Device For Constricting Vessels

Abstract

A device constricts vessels and includes a constricting belt and a lock. One end of the constricting belt is arranged in a fixed manner in the lock and one end of the constricting belt is movably arranged in the lock. The constricting belt and the lock include a material having a smooth surface. In a closed state, the lock is a smooth, cube-shaped or elongated body, which includes no further external openings or projections apart from the feedings for the constricting belt.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A lock for a device for constricting vessels, comprising: at least two lock elements, which are connected detachably to one another, wherein one of the lock elements is fixedly connectable with a constricting belt and the other lock element is arranged movably on the constricting belt, wherein one of the lock elements is provided on a side facing the other lock element on at least one external edge with at least one chamfer and the other lock element is provided on at least one external edge with at least one web, wherein the at least one chamfer corresponds with the at least one web of the respectively opposing lock element for a sliding interplay of the lock elements, wherein magnets, which act with their magnetic fields between both lock elements and which pull the lock elements into one another by their opposite polarity, are connected to the lock elements, and wherein the at least one web on the lock element has a base and a tip, and wherein the base is at least 0.1 mm wider than the tip.

19. The lock according to claim 18, wherein the base is 0.5 mm to 5 mm wider than the tip.

20. The lock according to claim 18, wherein the lock when opened, after overcoming a magnetic potential maximum, is supported by repellent forces.

21. The lock according to claim 18, wherein the at least one chamfer defines at least one groove and the at least one web is provided with at least one tongue.

22. The lock according to claim 21, wherein the at least one groove of one of the lock elements corresponds with the at least one tongue of the other one of the lock elements.

23. The lock according to claim 21, wherein one of the at least one web with the at least one tongue and the at least one chamfer with the at least one groove are connected to one of the movable and the fixed lock element.

24. The lock according to claim 18, wherein the at least one web is arranged on the one of the lock elements at an angle of between 30 and 150 degrees to the lock element.

25. The lock according to claim 24, wherein the at least one web is executed arcuate in the direction of the other opposing lock element.

26. The lock according to claim 25, wherein the at least one chamfer is designed corresponding to the web.

27. The lock according to claim 18, wherein a locking of the lock takes place due to the magnetic fields of the magnets between both lock elements.

28. The lock according to claim 27, wherein the magnetic force of the connected lock elements initiates the belt locking in that the locking mechanism is magnetically equipped and the constricting belt is blocked in at least one direction when the lock is closed.

29. The lock according to claim 18, wherein inside one lock element there is arranged a locking device with a surface relief.

30. The lock according to claim 29, wherein the surface relief is a counterpart to the constricting belt that is provided with a corresponding surface relief.

31. A hygienic device for constricting vessels, comprising: a constricting belt, and a lock comprising: at least two lock elements, which are connected detachably to one another, wherein one of the lock elements is provided on a side facing the other lock element on at least one external edge with a chamfer and the other lock element is provided on at least one external edge with at least one web, wherein the at least one chamfer corresponds with the at least one web of the respectively opposing lock element for a sliding interplay of the lock elements, wherein magnets, which act with their magnetic fields between both lock elements and which pull the lock elements into one another by their opposite polarity, are connected to the lock elements, and wherein the at least one web on the lock element has a base and a tip, and wherein the base is at least 0.1 mm wider than the tip, and wherein one end of the constricting belt is fixedly connected to one of the lock elements of the lock and the other lock element is arranged movably on the constricting belt.

32. The device according to claim 31, wherein the constricting belt consists of a textile-free material.

33. The device according to claim 31, wherein at least one of the constricting belt and the lock is provided with an anti-friction coating.

34. The device according to claim 33, wherein the anti-friction coating consists of a surface fluorination.

35. The device according to claim 31, further comprising a sensor system for determining at least one of a vital parameter and a cleaning state, and is integrated in at least one of the constricting belt and the lock.

36. The device according to claim 31, wherein at least one of a transmission and receiving unit, which facilitates forwarding of information, is integrated in at least one of the constricting belt and the lock.

37. A blood pressure cuff comprising: a hygienic device for constricting vessels, comprising: a constricting belt, and a lock comprising: at least two lock elements, which are connected detachably to one another, wherein one of the lock elements is provided on a side facing the other lock element on at least one external edge with a chamfer and the other lock element is provided on at least one external edge with at least one web, wherein the at least one chamfer corresponds with the at least one web of the respectively opposing lock element for a sliding interplay of the lock elements, wherein magnets, which act with their magnetic fields between both lock elements and which pull the lock elements into one another by their opposite polarity, are connected to the lock elements, and wherein the at least one web on the lock element has a base and a tip, and wherein the base is at least 0.1 mm wider than the tip, and wherein one end of the constricting belt is fixedly connected to one of the lock elements of the lock and the other lock element is arranged movably on the constricting belt.

Description

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] The invention is explained in greater detail by means of exemplary embodiments. With regard to these,

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a device according to the invention for constricting vessels in a view in perspective,

[0036] FIG. 2 shows the device for constricting vessels in another view in perspective,

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a side view of FIG. 1,

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a closed lock,

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a blood pressure cuff with a device for constricting vessels,

[0040] FIG. 6 shows the lock in a view in perspective, and

[0041] FIG. 7 shows a cross section of the lock.

[0042] FIGS. 1 to 3 show the device according to the invention for constricting vessels in different views in perspective and in a side view with an open lock.

[0043] The device according to the invention for constricting vessels consists of an elastic constricting belt 1 with a smooth surface, for example of a textile-free silicone material. The constricting belt 1 is connected to a lock 2, so that it can be connected to a closed circular belt. The lock 2 consists of at least two lock elements 201 and 202, which are connected detachably by means of a magnetic lock. Furthermore, apart the concluding edge between the lock elements, the lock 2 in the closed state is a smooth, cube-shaped or elongated body with preferably rounded edges, which has no other external openings or projections apart from the feedings for the constricting belt 1, as the edges between a first, fixed lock element 201 and a second, movable lock element 202 end flush. Other concluding edges, e.g. between production-related upper and lower shell, are negligible as openings.

[0044] At a first end 101 of the constricting belt, the first, upper lock element 201 is arranged in the manner that the constricting belt 1 is threaded into this lock element 201 and secured by gluing, pressure, screws or magnetically, for example, so that the constricting belt 1 is connected fixedly to the lock element 201. The second end 102 of the constricting belt 1 is led through the second, lower, movable lock element 202 in a through-opening provided for this and delimited at its end 102 by a stop mechanism 103, so that the lock element 202, which is movable on the smooth elastic constricting belt 1, cannot slide off the constricting belt 1. In the second lock element 202 there is provided for the constricting belt 1 a locking device 205, for example in the form of a slide rail, with a locking mechanism, for example a rocker, a wedge, a tongue, a roughened surface or a pressure roll. The movable lock element 202 is magnetically connectable to the fixed lock element 201 and locks mechanically automatically. Following the connection of the two lock elements 201, 202 to one another, the locking device is actuated automatically by the process of tensioning around an object.

[0045] A magnetic locking mechanism is used for the magnetic connection of the two lock elements 201, 202. Due to the particular design according to the invention of the lock 2, one-handed dosing, tensioning and opening of the constricting belt 1 is thus made possible. In FIG. 4 a closed lock 2 is shown. A magnet 3 is incorporated centrally and directed towards one another in each lock part 201, 202.

