Wrist sphygmomanometer

• US 6,379,310 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2000
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Omron Healthcare Company Limited (Omron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Takahide, Nakagawa, Akira, Mori, Kentaro, Kojima, Iwao
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, RYAN CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US09/582,985
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 600/485-488, 600/490, 600/493, 600/495, 600/499-503
• US Class Current: 600/490
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0406 specially shaped apparatus housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• 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 5/0225 the pressure being controlled by electric signals, e.g. derived from Korotkoff sounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

A sphygmomanometer includes a body 10 and a cuff 20 which is integrally attached to the body 10 and wrapped around the wrist. The body 10 is attached to the cuff 20 such that the body is located on the thumb side of the arm L when the sphygmomanometer is fitted on the wrist. Consequently, a precise blood pressure measurement and precise blood pressure fluctuation can be obtained without restriction on the location where the blood pressure measurement is conducted.

Claims

1. A wrist sphygmomanometer including a body having a power supply housing unit and including a cuff in an elliptical shape integrally attached to the body and wrapped around a wrist,

wherein said body is attached to the cuff in a manner to allow the body to be located on a thumb side of an arm at a position corresponding to a direction of a major axis of said elliptical shape when the sphygmomanometer is fitted on the wrist, and said power supply housing unit is provided to the body in a manner to allow the housing unit to house said power supply in a downward direction vertical to the body which is held substantially horizontally, and

a plane meeting a top of a palm side of said power supply housing unit and a plane meeting a top of a palm side of said cuff are substantially at the same level.

2. A wrist sphygmomanometer comprising a body having a power supply housing unit and a cuff in an elliptical shape integrally attached to the body and wrapped around a wrist, wherein

said body is attached to the cuff in a manner to allow the body to be located on a thumb side of an arm at a position corresponding to a direction of a major axis of said elliptical shape when the sphygmomanometer is fitted on the wrist,

said cuff includes on its surface corresponding to a palm side an indication-and block member for preventing the cuff from inflating outward, and

the indication-and-block member for preventing outward inflation of said cuff is provided on the palm side surface only and not provided to any other portion.

3. A wrist sphygmomanometer comprising a body having a power supply housing unit and a cuff in an elliptical shape connected to the body via an air flow passage member and wrapped around a wrist, wherein

said body is attached to the cuff in a manner to allow the body to be located on a thumb side of an arm at a position corresponding to a direction of a major axis of said elliptical shape when the sphygmomanometer is fitted on the wrist,

said cuff includes on its surface corresponding to a palm side an indication-andblock member for preventing the cuff from inflating outward, and

the indication-and-block member for preventing outward inflation of said cuff is provided on the palm side surface only and not provided on any other portion.

4. A method of measuring blood pressure using a wrist sphygmomanometer including a body having a power supply housing unit and including a cuff in an elliptical shape integrally attached to the body and wrapped around a wrist,

wherein said body is attached to the cuff in a manner to allow the body to be located on a thumb side of an arm at a position corresponding to a direction of a major axis of said elliptical shape when the sphygmomanometer is fitted on the wrist, and said power supply housing unit is provided to the body in a manner to allow the housing unit to house said power supply in a downward direction vertical to the body which is held substantially horizontally, and

a plane meeting a top of a palm side of said power supply housing unit and a plane meeting a top of a palm side of said cuff are substantially at the same level,

said method comprising:

fitting said wrist sphygmomanometer on the wrist;

placing the wrist with said wrist sphygmomanometer fitted thereon on a chest of a subject; and

reading a value detected by said wrist sphygmomanometer with the wrist placed on the chest.

5. A wrist sphygmomanometer comprising a body having a power supply housing unit and a cuff in an elliptical shape connected to the body via an air flow passage member and wrapped around a wrist, wherein

said body is attached to the cuff in a manner to allow the body to be located on a thumb side of an arm at a position corresponding to a direction of a major axis of said elliptical shape when the sphygmomanometer is fitted on the wrist,

said cuff comprises an elastic portion on a palm side of the wrist in a shape according to the wrist for appropriately fitting the sphygmomanometer on the wrist,

said wrist sphygmomanometer further comprises a heavy load portion for locating a center of gravity of said body between a center of said body and a palm side thereof, and

said heavy load portion is provided on a portion of said cuff where said elastic portion is located.