Blood Pressure Cuff

Abstract

To provide an easily-usable blood pressure measurement cuff.SOLUTION: A blood pressure measurement cuff 1 includes a belt-like body 10 formed of an air bag 7 enclosed by an outer cloth 11 and an inner cloth 12 facing the outer cloth 11, a ring-shaped member 20 held at a position in proximity of one edge it in a longer direction of the belt-like body 10 and extending in a shorter direction of the belt-like body 10, and an auxiliary member 40 housed inside a distal region Ee between the edge it of the belt-like body 10 and the ring-shaped member 20 and extending in the shorter direction. The outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 in the distal region Ee are deposited with the auxiliary member 40 sandwiched between them.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a blood pressure measurement cuff for use in a sphygmomanometer for measuring blood pressure. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a fold-back type compression cuff for a blood pressure measuring device. This compression cuff for a blood pressure measuring device is configured by sewing a hook-and-loop fastener to the surface of an exterior bag that houses an air bag. The exterior bag for this compression cuff for a blood pressure measuring device is configured by welding an outer member and an inner member. One end of this compression cuff for a blood pressure measuring device is provided with a ring member for folding back the other end of the compression cuff for a blood pressure measuring device through the ring member. A part of this ring member is sandwiched and held between the outer member and the inner member. Furthermore, this ring member is configured to be supported by the exterior bag by folding back one end of the compression cuff for a blood pressure measuring device to the inner member side and sewing it.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes a cuff for measuring blood pressure. This cuff for measuring blood pressure includes a bag-shaped band formed by welding a raised outer cloth and an inner cloth. A hook-and-loop fastener is provided on the inner cloth. A ring member for passing one end of the band is attached to the outer cloth by a ring attachment member. The ring attachment member is formed by folding back the same fabric material as the outer cloth so as to surround one side of the ring member, and sewing the folded back part to the remaining flat part. The part of the ring attachment member that is visible on the front side is raised, and can be engaged with the hook-and-loop fastener. A configuration is disclosed in which the flat part of the ring attachment member is welded to the outer cloth. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 06031859 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 06098237 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the configuration of the band provided with the ring member as in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a region in which a plate-shaped member having a certain degree of rigidity is embedded may be provided on the longitudinal outer side of the band from the ring member. This region is provided to prevent the ring member from directly contacting the measurement site and to improve the wearing comfort when wrapped around. However, this region may get into the gap of the ring member or may get folded inward when worn. As a result, pain may be felt when wearing the band.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide a cuff for measuring blood pressure which is easy to use and does not cause pain when worn due to the end regions of the band. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) a band-shaped body including a first skin member and a second skin member opposed to the first skin member, the band-shaped body including a fluid bag therein; a ring-shaped member that is held in a position close to one end edge of the band in the longitudinal direction and extends in a lateral direction of the band; an auxiliary member extending in the short direction and housed inside a terminal region between the one end edge of the band in the long direction and the ring-shaped member; The first cover member and the second cover member in the end region are welded or bonded together with the auxiliary member sandwiched therebetween.

[0008] According to (1), the first and second skin members in the end region adjacent to the ring-shaped member are welded or bonded with the auxiliary member sandwiched therebetween, so that the rigidity of this end region can be increased. As a result, this end region can be prevented from passing through the ring-shaped member. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the measurement site from being compressed when the ring-shaped member is in contact with the measurement site. In addition, the number of stitches at one end of the longitudinal direction of the band-shaped body can be reduced by welding or bonding. This not only improves durability and productivity, but also improves the appearance quality.

[0009] (2) A blood pressure measurement cuff as described in (1), A blood pressure measurement cuff in which the welded or adhesive region of the first skin member and the second skin member in the end region is formed surrounding the auxiliary member.

[0010] According to (2), since the end region has a welded region or adhesive region formed so as to surround the auxiliary member, the rigidity of the end region can be effectively increased.

[0011] (3) A blood pressure measurement cuff according to (1) or (2), the ring-shaped member is attached by being sandwiched between the first skin member and the second skin member, The first and second skin members are further welded or bonded to each other in an adjacent region adjacent to the ring-shaped member on the opposite side of the ring-shaped member from the end region.

[0012] According to (3), the ring-shaped member is surrounded and held by the terminal region and the adjacent region formed by welding or bonding. This allows the ring-shaped member to be attached with a small gap for holding the ring-shaped member, and the movable range of the ring-shaped member can be sufficiently narrowed. As a result, it is possible to more effectively prevent the terminal region from passing through the ring-shaped member.

[0013] (4) A blood pressure measurement cuff according to any one of (1) to (3), A blood pressure measurement cuff, wherein the longitudinal width of the end region is greater than a gap between the band and the ring-shaped member located outside the band.

[0014] According to (4), since the width of the end region is greater than the gap, the end region can be more effectively prevented from passing through the ring-shaped member.

[0015] (5) A blood pressure measurement cuff according to any one of (1) to (4), A blood pressure measurement cuff in which a surface of the first skin member in the end region facing the auxiliary member and the auxiliary member are fixedly attached to each other.

