US2444161A - Sphygmomanometer cuff, inflatable tourniquet or the like, and method of forming the same - Google Patents

Description

I June 29; 1948.

, J. D. HANAFIN 2,444,161' SPHYGMOMANOMETER CUFF, INFLATABLE TOURNIQUET OR THE LIKE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME F iled Sept. 16, 1944 I Z She ets-Sheet 1 F INVENTOR 4 JOjEPH D. HANAFIN June 29, 1948. HANAF|N- 2,444,161

SPHYGMOMANOMETER CUFF, INFLATABLE TOURNIQUE'I' on THE LIKE AND METHOD OF- FORMING THE SAME Filed Sept. 16, 1944 2 SheetsSheet 2 INVENITOR 5 PH D. HANAFlN ATTORNEYS Patented June 29, 1948 SPHYGMOMANOMETER CUFF, INFLATABLE TOUBNIQUET on THE LIKE, AND METHOD or ORMIN HE E Joseph D. Hanafin, Chicago, Ill., assignor to W.

A. Baum (3.0., 1110., on o w York New iiork, N. Y., a corpora,-

" Application September 16, 1944, Serial No. 554,346

relates to a sph-ygmomanometer cuff, air-inflated pressure tourniquet or the like, and to a method of forming and making the same.

The usual open-type sphygmomanometer fabric cuff, including an inflatable rubber bag disposed within the casing at one portion thereofiis se- This invention cured around the arm of the patient by a winding and wrapping operation and by tucking the end of the material under the wound portions of the cufi. Such cuffs are awkward to apply and require a considerable length of material for their construction. They do, however, have the advantage when applied, of conforming to the contour of the arm. Other known open type cuffs also require wrapping and are provided with latching means to hold the same in position for inflation of the bag. i

It is an object of the present invention to provide a flexible fabric cuff, including an inflatable rubber bag, tourniquet or the like, which can be applied with case without wrapping and winding. To that end a cuff, tourniquet or the like is provided in the form of a closed loop which has the advantage of being easily applied and removed and which when applied conforms readily to almost any shape and size of arm or limb within reasonable limits, as effectively as the open-type of cuff. n

A further object'of theinvention is to provide a method of forming and making the closed-loop cuff, tourniquet or the like from a single strip of fabric, so that the resulting cuff and casing is provided with a series of integrally formed cartridge-like pockets or loops providing means on the outer surface thereof for retaining the fastening hooks after being inserted therein.

According to the present invention, the cuff, tourniquet or the'likc is in the form of a closed loop of a sufiicientdiameter into which the patients arm or leg may be inserted readily. The cuff is thereupon closely applied about the arm or leg by gathering together the slack end portion of the loop and folding the same back upon itself over the portion closely contacting and enclosing the arm. One form of cuif is made from a single strip of material with its sides folded inwardly and the folded strip stitched crosswise along its length to provide two rows of cartridgelike pockets or loops atpopposite sides of the cuff into which'the fastening hooks can be inserted easily. The ends of the foided and stitched strip are stitched or otherwise connected together to provide a closed .or endless loop .of such size as to enclose, with some slack, arms or legs of a reasonable range of sizes. Two spaced flapssor fastens 7 ing projections, which can flex independently of each other, are located respectively at the sides of the cuff and in alignment with the pocket rows. U-shaped hooks, each of which has a leg portion adapted to fit the pockets, are respectively se- The hooks can be fastened cured to the flaps.

in staggered pockets can be adjusted to other edge of the cuff so that one edge of the can a greater length than the Fig. 1 shows a sphygmomanometer cuff attached to a patients arm with the hooks fitted in staggered pockets, thereby allowing the cuff to be adjusted to the arm shape;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the cuff as it ap-f pears unattached from the patient; Y

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the single fabric strip from which the cuff the strip is folded;

Fig. 4 is a .crossesectional view of the folded portion of the strip and taken on line 4-4 of" Fig. 3; v

Fig. 5 is a modified form of a cuff wherein the cartridge-like pockets are formed by sewing narrow strips on the outer side of the main strip;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-4: of Fig. 5 and through the inflatable bag covering;

Fig. 7 is a. perspective view of the tourniquet" made from a'half section of the folded strip of Fi 4;

Fig. 8 is a perspective viewof the tourniquetf of Fig. 7 applied to the patients arm;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of tourniquet with the pockets made plemental narrow strip; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the line Iii-4i) of Fig. 9 with portions of the tourniquet in perspective extending therefrom and with a hook in a pocket. 7

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, one form of cuff I2 is shown. strip I3, Fig. material, 4!.

3, of fabri, twill or other flexible whereby the cuff can readily conform to dimensional variations of the pais made and illustrating how from a sup- This cuff is made from a single The strip has three ngtches I 4, i4 and j cut in each of its ends and is folded from opposite sides along lines extending from end to end and between outer notches, as illustrated at 15, and with its outer edge 16 folded under, as indicated at 11. Two-ply or tongue-shaped projections l8, 19 are thus formed of the folded strip ends, one at each side of inner'notch l4. Several spaced parallel stitchings 2B are made crosswise of the strip to provide two rows or series of cartridge-like pockets or loops 2|, one row at each side of the strip. The pockets or loops provide fastening-member receiving devices on the outer surface of the casing. The ends of the strip are brought together so that projections l8, 19 of one end are matched with projections I6, IQ of the other end, and the ends of the projections themselves are turned in and sewed together at 23 to retain U-shaped hooks or fastening members 24 by their legs 25. The projections ar again sewed at 26 parallel to sewing 23 to finally retain the hooks on the combined projections or flaps 21, Figs. 1, 2. A lug 28 on the hook leg 25 revents the hook from sliding out of the parallel sewings 23, 26. The strip ends are again stitched or otherwise secured along line 23 to provide closed-loop flexible casing 30 large enough to have any siZe limb inserted and still have slack portions or slack ends 3| which may be gathered and folded or drawn over an ungathered portion 32 to tighten the loop on the patients limb. ,By virtue of the end notches l4, the flaps 21 can flex independent ly of one another and along line 29. The hooks 24 on the flaps 21 each have an attaching leg 33 which extends outwardly and is adapted to be inserted in any of the pockets 2|.

On the inner side of the closed loop 30 an inflatable bag 34 is retained by a covering fabric 35 stitched to the fabric strip I3. This bag has hose connections 36 and 31 having, respectively, a pressure gauge 38 and a pumping bulb 39.

The patient merely inserts his arm 40 through the loop 36 to locate the cuff on the upper portion 4| thereof and adjacent the arm artery. The slack portions 3| are gathered together and folded over the ungathered portions 32 to tightly fit the cuff to the upper arm portion 4|. Since the arm may have a larger diameter at the upper edge of the cuff than at the lower edge, the hooks 24 are inserted in their in staggered relation with one another, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper hook thus lies rearwardly of the lower hook to provide an increased amount of cuff at the upper edge. Since the flaps can be separately flexed, the adjustment is made without the cuff being ruflled. Once the hooks are fitted'into the pockets, the blood pressure within the artery can'be taken. The air bulb 39 is operated to inflate the ba 34 until the fiow of blood in the artery is stopped. At this point, the pressure reading is taken from the gauge 38.

Referring now to Figs. 5, 6, a double cuff 45 is shown which is applied in the same manner that cuff I2 is applied but which is differently constructed. The cartridge-like pockets 46 are formed by stitching onto a main wide strip or web 41, as indicated at 48, separate parallel narrow strips 49 and 50. The main strip 41 is one piece throughout its entire length. An inflatable bag is retained by a covering fabric 5!" stitched to themain strip 41.

Both of the narrow strips and the main strip have sewed to their parallel edges, folded-over reinforcing tape 52.

One end of the main web has separately flexed flaps 53, 54 having hooks 55, 56 secured thereto by folding overthe flap ends and sewing them as to Figs. '7, 8, there is shown an formed from a half section of the folded strip l3 of Fig. 3. A strip I3 is cut in two after it has been folded, and the cut edge is folded over and forcing edge 65, when stitched, opposite to main pocket fold 65. Main pocket fold 66 is stitched to provide a series of cartridge-like pockets or respective rows of pockets,

. provided a method whereby loops 58 adapted to receive a U-shaped hook 69 secured to joined ends 10 of the folded strip.

This tourniquet is applied to an arm 15 in the same manner that the wide sphygmomanometer cuff is applied. The arm is inserted through closed loop 1| and slack portions 12, 13 are folded back firmly, over the remaining or ungathered portions 14 of the loop tightly about the arm, Fig. 8. Hook 59 is inserted into one of the cartridge-like pockets 58.

A narrow inflatable bag 16, having hose connections 11, 18 is secured to the inner side of the loop by covering fabric 19. The bag 16 is inflated in the usual manner to shut off the blood flow through the arm. When it is desired to reestablish circulation of the blood through the arm, air may bewithdrawn from the inflated bag 16, to the extent required. If it is desired to permit the free flow of blood, the hook 69 may be withdrawn from the pocket in which it is located and the complete release of the tourniquet effected. No unwrapping or untwisting is thus necessary to remove the tourniquet.

