Elliptical Finger Cuff for Optical Alignment Across Finger Sizes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing finger cuffs for optical blood pressure monitoring often suffer from misalignment and overtight applications due to incorrect sizing, leading to inaccurate readings.
Innovation Solution
A deformable elliptical finger cuff with a fixed angle between a light source and detector, allowing for variable sizing and alignment, reducing the likelihood of misalignment and overtight applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a finger cuff is wrapped tightly about a finger to ensure proper fit, then the cuff secures well on the finger, but misalignment of optical components occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The finger cuff employs an asymmetric elliptical geometry where the light source and detector are positioned at specific locations on the elliptical path. This asymmetric arrangement ensures that even when the cuff is wrapped tightly, the optical components maintain their relative positioning and alignment, preventing misalignment while ensuring secure fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The finger cuff utilizes an elliptical curved geometry rather than a circular or linear structure. This curved elliptical design allows the cuff to conform to the finger shape while maintaining the optical path integrity. The elliptical shape distributes the wrapping tension evenly, preventing localized deformation that could cause optical misalignment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different sized finger cuffs are used to accommodate varying finger circumferences, then proper fit is achieved, but misalignment of optical components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The finger cuff design allows dynamic adjustment of its elliptical shape through wrapping tension. The elliptical geometry enables the cuff to adapt to different finger sizes while maintaining the optical path relationship between the light source and detector. The dynamic wrapping action ensures consistent optical alignment across various finger circumferences without requiring multiple fixed sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The elliptical finger cuff design serves multiple functions: it accommodates varying finger sizes, maintains optical component alignment, and ensures secure fit. This universal design eliminates the need for multiple specialized cuff sizes while maintaining measurement accuracy across different patient populations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the finger cuff is made deformable to fit various finger sizes, then sizing flexibility is improved, but optical component alignment may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable elliptical cuff maintains asymmetric positioning of optical components through the wrapping mechanism. The elliptical geometry ensures that as the cuff deforms to fit different finger sizes, the relative positions of the light source and detector remain consistent, preserving optical alignment while achieving sizing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The elliptical curved structure provides deformability that accommodates finger size variations while maintaining optical path integrity. The curved geometry distributes deformation evenly across the cuff, preventing localized stress that could misalign optical components, thus achieving both flexibility and precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The elliptical design ensures accurate blood pressure measurements by maintaining optical component alignment and preventing incorrect sizing, enhancing measurement precision.
Implementation Method 1
The light source is situated such that the light source is configured to emit light towards an interior opening of the band
Implementation Method 2
The light detector is situated at a fixed non-zero angle relative to the light source with respect to a central point of the interior opening of the band such that the light detector is configured to receive the light emitted by the light source
Data Source
AI summary
A finger cuff for optically measuring blood pressure includes a band having a closed elliptical shape, a light source within the band, and a light detector within the band. The band has a first diameter and a second diameter. The band is deformable such that the band's circumference along an interior surface is constant while the first and second diameters are variable. The light source is situated such that the light source is configured to emit light towards an interior opening of the band. The light detector is situated at a fixed non-zero angle relative to the light source with respect to a central point of the interior opening of the band such that the light detector is configured to receive the light emitted by the light source.