Device for monitoring a vital sign

• US 20050010119A1
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aviran Itzhaki, Baruch Glick, Doron Kopel, Israel Urbach, Yoram Palti, Yoram Wasserman
• Original Assignee: Aviran Itzhaki, Baruch Glick, Doron Kopel, Israel Urbach, Yoram Palti, Yoram Wasserman
• Inventors: Kopel, Doron, Glick, Baruch, Urbach, Israel, Itzhaki, Aviran, Palti, Yoram, Wasserman, Yoram
• Application Number:
  US10/915,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20050010119A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/499
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02233 Occluders specially adapted therefor tourniquets A61B17/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14557 specially adapted to extracorporeal circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/417 the bone marrow

Abstract

A device (1) for monitoring a vital sign of a living subject, comprising a measuring unit (2) for measuring at least one physical quantity indicative of said vital sign at an area (8) overlying an artery (7) of the subject, which measuring unit (2) is provided on a carrier (3) to be worn by the subject during operation, and a processing unit (4) for processing the measured physical quantity into a value for the vital sign, which device (1) is provided with at least one detector (5) for detecting the position of the measuring unit (2) relative to the artery (7) of the subject during operation and for actuating a feedback signal (Ufeedback) in dependence on this position. The user can move the device (1) relative to the artery (7) until the feedback signal (Ufeedback) is given, and thus a correct positioning of the measuring unit (2) relative to the artery (7) is achieved in an easy manner.

Claims

1. A device (1) for monitoring a vital sign of a living subject, comprising

a measuring unit (2) for measuring at least one physical quantity indicative of said vital sign at an area (8) overlying an artery (7) of the subject, which measuring unit (2) is provided on a carrier (3) to be worn by the subject during operation, and

a processing unit (4) for processing the measured physical quantity into a value for the vital sign, characterized in that the device (1) is provided with at least one detector (5) for detecting the position of the measuring unit (2) relative to the artery (7) of the subject during operation and for actuating a feedback signal (Ufeedback) in dependence on this position.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the detector (5) comprises at least one sensor for detecting the presence of the artery (7) in the vicinity of the sensor, which sensor is chosen from a group comprising electro-optical sensors and ultrasound sensors.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that a plurality of sensors (10, 11) for detecting the presence of the artery (7) in the vicinity of the sensor (10, 11) are provided in an array.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the feedback signal (Ufeedback) is chosen from a group comprising audio and visual signs.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the carrier (3) comprises an annular body (3′

) which is at least partly rigid.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the carrier (3) comprises an annular body (3″

) which is entirely rigid.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the measuring unit (2′

) comprises an inflatable cushion (13) for applying a pressure to said area (8) overlying said artery (7) of the subject, and the cushion (13) comprises a plurality of separately inflatable cushion parts (14).

8. A device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the cushion parts (14) comprise protuberances (24) which project from a surface area (15) of the carrier (3) in a direction practically perpendicular to said surface area.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the carrier (3) comprises an annular body (16) which can be closed during operation, the cushion (13′

) being provided along an entire inner wall of said body (16).