SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UNASSISTED BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
A blood pressure cuff includes a substantially cylindrical sleeve configured to accept an arm of a patient. The sleeve includes an inflatable bladder having a first end, and a second end disposed opposite the first end. The sleeve also includes an elastic panel connected intermediate the first and second ends of the bladder. The blood pressure cuff also includes a tail connected to the second end of the bladder. The tail includes a longitudinal axis disposed transverse to a central axis of the sleeve.
1 . A blood pressure cuff, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical sleeve configured to accept an arm of a patient, the sleeve including
an inflatable bladder having a first end, and a second end disposed opposite the first end, and
an elastic panel connected intermediate the first and second ends of the bladder; and
a tail connected to the second end of the bladder, the tail including a longitudinal axis disposed transverse to a central axis of the sleeve.
2 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 1 , wherein the elastic panel has a height between approximately one eighth and approximately one quarter of a length of the bladder.
3 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 1 , wherein the elastic panel is connected between approximately one inch and approximately four inches from the second end of the bladder.
4 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of an exterior of the bladder comprises a portion of an inner wall of the sleeve and the elastic panel comprises a remainder of the inner wall.
5 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 1 , wherein a first end of the elastic panel is connected to the first end of the bladder, and a second end of the elastic panel is connected intermediate the first and second ends of the bladder.
6 . A blood pressure cuff, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical sleeve configured to accept an arm of a patient, the sleeve including
an inflatable bladder having a first edge, a second edge disposed opposite the first edge, and a first end disposed transverse to the first and second edges,
a flexible sheet connected along a portion of the first and second edges of the bladder, and
an elastic panel connected to the first end of the bladder, at least a portion of the elastic panel being disposed between the sheet and the bladder.
7 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 6 , wherein a first end of the sheet is connected to the first end of the bladder.
8 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 7 , wherein a second end of the sheet is disposed between approximately four inches and approximately eight inches from a second end of the bladder.
9 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 6 , wherein the sheet comprises between approximately one quarter and approximately three quarters of a circumference of the sleeve.
10 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 6 , wherein the sheet comprises a portion of an inner wall of the sleeve and the elastic panel comprises a remainder of the inner wall of the sleeve.
11 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 6 , wherein a second end of the elastic panel is connected proximate the first end of the bladder.
12 . A blood pressure cuff, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical sleeve configured to accept an arm of a patient, the sleeve including an elastic panel, and an inelastic panel connected to the elastic panel along a width of the sleeve;
a flexible sheet connected to the inelastic panel;
an inflatable bladder connected to the sleeve, the bladder having a longitudinal axis disposed transverse to a central axis of the sleeve; and
a tail connected to the bladder, the tail including a longitudinal axis disposed collinear with a longitudinal axis of the bladder and transverse to a central axis of the sleeve.
13 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 12 , wherein the bladder is connected to a first end of the inelastic panel, and the elastic panel is connected to a second end of the inelastic panel opposite the first end.
14 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 12 , wherein the inelastic panel has a first width and the elastic panel has a second width different than the first width.
15 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 12 , wherein the elastic and inelastic panels comprise substantially equal percentages of a circumference of the sleeve.
16 . A blood pressure cuff, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical sleeve including a cover and an inflatable bladder disposed within the cover,
an exterior of the cover having an outer wall and in inner wall, wherein the outer wall includes a first connector and the inner wall is configured to accept an arm of a patient; and
a tail connected to the sleeve, the tail including a second connector releasably attachable to the first connector.
17 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 16 , further including a port fluidly connected to the bladder.
18 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 17 , wherein the port is connected to a tube passing through the cover, the tube fluidly connecting the port to the bladder.
19 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 16 , wherein the cover comprises an elastic material and the first connector comprises an inelastic material.
20 . The blood pressure cuff of claim 16 , wherein the cover comprises an expandable inner cavity and the bladder is disposed within the inner cavity, the cavity maintaining the bladder in a substantially cylindrical shape.