Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Cardiovascular
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-27
2001-11-27
Nasser, Robert L. (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Cardiovascular
C600S496000, C600S490000, C600S495000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322517
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic sphygmomanometers, and particularly to an electronic sphygmomanometer capable of adjusting the pressure release rate of a cuff during measurement.
2. Description of the Background Art
One of sphygmomanometers which have long been well-known is a mercury type sphygmomanometer. By such a mercury sphygmomanometer, pressure is applied to a cuff so as to pressurize a blood vessel. In a following decompression process in which air is discharged from the cuff to release the pressure therefrom, drop of mercury is watched, the systolic pressure or maximum blood pressure is determined by detection of K (Korotkoff) sounds with a stethoscope by a person who measures (e.g. physician) and the diastolic pressure or the minimum blood pressure is determined by ceasing of the K-sounds. There is also an electronic sphygmomanometer which electronically measures blood pressure by detecting K-sounds with a sensor.
In the decompression process of these sphygmomanometers, the air is discharged relatively slowly, in other words, the air discharge rate is slow, in order to ensure and facilitate detection of K-sounds. However, the slow air discharge rate prolongs the period from detection to ceasing of K-sounds and accordingly measurement takes too much time, which would cause pain to a subject person. Therefore, when a skilled operator who measures takes blood pressure measurement by using the mercury sphygmomanometer, the operator decreases the cuff pressure first at a constant pressure release rate to determine the systolic pressure by the first occurring K-sounds, then opens an air vent valve to temporarily increase the pressure release rate and accordingly decrease the pressure immediately to a pressure slightly higher than an expected diastolic pressure, and closes the air vent valve to decrease the pressure release rate to reduce the cuff pressure and thus determine the diastolic pressure by confirming ceasing of K-sounds.
Some electronic sphygmomanometers detect K-sounds in a decompression process in which the air is discharged at a slow rate and accordingly determine the systolic pressure by a corresponding cuff pressure, then increase the pressure release rate to a constant fast rate so as to decrease the pressure to the one slightly higher than an expected diastolic pressure, and thereafter return the pressure release rate to the original slow rate and accordingly confirm ceasing of K-sounds to determine the diastolic pressure (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 57-5540).
The pressure release rate of the conventional mercury sphygmomanometer is adjusted directly by manual rotation of a dial in order to control the degree of opening of the air vent valve. After the pressure release rate is increased, if the valve is excessively closed in order to lower the rate to the original slow rate, the decompression could be stopped or the rate could be too slow resulting in a prolonged measurement time. In this case, much skill could be required for measurement. On the other hand, the electronic sphygmomanometer switches the pressure release rate based on a preset cuff pressure with respect to a preset pressure release rate. Therefore, a skilled operator cannot select a pressure release rate based on the operator's experience or according to a subject person.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide an electronic sphygmomanometer having a pressure release rate which is easily adjustable by a person not skilled in the art and is freely adjustable for shortening measurement time.
An electronic sphygmomanometer according to one aspect of the present invention applies pressure to a cuff for pressurizing a blood vessel and then measures blood pressure in a decompression process. The electronic sphygmomanometer includes a manual operation unit to electronically control a pressure release rate controller in response to operation thereof.
The electronic sphygmomanometer pressurizes the cuff and thereafter enters the decompression process. In the decompression process, air is slowly discharged at first at a predetermined pressure release rate (e.g. 2 to 3 mmHg/sec). In this process, the manual operation unit is operated to electronically control the pressure release rate controller. The pressure release rate can thus be increased, for example, to the one higher (e.g. 10 mmHg/sec) than the predetermined pressure release rate by one-touch operation.
The manual operation unit is provided to start the decompression process at a predetermined pressure release rate and to manually adjust the pressure release rate to the one higher than the predetermined rate. Therefore, acceleration adjustment is possible without lowering the pressure release rate below the predetermined rate. Consequently, the pressure release rate can be adjusted easily to a higher rate even by a person not skilled in the art. By the degree and time of manual operation of the manual operation unit, the adjustment for increasing the pressure release rate can be made freely based on the experience of an operator and according to a subject person.
An electronic sphygmomanometer according to another aspect of the present invention includes a cuff for pressurizing a blood vessel, a pressurization unit for applying pressure to the cuff, a cuff pressure detector for detecting cuff pressure, an air discharge unit for discharging air from the cuff to release pressure therefrom, a display unit for displaying the cuff pressure, and a manual operation unit which is manually operated for electronically controlling the air discharge unit in response to the manual operation. The manual operation unit is operated to adjust the degree of discharging the air by the air discharge unit.
When an operator measures blood pressure by using this electronic sphygmomanometer while placing a stethoscope on an appropriate site, the pressure release rate controller can be controlled electronically by one-touch operation of the manual operation unit in order to speedily discharge the air after K-sounds are detected. Accordingly, any person can measure blood pressure without special training.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3452744 (1969-07-01), Van den Nieuwenhof
patent: 4625277 (1986-11-01), Pearce et al.
patent: 4660567 (1987-04-01), Kaneko et al.
patent: 4671290 (1987-06-01), Miller et al.
patent: 4872461 (1989-10-01), Miyawaki
patent: 5135003 (1992-08-01), Souma
patent: 5467772 (1995-11-01), Souma
patent: 0 134 319 (1985-03-01), None
patent: 0 154 995 (1985-09-01), None
patent: 57-5540 (1982-01-01), None
patent: WO 92/22241 (1992-12-01), None
Kitawaki Tomoki
Miyawaki Yoshinori
Ohtani Toshio
Yamamoto Norihito
Morrison & Foerster / LLP
Nasser Robert L.
Omron Corporation
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