[0016] According to (5), the occurrence of stick-slip between the first cover member and the auxiliary member can be suppressed, thereby improving the accuracy of blood pressure measurement.

[0017] (6) A blood pressure measurement cuff according to (5), the first skin member is a member that is not in contact with the measurement site when the band-shaped body is wrapped around and fixed to the measurement site, The second skin member is a member of the blood pressure measurement cuff that comes into contact with the measurement site in the above state.

[0018] According to (6), the occurrence of stick-slip between the first cover member and the auxiliary member can be suppressed, thereby improving the accuracy of blood pressure measurement. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a blood pressure measurement cuff that is easy to use and does not cause pain when worn due to the end regions of the band. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1]1 is a plan view of a blood pressure measurement cuff according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the outer side. FIG. [Diagram 2] 2 is a plan view of the blood pressure measurement cuff shown in FIG. 1, as viewed from the direction of the inner surface. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the blood pressure measurement cuff shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion taken along line AA in FIG. [Diagram 5] 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an outer cloth and an inner cloth of the blood pressure measurement cuff shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 2 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state before a first hook-and-loop fastener is welded in the manufacture of the blood pressure measurement cuff shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] 2 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view showing a welded state of the first surface fastener shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing an end portion of the blood pressure measurement cuff shown in FIG. 1 on which a second hook-and-loop fastener is provided. FIG. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view of a portion taken along line BB in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a distal end region of the blood pressure measurement cuff shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 11] 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the terminal region taken along line CC shown in FIG. 10. [Figure 12] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the blood pressure measurement cuff shown in FIG. 1 is being attached to a measurement site. FIG. [Figure 13] 1. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a modified example of the distal end region of the blood pressure measurement cuff shown in FIG. [Figure 14] 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the terminal region taken along line CC shown in FIG. 13. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] (Outline of the body sound measuring device according to the embodiment) First, an outline of an embodiment of a blood pressure measurement cuff of the present invention will be described. In the blood pressure measurement cuff of the embodiment, a ring-shaped member that is held close to the edge of a band and a terminal region between the edge are formed by welding with an auxiliary member inside. This increases the rigidity of the terminal region, prevents the terminal region from passing through the ring-shaped member, and improves the fit of the band.

[0022] A specific example of the configuration of the blood pressure measurement cuff of the embodiment will be described below. Note that the welding method for the two members described below can be various methods such as heat welding, high frequency welding, ultrasonic welding, etc.

[0023] (Embodiment) Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blood pressure measurement cuff 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the outer side. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blood pressure measurement cuff 1 shown in Fig. 1, as viewed from the inner side. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the blood pressure measurement cuff 1 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion taken along line AA in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an outer cloth 11 and an inner cloth 12 of the blood pressure measurement cuff 1 shown in Fig. 1.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, blood pressure measurement cuff 1 comprises a band-shaped body 10 having an outer cloth 11 constituting a first skin member, and an inner cloth 12 constituting a second skin member facing the outer cloth 11. The outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 are partially fixed to each other to form a storage space SP (see Figure 4) therein. An air bag 7 constituting a fluid bag is stored in this storage space SP. A fluid bag is a bag to which and from which a fluid such as air can be supplied and discharged, and which is inflated by the supply of a fluid. The air bag 7 is capable of supplying and discharging air as a fluid.

[0025] When band 10 is wrapped around upper arm M (see FIG. 12), which is the part to be measured, it has a band-like shape that extends in the circumferential direction of upper arm M. In this state, this circumferential direction is the longitudinal direction of band 10, and the axial direction of upper arm M is the lateral direction (width direction) of band 10. Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of band 10 will also be simply referred to as the longitudinal direction, and the lateral direction of band 10 will also be simply referred to as the lateral direction.

[0026] The inner cloth 12 forms a surface that comes into contact with the upper arm M when worn on the upper arm M as shown in FIG. 12. The outer cloth 11 forms a surface that faces away from the upper arm M when worn on the upper arm M as shown in FIG. 12. In this embodiment, one longitudinal edge of the band-shaped body 10 is referred to as edge it, and the other longitudinal edge of the band-shaped body 10 is referred to as edge ut. The outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 are joined together by welding at their peripheries as described below to form an exterior bag, and the air bag 7 is located inside the bag. In this embodiment, the area where the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 are welded is indicated as a welded area Wp. The welded area Wp forms a first welded area.

[0027] The outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 each have, for example, a multi-layer structure, as shown in Fig. 5. The inner cloth 12 includes a sheet-like first member 12u made of a highly stretchable woven polyester or nylon cloth for compressing the measurement site, and a sheet-like second member 12i made of a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) film or the like adhered to the inside (storage space SP side) of the first member 12u. The first member 12u constitutes a front member. The second member 12i constitutes a back member.

[0028] The outer cloth 11 includes a sheet-like first member 11u made of knitted polyester cloth or nylon cloth or the like having extremely small stretchability (substantially non-stretchable) compared to the inner cloth 12, and a sheet-like second member 11i made of PVC film or the like bonded to the inside (storage space SP side) of the first member 11u. Making the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 each have a multi-layer structure is effective for adjusting the stretchability and strength of each.

