Wrist Cuff Winding Check for Reliable Nighttime Blood Pressure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sphygmomanometers struggle to perform accurate blood pressure measurements during sleep due to the inability to ensure proper cuff winding when the subject is asleep, as they cannot rewind the cuff if it is loosely wound.

Innovation Solution

A sphygmomanometer with a mode operation unit for switching between normal and nighttime blood pressure measurement modes, including a first and second determination unit to assess cuff winding state using a pressure sensor, and a notification unit to inform the user of the winding state, with a stricter criterion for nighttime measurements to ensure tighter winding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the cuff is loosely wound around the measurement target site, then the subject can be comfortable during sleep, but accurate blood pressure measurement cannot be performed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomfort during sleepVSAvoidblood pressure measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary winding determination before blood pressure measurement to ensure the cuff is properly wound. The determination unit assesses the winding state by detecting pressure changes when the cuff is temporarily pressurized, and only proceeds with measurement when proper winding is confirmed, preventing inaccurate measurements due to loose winding during sleep

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Duration of action of stationary object

If the subject is sleeping during nighttime blood pressure measurement, then continuous monitoring is achieved, but the subject cannot rewind the cuff if it is loosely wound

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous monitoring durationVSAvoidmeasurement reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-checking of the cuff winding state through automatic determination by the determination unit. The system independently assesses whether the cuff is properly wound by detecting pressure changes during temporary pressurization, eliminating the need for subject intervention even when sleeping, thus maintaining measurement reliability throughout continuous nighttime monitoring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback about the winding state to the control unit, which then decides whether to proceed with measurement. The determination unit's assessment of the winding state feeds back into the control logic, enabling the system to adjust its measurement strategy based on the actual cuff condition, ensuring reliable measurements during continuous nighttime monitoring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If winding determination is performed immediately before blood pressure measurement, then measurement accuracy is ensured, but the subject cannot rewind the cuff when sleeping

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood pressure measurement accuracyVSAvoidcuff rewinding capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Enables accurate blood pressure measurement during sleep by ensuring the cuff is properly wound before measurements, thereby maintaining measurement reliability and accuracy.

Implementation Method 1

a pressure sensor that detects a pressure inside a blood pressure measuring cuff by temporarily pressing a wrist as a measurement target site with the cuff

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure detection:

Implementation Method 2

measuring a blood pressure by an oscillometric method by temporarily pressing a wrist as a measurement target site with the cuff

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentUS12533037B2Sphygmomanometer, blood pressure measurement method, and computer-readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2026.01.27 OMRON HEALTHCARE CO LTD

AI summary

A sphygmomanometer performs blood pressure measurement by an oscillometric method using a pressure sensor detecting pressure inside a blood pressure measuring cuff by temporarily pressing a wrist as a measurement target site with the cuff, also including: a mode operation unit inputting an instruction mode for switching a mode to a nighttime blood pressure measurement mode wherein the blood pressure measurement is automatically started according to a predetermined schedule; a first determination unit that temporarily pressurizes the cuff to a pressure lower than a cuff pressure used for the blood pressure measurement along with an input instruction mode and a shift to the nighttime blood pressure measurement mode, and determines a winding state of the cuff on the basis of an output of the pressure sensor; and a notification unit that, along with determination of the winding state of the cuff, notifies the determined winding state of the cuff.