Pressure applicator devices particularly useful for non-invasive detection of medical conditions
First Claim
1. A device for application to a body part of a patient to determine the physiological condition of the patient, comprising a probe including:
- a housing defining a compartment closed at one end and open at an opposite end for receiving a distal end of the body part including a terminal-most extremity;
pressurizing means for applying a static pressure field substantially uniformly around the distal end of the body part, when received in said compartment, including the terminal-most extremity, which static pressure field is of a predetermined magnitude sufficient to substantially prevent distention of venous vasculature, uncontrolled venous backflow, and retrognade shockwave propogation into said distal end, and to partially unload wall tension of, but not to occlude, arteries in said distal end when at heart level or below;
and a sensor for sending changes in said distal end of the body part related to changes in volume thereof due to changes in instantaneous blood volume related to arterial blood volume therein, wherein said pressurizing means for applying said static pressure substantially uniformly around the distal end of the body part, including the terminal-most extremity, comprises a medium wholly self-contained within said probe.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A probe for application to a body part particularly a finger of a patient to detect a change in the physical condition of the patient includes a housing defining a compartment closed at one end and open at the opposite end for receiving the distal end of the patient'"'"'s finger and a medium wholly self-contained within the probe for applying a static pressure field substantially uniformly around the distal end of the patient'"'"'s finger, of a predetermined magnitude sufficient to substantially prevent distention of the venous vasculature, uncontrolled venous backflow, and retrognade shockwave propagation into the distal end, and to partially unload the wall tension of, but not to occlude, the arteries in the distal end when at heart level or below. A sensor senses changes in the distal end of the patient'"'"'s finger related to changes in arterial blood volume therein.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A device for application to a body part of a patient to determine the physiological condition of the patient, comprising a probe including:
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a housing defining a compartment closed at one end and open at an opposite end for receiving a distal end of the body part including a terminal-most extremity;
pressurizing means for applying a static pressure field substantially uniformly around the distal end of the body part, when received in said compartment, including the terminal-most extremity, which static pressure field is of a predetermined magnitude sufficient to substantially prevent distention of venous vasculature, uncontrolled venous backflow, and retrognade shockwave propogation into said distal end, and to partially unload wall tension of, but not to occlude, arteries in said distal end when at heart level or below;
and a sensor for sending changes in said distal end of the body part related to changes in volume thereof due to changes in instantaneous blood volume related to arterial blood volume therein, wherein said pressurizing means for applying said static pressure substantially uniformly around the distal end of the body part, including the terminal-most extremity, comprises a medium wholly self-contained within said probe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 35)
said inner membrane includes a membrane strip joined to the side wall and end wall of each housing section;
and said outer membrane includes another membrane strip attached to an outer surface of each housing section.
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18. The device according to claim 1, wherein said pressurizing means includes an adhesive layer within said compartment to be contacted by the body part received within the device.
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19. The device according to claim 18, wherein said adhesive layer is on an inner surface of a plastic strip, an outer surface of the plastic strip having another adhesive layer, said plastic strip further including a protective layer covering the adhesive layer on an inner surface thereof and strippable therefrom to enable said inner surface to contact and firmly adhere to the body part when received within the device.
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20. The device according to claim 1, further including an annular pressure cuff applied around the body part contiguous to said housing on a heart side of the patient to extend the static pressure field past the sensor on the heart side of the patient.
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21. The device according to claim 1, wherein said pressurizing means includes a body of resilient sponge material formed with a recess defining said compartment for receiving the body part when inserted therein.
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22. The device according to claim 21, wherein:
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said housing is made of two sections hinged together to assume open and closed conditions;
said body of resilient sponge material is also made of two sections, one carried on each of the two sections of the housing;
and said two housing sections further include at least one fastening element for fastening the two housing sections in their closed condition.
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23. The device according to claim 22, wherein each of said two sections of the body of resilient sponge material includes a layer of a gel material exposed for contact with the body part when inserted into the two housing and the housing sections are in their closed condition.
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24. The device according to claim 1, wherein a pressure sensing device is located within said housing to sense the pressure applied to the patient'"'"'s body part by said pressurizing means.
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25. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is an optical sensor and includes a light source carried within said housing on one side of the body part when inserted therein, and a light detector carried within said housing on an opposite side of the body part.
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26. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is a Hall effect sensor and includes a permanent magnet carried within said housing on one side of the body part when inserted therein, and a magnetic field detector carried within said housing on an opposite side of the body part.
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27. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a combination of an optical sensor device and a volumetric sensing device.
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28. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is a pulse oximeter sensor for sensing oxygen saturation of blood.
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29. The device according to claim 1, further including electrical conductors leading from said sensor to an electrical circuit carried by a band applied to another body part of the patient.
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30. The device according to claim 29, wherein said electrical circuit includes a storage device for storing an output of said sensor.
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31. The device according to claim 1, wherein the body part is a finger.
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35. The device according to claim 22, wherein the body part is a finger.
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32. A device for application to a body part of a patient to determine the physiological condition of the patient, comprising:
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a first housing defining a first compartment closed at one end and open at the opposite end for receiving a distal end of the body part including a terminal-most extremity;
pressurizing means for applying a static pressure field substantially uniformly around the distal end of the body part, when received in said compartment, including the terminal-most extremity, which static pressure field is of a predetermined magnitude sufficient to substantially prevent distention of venous vasculature, uncontrolled venous backflow, and retrograde shockwave propagation into said distal end, and to partially unload wall tension of, but not to occlude, arteries in said distal end when at heart level or below;
a sensor for sensing changes in said distal end of the body part related to changes in volume thereof due to changes in instantaneous blood volume related to arterial blood volume therein;
and a second housing separate and apart from said first housing and defining a second compartment having a fluid connection to said first compartment, said sensor being located within said second housing in operative position with respect to said second compartment. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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36. A device for application to a body part of a patient to determine the physiological condition of the patient, comprising:
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a housing defining a compartment closed at one end and open at the opposite end for receiving a distal end of the body part;
a first membrane defining a first chamber containing a pressurized fluid to apply a static pressure field to the body part when received within the housing;
a second membrane defining a second chamber communicating with said first chamber and of a volume such that combined volumes of the first and second chambers maintain a relatively constant pressure despite changes in volume according to the Laplace Law;
and at least one sensor element in at least one of said first and second chambers for sensing changes in said distal end of the body part related to changes in volume therein. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification