Apparatus for measuring blood pressure
First Claim
1. Apparatus for measuring blood pressure, comprising:
- an inflatable cuff for affixing to a body in a position to obturate an artery;
manually operable inflation means, connected to the inflatable cuff, for progressively inflating/deflating said cuff;
pressure means coupled and responsive to the pressure in the inflatable cuff for measuring the pressure exerted in said cuff;
pulse sensing means for sensing a pulse of the body;
converting means, coupled to the pulse sensing means, for converting the pulse into an indication which is perceivable visually/audibly and means for coupling the pulse sensing means to the converting means; and
a pressure sensitive microswitch coupled to the pressure developed by the inflation means and effective to connect an electrical current supply to the converting means only after the pressure rises above a predetermined value.
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Abstract
The invention relates to apparatus for measuring blood pressure by providing an inflatable cuff and pulse sensing means for fixing to a digit such as, for example, a finger or toe, and electrical control circuit means for converting a sense pulsed into a visual or audible indication, pneumatic means for transmitting the sensed pulse to the converting means and pressure means for measuring the pressure exerted in the cuff, the arrangement being such that with the cuff in a operative position on the body, progressive inflation/deflation of the cuff is effected until pulse sensing means just detect the presence of the pulse thus providing an indication of the systolic blood pressure. The invention includes novel variable capacitors for pneumatic coupling to the pulse sensor and comprising a housing, a diaphragm disposed across the housing, a base plate disposed on the side of the diaphragm opposite from said pneumatic connection, and electrical connecting means provided to the base plate so that changes in the volume occur the cavity defined by the base plate and the diaphragm due to pressure changes in the pneumatic system above the diaphragm, resulting in changes in capacitance and sensing of the pulse within the pneumatic system to be determined.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. Apparatus for measuring blood pressure, comprising:
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an inflatable cuff for affixing to a body in a position to obturate an artery; manually operable inflation means, connected to the inflatable cuff, for progressively inflating/deflating said cuff; pressure means coupled and responsive to the pressure in the inflatable cuff for measuring the pressure exerted in said cuff; pulse sensing means for sensing a pulse of the body; converting means, coupled to the pulse sensing means, for converting the pulse into an indication which is perceivable visually/audibly and means for coupling the pulse sensing means to the converting means; and a pressure sensitive microswitch coupled to the pressure developed by the inflation means and effective to connect an electrical current supply to the converting means only after the pressure rises above a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for measuring blood pressure, comprising:
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an inflatable cuff for affixing to a body in a position to obturate an artery; manually operable inflation means connected to the inflatable cuff for progressively inflating/deflating said cuff; pressure means, coupled to the inflatable cuff, for measuring the pressure exerted in said cuff; pulse sensing means for sensing a pulse of the body; converting means for converting the pulse into a visual/audible indication; pneumatic means for pneumatically coupling said pulse sensing means to said converting means; and said converting means including a variable capacitor having; a housing having a pneumatic connection thereto; an unperforated diaphragm disposed across said housing and having one side disposed to said pneumatic connection; a base plate disposed on a side of the diaphragm located opposite said pneumatic connection; electrical connecting means for providing a first electrical connection to the base plate and a second electrical connection to the diaphragm; whereby in a datum position the diaphragm is maintained in spaced relationship from said base plate to provide a datum capacitance and changes in the pressure via the pneumatic connection cause flexing of the diaphragm thereby varying the spacing between the base plate and the diaphragm, thus producing an alteration in the capacitance between the first and second electrical connections; and a pressure sensitive microswitch which is coupled to the pressure developed by the inflation means and which is effective to connect an electrical current supply to the converting means but only when the pressure rises above a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. Apparatus for measuring blood pressure, comprising:
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an inflatable cuff for affixing to a body in a position to obturate an artery; inflation means, connected to the inflatable cuff, for progressively inflating/deflating said cuff; pressure means coupled and responsive to the pressure in the inflatable cuff for measuring the pressure exerted in said cuff; pulse sensing means for sensing a pulse of the body; converting means, coupled to the pulse sensing means, for converting the pulse into an indication which is perceivable visually/audibly and means for coupling the converting means and the pulse sensing means to one another; and a pressure sensitive microswitch coupled to the pressure developed by the inflation means and effective to connect an electrical current supply to the converting means only after the pressure rises above a predetermined value.
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23. A variable capacitor comprising:
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a housing having a pneumatic connection thereto; an unperforated diaphragm disposed across said housing and having one side disposed to said pneumatic connection; a base plate disposed on and spaced from a side of the diaphragm located opposite said pneumatic connection; electrical connecting means for providing a first electrical connection to the base plate and a second electrical connection to the diaphragm; and whereby in a datum position the diaphragm is maintained in spaced relationship from said base plate to provide a datum capacitance and changes in the pressure via the pneumatic connection cause flexing of the diaphragm thereby varying the spacing between the base plate and the diaphragm, thus producing an alteration in the capacitance between the first and second electrical connections. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification