Inflatable finger cuff

• US 4,726,382 A
• Filed: 09/17/1986
• Issued: 02/23/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Datex-Ohmeda Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: BOC Group Pty Limited (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Boehmer, Robert D., Kuehl, Kenneth J., Pratt, Arthur A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sykes, Angela D.
• Application Number:
  US06/908,461
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 128/664-667, 128/672, 128/677, 128/686, 128/327
• US Class Current: 600/480
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02241 of small dimensions, e.g. adapted to fingers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02422 within occluders

Abstract

An inflatable cuff is disclosed for encircling a patient'"'"'s finger and which includes a light source and a light detector constructed in a way to detect the movement, or lack of movement, of arterial passages within the finger. The cuff is comprised of an inflatable bladder that contacts the patient finger; having a tubing provided for inflation and deflation of the bladder. Surrounding the external surface of the bladder from the finger is a metalized backing that covers and shields the inflatable bladder. A flexible circuit is affixed to the metalized backing and to which is attached the light source and light detector and which further includes wiring from the light detector and light source to a connector at its distal end for connection to further circuiting. Further, surrounding the flexible circuit is a electrical and light shielding and label that covers the flexible circuit and which provides shielding as well as a means of affixing the inflatable cuff to the patients finger. The overall cuff is readily manufacturable and particularly adapted for its specialized use.

Claims

1. An inflatable cuff for encircling the digit of a patient, said inflatable cuff comprising:

an inflatable bladder adapted to encircle the digit and be inflatable and deflatable to effect flow of blood within the digit, a flexible circuit substantially surrounding said inflatable bladder, said flexible circuit having electrical connection means, a light detector and light emitter affixed electrically to said electrical connection means, electrical wires connected to said electrical connection means and having free ends for connection to an external source of electricity, said light emitter positioned to direct light through said digit to said light detector, reflecting means surrounding said digit and adapted to reflect light diffused from the digit back toward the digit, shielding means substantially surrounding said light emitter and said light detector preventing extraneous electrical interference from affecting said light emitter and said light detector, label means surrounding and adhered to said flexible circuit, said label means having a free end adapted to wrap more than 360°

around said digit to overlap and adhere said free end to said overlapped label to retain said inflatable cuff encircling the digit.

2. An inflatable cuff as defined in claim 1 wherein said inflatable bladder is a thin, flexible translucent material and includes a tube extending therefrom for inflating and deflating said bladder.

3. An inflatable cuff as defined in claim 2 wherein said inflatable bladder has a pair of openings adapted to align with said light emitter and light detector to allow said emitter and detector to directly contact the patient'"'"'s digit.

4. An inflatable cuff as defined in claim 1 wherein said flexible circuit is polyimide and said electrical connection means comprise solder pads.

5. An inflatable cuff for encircling the digit of a patient, said inflatable cuff comprising:

an inflatable bladder adapted to encircle the digit and be inflatable and deflatable to effect flow of blood within the digit, a backing substantially surrounding the outer surface of said inflatable bladder, said backing being of a conductive reflective material, a flexible circuit surrounding said backing and adhered thereto, said flexible circuit having an internal surface of non-conductive material and an outer surface of conductive material, electrical connection means on said non-conductive surface of said flexible circuit, a light detector and light emitter affixed electrically to said electrical connection means, electrical wires connected to said electrical connection means and having free ends for connection to an external source of electrically, said light emitter positioned to direct light through said digit to said light detector, shielding means substantially surrounding said light emitter, said light detector and said flexible circuit preventing electrical interference from affecting said light emitter and said light detector, label means having a free end adapted to wrap more than 360°

around said digit to overlap and adhere said free end to said overlapped label to retain said inflatable cuff encircling the digit.

6. An inflatable cuff as defined in claim 5 wherein said inflatable bladder is a flexible translucent material having an inner film of about less than 0.005 inches thick and an outer film of about more than 0.005 inches thick.

7. An inflatable cuff as defined in claim 5 wherein said backing substantially surrounding said inflatable bladder comprises a flexible aluminized film adhesively adhered to said bladder.

8. An inflatable cuff as defined in claim 5 wherein said flexible circuit is polyimide and said electrical connection means comprises conductive metallic pads adhesively affixed to said flexible circuit.

9. An inflatable cuff as defined in claim 8 wherein said flexible circuit has its outer surface coated with a conductive metal.

10. An inflatable cuff as defined in claim 5 wherein said shielding means comprises at least one flexible film of a conductive metal.

11. An inflatable cuff as defined in claim 10 wherein said shielding means comprises a plurality of flexible copper films.

12. A method of making an inflatable cuff adapted to encircle a patients digit, said method including the steps of;

encircling the patient'"'"'s digit with an inflatable bladder having an inside surface and an outside surface, adhering a flexible circuit having an inside non-conductive surface and an outside conductive surface to the outside surface of said inflatable bladder, providing electrical connection means on said non-conductive surface of said flexible circuit, mounting a light detector and a light source on said flexible circuit and electrically connecting said light detector and said light source to said electrical connection means in a position such that light from said light source travels through the digit and is detected by said light detector, covering said flexible circuit with a conductive layer of shielding material, and covering said shielding material with an opaque label of sufficient length to wrap more than 360°

around the digit to overlap and adhere to itself.

13. A method of making an inflatable cuff adapted to encircle a patient'"'"'s digit, said method including the steps of:

encircling the patient'"'"'s digit with an inflatable bladder having an inside surface and an outside surface, covering the outside surface of said inflatable bladder with a backing of a conductive reflective material, adhering a flexible circuit having an inside non-conductive surface and an outside conductive surface to the outside surface of said backing, providing electrical connection means on said non-conducting surface of said flexible circuit, mounting a light detector and a light source on said flexible circuit electrically connected to said electrical connection means in positions such that light from said light source travels through the digit and is then detected by said light detector, covering said flexible circuit with a conductive layer of shielding material, and covering said shielding material with an opaque label of sufficient length as to wrap more than 360°

around the digit and overlap and adhere to itself.