Method for determining blood pressure

• US 4,926,874 A
• Filed: 01/30/1989
• Issued: 05/22/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arnold St. J. Lee
• Original Assignee: Arnold St. J. Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Arnold St. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US07/302,772
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 128/677-679, 128/682, 128/683, 128/685, 128/686, 128/900, 128/901, 137/116.3, 137/489
• US Class Current: 600/495
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02141 Details of apparatus construction, e.g. pump units or housings therefor, cuff pressurising systems, arrangements of fluid conduits or circuits A61B5/02233, A61B5/0235 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02233 Occluders specially adapted therefor tourniquets A61B17/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/04 Measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4227 characterised by straps, belts, cuffs or braces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7764 Choked or throttled pressure type

Abstract

One aspect of the present invention involves a blood pressure recorder system of the type having an inflatable cuff, a pressurized gas source and an inflation valve. The system includes a cuff pressure trigger unit which senses the gas pressure in the cuff. When the duration of significant gas pressure in the cuff exceeds a predetermined time, the cuff pressure sensor facilitates relieving pressure in the cuff. The system also includes a safety system for insuring that the cuff pressure trigger unit is operative. The safety system is independent of changes in the input power.

Also disclosed is an improved doppler ultrasonic blood pressure transducer and a novel method for automatically positioning a blood pressure transducer adjacent a skin surface.

Claims

1. A method for determining the blood pressure of a test specimen, the steps of the method including:

providing a blood pressure recorder system having an inflatable cuff in flow communication with a pressurized gas source, the blood pressure recorder system including;

a three-way inflation valve in flow communication with the inflatable cuff and the pressurized gas source;

a pressure sensor having only two chambers with each chamber having a pressure responsive member;

means, responsive to the sensor, for operating the inflation valve;

a conduit connecting the pressurized gas directly from the pressurized gas source to one chamber of the pressure sensor; and

a flow restricted conduit connecting the pressurized gas from the pressurized gas source to the other chamber of the pressure sensor whereby the pressure sensor facilitates deflation of the cuff when a predetermined small gas pressure remains in the cuff for a predetermined time period;

attaching the cuff to the test specimen in an operable manner; and

employing the blood pressure recorder system to determine the blood pressure of the test specimen.

2. A method for determining the blood pressure of a test specimen, the steps of the method including:

providing a blood pressure recorder system including a pressurized gas source, the system comprising;

an inflatable cuff connected to the pressurized gas source;

a three-way inflation valve connected to the cuff between the pressurized gas source and the cuff; and

means, connected to the inflation valve, for timing the actuation of the three-way inflation valve whereby the timing means facilitates deflation of the cuff when a predetermined small gas pressure remains in the cuff for a predetermined time period;

attaching the cuff to a test specimen in a operable manner; and

employing the blood pressure recorder system to determine the blood pressure of the test specimen.