Compact Oscillometric Blood Pressure Simulator
First Claim
1. An oscillometric blood pressure (BP) simulator adapted to test a BP monitor, the simulator comprising:
- an elastomeric bladder, wherein the oscillometric BP simulator is configured to pneumatically couple the elastomeric bladder to the BP monitor; and
an actuator adapted to reversibly compress the elastomeric bladder and adapted to pre-compress the elastomeric bladder;
wherein the pre-compressed elastomeric bladder is adapted to induce one or more pressure pulses in the BP monitor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for generating pressure pulses to calibrate a blood pressure (BP) monitor or other pressure sensing device is disclosed. The oscillometric blood pressure (BP) simulator of the preferred embodiment comprises an elastomeric bladder pneumatically coupled to the BP monitor, and an actuator adapted to reversibly compress the elastomeric bladder and induce one or more pressure pulses of predetermined magnitude, duration, and frequency in the BP monitor. The elastomeric bladder generally comprises an elastomeric tube such as medical grade hose or tubing that is compressed by a piston and bearing driven by a linear actuator, preferably a stepper motor and cam. The simulator further includes a plurality of serially coupled H-bridges for energizing the stepper motor windings with bipolar square pulses.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. An oscillometric blood pressure (BP) simulator adapted to test a BP monitor, the simulator comprising:
-
an elastomeric bladder, wherein the oscillometric BP simulator is configured to pneumatically couple the elastomeric bladder to the BP monitor; and an actuator adapted to reversibly compress the elastomeric bladder and adapted to pre-compress the elastomeric bladder; wherein the pre-compressed elastomeric bladder is adapted to induce one or more pressure pulses in the BP monitor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An oscillometric blood pressure (BP) simulator adapted to test a BP monitor, the simulator comprising:
-
a rotary actuator; a bi-directional cam fixedly attached to the actuator; and a piston adapted to induce one or more pressure pulses in the BP monitor, the piston operatively coupled to the cam via a bearing. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. An oscillometric blood pressure (BP) simulator adapted to test a BP monitor, the simulator comprising:
-
a stepper motor adapted to induce one or more pressure pulses in the BP monitor via a cam fixedly attached to the actuator wherein the stepper motor comprises a plurality of windings, and wherein the actuator control mechanism comprises a plurality of H-bridges, each of the plurality of H-bridges adapted to drive one of the plurality of stepper motor windings wherein the plurality of H-bridges are serially coupled electrically; and an actuator control mechanism adapted to drive the stepper motor in a forward direction with one or more bi-polar waveforms, and adapted to maintain an orientation of the cam with one or more sustaining pulses. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
Specification