Cuff for blood pressure monitor

• US 6,997,878 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Omron Healthcare Company Limited (Omron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Sano, Yoshihiko, Taniguchi, Minoru, Inagaki, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mallari, Patricia
• Application Number:
  US10/356,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20030171683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 600485-507, 606201-204, 606/204.15
• US Class Current: 600/499
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02233 Occluders specially adapted therefor tourniquets A61B17/132

Abstract

The invention provides a variety of cuff design for blood pressure monitor, which assures an easy and firm fitting to an arm of a patient. Specifically, the curled elastic member of the cuff is overlapped at both end portions for easy fitting. The rigidity and thickness of the curled elastic member are designed to follow the shape of the upper arm of the patient, which significantly varies in size depending on the location of the arm.

Claims

1. A cuff for a blood pressure monitor, comprising a bladder and a normally curled elastic member disposed on the outside of the bladder to hold a ring shape of the cuff,

wherein the normally curled elastic member comprises a material having at least two different rigidities in an axial direction of the ring shape,

the portion of the normally curled elastic member having the lower rigidity including holes formed therein.

2. The cuff for a blood pressure monitor of claim 1, wherein the cuff is configured to be attached on an arm, and the normally curled elastic member has a higher rigidity of the different rigidities in a portion of the normally curled elastic member that is positioned at a thin portion of the arm when the cuff is attached on the arm and has a lower rigidity of the different rigidities in a portion of the normally curled elastic member that is positioned at a thick portion of the arm when the cuff is attached on the arm.

3. The cuff for a blood pressure monitor of claim 1, wherein the normally curled elastic member has at least two different rigidities also in a circumferential direction of the ring shape.

6. The cuff for a blood pressure monitor of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the portion of the normally curled elastic member having the higher rigidity is thicker than the portion of the normally curled elastic member having the lower rigidity.

4. A cuff for a blood pressure monitor, comprising a bladder and a normally curled elastic member disposed on the outside of the bladder to hold a ring shape of the cuff,

wherein the normally curled elastic member is made of a material having at least two different rigidities in a circumferential direction of the ring shape, and

wherein the cuff is configured to be attached on an arm, and the normally curled elastic member has a higher rigidity of the different rigidities in a portion of the normally curled elastic member that is positioned at a thin portion of the arm when the cuff is attached on the arm and has a lower rigidity of the different rigidities in a portion of the normally curled elastic member that is positioned at a thick portion of the arm when the cuff is attached on the arm

the portion of the normally curled elastic member having the lower rigidity including holes formed therein.

5. A cuff for a blood pressure monitor, comprising a bladder and a curled elastic member disposed on the outside of the bladder to hold a ring shape of the cuff,

wherein the curled elastic member has at least two different rigidities in a circumferential direction of the ring shape,

wherein the cuff is configured to be attached on an arm, and the curled elastic member has a higher rigidity of the different rigidities in a portion of the curled elastic member that is positioned at a thin portion of the arm when the cuff is attached on the arm and has a lower rigidity of the different rigidities in a portion of the curled elastic member that is positioned at a thick portion of the arm when the cuff is attached on the arm, and

wherein the curled elastic member has the lower rigidity of the different rigidities at an end portion of the curled elastic member along the circumferential direction, the end portion being configured to be curled inside when the cuff is attached on the arm.