Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Cardiovascular
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-19
2002-08-13
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Cardiovascular
C600S485000, C600S500000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06432060
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a blood pressure monitor and pulse wave detection apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
Blood pressure is commonly measured by auscultation which consists of applying a pressing force greater than the maximum blood pressure to the artery by pressing the brachium or wrist around the circumference and detecting a vibration of the pressed artery on the peripheral side, while gradually decreasing the pressing force.
A blood pressure monitor disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2804484, for example, has a means of detecting displacement of the cuff for applying pressure around the wrist.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-300885 discloses a blood pressure monitor designed as shown in
FIG. 2
of the published document, wherein the arterial blood flow is controlled by the pressing force applied to the arm by altering the degree of expansion of an air bag
7
which consists of section of a cuff wound around the arm. This pressing force is monitored by a third pressure sensor
1
, which latches the pressing force when a first pressure sensor
2
detects the maximum arterial pulse wave and the pressing force when a second pressure sensor
3
detects an arterial pulse wave above a prescribed level. The peripheral blood pressure is determined based on the latched pressure information.
In these blood pressure measuring methods, however, almost the entire circumference of the brachium or wrist is pressed so that the nervous tissues which are distributed densely close to funny bones in the case of the wrist, for instance, are pressed, imparting an unpleasant and disagreeable feeling. Such an unpleasant and disagreeable feeling caused by pressing the entire circumference of the measuring section such as the extremities and fingers has been experienced when the blood pressure is measured by pressing the entire circumference of other parts such as brachium and fingers.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been completed in view of this situation and has an object of providing a blood pressure monitor and a pulse wave detection apparatus which impart an unpleasant and disagreeable feeling to a subject only to a minimal degree.
One aspect of the present invention provides a blood pressure monitor comprising:
an artery pressing section which locally presses an artery of any one of extremities and fingers at an arbitrarily variable pressing force;
a control section which controls the pressing force applied by the artery pressing section;
a vibration sensor detecting a vibration of the artery at a point pressed by the artery pressing section or at a point peripheral to the point pressed by the artery pressing section; and
a blood pressure determination section which determines a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure based on various pressing force values applied by the artery pressing section and signals detected by the vibration sensor at the various pressing force values.
In this blood pressure monitor, the blood pressure determination section determines the maximum and minimum pressures based on various pressing force values applied when the artery pressing section locally presses an artery of the extremities or fingers and the signals detected by the vibration sensor at these various pressing force values. Because the extremities or fingers are not pressed over the entire circumference, no discomfort or unfavorable feeling will be imparted to the subject.
In addition, because the artery pressing section presses the artery only locally, the pressing operation will not be interfered with by the sinews or bones which may be present close to the artery. Therefore, the pressing operation can press the artery with certainty, ensuring measurement of the blood pressure more accurately than in the conventional method in which the entire circumference of the extremities or fingers is pressed by a cuff or the like.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a blood pressure monitor comprising:
a first artery pressing section which locally presses a first artery of any one of extremities and fingers having the first artery and a second artery at an arbitrarily variable pressing force;
a control section which controls the pressing force applied by the first artery pressing section;
a second artery pressing section which locally presses the second artery;
a vibration sensor detecting a vibration of the first artery at a pressed point or on a peripheral side thereof; and
a blood pressure determination section which determines a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure based on various pressing force values applied by the first artery pressing section and a signal detected by the vibration sensor at each of the pressing force values.
In this blood pressure monitor, the blood pressure determination section determines the maximum and minimum pressures based on various pressing force values applied when the first artery pressing section locally presses an artery of the extremities or fingers and the signals detected by the vibration sensor at these various pressing force values. Because the extremities or fingers are not pressed over the entire circumference, no discomfort or unfavorable feeling will be imparted to the subject.
In addition, because this blood pressure monitor is equipped with the second artery pressing section which locally presses the second artery, the monitor can shut off the blood flow to the peripheral side from the pressed point. Therefore, the vibration of the first artery detected by the vibration sensor will not be affected by the pulses due to the blood flowing from the second artery via the artery which connect the second and first arteries, thereby ensuring more accurate blood pressure measurement.
The above-mentioned blood pressure monitor may further comprise a positioning mechanism which positions the first pressing section and the vibration sensor on the artery.
Such a positioning mechanism ensures easy determination of positioning for the artery pressing section and the vibration sensor on the artery.
The above-mentioned blood pressure monitor may further comprise guides provided on each side of the vibration sensor and guiding the vibration sensor to the artery by being located on both sides of the artery.
This configuration ensures easy and certain positioning of the vibration sensor on the artery by causing the guides which guide the vibration sensor on the artery to be located on each side of the artery.
The above-mentioned blood pressure monitor may further comprise a peripheral side pressing section which presses the artery at a point peripheral to the vibration sensor and almost completely shuts off the vibration transmitted by an artery section peripheral to the vibration sensor.
According to this configuration, because the artery is pressed by the peripheral side pressing section on the peripheral side from the artery pressing section and the vibration sensor, pulses transmitted from branch passages of arteries or the like can be shut off, enabling mere accurate blood pressure measurement.
In the above-mentioned blood pressure monitor, it is preferable that the vibration sensor detects the vibration transmitted to the artery pressing section.
The blood pressure can be measured without causing the oscillatory sensor to directly come into contact with the skin.
The above-mentioned blood pressure monitor may further comprise a sensor pressing section which causes the vibration sensor to press the artery.
This configuration, which enables the sensor pressing section of the vibration sensor to press the artery, causes the vibration sensor to press the artery at an appropriate pressure so that a vibration from the artery can be detected with certainty.
In the above-mentioned blood pressure monitor, the vibration sensor may be a pulse wave sensor detecting a pulse waveform, and
the blood pressure monitor may further comprise a conversion section which converts the pulse waveform into a blood pressure waveform based on the maximum blood pressure and the minimum blood pressure.
In th
Gabrik Michael T.
Mallari Patricia
Seiko Epson Corporation
Shaver Kevin
LandOfFree
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