be applied to the body part of the user. A number of predefined compression patterns and/or compression intensities may be provided for selection by the user. In addition to providing input commands to the compression apparatus 100 via the electronic device 128, the electronic device 128 may also download data collected by the compression apparatus 100 during usage by the user.

In some embodiments with reference to Figure 11 , the user may use two compression apparatuses 100 arranged to apply compression pressure to two body parts of the user. For example, the two compression apparatuses 100 may be used by the user to apply compression pressure to a pair of limbs, such as both legs or both arms. More specifically, the user may use a first compression apparatus 100A for a first limb, e.g. the left leg, and a second compression apparatus 100B for a second limb, e.g. the right leg. For the first compression apparatus 100A, the wearable portion 102 is worn on the left leg such that the inflatable bladders 106 are arranged against the left calf muscles. Similarly, for the second compression apparatus 100B, the wearable portion 102 is worn on the right leg such that the inflatable bladders 106 are arranged against the right calf muscles.

Both compression apparatuses 100AB are communicatively linked to each other via the respective wireless communication modules thereof across the wireless communications 130. Communication between both compression apparatuses 100AB synchronizes both compression apparatuses 100AB in applying varying compression pressure to the body parts. The first compression apparatus 100A may be configured as a master and the second compression apparatus 100B may be configured as a slave. Each of the master and slave can send and receive signals which are encoded with compression pattern data, such as intensity and timing of the compressions. The data in the signals are decoded and processed by the slave in response to receiving the signals from the master to implement time synchronization between the master and slave, thereby ensuring the varying compression pressure applied to both body parts is synchronized according to a predefined compression pattern and/or compression intensity selected by the user. Synchronization of the compression pressure may be done if a treatment procedure requires the same therapeutic compression pattern.

In one embodiment, each of the compression apparatuses 100AB has an infrared communication module for wirelessly communicating with each other via infrared signals. When both wearable portions 102 are worn on the user’s legs, the infrared communication modules are arranged to face each other, for example on the insides of the legs, so that the compression apparatuses 100AB can communicate with each other via the infrared signals which require direct line of sight. In another embodiment, each compression apparatus 100AB has a Bluetooth communication module for wirelessly communicating with each other via Bluetooth communication protocol. Unlike the infrared communication modules, the Bluetooth communication modules do not require direct line of sight between each other for successful communication between the compression apparatuses 100AB. However, both the master and slave need to be within a Bluetooth communication range, such as 5 m, and they have to be paired with each other beforehand. This pairing may be done at factory during mass production of the compression apparatuses 100AB or may alternatively be done by the user on demand.

Although various embodiments are described herein of a compression apparatus 100 having three inflatable bladders 106 and their associated parts, it will be appreciated that there may be other embodiments wherein the compression apparatus 100 has a different number of inflatable bladders 106 and associated parts, such as two, four, or more bladders 106. Various aspects of the present disclosure described in the above embodiments will apply similarly or analogously for these other embodiments and are not further described for purpose of brevity.

In the foregoing detailed description, embodiments of the present disclosure in relation to a compression apparatus 100 are described with reference to the provided figures. The description of the various embodiments herein is not intended to call out or be limited only to specific or particular representations of the present disclosure, but merely to illustrate non-limiting examples of the present disclosure. The present disclosure serves to address at least one of the mentioned problems and issues associated with the prior art. Although only some embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein, it will be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure that a variety of changes and/or modifications can be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure as well as the scope of the following claims is not limited to embodiments described herein.