Blood pressure monitoring device and method of manufacturing a parts mounting module of a blood pressure monitoring device

• US 6,843,773 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kaz USA Incorporated (Helen of Troy Limited)
• Original Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Rennefeld, Christoph, Hans, Rainer, Schnak, Fred, Rönneberg, Gerrit, Kressmann, Frank, Freund, Dirk, Giersiepen, Martin, Harttmann, Brigitte, Hollinger, Stefan, Heck, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Application Number:
  US10/167,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20020156382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 600/490, 600492-496, 600/498, 600/499, 600500-503, 600/481, 600/485
• US Class Current: 600/490
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0235 Valves specially adapted therefor

Abstract

The invention is directed to a blood pressure monitoring device comprising a central parts mounting module and to a method of manufacturing this parts mounting module. According to the invention fluid channels are produced by gas injection into the interior of the parts mounting module, the walls bounding the fluid channels being completely formed by the material of the parts mounting module. The injection of gas continues for as long as a core of the parts mounting module is still in the liquid phase in the area of the fluid channel, whilst an outer area surrounding the core has already solidified, so that the pressure fluid expels the liquid core area, producing a tubular fluid channel.

Claims

1. A blood pressure monitoring device comprising:

a cuff;

a fluid pressure system for filling the cuff with fluid under pressure; and

a parts mounting module for components of the fluid pressure system, said parts mounting module made of a material and including a fluid channel integrated therein and serving to connect the components of the fluid pressure system, said fluid channel having a bounding wall that is completely formed by the material of the parts mounting module.

2. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 1 wherein the fluid channel is routed in a three-dimensional curvature extending in several planes.

3. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 2 wherein the path of the fluid channel extends in a manner free from sharp-edged kinks.

4. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 1 wherein the bounding wall is of an essentially uniform thickness.

5. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 1 wherein the parts mounting module is injection molded from plastics material and the fluid channel is formed by injecting gas into the plastics material of the parts mounting module prior to its complete cooling.

6. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 1 wherein the fluid channel branches into several fluid channels in the interior of the material of the parts mounting module.

7. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 1 wherein the fluid channel has ports into which corresponding components of the fluid pressure system are snap-fitted with an essentially complementary connector element.

12. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 1 wherein the fluid pressure system includes a pump, a pressure valve, a pressure sensor, and power supply contacts, each of the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor including an electrical connector;

and

the blood pressure monitoring device further comprises a printed circuit board carrying an electrical control unit for controlling the pump, the pressure valve and the pressure sensor, wherein the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor are arranged such that the electrical connections thereof are directly connected with the printed circuit board.

13. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 12, wherein the electrical connectors of the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor along with the power supply contacts lie essentially in one plane.

14. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 12, further comprising a parts mounting module receiving the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor, said parts mounting module made of a material and including a fluid channel integrated therein, said fluid channel having a bounding wall that is completely formed by the material of the parts mounting module.

15. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a housing, wherein the cuff is adjacent to the housing; and

the fluid pressure system comprises a pump, a pressure valve, and a pressure sensor, which are arranged in an interior of said housing; and

a display device for indicating measured values, said display device being disposed on the housing;

wherein the parts mounting module is arranged in the interior of the housing and includes bays each of which is configured in particular to receive and in each of which is fastened a corresponding one of the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor.

16. The blood pressure monitoring device according claim 15, wherein each of the bays has a contour adapted essentially to the contour of the corresponding one of pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor which it receives.

17. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 13, wherein the electrical connectors of the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor along with the power supply contacts lie essentially in a plane in which the printed circuit board is disposed for soldering to the electrical contacts.

8. A blood pressure monitoring device comprising:

a cuff;

a fluid pressure system for filling the cuff with fluid under pressure;

a parts mounting module for components of the fluid pressure system, said parts mounting module made of a material and including a fluid channel integrated therein and serving to connect the components of the fluid pressure system, said fluid channel having a bounding wall that is completely formed by the material of the parts mounting module, wherein all of the components of the fluid pressure system are mounted on the parts mounting module in bays specifically provided for each component; and

a housing enclosing the parts mounting module and the components of the fluid pressure system.

9. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 8 wherein the cuff is arranged on an underside, and wherein the components of the fluid pressure system include a pump, a pressure valve, and a pressure sensor, all of which are arranged on an upper side of the parts mounting module and are coupled to fluid channel ports.

10. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 9 wherein the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor each have an electrical connector, and wherein the electrical connectors of the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor are arranged to lie essentially in one plane.

11. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 9 wherein the parts mounting module includes a printed circuit board and the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor are connected directly to said printed circuit board.

18. A blood pressure monitoring device for use with a cuff, said device comprising:

a fluid pressure system for filling the cuff with fluid under pressure and for measuring the blood pressure, said fluid pressure system including a pump, a pressure valve, a pressure sensor, and power supply contacts, each of the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor including an electrical connector;

a printed circuit board carrying an electrical control unit for controlling the pump, the pressure valve and the pressure sensor, wherein the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor are arranged such that the electrical connections thereof are directly connected with the printed circuit board; and

a parts mounting module receiving the pump, the pressure valve, and the pressure sensor, the parts mounting module made of a material and including a fluid channel integrated therein, the fluid channel having a bounding wall that is completely formed by the material of the parts mounting module.

19. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 18 wherein the fluid channel is routed in a three-dimensional curvature extending in several planes.

20. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 19 wherein the path of the fluid channel extends in a manner free from sharp-edged kinks.

21. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 18 wherein the bounding wall is of an essentially uniform thickness.

22. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 18 wherein the parts mounting module is injection molded from plastics material and the fluid channel is formed by injecting gas into the plastics material of the parts mounting module prior to its complete cooling.

23. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 18 wherein the fluid channel branches into several fluid channels in the interior of the material of the parts mounting module.

24. The blood pressure monitoring device according to claim 18 wherein the fluid channel has ports into which corresponding components of the fluid pressure system are snap-fitted with an essentially complementary connector element.