[0029] The second member 11i of the outer cloth 11 and the second member 12i of the inner cloth 12 may be made of a material suitable for welding. Examples of such materials include materials containing resins such as thermoplastic resins. The above-mentioned welding region Wp is a region formed by welding the second member 11i and the second member 12i together.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, blood pressure measurement cuff 1 is configured such that, between outer cloth 11 and inner cloth 12, a first hook-and-loop fastener 5, a second hook-and-loop fastener 8 having a smaller planar area than the first hook-and-loop fastener 5, a bag sheet member 9 forming an air bag 7, an oblong ring-shaped member 20, a tubular stopper tube 30, and a plate-shaped auxiliary member 40 are incorporated.

[0031] The outer cloth 11 is formed with a first opening 15 which is a rectangular opening, and a second opening 18 which is a rectangular opening smaller than the first opening 15. The shape of each of the first opening 15 and the second opening 18 is rectangular, but is not limited to this, and any shape can be adopted. The second opening 18 is provided near the edge ut of the band-shaped body 10. The first opening 15 is provided between the second opening 18 and the edge it of the band-shaped body 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the first opening 15 and the second opening 18 are formed in a portion of the outer cloth 11 which forms the storage space SP.

[0032] A first hook-and-loop fastener 5 is provided corresponding to the first opening 15. The first hook-and-loop fastener 5 is welded to the outer cloth 11 in a state where it closes the first opening 15 from the storage space SP side. In this specification, the area of ​​the outer cloth 11 where the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 is welded is indicated as a welded area Wpf1. In the example of Figs. 1 and 2, the welded area Wpf1 has a substantially rectangular frame shape. The welded area Wpf1 constitutes a third welded area. Of the welded area Wpf1, the part extending in the short direction at the end on the ut side is referred to as welded area Wpf1b. Of the welded area Wpf1, the part extending in the short direction at the end on the it side is referred to as welded area Wpf1d. Of the welded area Wpf1, the parts extending in the long direction at both ends in the short direction are referred to as welded areas Wpf1a and Wpf1c.

[0033] A napped surface 5k, which is a fastener surface, is formed on the surface of the first hook-and-loop fastener 5. The first hook-and-loop fastener 5 is welded to the outer cloth 11 from the inside (the storage space SP side) of the belt-shaped body 10 with the napped surface 5k exposed from the first opening 15.

[0034] A second hook-and-loop fastener 8 is provided corresponding to the second opening 18. The second hook-and-loop fastener 8 is welded to the outer cloth 11 in a state where it closes the second opening 18 from the storage space SP side. In this specification, the area of ​​the outer cloth 11 where the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 is welded is indicated as a welded area Wpf2. In the example of Figs. 1 and 2, the welded area Wpf2 has a substantially rectangular frame shape.

[0035] A hook surface 8k is formed on the surface of the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 as a fastener surface that can engage with the napped surface 5k. The second hook-and-loop fastener 8 is welded to the outer cloth 11 from the inside of the belt-like body 10 with the hook surface 8k exposed from the second opening 18. The area of ​​the napped surface 5k exposed from the first opening 15 of the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 is larger than the area of ​​the hook surface 8k exposed from the second opening 18 of the second hook-and-loop fastener 8.

[0036] In this way, the first hook and loop fastener 5 and the second hook and loop fastener 8 are provided so that the napped surface 5k and the hook surface 8k are exposed on the outer surface side of the band-like body 10. Therefore, when the band-like body 10 is folded back at the end edge ut using the ring-shaped member 20 and wrapped around the upper arm M, the first hook and loop fastener 5 and the second hook and loop fastener 8 can be engaged with each other.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 4, the inner cloth 12 has a bag sheet member 9 welded to the surface (the second member 12i described above) on the side of the storage space SP. The bag sheet member 9 is a sheet-like member made of a highly elastic material. There are no particular limitations on the material of the bag sheet member 9, but a material containing a resin is preferably used, and for example, PVC is more preferably used.

[0038] The sheet member 9 for the bag is welded to the inner surface (second member 12i) of the inner cloth 12 at a predetermined position on the inner cloth 12 along the entire periphery. As a result, an airtight space is formed by the sheet member 9 for the bag and the inner cloth 12. This airtight space functions as the air bag 7. In this specification, the area of ​​the inner cloth 12 where the sheet member 9 for the bag is welded is indicated as a welded area Wps. In the example of Figs. 1 and 2, the welded area Wps is in the shape of a substantially rectangular frame. The welded area Wps constitutes a second welded area. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the welded area Wps is formed inside the welded area Wp of the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 that form the storage space SP.

[0039] A tube connection part 7b capable of supplying and discharging air to and from the airtight space is provided on the bag sheet member 9. The tube connection part 7b is a part to which an air tube at connected to the main body (not shown) of the sphygmomanometer is connected.

[0040] The sheet member 9 for a bag is disposed eccentrically on the edge it side of the storage space SP. In the band-shaped body 10, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 is provided on the edge it side and has a large area. Therefore, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 has an overlapping region P where it overlaps with the sheet member 9 for a bag, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 1, of the welded region Wfp1 (a roughly U-shaped portion in the example shown) between the overlapping region P of the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the outer cloth 11, the upper and lower portions (welded region Wpf1a and welded region Wpf1c) extending in the longitudinal direction are located inward in the lateral direction of the upper and lower portions (welded region Wpf1a and welded region Wpf1c) of the welded region Wps extending in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, of the welded region Wfp1 between the overlapping region P of the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the outer cloth 11, the left portion (welded region Wpf1d) extending in the lateral direction is located inward of the welded region Wps. In other words, most of the welded region Wpf1 in the overlapping region P is located inward of the welded region Wps, and has a configuration in which it has almost no overlap with the welded region Wps.

[0042] FIG. 6 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view showing the state before the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 is welded during the manufacture of the blood pressure measurement cuff 1. As shown in FIG. 6, immediately before welding, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 has the peripheral side portion 5e of the napped surface 5k facing the opening peripheral portion 15e of the first opening 15. In this state, a predetermined pressure is applied to the outer cloth 11 by the welding head WH of the welding machine to perform welding. That is, in a state in which the peripheral side portion 5e of the napped surface 5k and the second member 11i of the opening peripheral portion 15e are pressed with a predetermined pressure, the second member 11i of the opening peripheral portion 15e is melted, and the peripheral side portion 5e of the napped surface 5k penetrates into the melted portion of the second member 11i.

[0043] FIG. 7 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view showing the welded state of the first surface fastener 5 shown in FIG. 7, the opening peripheral portion 15e of the first opening 15 and the peripheral side portion 5e of the napped surface 5k are welded such that the napped surface 5k sinks into the opening peripheral portion 15e. Therefore, as can be seen from the structure of the napped surface 5k, this welding is easier for the second member 11i to intertwine with the napped surface 5k than normal welding between flat surfaces, and the engagement area can be made larger, resulting in a stronger engagement force.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 has a raised surface 5k formed on a fastener base 5b, and a fastener back member 5c fixed to the opposite side of the raised surface 5k of the fastener base 5b by adhesive or the like. The position of the tip surface of the raised surface 5k on the opposite side to the fastener base 5b is preferably located closer to the outer surface of the outer cloth 11 than the position half the thickness of the first member 11u of the outer cloth 11, and more preferably at the same position as the outer surface of the outer cloth 11. This allows the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 to be well connected. Also, the appearance quality of the cuff can be improved.

[0045] The fastener back member 5c is made of a material having the same elasticity as the first member 11u or a material having a lower elasticity than the first member 11u. For example, tarpaulin, polyester cloth, PVC film, etc. can be used for the fastener back member 5c. By selecting the material for the fastener back member 5c, the change in elasticity, strength, etc. of the outer cloth 11 caused by the formation of the first opening 15 in the outer cloth 11 can be appropriately compensated for.

[0046] The second surface fastener 8 may have a fastener back member like the first surface fastener 5, but it is preferable that the second surface fastener 8 has the following structure.

[0047] FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing the edge ut side of the blood pressure measurement cuff 1 shown in FIG. 8, the hook surface 8k of the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 is provided inside the welding area Wpf2 at approximately the same height as or slightly lower than the welding area Wpf2. The stopper portion 30b on the end edge ut side of the band-like body 10 is a thick-walled portion required to prevent the end edge ut of the band-like body 10 from slipping out of the ring-like member 20, as will be described later.

[0048] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a portion taken along line BB in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, the second hook and loop fastener 8 is structured such that, unlike the first hook and loop fastener 5, a fastener back member is not provided on the side opposite to the hook surface 8k. That is, the second hook and loop fastener 8 is composed only of the fastener base member 8b on which the hook surface 8k is formed. In the second hook and loop fastener 8, the peripheral side of the hook surface 8k that contacts the second member 11i of the outer cloth 11 is welded to the second member 11i, as in the first hook and loop fastener 5, and is firmly joined to the outer cloth 11. The position of the tip surface of the hook surface 8k on the side opposite to the fastener base member 8b side is preferably located closer to the outer surface of the outer cloth 11 than the position half the thickness of the first member 11u of the outer cloth 11, and more preferably at the same position as the outer surface of the outer cloth 11. In this way, it is possible to perform good joining between the first hook and loop fastener 5 and the second hook and loop fastener 8. In addition, the appearance quality of the cuff can be improved.

[0049] Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing the distal end region Ee of the blood pressure measurement cuff 1. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a portion taken along line CC in Fig. 10. As shown in Fig. 10, a ring-shaped member 20 is held on the band 10 at a position close to the end edge it. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 11, the ring-shaped member 20 is attached to the band 10 by being sandwiched between the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12. The ring-shaped member 20 has an elongated elliptical shape that extends slightly larger than the width of the band 10 in the short direction of the band 10.

[0050] In the end region Ee between the end edge it of the band 10 and the ring-shaped member 20, an auxiliary member 40 is provided that is rectangular in plan view and extends in the short direction substantially parallel to the ring-shaped member 20. The auxiliary member 40 is fixed so as to be sandwiched between the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12. The auxiliary member 40 is surrounded on all four sides by the welded regions Wp, and is firmly fixed so as not to move within the enclosed space. Here, the welded regions Wp around the auxiliary member 40 are formed in the entire end region Ee except for the portion where the auxiliary member 40 is disposed.

[0051] The region formed by welding two members has higher rigidity than a structure in which the two members are fixed by sewing. The material of the auxiliary member 40 is not particularly limited, but it is made of a material such as synthetic resin that is harder than the outer cloth 11. The entire end region Ee except for the auxiliary member 40 is the welded region Wp, and further includes the harder auxiliary member 40 inside. Therefore, the end region Ee is configured as a region with higher rigidity than other parts of the band-shaped body 10.

[0052] 11, the belt-shaped body 10 is configured with a welded region Wp around the attachment location of the ring-shaped member 20. In other words, the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 are also welded to each other in an adjacent region Ce that is adjacent to the ring-shaped member 20 on the opposite side of the end region Ee with the ring-shaped member 20 in between.

[0053] In this way, the ring-shaped member 20 is surrounded by the welded region Wp and is firmly attached so as not to move. Note that "not to move" here means that the ring-shaped member 20 can swing around the attachment portion, but the swing axis does not move in the longitudinal direction of the band-shaped body 10.

[0054] 11, the terminal region Ee is configured such that the width L1 in the longitudinal direction of the band 10 is larger than the width L2 of the gap Ts between the surface of the band 10 and the ring-shaped member 20 located outside the band 10. Therefore, when the terminal region Ee moves toward the ring-shaped member 20, or when the ring-shaped member 20 moves toward the terminal region Ee, it is possible to make it difficult for the edge it of the band 10 to enter the gap Ts.

[0055] (Manufacturing process of blood pressure cuff 1) The following describes an example of how to manufacture the blood pressure measurement cuff 1. In this case, the components shown in FIG.

[0056] The welding process on the outer cloth 11 side will be described. First, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 is set in a welding machine with the napped surface 5k facing upward and the outer cloth 11 overlapped thereon so that the first opening 15 is closed by the first hook-and-loop fastener 5. In this state, the second member 11i at the opening periphery 15e (see FIG. 6) of the first opening 15 and the napped surface 5k of the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 are welded. Next, the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 is welded to the outer cloth 11 in the same manner as the first hook-and-loop fastener 5.

[0057] The welding process on the inner cloth 12 side will be described. First, the pipe connection portion 7b is welded to a predetermined position of the sheet member 9 for a bag. Next, the sheet member 9 for a bag is welded to the inner surface side of the lining 12. The position of the welded area Wps of the sheet member 9 for a bag is considered so as not to overlap with most of the welded area Wp of the belt-shaped body 10 and the welded area Wpf1 of the first hook-and-loop fastener 5. For example, the width dimension of the sheet member 9 for a bag in the short-side direction of the band 10 is set to be located outside the welded area Wpf1 of the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 in the short-side direction. This allows the welded area Wps along the longitudinal direction of the band 10 to be located between the welded area Wpf1 of the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the welded area Wp at the outer edge of the band 10. As a result, the welded areas Wp, Wps, and Wpf1, which respectively extend in the longitudinal direction of the band 10, are prevented from overlapping in the thickness direction of the band 10. By preventing the overlapping of multiple welded areas each having rigidity and extending in the longitudinal direction, the rigidity of a specific portion of the band 10 is prevented from becoming high, and discomfort or discomfort due to hardened portions when the band 10 is worn is avoided.

[0058] Next, the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 are set in a welding machine with their inner sides facing each other. In this state, the outer edges of the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 are welded together. Here, the area between the adjacent area Ce and the end edge ut is welded together.

[0059] Next, the area between the ring-shaped member 20 and the edge it (terminal region Ee) is welded. For this welding, the auxiliary member 40 is inserted between the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12. Thereafter, the stopper tube 30, which has been inserted beforehand between the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12, is moved to a predetermined position on the edge ut side, and the outer periphery of the stopper tube 30 is welded to form the stopper portion 30b. This completes the manufacturing process for the blood pressure measurement cuff 1.

[0060] Through the manufacturing process described above, blood pressure measurement cuff 1 has a stitchless structure in which all of its fastening parts are formed by welded regions. Specifically, first hook-and-loop fastener 5, second hook-and-loop fastener 8 and air bag 7 are fixed and stored by welding in storage space SP formed between outer cloth 11 and inner cloth 12. Furthermore, ring-shaped member 20 and auxiliary member 40 are attached by welding to end edge it of band-shaped body 10. Moreover, stopper tube 30 is attached by welding to end edge ut of band-shaped body 10. In this manner, all of the assembly of blood pressure measurement cuff 1 is performed only by welding.

[0061] FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the blood pressure measurement cuff 1 is in the process of being attached to the upper arm M. As shown in Fig. 12, when measuring blood pressure, blood pressure measurement cuff 1 is attached to the upper arm M, which is the part to be measured. In this case, end edge ut of band 10 is passed through ring-shaped member 20 in advance. That is, by having stopper portion 30b pass through gap Ts of ring-shaped member 20, the loop shape of band 10 is always maintained, making it easy to attach it to the upper arm M.

[0062] The arm is passed through the loop of the band 10 thus formed so that the air bag 7 is positioned at a predetermined position on the upper arm M, and the portion of the band 10 through which the ring-shaped member 20 has passed is folded back and pulled. The band 10 is then pressed against the upper arm M with an appropriate pressure, and the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 is pressed against the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 to secure it in place. During this winding operation, the end region Ee does not bend unexpectedly due to its rigidity, and the inner surface of the end region Ee is maintained in contact with the upper arm M (as shown in the figure). Therefore, when winding is completed, the ring-shaped member 20 falls in the folding back direction, and the tip side 20e is always positioned outside the auxiliary member 40, and the ring-shaped member 20 does not directly touch the upper arm M.

[0063] (Effect of blood pressure cuff 1) As described above, according to the blood pressure measurement cuff 1, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 are provided on the inside of the band 10. This makes it possible to prevent objects from getting caught on the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 when the band 10 is worn, etc. As a result, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 are prevented from peeling off, and the durability of the blood pressure measurement cuff 1 can be improved.

[0064] In addition, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 are welded to the outer cloth 11. Therefore, compared to conventional sewing, the blood pressure measurement cuff 1 can be manufactured more easily and the manufacturing costs can be reduced. Furthermore, compared to a configuration in which the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 are fixed to the outer surface of the outer cloth 11 by sewing, the stitching and fastener end edges are not visible, so the appearance quality of the blood pressure measurement cuff 1 can be improved.

[0065] Furthermore, according to the blood pressure measurement cuff 1, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 can be welded to the outer cloth 11 using a material that is generally used for the outer cloth 11. Therefore, the material of existing blood pressure measurement cuffs can be used as it is for the band 10, preventing an increase in manufacturing costs.

[0066] Furthermore, according to the blood pressure measurement cuff 1, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 is provided with a fastener back member 5c having the same or lower elasticity than the first member 11u on the back side of the surface exposed from the first opening 15. This makes it possible for the fastener back member 5c to suppress an increase in elasticity of the outer cloth 11 caused by the formation of the first opening 15. As a result, it is possible to realize a compression state of the measurement site suitable for measuring blood pressure.

[0067] Furthermore, according to the blood pressure measurement cuff 1, the fastener back member 5c is provided on the back side of the first hook-and-loop fastener 5, which occupies a large proportion of the outer cloth 11. This allows the stretchability of the outer cloth 11 as a whole to be adjusted sufficiently and appropriately. As a result, it is possible to achieve compression of the measurement site suitable for measuring blood pressure.

[0068] Furthermore, according to blood pressure measurement cuff 1, fastener back member 5c is provided on the back side of first hook-and-loop fastener 5, which is closer to air bag 7 that contributes greatly to compressing the measurement site. This allows the stretchability of outer cloth 11 in the vicinity of air bag 7 to be adjusted accordingly. As a result, compression of the measurement site suitable for measuring blood pressure can be achieved.

[0069] Furthermore, according to the blood pressure measurement cuff 1, since the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 does not have a fastener back member, it is possible to simplify the configuration and reduce manufacturing costs without adding more members than necessary. The area of ​​the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 is small, and it is located close to the end edge ut. Therefore, even if the stretchability of the outer cloth 11 in the area of ​​the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 of the band 10 increases somewhat due to the presence of the second opening 18, the effect on blood pressure measurement can be made minor.

[0070] Furthermore, according to the blood pressure measurement cuff 1, the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 of the distal region Ee adjacent to the ring-shaped member 20 are welded together with the auxiliary member 40 sandwiched therebetween. This makes it possible to increase the rigidity of the distal region Ee. As a result, it is possible to prevent the distal region Ee from passing through the ring-shaped member 20. This makes it possible to prevent the measurement site from being compressed when the ring-shaped member 20 comes into contact with the measurement site. Furthermore, since the conventional stitching at the edge it of the band 10 can be reduced by welding, durability can be improved and not only productivity can be increased but also the appearance quality can be improved.

[0071] In particular, according to the blood pressure measurement cuff 1, the distal region Ee is formed with the welded region Wp so as to surround the auxiliary member 40, and therefore the rigidity of the distal region Ee can be effectively increased.

[0072] Furthermore, according to the blood pressure measurement cuff 1, the ring-shaped member 20 is surrounded by the distal region Ee and the adjacent region Ce and is held by the welded region Wp. This allows the ring-shaped member 20 to be attached to the band 10 with a small gap for holding the ring-shaped member 20. This allows the range of movement of the ring-shaped member 20 to be sufficiently narrowed. As a result, the distal region Ee can be more effectively prevented from passing through the ring-shaped member 20.

[0073] Moreover, according to the blood pressure measurement cuff 1, the width L1 of the terminal region Ee is larger than the width L2 of the gap Ts formed by the ring-shaped member 20. This makes it possible to more effectively prevent the terminal region Ee from passing through the ring-shaped member 20.

[0074] Furthermore, according to blood pressure measurement cuff 1, air bag 7 is formed by welding bag sheet member 9 to inner cloth 12. This eliminates, for example, the step of separately manufacturing the air bag, and the task of incorporating the air bag between outer cloth 11 and inner cloth 12. As a result, blood pressure measurement cuff 1 can reduce the number of parts and manufacturing steps for air bag 7, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0075] Furthermore, with blood pressure measurement cuff 1, air bag 7 can be formed by welding to inner cloth 12, so the position of air bag 7 can be determined flexibly. For example, as described above, it is possible to design it so that welded areas Wp, Wps, and Wpf1, which extend in the longitudinal direction of band-like body 10, do not overlap in the thickness direction of band-like body 10. This improves the fit of band-like body 10.

[0076] Moreover, in blood pressure measurement cuff 1, bag sheet member 9 constituting air bag 7 is not fixed to outer cloth 11. Therefore, outer cloth 11 can be processed freely. As a result, the design freedom of the cuff is increased and manufacturing costs can be reduced. Moreover, in blood pressure measurement cuff 1, bag sheet member 9 is configured as a separate body from outer cloth 11, and is not fixed to outer cloth 11. Therefore, noise transmitted from outer cloth 11 to air bag 7 can be suppressed, and blood pressure measurement accuracy can be improved.

[0077] Furthermore, in the blood pressure measurement cuff 1, the welded region Wpf1d of the welded region Wfp1 between the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the outer cloth 11 is located inside the welded region Wps. This prevents the overlapping region of the welded region Wps and the welded region Wpf1d from hardening the band-like body 10. As a result, the fit of the band-like body 10 can be improved.

[0078] (Modification of blood pressure measurement cuff 1) In the above embodiment, both the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 are described as hook-and-loop fasteners, but the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 only need to be able to engage with each other, and one side may simply be a normal cloth with a nap structure. In other words, the first member 12u of the outer cloth 11 may be made of a cloth with a nap structure, and one hook-and-loop fastener capable of engaging with the nap structure of the outer cloth 11 may be provided by welding to the outer cloth 11. In the above embodiment, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 is made of a nap surface 5k, and the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 is made of a hook surface 8k, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be configured inversely.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the air bag 7 is formed by welding the bag sheet member 9 only to the inner cloth 12 of the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12, but the reverse configuration may be used. That is, the air bag 7 may be formed by welding the bag sheet member 9 only to the outer cloth 11 of the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12. Specifically, the bag sheet member 9 may be welded to the second member 11i of the outer cloth 11 to form the air bag 7. In this case, the welded area between the outer cloth 11 and the bag sheet member 9 may be provided at the same position as the welded area Wps in FIG. 2 in a plan view. In this configuration, the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 and the welded area Wps of the bag sheet member 9 partially overlap. However, the fastener back member 5c exists in the first hook-and-loop fastener 5. Therefore, in this overlapping portion, the bag sheet member 9 can be welded to the outer cloth 11 via the first hook-and-loop fastener 5.

[0080] In addition, in the above embodiment, the ring-shaped member 20 is configured to be attached between the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12, but this is not limited to this, and for example, it may be configured to be held on the outer surface of the belt-shaped body 10 via a separate attachment member.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 in the end region Ee are welded with the auxiliary member 40 sandwiched therebetween, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 in the end region Ee may be bonded and fixed with the auxiliary member 40 sandwiched therebetween. Similarly, the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 in the adjacent region Ce may be bonded and fixed. In this case, the range of the bonded region is the same as the welded region Wp. As a bonding method, a method of applying an adhesive to either the outer cloth 11 or the inner cloth 12 to bond them, a method of attaching a thermosetting tape to either the outer cloth 11 or the inner cloth 12 and heating them to bond them, and the like can be adopted.

[0082] In addition, the auxiliary member 40 in the blood pressure measurement cuff 1 is contained in a space sealed by the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12, and therefore hardly moves within this space. However, in order to more effectively prevent the movement of the auxiliary member 40, it is preferable to configure the auxiliary member 40 to be fixed to the outer cloth 11. This modified example will be described below with reference to Figs. 13 and 14.

[0083] Fig. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing a modified example of the distal region Ee of the blood pressure measurement cuff 1 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the distal region Ee taken along line CC shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 13 has the same configuration as Fig. 10, except that five fastening regions 40W are added to the distal region Ee of the blood pressure measurement cuff 1.

[0084] The fixed region 40W is a region where the auxiliary member 40 is fixed to a part of the region of the inner surface of the outer cloth 11 (the second member 11i shown in FIG. 5) facing the auxiliary member 40 by welding, adhesion, or the like. In the example of FIG. 13, five fixed regions 40W are provided side by side at equal intervals in the short side direction of the belt-shaped body 10. The presence of these fixed regions 40W allows the surface 40A (see FIG. 14) of the auxiliary member 40 facing the outer cloth 11 to be fixed to the outer cloth 11.