Referring to Figs. 9, 10, there is a tourniquet constructed similarly to the cuff 45 of Figs. 5, 6. Cartridge-like pockets 8| are formed by stitching a, narrow strip 82 upon main strip or web 83. Both of these strips have their edges reinforced with folded-over tapes 84 and 85. The stitching to provide the pockets BI is indicated at 85 and is made across the full width of the main strip83. The ends of the strip are joined at 81 with hook 88 secured thereto. Inflatable bag 89 is secured to theinner side of the main strip 83 by cloth covering 90 stitched thereto.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a sphygmomanometer cufi, tourniquet or the like, which can be readily applied to the patients limb without having to perform a tedious wrapping or winding operation thereupon and yet fitting the limb with the exactness of the pped type of cuff.

It should also be apparent that there has been the fastening pockets are formed by a simple folding operation from a single strip.

What is claimed is:

1. A sphygmomanometer cuff, tourniquet, or the like comprising a closed loop of flexible material including an inflatable bag, through which loop a limb of a patient may be easily inserted, portions of which loop, after the limb is so inserted, being adapted to be gathered and folded over ungathered portions thereof, and means for fastening the gathered portions to the ungathered portions of the loop to finally fix the cuff to e Patients limb.

under to provide a reinfl which are thus drawn 2. A sphygmom-anometer cuff, tourniquet, or the like comprising a closed loop of flexible material adapted to be placed over and around an arm or leg to loosely enclose the same, an inflatable bag disposed within the loop at one portion thereof, a, series of spaced fastening-member receiving devices on the outer surface of theloop, and a fastening member fixed to a slack end of theloopadapted to be inserted in the receiving devices after folding back the slack end of the loop upon itself and over the arm or leg.

3. A sphygmomanometer cuff comprising a closed-loop flexible casing adapted who placed over and around an arm or leg to loosely enclose the same, an inflatable bag disposed within said casing, two series of pockets arranged adjacently on the outer surface of said casing, andtwo hooks afflxed to one end of said casing adapted to be independently inserted in the'pockets after folding back the slack end of the casing upon itself over the portion directly contacting and enclosing the arm or leg to .retain said casing in place for inflation of said bag and in closely conformed relation to the contour of the arm or leg therewithin.

4. In a sphygmomanometer cuff, tourniquet, or the like, a closed loop of flexible material including an inflatable bag, through which loop-a'limb" of'a patient may be easily insert-ed, said loop being adapted to have a slack portion when thepatients limb has'been so inserted, a pair of independently flexed flaps formed onthe slack portion of the loop respectively at opposite sides of the loop, fastening members respectively connected to the flaps, and two rows of fastening-member receiving devices on the outer side of the loop to which thefastening members are respectively secured when the slack portion is gathered and folded over ungathered portions of the loop to finally secure the loop to the patients limb.

5. In a sphygmomanometer cuff, tourniquet, or the like, a flexible strip having tongue-shaped ends and a row of cartridge-like pockets provided on said strip, said strip having its ends connected together to form a closed-loop flexible casing through which a limb of a patient may be easily inserted, an inflatable bag disposed within the casing at one portion thereof, and a hook secured to the combined tongue-shaped ends of the strip and adapted to be inserted in the row of pockets when a slack portion of the casing is gathered together and folded over ungathered portions of the casing.

6. In a sphygmomanometer cuff, tourniquet or the like, a, closed loop of flexible material having a row of cartridge-like pockets on the outer side thereof, an inflatable bag disposed within the loop, said loop having a slack portion when fitted over a patients limb, and a U-shaped hook having two legs and adapted to be connected by one of its legs to the slack portion so that its other leg is free to be inserted in the row of cartridgelike pockets to secure the cuff upon a patients limb.

7. A tourniquet, or the like, fashioned from a single strip of flexible material folded and stitched to provide a row of cartridge-like pockets, the ends of the strip being united to provide a closed-loop flexible casing, an inflatable bag disposed within the casing, and a U-shaped hook connected by one of its legs to the casing so that its other leg is free'to be inserted into the row of cartridge-like pockets as a slack portion of the casing is gathered and folded over ungathered portions of the casing.

easily inserted, after the limb 8; In a sphygmomanometer' cuff, tourniquet'or thellke, a closed loopof flexible material having a row of: cartridge-like pockets on the outer side thereof, said loophaving aslack portion-when fitted over a patientslimb, an inflatable bagdisposed within the loop,'and a U-shaped hook having two legs, said hook being connected; by one of itslegs to the slack portion by the provision of a sleeve formation about the said oneleg, the said one leg having a lug to prevent the shock from being disengaged from the sleeve formation; the other of said legs being free, to be inserted therrow of cartridge-like pockets to secure the cull to the patients limb.

9. A sphygmornanometer cuif, tourniquet, or the like comprising a closed loop of flexible ma terial through which a limb of a patient mayrbe said loop having a slack'fportion, has been inserted, adapted to;be, gathered and folded; over ungathercd. portionsof the loop, said loop further having two rows ,of fastening member-receiving device, one along .each side thereof, an inflatable bag disposed within the loop, and apair of fastening members on the slack. portion of the loop, one at each side of said loop, and adapted to cooperate respectively with corresponding fastening-member receiving deviceasaid fastening members being adapted to be connected respectively to staggered receiving devices, whereby the cuif may be adjusted to conform to the dimensional variations of the patients limb. l I

1-0. Inv a sphyginomanometer cuff, tourniquet, or'the like, a flexible strip having separated pro-.- jections on each end thereof and two parallel rows of cartridge-likepockets on one side thereof, said strip having its ends connected together to provide a closed loop through which a ,limblof a patient may be easily. inserted and having its projections connected to provide independently flexed flaps on the outer side of the loop, an inflatable bag disposed within the loop, and a hook secured to each of the flaps and adapted to be inserted in a corresponding row of pockets when a slack portion of the loop is gathered together and folded over ungathered portions of the loop.

11. In a sp y momanometer cuff, tourniquet, or the like, a flexible strip having separated projections on one end thereof and two rows of cartrid'ge- -like pockets on the outer side thereof, said strip having its one end connected to the opposite end along a, line below the base of the projections to provide thereby a closed loop having cartridge-like pockets and a pair of independently flexed flaps, an inflatable bag disposed within the loop, and a hook secured to each of the flaps and adapted to be inserted in a corresponding row of pockets when a slack portion of the loop is gathered together and folded over ungathered portions of the loo 12. In a tourniquet or the like, a flexible strip having a row of cartridge-like pockets on one side thereof, said strip being joined at its ends to provide a closed loop, an inflatable bag disposed within the loop, and a U-shaped hook connected by one of its legs to the joined ends so that its other leg is free to be inserted in the row of cartridge-like pockets as a slack portion of the loop is gathered and folded over ungathered portions of the loop.

13. The method of forming a sphygmomanometer cuff, tourniquet or the like, from a single strip of flexible material which comprises folding the strip from one edge thereof toward the opposite edge thereof, stitching the folded strip transversely to provide a row of cartridge-like pockets hooks may be inserted to secure into which fastening hooks may be inserted to secure the cuff or the like to a limb of a patient, and finally stitching the ends of the folded strip together to provide a closed loop into which the patients limb may be easily inserted.

14. The method of forming asphygmomanometer cull, tourniquet or the like, from a single strip of flexible material which comprises folding the strip from both sides thereof toward the middle, stitchin the folded strip transversely to provide two rows of cartridge-like pockets into which fastening hooks may be inserted to secure the cuff or the like upon a limb of a patient, and stitching the ends of the folded provide a closed loop into which the patients limb may be easily inserted.

15. The method of forming a sphygmomanometer cuff, tourniquet or the like, from a single strip of flexible material which comprises forming three notches in each of the ends of the strip, folding the sides of the strip over lines extending between the outer notches at the ends, stitching the folded strip transversely to provide two rows of cartridge-like pockets in to which fastening the cuff or the like to a limb of a patient, stitching the ends of the strip together along the base line of the notches to provide a closed loop, further stitching the notched ends together to provide separate flaps, and connecting hooks to the flaps.

16. In a sphygmomanometer cuff, tourniquet, or the like, a closed loop of flexible material fashioned from a single strip of the material folded and stitched to provide two rows of cartridge-like pockets with the entrances to the pockets of the two rows facing each other, said strip having its ends stitched together to form a closed loop, an inflatable bag disposed within the loop, and two hooks each secured to the outside of the'loop at strip together to substantially the same position on the periphery of the loop in line with one of said rows and adapted to engage independently of the other any one of the pockets in the row with which it is in line.

17. A sphygmomanometer cuff, tourniquet, or the like fashioned from a single strip of flexible material having a notch at each end and folded lengthwise to provide by means of crosswise stitchin two rows of pockets with their open ends facing each other, the ends of the strip being lapped together with the notches in coincidence and stitched down to the base of the notches to provide a closed loop with two independently flexed flaps exterior to the loop, an inflatable bag disposed within the loop, and a hook fastened to each of-the flaps and adapted to engage any one pocket in one of the rows ofpockets when the portion of the loop adjacent the base of the flaps is folded back on itself.

JOSEPH D. HANAFIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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