Noninvasive-blood-pressure(NIBP) monitoring apparatus with noninflatable, pressure-information-providing (PIP) structure

Oscillometric, noninvasive-blood-pressure (NIBP) monitoring apparatus adapted for a removable fit relative to a desired region of a subject's limb adjacent a blood vessel therein, comprising:

• a reaction band removably fittable on and circumscribingly about such limb;
• relatively adjustable, noninflatable, fluid-filled, pulse-responsive structure associated with said band and operable, with the band fitted in place, to pressure-contact such limb adjacent such vessel;
• power-operated structure interposing said band and said pulse-responsive structure to adjust bidirectionally said pulse-responsive structure to impose and relax NIBP-useful pressure on such vessel;
• and
• sensor structure operatively associated with said pulse-responsive structure for sensing therethrough heartbeat-induced pressure pulsations in such vessel, and for generating related NIBP-data signals,
• wherein said pulse-responsive structure is constructed with plural subregions, each subregion having a sensor operatively associated to it, the subregions and sensors providing plural streams of NIBP-data signals.

Portable, self-contained, ambulatory, oscillometric, noninvasive-blood-pressure (NIBP) monitoring apparatus adapted for a removable circumscribing fit relative to a desired region of a subject's limb adjacent a blood vessel therein, comprising:

• frame structure releasably fittable on such limb;
• relatively adjustable, noninflatable, fluid-filled pulse-responsive structure mounted on said frame structure, and adapted with said frame structure so fitted, to pressure-contact such vessel, with said pulse-responsive structure being constructed with a relatively broad body to allow at least a partial circumferential fit relative to such limb, which fit accommodates quick and accurate placement adjacent the desired region;
• change-condition adjustment mechanism carried on said frame structure and operatively connected to said pulse-responsive structure with said frame structure fitted on such limb, with the adjustment mechanism also being operable selectively and differentially to adjust the pulse-responsive structure based Upon heart-beat induced pressure pulsations in such a vessel, thus to impose and relax NIBP-useful pressure on such a vessel;
• power-operated structure, and a power source therefor, on-board said frame structure, and operatively connected to said adjustment mechanism for operating the same;
• a sensor operatively associated with said pulse-responsive structure for sensing therethrough heartbeat-induced pressure pulsations in said pulse-responsive structure, and for generating related NIBP-data signals;
• and
• control means operatively connected to said power source, to said power-operated structure and to said sensor, for controlling the operation of the power-operated structure, and for receiving the NIBP-data signals generated by the sensor.

Portable, self-contained, ambulatory, noninvasive-blood-pressure (NIBP) monitoring apparatus adapted for a removable circumscribing fit relative to a subject's limb adjacent a blood vessel therein, comprising:

• frame structure releasably fittable on a subject's limb;
• plural adjustable, fluid-filled, non-inflatable bladders mounted on said frame structure and adapted, with said frame structure and band so fitted, to pressure-contact such limb adjacent such vessel;
• a change-condition adjustment mechanism carried on said frame structure and operatively connected to said bladder, with said adjustment mechanism also operable selectively and differentially to adjust said bladders, thus to impose and relax occluding pressure on such a vessel, said adjustment mechanism including a reversibly movable grab mechanism, and there is a grabbable tongue associated with said bladder, which tongue is operatively and releasably drivingly engageable by said grab mechanism;
• power-operated structure, and a power source therefor, on-board said frame structure, and operatively connected to said adjustment mechanism for operating the same;
• plural sensors, one corresponding to each bladder, and with each sensor being operatively associated with a corresponding bladder for sensing therethrough heartbeat-induced pressure pulsations in said pulse-responsive structure, and for generating at least two streams of related NIBP-data signals;
• and
• control means operatively connected to said power source, to said power-operated structure and to each said sensor, for controlling the operation of the power-operated structure, and for receiving the NIBP-data signals generated by the sensors.

Ambulatory, oscillometric, noninvasive-blood-pressure (NIBP) monitoring apparatus adapted for a removable circumscribing fit relative to a desired region of a subject's limb adjacent a blood vessel therein, comprising:

• frame structure releasably fittable on such limb;
• relatively adjustable, noninflatable, fluid-filled pulse-responsive structure mounted on said frame structure, and adapted with said frame structure so fitted, to pressure-contact such vessel, with said pulse-responsive structure being constructed with a relatively broad body to allow at least a partial circumferential fit relative to such limb, which fit accommodates quick and accurate placement adjacent the desired region;
• change-condition adjustment mechanism carried on said frame structure and operatively connected to said pulse-responsive structure with said frame structure fitted on such limb, with the adjustment mechanism also being operable selectively and differentially to adjust the pulse-responsive structure based upon heart-beat induced pressure pulsations in such a vessel, thus to impose and relax NIBP-useful pressure on such a vessel;
• power-operated structure, and a power source therefor, on-board said frame structure, and operatively connected to said adjustment mechanism for operating the same;
• a sensor operatively associated with said pulse-responsive structure for sensing therethrough heartbeat-induced pressure pulsations in said pulse-responsive structure, and for generating related NIBP-data signals;
• and
• control means operatively connected to said power source, to said power-operated structure and to said sensor, for receiving the NIBP-data signals generated by the sensor, and for controlling the operation of the power-operated structure, said controlling depending at least in part on the received NIBP-data signals.