[0085] When measuring blood pressure, the second hook-and-loop fastener 8 is pressed against the first hook-and-loop fastener 5 from the state shown in FIG. 12 to fix the blood pressure measurement cuff 1 to the upper arm M. Then, the compression pressure on the upper arm M is increased (pressurized) or decreased (depressurized) by supplying and discharging air to and from the air bag 7. During this pressurization and depressurization, the region of the outer cloth 11 in the terminal region Ee that overlaps with the auxiliary member 40 and the inner cloth 12 rub against each other. The presence of the fixed region 40W makes it possible to prevent stick-slip from occurring between the surface 40A of the auxiliary member 40 and the outer cloth 11, which is caused by such rubbing between the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 in the terminal region Ee. Preventing stick-slip from occurring makes it possible to suppress noise during blood pressure measurement and improve the accuracy of blood pressure measurement.

[0086] In the example of FIG. 13, five fixed regions 40W are provided, but at least one may be provided. When only one fixed region 40W is provided, it is preferable to provide the fixed region 40W near the center of the short side of the auxiliary member 40. Also, the fixed region 40W is provided in a spot manner on the auxiliary member 40, but is not limited thereto. For example, the entire surface 40A of the auxiliary member 40 may be fixed to the outer cloth 11, or a linear fixed region extending in the longitudinal direction may be provided on a part of the surface 40A of the auxiliary member 40. The configuration of FIG. 13 has the advantage that the fixed region 40W can be easily formed. Also, a configuration may be adopted in which the surface opposite to the surface 40A of the auxiliary member 40 (the surface facing the inner cloth 12) is further fixed to the inner cloth 12. This enables further noise suppression. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the surface opposite to the surface 40A of the auxiliary member 40 (the surface facing the inner cloth 12) is fixed to the inner cloth 12, and the surface 40A of the auxiliary member 40 is not fixed to the outer cloth 11. Even with this configuration, a noise reduction effect can be expected by suppressing stick-slip between the inner cloth 12 and the auxiliary member 40.

[0087] Furthermore, instead of providing the fixed region 40W, the surface of the outer cloth 11 in the end region Ee and the surface of the inner cloth 12 that may come into contact with this surface may be processed to make them more slippery against each other. This also makes it possible to suppress the force caused by the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12 rubbing against each other from being transmitted to the auxiliary member 40, thereby preventing the occurrence of stick-slip.

[0088] Note that as the thickness of the auxiliary member 40 increases, noise due to stick-slip tends to increase. Therefore, from the viewpoint of suppressing stick-slip, it is preferable to reduce the thickness of the auxiliary member 40. However, it should be noted that even if the auxiliary member 40 is made thin, it is difficult to completely suppress stick-slip.

[0089] The auxiliary member 40 described above has a rectangular plate shape, for example. The corners of this rectangular plate are preferably rounded (chamfered). The rounded corners of the auxiliary member 40 can reduce pain when the corners of the auxiliary member 40 come into contact with the measurement site. In addition, the corners of the auxiliary member 40 can be prevented from damaging the outer cloth 11 and the inner cloth 12. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1 Blood Pressure Cuff 5 First hook-and-loop fastener 5c Zipper back material 5e Peripheral side 5k brushed surface (zipper surface) 8k hook surface (zipper surface) 7 Air Bag 7b Pipe connection part 8 Second hook-and-loop fastener 10. Band 11 Outer fabric (first skin member) 11u, 12u First component 11i,12i Second member 12 Inner cloth (second skin member) 15 First opening 15e Opening edge 18 Second opening 20 リング-shaped parts 40 Subsidy materials Ce adjacent areas Ee End Field it terminal ut end edge Ts gap Wp melting area (first melting area) Wps dissolution area (second dissolution area) Wpf1 dissolution area (third dissolution area) Wpf2 Dissolution Field

Claims

1. a band-shaped body including a first skin member and a second skin member opposed to the first skin member, the band-shaped body including a fluid bag therein; a ring-shaped member that is held in a position close to one end edge of the band in the longitudinal direction and extends in a lateral direction of the band; an auxiliary member extending in the short direction and housed inside a terminal region between the one end edge of the band in the long direction and the ring-shaped member; the ring-shaped member and the auxiliary member are attached by being sandwiched between the first skin member and the second skin member, The first skin member and the second skin member are welded or bonded to an adjacent region adjacent to the ring-shaped member, the adjacent region being located on the opposite side of the end region with the ring-shaped member therebetween, and to an entire area of ​​the end region excluding the auxiliary member, the ring-shaped member is attached by being sandwiched between the first skin member and the second skin member which are welded or bonded at the adjacent region and the end region between the auxiliary member and the ring-shaped member; The blood pressure measurement cuff has an auxiliary member sandwiched between the first skin member and the second skin member in the end region, the first skin member and the second skin member being welded or bonded in a state surrounding the auxiliary member.

2. A blood pressure measuring cuff as claimed in claim 1, A blood pressure measurement cuff, wherein the longitudinal width of the end region is greater than a gap between the band and the ring-shaped member located outside the band.

3. A blood pressure measuring cuff according to claim 1 or 2, A blood pressure measurement cuff in which a surface of the first skin member in the end region facing the auxiliary member and the auxiliary member are fixedly attached to each other.

4. A blood pressure measuring cuff as claimed in claim 3, the first skin member is a member that is not in contact with the measurement site when the band-shaped body is wrapped around and fixed to the measurement site, The second skin member is a member of the blood pressure measurement cuff that comes into contact with the measurement site in the above state.

Images