Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
Blood pressure measurement apparatus comprising means (10-13) for variably occluding a body zone (16) by progressive application of external pressure between levels respectively above systolic and below diastolic, and means (14,15) for detecting variations in the blood volume in said zone during variable occlusion thereof, characterised by means (20) responsive to said occluding and detecting means to indicate as systolic and diastolic pressures the values of said external pressure respectively when the maximum and minimum levels determined by said detector are each about half way between zero and the maximum level following the last minimum which does not depart significantly from zero.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
Blood pressure measurement apparatus comprising means (10-13) for variably occluding a body zone (16) by progressive application of external pressure between levels respectively above systolic and below diastolic, and means (14,15) for detecting variations in the blood volume in said zone during variable occlusion thereof, characterised by means (20) responsive to said occluding and detecting means to indicate as systolic and diastolic pressures the values of said external pressure respectively when the maximum and minimum levels determined by said detector are each about half way between zero and the maximum level following the last minimum which does not depart significantly from zero.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 characterised in that said detecting means comprises a radiation generator (14,18) and detector (15) mounted in said occluding means for location in opposition about said zone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to Claim 2 characterised in that said radiation is light.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to Claim 3 characterised in that said radiation is infra-red.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to Claim 3 or 4 characterised in that said generator provides a pulsed output and the output of said detector is applied to said indicating means in synchronism (19) with said pulsed output.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 characterised in that said detecting means comprises a strain gauge responsive to variations in the geometry of said body zone with blood volume therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 characterised in that said detecting means responds to variation in proton magnetic resonance within said zone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to Claim 2 characterised in that said radiation is of microwave form.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim characterised in that said occluding means comprises a gas-inflatable device (11) locatable around said body zone, and a pressure transducer (17) mounted in said device for location closely adjacent said zone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 characterised in that said occluding means comprises a liquid-inflatable device (11) locatable around said body zone, and a pressure transducer (17) coupled with said device by way of a flexible tube (13) for location remotely from said body zone.