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Disposable inflatable tourniquet cuff

  • US 5,733,304 A
  • Filed: 08/21/1996
  • Issued: 03/31/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A disposable inflatable tourniquet cuff comprising:

  • a bladder;

    a stiffener; and

    a strap;

    wherein said bladder comprises fluid-tight inner and outer walls;

    wherein said bladder'"'"'s inner and outer walls each further comprise a pair of respective longitudinal sides having a length, and a pair of respective transverse sides having a width;

    wherein said transverse sides are shorter than said longitudinal sides;

    wherein longitudinal sides of said bladder'"'"'s inner wall are sealed to said longitudinal sides of said bladder'"'"'s outer wall with a pair of longitudinal side welds;

    wherein each of said longitudinal side welds has a width;

    wherein a ratio of said width of said transverse side to said width of said longitudinal side weld is on the order of from about 18;

    1 to about 6;

    1, to enable said pair of longitudinal side welds to stiffen said longitudinal sides to a point that said pair of longitudinal side welds at least partially help to prevent said longitudinal sides of said bladder from curling up towards a longitudinal centerline of said bladder while said bladder is being wound about said patient'"'"'s limb;

    wherein said inner and outer walls each comprise a velcro-type soft, fuzzy surface;

    wherein said inner and outer walls form an inflatable space;

    wherein said stiffener is located within said inflatable space;

    wherein said bladder comprises a fixed end portion and a free portion;

    wherein, during use of said tourniquet cuff, said bladder is adapted to be wound about a limb of a patient;

    wherein said tourniquet cuff further comprises an anchoring and aligning means;

    wherein, as said bladder is wound about said patient'"'"'s limb, said anchoring and aligning means are for selectively anchoring and aligning said bladder'"'"'s fixed end portion with respect to an overlapping part of said bladder'"'"'s free portion, to enable a remaining part of said bladder'"'"'s free portion to be evenly wound in alignment with, and on top of, a previously wound part of said bladder;

    wherein said tourniquet cuff further comprises inflation/deflation means for permitting the entry of a fluid into said inflatable space to inflate said bladder, and for permitting the exit of said fluid out of said inflatable space to deflate said bladder;

    wherein, during use of said tourniquet cuff, said strap is adapted to releasably secure said bladder to a limb of a patient;

    wherein said strap comprises an anchored portion and a free portion;

    wherein said strap'"'"'s anchored and free portions each comprises velcro-type hooks;

    wherein, during use of said tourniquet cuff, at least part of said inner wall'"'"'s velcro-type soft, fuzzy surface is adapted to be in contact with said patient'"'"'s limb, and is adapted to provide a comfortable, slip-resistant, contact surface with said patient'"'"'s limb;

    wherein part of said outer wall'"'"'s velcro-type soft, fuzzy surface is adapted to engage said velcro-type hooks of said strap'"'"'s anchored portion, to permanently anchor said strap'"'"'s anchored portion to said outer wall; and

    wherein, during use of said tourniquet cuff, at least part of said outer wall'"'"'s velcro-type soft, fuzzy surface is adapted to engage said velcro-type hooks of said strap'"'"'s free portion, to releasably anchor said strap'"'"'s free portion to said outer wall.

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