SLEEVE PART AND MEASURING DEVICE

Abstract

The two inflatable sleeve cushions (10) which can be arranged in the receiving tubes (9) are each connected by means of a connection (11) at the interface between sleeve part (2) and base part (3) to the pressure generation and pressure control system in the base part (3). A valve device is preferably provided on the connection (11). The channels (19) that connect the respective connection (11) to the respective sleeve cushion (20) are formed in the main body (21) of the receiving body, said main body being produced from plastic by means of injection moulding, and are covered towards the outside by means of a cover (20). The connections (11) are disposed one behind the other in the direction parallel to the axial direction of the receiving tubes (9). From there, each channel (19) is first guided upwards, then diagonally to the side, and finally downwards to the fluid access opening (22) of the respective sleeve cushion (10).

Claims

1. A cuff part comprising at least two ring-like receiving tubes for receiving a portion of a respective finger of a hand passed through the respective receiving tube, at least one fluid-fillable cuff pad disposed in each of the receiving tubes, and at least one respective fluid supply to the cuff pad or pads of each of the receiving tubes, said receiving tubes being formed in a shared receiving body, and said fluid supplies are formed as hose-free channels in said receiving body.

2. The cuff part according to claim 1, wherein the receiving body comprises a base body comprising recesses corresponding to the channels, and a cover connected to the base body and delimiting at least one of the channels from the outside.

3. The cuff part according to claim 2, wherein the base body comprises an injection-molded part.

4. The cuff part according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the cuff pads comprises a hard-elastic layer inserted into the receiving tube and abutting the receiving body, and a soft-elastic layer for pressing against the respective finger, said soft elastic layer being connected at its edges to the hard-elastic layer, the cuff pad being fillable with the fluid between the hard-elastic and soft-elastic layers.

5. The cuff part according to claim 4, wherein the hard-elastic layer is adhered into the respective receiving tube.

6. The cuff part according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising for each of the channels a port associated with the respective channel for supplying the fluid into the cuff part.

7. The cuff part according to claim 6, wherein the port is a valve port.

8. The cuff part according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the port comprises a sealing element.

9. The cuff part according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein at least two of the ports are arranged one behind the other, offset or aligned, with respect to the direction of intended insertion of the fingers into the receiving tubes.

10. A measuring device for parallel or alternating continuous determination of the intra-arterial blood pressure on at least two fingers of a hand, which comprises: a base part, a cuff part according to any of claims 6-8, which is connectable to the base part without tools and separatable from the base part without tools, a radiation source for emitting light into the respective finger through an optical emission surface, a photodetector for detecting a portion of the light collected by an optical collector surface and not absorbed in the respective finger, and a pressure control system arranged at least partially in the base part and connectable to the ports of the cuff part for controlling a fluid pressure in the respective cuff pad depending on the detected non-absorbed portion of the light.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a measuring device according to the invention in a side view, wherein a cuff part comprising an ergonomic hand rest and a finger-receiving part is placed on a base part containing a pressure control system,

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the measuring device of FIG. 1 from obliquely above,

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the measuring device of FIG. 1 from obliquely below,

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a cuff part like the one shown in FIG. 3 from obliquely below, but without the associated base part, the cuff pads not being shown,

[0044] FIG. 5a shows a view of the measuring device from FIG. 1 from behind, i.e. from the side of the palm rest (from the left in FIG. 1),

[0045] FIG. 5b shows a sectional view of a section of the cuff part of the measuring device shown in FIG. 5a, the sectional plane is indicated by the broken line A-A′ in the top view of FIG. 6a of the cuff part,

[0046] FIG. 5c shows a sectional view of a section of the cuff part of the measuring device shown in FIG. 5a, the sectional plane parallel to FIG. 5b is indicated by the broken line B-B′ in the top view of FIG. 6a on the cuff part,

[0047] FIG. 6a shows the cuff part of the device of FIGS. 5a-5c in plan view without cover, with the position of the channels and ports made visible relative to each other,

[0048] FIG. 6b shows the cuff part of the device from FIGS. 5a-5c in plan view with cover delimiting the channels from the outside,

[0049] FIG. 7 shows a possible valve device for the ports for fluid supply, wherein the valve device is shown once in the open and once in the closed state,

[0050] FIG. 8a shows a cuff pad before installation, with the viewing direction pointing obliquely towards the bulged soft elastic layer,

