Cuff mechanism
First Claim
1. A cuff mechanism for use in a blood pressure measuring system comprising:
- a. an elongated flexible cuff band of a predetermined width defining an opening for receiving a portion of a user'"'"'s body in which blood circulation is to be temporarily occluded;
b. mechanical contracting means having a relaxed state and a contracted state and being attached to said band substantially throughout the width thereof for exerting a force thereon to circumferentially contract said band snugly about the portion of the user'"'"'s body;
c. power drive means for intermittingly driving said mechanical contracting means;
d. automatic and adjustable slip clutch means connected between said mechanical contracting means and said power drive means to provide relative motion therebetween after obtaining snug wrapping of said band about various sized body portions of different users and slipping thereafter to prevent occlusion of the blood circulating therethrough, said slip clutch means including a slip clutch between said power drive means and said mechanical contracting means, and an adjustable means engaged with said slip clutch for selectively adjusting said slip clutch to slip upon said band reaching a predetermined snug fit;
e. a flexible fluid chamber located adjacent said band and in position to contact the portion of a user'"'"'s body for causing the flow of blood therethrough to be occluded; and
f. selective pressure means for supplying fluid to said chamber to expand same and occlude the flow of blood through the portions of the user'"'"'s body in contact with said chamber.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cuff mechanism, for use in an automatic blood pressure measuring system requiring no user adjustments to such mechanism, includes an elongated flexible cuff band with a resilient spring associated therewith of a predetermined width defining an enlarged opening for receiving a user'"'"'s arm. A reversible motor intermittently drives a drum through a slip clutch adjusted to provide a snug, but not occluding, fit of the band about the various sized arms when the drum winds up the band into its contracted state. The spring is generally mounted throughout the width of the band and extends substantially throughout the length thereof which defines the opening in its contracted state. The band is attached to the drum substantially throughout the width thereof so that the drum will exert a uniform force to circumferentially contract the band snugly about the arm and to maintain same in a steady condition. Locking means having a manual override automatically locks the drum in its wound-up condition to prevent the band from inadvertent loosening. A flexible and expandable fluid chamber, having a sensor associated therewith, is located adjacent the band and extending generally the width thereof, such chamber being sufficiently elongated to contact and generally surround the arm with the sensor being adjacent the artery. Selective pressure means automatically supply fluid to the chamber to expand same and occlude the flow of blood through the arm after which the blood pressure is taken by the system.
69 Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A cuff mechanism for use in a blood pressure measuring system comprising:
-
a. an elongated flexible cuff band of a predetermined width defining an opening for receiving a portion of a user'"'"'s body in which blood circulation is to be temporarily occluded; b. mechanical contracting means having a relaxed state and a contracted state and being attached to said band substantially throughout the width thereof for exerting a force thereon to circumferentially contract said band snugly about the portion of the user'"'"'s body; c. power drive means for intermittingly driving said mechanical contracting means; d. automatic and adjustable slip clutch means connected between said mechanical contracting means and said power drive means to provide relative motion therebetween after obtaining snug wrapping of said band about various sized body portions of different users and slipping thereafter to prevent occlusion of the blood circulating therethrough, said slip clutch means including a slip clutch between said power drive means and said mechanical contracting means, and an adjustable means engaged with said slip clutch for selectively adjusting said slip clutch to slip upon said band reaching a predetermined snug fit; e. a flexible fluid chamber located adjacent said band and in position to contact the portion of a user'"'"'s body for causing the flow of blood therethrough to be occluded; and f. selective pressure means for supplying fluid to said chamber to expand same and occlude the flow of blood through the portions of the user'"'"'s body in contact with said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 32, 33)
-
-
13. A cuff mechanism including a housing for use in a blood pressure measuring system comprising:
-
a. an elongated flexible cuff band of a predetermined width defining an opening for receiving an arm of a user'"'"'s body in which blood circulation is to be temporarily occluded;
said band having one end attached to said housing;b. drum means mounted to said housing and being attached to the other end of said band substantially throughout the width thereof for exerting a force thereon to circumferentially contract said band snugly about the arm inserted into said opening; c. power drive means within said housing for intermittingly driving said drum means; d. automatic and adjustable slip clutch means connected between said drum means and said power drive means to provide relative motion therebetween after obtaining snug wrapping of said band about various sized arms of different users while slipping thereafter to prevent occlusion of the blood circulating therethrough, said slip clutch means including a slip clutch between said power drive means and said mechanical contracting means, and an adjustable means engaged with said slip clutch for selectively adjusting said slip clutch to slip upon said band reaching a predetermined snug fit; e. a flexible fluid chamber located adjacent said band and in position to contact the arm for causing the flow of blood therethrough to be occluded upon proper pressurization thereof; and f. selective pressure means for supplying fluid to said chamber to expand same and occlude the flow of blood through the arm in contact with said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A cuff mechanism for use in a blood pressure measuring system comprising:
-
a. an elongated flexible cuff band of a predetermined width defining an opening for receiving a portion of a user'"'"'s body in which blood circulation is to be temporarily occluded; b. mechanical contracing means having a relaxed state and a contracted state and being attached to said band substantially throughout the width thereof for exerting a force thereon to circumferentially contract said band snugly about the portion of the user'"'"'s body, said mechanical contracting means including a drum attached to one end of said band; c. power drive means for intermittingly driving said mechanical contracting means; d. automatic slip clutch means connected between said mechanical contracting means and said power drive means to provide relative motion therebetween after obtaining snug wrapping of said band about various sized body portions of different users and slipping thereafter to prevent occlusion of the blood circulating therethrough; e. a flexible fluid chamber located adjacent said band and in position to contact the portion of a user'"'"'s body for causing the flow of blood therethrough to be occluded; f. selective pressure means for supplying fluid to said chamber to expand same and occlude the flow of blood through the portion of the user'"'"'s body in contact with said chamber; and g. means for returning said band to its uncontracted open state after said mechanical contracting means returns to its relaxed state, said means for returning said band including a lost motion device between said drum and a fixed housing support adjacent thereto for returning said band to its fully uncontracted state regardless of the girth of the portion of the user'"'"'s body which was previously contracted by said band.
-
-
34. A cuff mechanism including a housing for use in a blood pressure measuring system comprising:
-
a. an elongated flexible cuff band of a predetermined width defining an opening for receiving an arm of a user'"'"'s body in which blood circulation is to be temporarily occluded;
said band having one end attached to said housing;b. drum means mounted to said housing and being attached to the other end of said band substantially throughout the width thereof for exerting a force thereon to circumferentially contract said band snugly about the arm inserted into said opening, said mechanical contracting means including a drum attached to one end of said band; c. power drive means within said housing for intermittingly driving said drum means; d. automatic slip clutch means connected between said drum means and said power drive means to provide relative motion therebetween after obtaining snug wrapping of said band about various sized arms of different users while slipping thereafter to prevent occlusion of the blood circulating therethrough; e. a flexible fluid chamber located adjacent said band and in position to contact the arm for causing the flow of blood therethrough to be occluded upon proper pressurization thereof; f. selective pressure means for supplying fluid to said chamber to expand same and occlude the flow of blood through the arm in contact with said chamber; and g. means for returning said band to its uncontracted open state after said mechanical contracting means returns to its relaxed state, said means for returning said band including a lost motion device between said drum and a fixed housing support adjacent thereto for returning said band to its fully uncontracted state regardless of the girth of the portion of the user'"'"'s body which was previously contracted by said band. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
Specification