Headband with tension indicator

• US 7,810,359 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hannula, Don, Coakley, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): WORRELL JR, LARRY D
• Application Number:
  US10/677,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,568 Days
• Field of Search: 661/69.R, 661/70, 661/71, 661/72.E, 217/1, 218/1, 218/12
• US Class Current: 66/172.00E
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 20/00 Wristbands or headbands, e.g. for absorbing sweat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head

Abstract

A headband with a tension indicator having an elastic segment sized to fit around a wearer'"'"'s head; and a non-elastic segment being smaller than and attached with the elastic segment. The non-elastic segment is sized to span a portion of the elastic segment when the elastic segment is stretched, and the non-elastic segment is larger than the portion of the elastic segment it spans when the elastic segment is not stretched. The non-elastic segment is attached with the elastic segment in such a manner that the non-elastic segment projects out from the surface of the elastic portion when the headband is not sufficiently tight, thus creating a loop which provides a visual indication that the headband needs re-tightening.

Claims

1. A headband, comprising:

an elastic segment sized to fit around a wearer'"'"'s head;

a non-elastic segment being smaller than and attached to the elastic segment on an exterior side of the elastic segment, wherein the exterior side of the elastic segment generally faces away from the wearer when the headband is applied to the wearer'"'"'s head, and the non-elastic segment is sized to span a portion of the elastic segment when the elastic segment is stretched, the non-elastic segment being larger than the portion of the elastic segment it spans when the elastic segment is not stretched; and

a sensor coupled to the headband on a patient side of the elastic segment opposite the exterior side.

2. The headband of claim 1 comprising a closure mechanism coupled with the elastic portion.

3. The headband of claim 2 wherein the closure mechanism is a hook and loop closure, a snap, a button, an adhesive, a pin, or combinations thereof.

4. The headband of claim 1 wherein the elastic segment is rectangular shaped having a long and a short dimension, and the non-elastic segment is attached along a set of its edges with the elastic segment, wherein the set of edges are generally parallel to the short dimension.

5. The headband of claim 1 wherein the non-elastic segment is attached with the elastic segment in such a manner that the non-elastic segment projects out from the exterior surface of the elastic portion when the headband is not sufficiently tight, thus creating a loop which provides a visual indication that the headband needs re-tightening.

6. The headband of claim 1 wherein the non-elastic segment is formed with a fold or a crease, which causes the non-elastic portion to project out from the exterior surface of the elastic portion in a pronounced fashion as the elastic segment retracts.

7. The headband of claim 5 wherein the non-elastic segment is sized to not project out from the exterior surface of the elastic portion when the headband is sufficiently tight thus indicating an adequate level of tension corresponding with delivering a pressure in a range higher than venous pressure and lower than capillary pressure to the forehead of the wearer.

20. The headband of claim 1 wherein the sensor is a pulse oximetry sensor.

22. The headband of claim 1 wherein the sensor is removably coupled to the headband by the tension of the headband after the headband has been applied to the to the wearer'"'"'s forehead.

8. A headband, comprising:

an inelastic segment sized to fit around a wearer'"'"'s head; and

an elastic segment being smaller than and attached to the inelastic segment such that the elastic segment is visible to an observer when the headband is applied to the wearer'"'"'s head, the elastic segment sized to span a portion of the inelastic segment when elastic segment is stretched, the elastic segment being smaller than the portion of the inelastic segment it spans when the elastic segment is not stretched; and

a sensor coupled to the headband on a patient side of the inelastic segment opposite the exterior side.

9. The headband of claim 8 comprising a closure mechanism coupled with the elastic portion.

10. The headband of claim 9 wherein the closure mechanism is a hook and loop closure, a snap, a button, an adhesive, a pin, or combinations thereof.

11. The headband of claim 8 wherein the inelastic segment is rectangular shaped having a long and a short dimension, and the elastic segment is attached along a set of its edges with the inelastic segment, wherein the set of edges are generally parallel to the short dimension.

12. The headband of claim 8 wherein the elastic segment is attached with the inelastic segment in such a manner that the non-elastic segment projects out from the surface adjacent to a user'"'"'s forehead when the headband is not sufficiently tight, thus creating a loop which provides a visual indication that the headband needs re-tightening.

13. The headband of claim 12 wherein the non-elastic segment is sized to not project out from the surface when the headband is sufficiently tight thus indicating an adequate level of tension corresponding with delivering a pressure in a range higher than venous pressure and lower than capillary pressure to the wearer'"'"'s forehead.

21. The headband of claim 8 wherein the sensor is a pulse oximetry sensor.

14. A headband, comprising:

an elastic segment sized to fit around a wearer'"'"'s head; and

a non-elastic segment smaller than and attached discontinuously to an exterior side of the elastic segment, such that the nonelastic segment has some slack when the elastic segment is in an unstretched state, wherein the exterior side of the elastic segment generally faces away from the wearer when the headband is applied to the wearer'"'"'s head, and the nonelastic segment has less slack when the elastic segment is applied to the patient'"'"'s head with sufficient tension to deliver pressure in the range higher than venous pressure and lower than capillary pressure to the wearer'"'"'s head.

15. The headband of claim 14 comprising a closure mechanism coupled with the elastic portion.

16. The headband of claim 15 wherein the closure mechanism is a hook and loop closure, a snap, a button, an adhesive, a pin, or combinations thereof.

17. The headband of claim 14 wherein the non-elastic segment is attached with the elastic segment in such a manner that the non-elastic segment projects out from the surface of the elastic portion when the headband is not sufficiently tight, thus creating a loop which provides a visual indication that the headband needs re-tightening.

18. The headband of claim 14 wherein the non-elastic segment is sized to have no slack when the headband is applied with sufficient tension to deliver pressure in the range higher than venous pressure and lower than capillary pressure to the wearer'"'"'s head.

19. The headband of claim 14, wherein the headband is coupled to a sensor.

23. A headband, comprising:

an elastic segment sized to fit around a wearer'"'"'s head; and

a non-elastic segment smaller than and attached discontinuously to an exterior side of the elastic segment such that the non-elastic segment is visible to an observer when the headband is applied to the wearer'"'"'s head, wherein the non-elastic segment is attached with the elastic segment in such a manner that the non-elastic segment projects out from the surface of the elastic portion when the headband is not sufficiently tight, thus creating a loop which provides a visual indication to the observer that the headband needs re-tightening.