[0051] FIG. 8b shows the cuff pad from FIG. 8a bent as in the installation position, with the viewing direction pointing obliquely towards the bulged soft elastic layer,

[0052] FIG. 8c shows the still unbent cuff pad from FIG. 8a, with the viewing direction pointing obliquely towards the hard-elastic layer,

[0053] FIG. 8d shows the bent cuff pad of FIG. 8b, with the viewing direction pointing obliquely towards the hard-elastic layer

[0054] The blood pressure measuring device 1 is designed as a photoplethysmographic measuring system which functions according to the so-called “Vascular Unloading Technique”. Measuring components, i.e. in particular optical and electronic components as well as mechanical components of the pressure generation and pressure control system accommodated in the base part 3, can be implemented in principle in a manner similar to the prior art mentioned at the beginning. The cuff part placed on the base part 3 comprises an ergonomic palm rest 4, an ergonomic finger rest 6 divided by a web 5, and the receiving part 7.

[0055] As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2 (viewed from obliquely above at the right in FIG. 1), the receiving part 7 is designed to receive two fingers, which makes alternate measurement on both fingers possible. For reasons of hygiene, the cuff part 2, together with the palm rest 4 and finger rest 6, is designed as a disposable article which is detachably, without tools, attached to the reusable base part 3 by means of a plug-in connection.

[0056] The pressure control system in the base part 3 is supplied with compressed air via the obliquely laterally attached cable 8, which points in the direction of the forearm when the hand is placed on the base part as intended. Furthermore, the cable 8 serves to supply energy to the pressure control system (not shown), light sources (not shown) and photodetectors (not shown) or associated control, amplifier and evaluation circuits in the measuring device 1. Measurement data can be output to a patient monitor via a suitable electronic interface through the cable 8.

[0057] The lateral attachment of the cable 8, pointing in the direction of the forearm when the hand is placed as intended, has the advantage that the cable can be guided along the patient's arm, but the wrist area with tendons and vessels does not rub against the cable 8, and in particular the carpal tunnel is also protected.

[0058] The two inflatable cuff pads 10 arranged in the receiving tubes 9 are each connected to the pressure generation and pressure control system via a port 11 at the interface between cuff part 2 and base part 3. In the illustration of cuff part 2 in FIG. 4, one of the two ports 11 is hidden by the crosspiece 12, which carries light guides 13 through which light is conducted from the light sources arranged in base part 3 to the fingers or from the fingers to the photosensors arranged in base part 3.

[0059] A valve device is preferably located at port 11, so that port 11 is flush with the housing of base part 3 on the base part side when base part 3 and cuff part 2 are not connected to each other. Such a valve device is exemplarily shown in FIG. 7. On the base part side, the fluid passage 15 is closed by the valve body 16 spring-mounted by means of the spring 14. The port 11 of the cuff part 2 comprises a valve tappet 17 which, in the connected state, presses the valve body 16 downward to release the fluid passage 15. Sealing to the outside is provided by a sealing element 18 designed as an elastic conical collar.

[0060] The channels 19, which connect the respective port 11 to the respective cuff pad 20, are formed in the base body 21 of the receiving body 7, which is made of plastic by means of injection molding, and are delimited from the outside by means of the plastic cover 20, which is welded or bonded on.

[0061] The layout of the channels 19 in the base body 21 of the receiving body 7 is illustrated by the sectional views in FIGS. 5b and 5c together with the plan view of FIG. 6a. For orientation, the sectional plane of FIG. 5b is shown as broken line A-A′ and the sectional plane of FIG. 5c is shown as broken line B-B′ in FIG. 6a.

[0062] The ports 11 are situated one behind the other in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the receiving tubes 9. From there, the respective channel 19 is first routed upward, as can be seen in FIG. 5b, further diagonally to the side, as shown in FIG. 6a, and finally downward to the fluid access opening 22 of the respective cuff pad 10, as can be seen in FIG. 5c.

[0063] As can be seen in FIGS. 8c and 8d, the fluid inlet opening 22 is punched into the hard-elastic layer 10a of the cuff pad 10, which is bonded to the receiving body 7 for mounting in the respective receiving tube 9. The preformed soft-elastic layer 10b is connected to the hard-elastic layer 10a in an airtight manner at its edges, so that the space between the layers 10a, 10b can be filled with fluid, in particular air, and pressurized.

[0064] In FIGS. 8b and 8d, the cuff pad is shown as bent in the installed position, and in FIGS. 8a and 8c it is shown unbent before installation for illustrative purposes.