[0046] One of the two lock elements 201, 202, for example the second, lower lock element 202, is provided on several, e.g. two external edges on the side facing the other lock element 201 with webs 203 transversely to the constricting belt 1. The webs 203 are provided at their upper end pointing into the interior of the lock with tongues 206. The first lock element 201 is accordingly designed so that the two lock elements 201, 202 can engage in one another. To this end the first lock element 201 is provided on two external edges, for example, with a front and a rear chamfer 207. On two surfaces of the chamfers 207 pointing outwards, grooves 204 are incorporated, which correspond with the tongues 206. The tongues 206 engage in the grooves 204 and enable additional securing in this way. The third and fourth external edge, preferably in a longitudinal direction to the constricting belt 1, is configured flush with the other lock element 201, 202 respectively. The webs 203 and the tongues 206 can be connected to the movable or the fixed lock element 201, 202. The same applies to the grooves 204 and the chamfers 207 in a corresponding manner to the tongues 206 and webs 203. The webs 203 are arranged on the lock element 201, 202 in this exemplary embodiment at a right angle to the lock element 201, 202. The angle between the webs 203 and the lock elements 201, 202 should expediently be between 30 and 150 degrees, preferably approx. 80 degrees. For better handling of the lock 2, they can be somewhat wider towards the lock element 201, 202 in the manner that the webs 203 on the lock element 201, 202 have a base 203a and a tip 203b, wherein the base 203a is at least 0.1 mm, preferably 0.5 mm to 5 mm wider than the tip 203b. The chamfers 207 are designed correspondingly, so that in any event an easily sliding interplay of the two lock elements 201, 202 with one another is guaranteed. Due to the magnets 3 located in the interior of the lock 2, the two lock elements 201, 202 are self-locating when they come into the sphere of influence of the magnetic field. One-handed operation (application, tensioning, slackening and release) of the constricting belt 1 is facilitated. To release the two lock elements 201, 202 from one another the upper lock element 201 is pushed, for example using the thumb, in the direction in which no web 203 is present on the lower lock element 202, whereby several directions are conceivable. The movement is carried out until the attracting influence of the magnets 3 decreases and the two lock elements 201, 202 separate from one another due to the (possible) repellent effect developing.

[0047] The constricting belt 1 and/or the lock 2 are provided with a smoothing coating. The extraordinary smoothness of the constricting belt and/or of the lock is achieved by the special coating. In particular, fluorination of the surface is possible for this, but any other anti-friction coating, for example using silicon oxides or similar, is also possible. In the fluorination, hydrogen atoms are detached from the side chains and replaced by fluorine, whereby the surface properties change. On the one hand the adhesive and dynamic friction and the adhesiveness are reduced significantly, while on the other wettability is increased, due to which polar liquids, such as in liquid disinfection, form a special surface film and no longer tend to form local drops due to the characteristic polarity. Thus better sliding properties develop with flawless liquid films, which leads in the case of the tourniquet to better application to the skin and improved cleanability due to wetting of the overall surface and thus the release of germs at every point. Due to this, germs are prevented from remaining on the unit following the use of the tourniquet and posing a risk of infection for the next patient. This coating can be checked by a tipping test, in which the coated material and the uncoated material lie on a plane that is located at 0 and can be inclined fluidly/continuously up to 100. The constricting belt described here reaches less than 350 for hygiene purposes when it begins to slide.

[0048] FIG. 5 shows a blood pressure cuff 4 with a device for constricting vessels as another exemplary embodiment. To this end a smooth belt 5 can be connected in the manner described using the lock 2 described in detail above, which can be dimensioned for this application larger than for the constricting belt 1. The variable pressure setting customary according to the prior art can be achieved by different mechanisms, only the pneumatic pressure rise by means of a pump is named here as the most common.

[0049] FIGS. 6 and 7 show the lock 2 with arcuate webs 203, which engage in correspondingly shaped grooves 204, whereby the lock elements 201, 202 are held better in one another due to the force transmission in the event of tension. The magnets 3 in this embodiment are located inside the lock 2. The rounding of the arcuate webs 203 engaging in one another contributes to the shear forces acting in a larger segment of a circle than in the case of exclusively straight edge guidance. A more secure holding of the lock elements 201, 202 to one another is guaranteed hereby and the retaining forces of the magnetic potential maximum are supported.

[0050] It is conceivable furthermore to form the tourniquet without magnets to facilitate use in the vicinity of a magnetic resonance scanner. For this, locks 2 can also be used that are only conceived for tightening and releasing, and possibly not even for opening, but are only placed over the arm, but which have the hygienic properties of said invention and have a corresponding anti-friction coating.

