Patent Application
20060111636
This invention generally relates to wrist-mount blood pressure monitors. More particularly, this invention relates to wrist-mount blood pressure monitors having an improved structure that allows the blood pressure monitor to be conveniently mounted onto a wrist. Additionally, the improved structure has sufficient rigidness which reduces deformation of the structure during operation and enhances measuring accuracy of the wrist-mount blood pressure monitor.
Due to increasing health concerns, it has become increasingly important for one to be able to self monitor their blood pressure. Although one may use a blood pressure monitor of the brachial type, a wrist-mount blood pressure monitor is easier and more convenient for at home personal use.
Band-cuff type wrist-mount blood pressure monitors, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,310, are well known in the art. In general, blood pressure monitors of this type have a housing or body attached to a cuff. The housing contains a blood pressure monitor unit for sensing and calculating blood pressure, and a display for indicating blood pressure measurement. The cuff of the blood pressure monitor is composed of an inflatable bladder into which fluid, such as air, is supplied. The cuff also includes an elastic cuff band for securing the blood pressure monitor to the wrist. In operation, the blood pressure monitor is positioned on the wrist so that the cuff containing the bladder is placed against the anterior or palm side of the wrist. The elastic band of this type of prior monitor is then wrapped around the wrist and secured to the cuff, usually by a hook and eye fastener. When the blood pressure monitor is activated, the cuff is inflated, pressurizing the anterior of the wrist.
Since the cuff band is made of elastic material, the cuff band stretches and deforms as the cuff is inflated. This results in having to greatly inflate the cuff in order to apply sufficient pressure to the wrist. As the cuff becomes more inflated, the tension generated in the cuff increases. This increase in cuff tension decreases the efficiency of the pressure transmitted from the cuff to an artery within the wrist. The decrease in the efficiency of cuff pressure transmission negatively affects the accuracy of the blood pressure monitor. Most wrist-mount blood pressure monitors measure and calculate blood pressure using the oscillometric method. The oscillometric method is based on the presumption that the pressure of the artery in the wrist is equal to the pressure of the cuff. When the efficiency of pressure transmission is inadequate, the pressure within the cuff becomes higher than the pressure of the artery, and thus the blood pressure monitor inaccurately measures the blood pressure as high.
One attempt to solve this problem has been to add a cuff curler to the cuff. The cuff curler is typically made of hard plastic and is placed against the bladder. However, since the blood pressure monitor still employs an elastic band to secure the monitor to the wrist, the above problem still arises.
Another problem that arises with wrist-mount blood pressure monitors that employ a band-cuff is that some people may not have the required level of dexterity to wrap the band around one of their wrists. This problem arises because the hand that corresponds to the wrist to which the blood pressure monitor is mounted is essentially unable to help mount the monitor. Thus, a person mounting the blood pressure monitor to one of his or her wrists has only the use of one hand to maneuver the monitor into the correct position on the wrist, wrap the band snugly around the wrist and secure the band to the cuff. Accomplishing the above mentioned task takes a certain level of dexterity. In general, as people age, their dexterity begins to deteriorate which can make it very difficult for the user to attach a band-cuff type blood pressure monitor to his or her own wrist.
Accordingly, there is a need for a wrist-mount blood pressure monitor which is readily mounted onto the wrist by the person whose blood pressure is to be monitored. Also needed is a self-administered wrist blood pressure monitor that avoids deformation of the structure during inflation of the bladder. Additionally, there is a need for a wrist-mount blood pressure monitor which can be accurately, easily and conveniently mounted onto the wrist without requiring a high level of dexterity.
In accordance with the present invention, a wrist-mount blood pressure monitor is provided which has a sufficiently rigid structure that is designed to substantially retain its shape during the operation of the device.
Preferably, the structure has a generally inverted U-shape as used which includes an anterior leg, a posterior leg and a bridge portion connecting the anterior and posterior legs. The anterior and posterior legs are spaced apart a distance to create a gap which allows a wrist to be positioned between the legs.
