Wrist-worn high-accuracy pulsation measuring apparatus

• US 7,341,561 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Shinichi, Murata, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II; Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAIDI, AZADEH
• Application Number:
  US10/853,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 600/503, 600/485, 600/513, 600/344, 600/490, 600/494, 600/496, 600/453, 600/499, 600/481, 600/500, 600/585, 600/587, 600/549, 600/459, 340/573.1, 128/878, 310/322, 403/322.1
• US Class Current: 600/503
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices

Abstract

A wrist-worn apparatus capable of sensing pulsation of blood in the blood tubes of a user'"'"'s wrist with high accuracy. The apparatus comprises a body of the apparatus, a band to be used to wear the body of the apparatus on the user'"'"'s wrist, and a fluid-containing pulsation-sensing fluid chamber provided on the user'"'"'s wrist side of the case. A part of an outer wall that defines the fluid chamber comprises an elastically deformable member that is elastically deformed depending on pulsation of blood transmitted from the band to thereby change the fluid pressure within the fluid chamber. A deformation preventing member is bonded by vulcanization to a part of a side of the deformable member that will come into contact with the user'"'"'s wrist for preventing the part of the deformable member from being elastically deformed.

Claims

1. A wrist-worn apparatus comprising:

a body of the apparatus; and

a band attached to the body of the apparatus for wearing the body of the apparatus on a user'"'"'s wrist;

wherein the body of the apparatus comprises;

a pulsation sensing unit that includes a pulsation sensing fluid chamber which contains a fluid and which comprises a bottom that comes into contact with the user'"'"'s wrist when the body of the apparatus is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist, the fluid chamber having an outer wall which includes the bottom of the fluid chamber and which defines the fluid chamber, the outer wall comprising an elastically deformable member which is elastically deformed depending on pulsation of blood in blood vessels of the user'"'"'s wrist, said pulsation being transmitted through the band from the user'"'"'s wrist when the body of the apparatus is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist to thereby change a fluid pressure within the fluid chamber; and

a deformation preventing member provided on the bottom of the fluid chamber for preventing elastic deformation of the fluid chamber;

wherein the deformable member includes a brim, and the body of the apparatus further comprises a case and a stop member that fixes the deformable member in a pressed state at the brim to the case, and wherein the brim comprises a first ring-like ridge abutting on the case and a second ring-like ridge abutting on the stop member.

2. The wrist-worn apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the deformable member that composes the bottom of the fluid chamber is made of a material having a higher elasticity than the brim, and the bottom of the fluid chamber is made of a material having resistance to the environment.

3. The wrist-worn apparatus of claim 2, wherein the deformation preventing member is fixed to an inner surface of the bottom of the fluid chamber.

4. The wrist-worn apparatus of claim 3, wherein the deformation preventing member and the bottom of the fluid chamber are molded integrally with each other.

5. The wrist-worn apparatus of claim 2, wherein the deformation preventing member is provided inside the bottom of the fluid chamber such that a space is formed between the deformation preventing member and the bottom of the fluid chamber, and the body of the apparatus further comprises an announciator provided on the deformation preventing member in the space between the deformation preventing member and the bottom of the fluid chamber.

6. The wrist-worn apparatus of claim 2, wherein the deformation preventing member is fixed to an outer surface of the bottom of the fluid chamber.

7. The wrist-worn apparatus of claim 6, wherein the stop member is superimposed on a brim of the deformation preventing member.

8. The wrist-worn apparatus of claim 2, wherein the stop member comprises a ridge provided thereon and engaged in a recess provided on the deformable member.

9. The wrist-worn apparatus of claim 2, wherein the deformable member comprises a soft part made of a soft material elastically deformable depending on a force exerted from the user'"'"'s wrist on which the body of the apparatus is worn, and a hard part made of a harder material than the soft material and including at least the brim, which is fixed to the case.

10. The wrist-worn apparatus of claim 9, wherein the hard part comprises one of metal and plastic and is molded integrally with the soft part.