[0051] It is also conceivable to integrate sensors into the tourniquet described above, such as e.g. strain gauges or fibres that resistively perceive length changes in the constricting belt 1 or in the belt 5. The measurement of blood pressure or other vital parameters can be carried out by means of the existing tensioning mechanism in that the necessary pretensioning is generated by the inventive device for constricting vessels. The pretensioning then no longer needs to be varied by pumps. The blood pressure among other things can be detected by a sensor system for determining vital parameters that is integrated into the constricting belt 1 and/or in the lock 2, which constitutes a new type of measuring method for blood pressure. A suitable sensor system in the tourniquet or the blood pressure cuff can likewise help to detect the cleaning status.

[0052] It is also conceivable that a transmission and receiving unit is integrated in the constricting belt 1 and/or in the lock 2, which unit enables information to be forwarded. By communication with a corresponding base station the hygienic state of the tourniquet and the vital parameters can be transmitted and documented. This in turn contributes to the adherence to hygiene guidelines. For this a display unit can be integrated in the constricting belt 1 or the lock 2.

[0053] Due to modified properties of the constricting belt 1, for example in the form of a (toothed) surface relief and reduced extensibility, a higher constriction pressure can be built up in order to stop the complete blood flow in arteries and veins especially in emergency situations. To this end the slide rail of the locking device 205 inside the second lock element 202 must be arranged with a custom-fit counterpart corresponding to the surface relief. Additional tensioning of the constricting belt 1 can take place following locking via a lever or a wheel, for example, on the lock 2. Hygiene plays a subordinate role in this extreme situation. What is important is that one-handed operation due to the self-locating magnetic lock represents an enormous survival advantage.

[0054] The device for constricting vessels and/or the lock 2 for the device for constricting vessels and/or the blood pressure cuff 4 is cleaned by the following steps: [0055] Application of a cleaning agent or disinfectant by means of a disinfectant dispenser. The disinfectant dispenser can be mounted fixedly on a wall for this or a mobile bottle of disinfectant can be used. [0056] Immersion in a cleaning or disinfectant bath can be undertaken alternatively [0057] or treatment with a cloth soaked in a cleaning agent or disinfectant can take place, [0058] the disinfecting liquid should act for at least 1 s to a maximum of 10 mins, preferably 30 s. [0059] Finally disinfecting liquid residues that are still present with one of the three application methods are removed by wiping, for example with a disposable cloth.

[0060] A cleaning device that is stationary or portable, for example arranged on a tray, and which is not to be depicted further here, can be used for the method. The tourniquet is transported by this device in that rollers or rolls, for example, provide the propulsion. The rollers or rolls are provided with sponges saturated in disinfectant. Liquid residues are removed by a second pair of sponges, rollers or rolls. The transport can be continuous or discontinuous. Another option consists in the constricting belt 1 and the lock 2 or also the blood pressure cuff 4 being placed in a recess provided for this, which consists of soft sponges, for example. Either the rollers or rolls are moved across the tourniquet here also or the tourniquet is pulled through the device.

[0061] Since the devices for constricting vessels described in detail above are exemplary embodiments, they can be modified in a usual manner by the expert in a wide scope without departing from the field of the invention. In particular, the specific configurations of the lock 2 and the lock elements 201, 202 can follow in a form other than that described here. The constricting belt 1, in particular the blood pressure cuff 4, can likewise be configured in a different form if this is necessary for reasons of space, design or technological reasons. Furthermore, the use of the indefinite article a does not exclude the possibility of the multiple presence of the relevant features.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0062] 1 Constricting belt [0063] 101 First end of the constricting belt 1 [0064] 102 Second end of the constricting belt 1 [0065] 103 Stop mechanism [0066] 2 Lock [0067] 201 First lock element [0068] 202 Second lock element [0069] 203 Web [0070] 203a Base of web [0071] 203b Tip of web [0072] 204 Groove [0073] 205 Locking device [0074] 206 Tongue [0075] 207 Chamfers [0076] 3 Magnet [0077] 4 Blood pressure cuff [0078] 5 Belt [0079] 6 Pump