The blood pressure monitor is preferably mounted onto the left wrist by positioning the anterior leg against the anterior or palm side of the wrist, the posterior leg against the posterior or backhand side of the wrist and the bridge portion against the thumb side of the wrist. An inflatable bladder is located between the anterior leg and the wrist for applying pressure to the wrist.
The anterior leg, posterior leg and bridge portion have substantial rigidity which reduces the amount of transverse movement between the anterior and posterior legs (e.g., elastic deformation) upon inflation of the bladder. A stiffening member may also be employed to aid in limiting transverse movement between the legs. Reducing the amount of elastic deformation allows most of the bladder pressure to be transmitted towards the wrist. This results in requiring less air to inflate the bladder which in turn results in minimizing bladder tension. Thus, the above discussed inaccuracies of measurement and undesirable bladder/cuff tension are substantially avoided.
An additional advantage provided by the structure of the blood pressure monitor of the present invention is that the blood pressure monitor may be conveniently and easily mounted by the person whose blood pressure is to be monitored onto the wrist without requiring a high level of dexterity. A user simply places his or her wrist between the anterior and posterior legs of the device and rests the bridge portion upon the thumb side of the wrist. The blood pressure monitor may also accommodate various wrist sizes such as by providing one or more auxiliary spacing members which may be releaseably attached to the posterior leg.
It is accordingly a general aspect or object of the present invention to provide a wrist-mount blood pressure monitor with an improved structure.
Another aspect or object of this invention is to provide a wrist-mount blood pressure monitor which will enhance blood pressure measuring accuracy.
Another aspect or object of this invention is to provide a wrist-mount blood pressure monitor which is conveniently and easily mounted onto a user's wrist without requiring a high level of dexterity.
Another aspect or object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable wrist-mount blood monitor which may be adjustably sized to mount wrists of various sizes.
Other aspects, objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, specifically including stated and unstated combinations of the various features which are described herein, relevant information concerning which is shown in the accompanying drawings.
In the course of this description, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention and virtually any appropriate manner.
An embodiment of a wrist-mount blood pressure monitor of the present invention is illustrated in
As illustrated in
As particularly illustrated in
As illustrated in
The bottom housing 26 includes an interior wall 28 of the housing 14 (shown in
The anterior wall 30 includes a bladder pressure transmission portion 36 which preferably is comprised of a flexible or pliable material, such as a fabric mesh. The bladder pressure transmission portion 36 may be attached to the bottom housing 26 by heat sealing around the periphery of the portion; however, any other suitable attachment method may be used. The posterior wall 32 preferably includes a pad 38 which may be contoured to the shape of the posterior portion of a wrist. The pad 38 may be integrally formed with the posterior wall 32, separately attached to the posterior wall or positioned against the posterior wall.
Located within the housing in this illustrated embodiment is a tray 40 which preferably comprises a shape similar to the shape of the bottom housing 26. Illustratively, the tray 40 comprises the shape of an inverted “U” when in its in-use orientation as shown in the drawings. When assembled, the tray 40 overlies the bottom housing 26 and is positioned between portions of the ridge 34. The illustrated tray 40 has an inner surface 42 and an outer surface 44. Attached to the inner surface 42 is an inflatable bladder 46 which is positioned between the inner surface 42 of the tray and the anterior wall 30 of the bottom housing, when the blood pressure monitor is assembled. The bladder 46 is positioned so that, as the bladder inflates, bladder pressure may be transmitted through the bladder pressure transmission portion 36 of the anterior wall.
