Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Cardiovascular
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-06
2001-03-27
O'Connor, Cary (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Cardiovascular
C600S481000, C429S096000, C429S099000, C429S100000, C429S163000, C429S175000, C429S176000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206836
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns a battery-operated device, in particular a blood pressure measuring device. Battery-operated devices are used today in a variety of different applications. Such devices generally have a housing with a compartment to accommodate batteries in one location. In most cases, a cover is provided by means of which the battery compartment can be closed.
In addition to devices of electronic entertainment, computers or measurement instruments, medical diagnostic devices for home use today are often battery-operated. For example, there are known blood pressure measuring devices with which electric power supplied by batteries is used to operate a pump as well as the electronic analysis and display units.
Handling can often be a problem when using batteries, especially with such medical devices which are often used by the elderly, and in particular, the conventional flaps that are used to close the battery compartment are often difficult to handle. There is also the problem that the flap may be attached improperly, so that the batteries can drop out again.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, one object of the present invention is to avoid the disadvantages of the known device and thus to create a battery-operated device, in particular a blood pressure measuring device, which will allow simple insertion of the batteries and will nevertheless permit a secure seating of the batteries in the housing. Another object of the present invention is to create a battery-operated device such as a blood pressure measuring device which is reliable and can be manufactured economically and easily.
According to this invention, these objects are achieved with a device as described below.
This invention is described here and below on the basis of a blood pressure measuring device. The advantages of this invention are manifested especially clearly with a blood pressure measuring device which is often used by the elderly. It is self-evident, however, that these features would also be advantageous with other battery-operated devices.
The blood pressure measuring device consists essentially of a housing which is provided with electric and/or electronic components. A blood pressure measuring device here includes in particular a pump for inflating a cuff for measuring the blood pressure and pressure measurement sensors plus electronic analysis and display components. Those skilled in the art will be familiar with the electric and electronic components of such a blood pressure measuring device, so these components need not be described in detail here.
This blood pressure measuring device has a compartment to accommodate at least one battery. The compartment is designed to accommodate known standard batteries. The number of batteries will depend on the power requirements of the blood pressure measuring device.
According to this invention, the compartment for accommodating the battery or batteries is rotatably hinge-connected between an insertion position and an operating position on the housing of the blood pressure measuring device. In the operating position, the compartment is closed, and the outside of the compartment forms part of the outside wall of the housing. In the insertion position, the compartment is open, so that batteries can be inserted into the compartment. The compartment for accommodating the batteries is designed as a door or flap. With the flap opened, the batteries can be inserted. When the batteries are inserted, the flap can be closed.
In a preferred embodiment, the device is provided with means for closing an electric contact. These means are designed so that the contact is closed when the compartment is in the operating position. The advantage is that after inserting the batteries and closing the compartment, the electric contact is closed automatically.
Designing the compartment as a rotatable flap has various advantages. For example, the blood pressure measuring device can be operated easily with one hand, and the batteries can be replaced or inserted with one hand. The flap always remains attached to the rest of the housing, and the position of the flap with respect to the housing is therefore defined clearly. The flap can be opened with one hand, and the battery or batteries can be inserted individually into a holder inside the compartment. As soon as all the batteries have been inserted into the compartment, the compartment can be closed again by simply turning it with one hand.
One-handed operation is especially advantageous in conjunction with this blood pressure measuring device in particular. For example, batteries can be inserted even when the cuff has already been placed around the user's arm.
The compartment which is rotatably hinge-connected to the housing also prevents loss or improper attachment of the cover for closing the battery compartment, which is possible with the state of the art.
The means for closing the electric contact may be designed as contact elements especially easily.
The first contact elements are arranged on the compartment to accommodate the battery, and second contact elements are arranged on the housing. In the operating position, i.e., when the compartment is closed, the first and second contact elements are in contact with one another. In this way, an electric circuit is closed and the blood pressure measuring device is ready for operation.
The compartment to accommodate the battery is preferably designed so that it can be snapped into the housing in the operating position. The compartment may be rotatably attached to the housing on one side, for example, and provided with an elastic strap on the opposite side, so the strap can be engaged with a recess in the housing.
This blood pressure measuring device is advantageously designed as a portable device which has one standing surface plus several side surfaces. The compartment to accommodate the batteries is advantageously designed so that the outside of the compartment in the operating position at least partially forms one of the side surfaces of the blood pressure measuring device. The axis of rotation about which the compartment can be rotated is advantageously arranged next to the standing surface. This design guarantees easy insertion and replacement of batteries without having to raise or rotate the entire device. The compartment for accommodating the batteries can be tilted downward when the battery-operated blood pressure measurement device is standing on the standing surface. The receptacle openings for the batteries are then pointing upward, so that batteries can be inserted especially easily.
This device, in particular the housing and the compartment for accommodating the batteries, are advantageously made of a plastic material. The individual parts may be produced by an injection molding process, for example. To create an electric contact between several batteries and between the batteries and the housing, metallic contact strips may be inserted into recesses provided for this purpose in the individual parts.
In addition, the housing is advantageously designed so that the outside of the battery compartment in the operating position and the standing surface form an angle between 45° and 90°, preferably between 65° and 75°.
It is especially easy to open the battery compartment because the outside faces upward in the operating position and is readily accessible from above. Such an arrangement is also advantageous with a battery compartment which is designed as a recess to accommodate batteries in the housing.
This recess may be closed with a flap which need not necessarily be hinge-connected to the housing.
The housing also advantageously has a display and operating field arranged at an angle of approximately 45° to 25°, preferably about 35° to the standing surface.
The standing surface, the display and operating field, the outside of the flap and the battery compartment define an approximately triangular side view of the housing. If the standing surface is selected to be the longest of the side surfaces, this yields an especially good stabi
Kern Alfred
Schirrmacher Roland
Microlife Investments Corporation
Natnithithadha N.
O'Connor Cary
Shoemaker and Mattare Ltd.
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