Rotating Sensor Array for Artery Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blood pressure measurement devices face challenges in achieving accurate measurements due to variations in the positional relationship between sensors and arteries, particularly when the pressure sensor's position is altered by the pressing force, and struggle to maintain precise alignment with the radial artery.

Innovation Solution

A blood pressure measurement device equipped with a biaxial rotating mechanism and an air bag system that adjusts the sensor unit's position relative to the radial artery, allowing for flexible contact and precise alignment through controlled air pressure and rotational adjustments to optimize sensor contact and measurement accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the pressure sensor is pressed against the living body part to obtain measurement information, then the measurement capability is improved, but the position of the artery may be varied by the pressing force, causing measurement inaccuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidpositional stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing surface is made rotatable about a rotation axis to dynamically adjust its orientation. This allows the sensor array to adapt to the artery's position changes caused by pressing force, maintaining measurement accuracy while the artery is being compressed for detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system detects the distribution of measurement information across the sensor array and uses this feedback to determine the optimal rotation angle of the pressing surface. This closed-loop control ensures the sensors remain optimally positioned relative to the artery despite pressing-induced displacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If the pressing surface is formed with an arrangement of plural pressure sensor arrays to improve measurement capability, then the measurement coverage is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using multiple fixed sensor arrays at different positions, the invention uses a single rotatable pressing surface with sensor arrays. The rotation capability provides dynamic repositioning that replaces the need for multiple static arrays, reducing structural complexity while maintaining measurement capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If a rotation mechanism is provided to rotate the pressing plate to adjust sensor position, then the adaptability to artery position is improved, but the device complexity and size increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to artery positionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotation mechanism serves multiple functions: it adjusts the pressing surface orientation to adapt to artery position, optimizes sensor alignment with the artery, and enables the system to compensate for pressing-induced artery displacement. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing several benefits from a single mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3213677B1Blood pressure measurement device
Publication Date: 2021.12.08 OMRON HEALTHCARE CO LTD
  • EP3213677B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3213677B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3213677B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A blood pressure measurement device is equipped with a pressing surface 6b which is formed with an element array of plural pressure sensors 6a arranged in one direction and an element array of plural pressure sensors 7a arranged in the one direction, an air bag 2 for pressing the pressing surface 6b against a living body, a control unit 12 for calculating blood pressure values in a radius artery T on the basis of pressure pulse waves that are detected by the pressure sensors 6a and 7a in a state that the pressing surface 6b is pressed against the living body by the air bag 2, and a rotational drive unit 10 for performing driving to rotate the pressing surface 6b about each of axes X and Y that are perpendicular to a pressing direction of the air bag 2.