The tray 40 may also provide a place of attachment within the housing for the components of a blood pressure monitoring unit 48, as illustrated. Various blood pressure monitoring units known in the art may be used with the present invention. Such blood pressure monitoring units may include, but are not limited to, the following components: an operation unit having a switch for turning on/off power and starting pressurization of the bladder, a pump for sending air into the bladder, at least one pressure sensor for sensing bladder pressure, a pressure relief valve for venting the bladder, a positioning device and various electronic components needed to operate the blood pressure monitor and calculate blood pressure measurement. Also attached to the tray may be a display unit 50 for displaying blood pressure measurement. When a display unit 50 is used, it is operably connected to the blood pressure monitoring unit 48 and may display diastolic and systolic blood pressure measurement along with pulse rate and mode of operation indicators. The display unit 50 may be read through a display window 52 which is located in the top housing 24. Alternatively, instead of a display unit, an auditory indicator, such as a speaker, may be used to notify the user of his or her blood pressure measurement.
It should be understood that it is not a requirement of the present invention that the blood pressure monitoring unit along with any of its various components and the display unit be located within the housing 10. Any or all of these components may be located outside of the housing. Moreover, although there may be production and efficiency reasons for incorporating a member such as a tray 40 for containing and/or mounting various components for operating the unit, other structural and placement members and arrangements are possible or suitable.
The housing 10 may additionally provide a location, such as on the tray 40, for containing batteries 54 which may supply the power needed to operate the blood pressure monitor. Preferably, the blood pressure monitor is designed to operate using either or both rechargeable and/or disposable batteries. The top housing 24 may include a battery hatch or cover 55 as illustrated for providing access to the location of the batteries.
When the blood pressure monitor utilizes rechargeable batteries, the batteries may be recharged by any suitable method known in the art. Preferably, the base 12, of
It should be understood that the batteries could be eliminated from the blood pressure monitor of the present invention and that the blood pressure monitor could be adapted to use household current, using a typical transformer to step down the voltage and electrical wires as needed.
The blood pressure monitor may also include at least one stiffening member which provides a preferred degree of stiffness to the monitor. In the embodiment shown in
It will be understood that the illustrated stiffening members provide an effective and efficient manner to impart the preferred degree of stiffness to the monitor. Other approaches which achieve this objective can be substituted. For example, the entire housing could be constructed of high strength plastic of increased thickness. Alternatively, the preferred degree of stiffness could be provided by a housing structure made of metal or cast metal, such as magnesium die cast. Additionally, the housing structure could be made from a combination of plastic and metal, such as a plastic containing honeycomb shaped metal supports embedded in the plastic. Of course, a monitor having the preferred stiffness could be constructed by employing any combination of the above mentioned alternatives.
The top housing 24 of the illustrated embodiment attaches to bottom housing 26 to enclose the tray 40 and the blood pressure monitoring unit 48 within the housing. The top housing 24 may include openings 64, 66 and 68 which allow access to an on/off switch 70, a memory button 72 and a mode button 74. The top housing may also include a protective cover 75, typically transparent or translucent, for protecting the display unit 50.
In operation, a user removes the blood pressure monitor from the base 12, when provided. As illustrated in
As seen in
Comparing
Once the blood pressure monitor 10 is mounted onto the wrist as described above, the device is activated, such as by having the user engage the on/off switch to activate the blood pressure monitor. The user then positions the blood pressure monitor at the user's heart level. The blood pressure monitor may or may not contain a positioning device, well known in the art, to indicate to the user whether the blood pressure monitor is in the correct position. As the bladder inflates, the bladder pressure is transmitted to an artery within the anterior portion of the wrist through the bladder pressure transmission portion of the anterior wall. During inflation of the bladder, the stiffening members (or their substitute) support the anterior and posterior legs in order to reduce the amount of outward transverse movement due to bladder pressure. The blood pressure monitoring unit senses and calculates blood pressure which is displayed on the display unit in accordance with approaches generally known in the art. Once the bladder has deflated, the user simply removes the blood pressure monitor from his or her wrist.
It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention which have been described are illustrative of some of the applications of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, including those combinations of features that are individually disclosed or claimed herein.
