Blood pressure measuring apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring a blood pressure of a living subject, including a blood pressure measuring device which measures a blood pressure value of the subject, a first memory which stores a plurality of blood pressure values measured by the blood pressure measuring device, in an order of measurement of the blood pressure values, a pulse wave detecting device which detects a pulse wave produced from an arterial vessel of the subject in synchronism with heartbeat of the subject while each of the blood pressure values is measured by the blood pressure measuring device, a second memory which stores a waveform of the pulse wave detected by the pulse wave detecting device, in the order, the second memory storing the respective waveforms of the pulse waves each of which is detected by the pulse wave detecting device while a corresponding one of the blood pressure values is measured by the blood pressure measuring device, and an output device which outputs the blood pressure values stored in the first memory, in the order, and a plurality of curves respectively representing the waveforms stored in the second memory, in the order, in a side-by-side relation with each other.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for measuring a blood pressure of a living subject, comprising: 
 a blood pressure measuring device which measures a blood pressure value of the subject;    a first memory which accumulatively stores a plurality of blood pressure values measured by said blood pressure measuring device;    a second memory which stores a plurality of pictorial images each of which indicates a corresponding one of a plurality of different evaluations of said blood pressure of the subject;    image selecting means for selecting one of said pictorial images which corresponds to a current blood pressure value of the subject measured by said blood pressure measuring device; and    an output device which outputs said one pictorial image selected by said image selecting means, together with said blood pressure values stored in said first memory.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said second memory stores a plurality of groups of pictorial images each image of which indicates a corresponding one of a plurality of different evaluations of said blood pressure of the subject, wherein the apparatus further comprises: 
 a data obtaining device which obtains identification data identifying the subject; and group selecting means for selecting one of said groups of pictorial images which corresponds to the identification data obtained by said data obtaining device, so that said image selecting means selects said one pictorial image from the selected group of pictorial images.    
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a third memory which stores a plurality of batches of medicine-related information each of which is related to a corresponding one of a plurality of medicines administrable in treating said blood pressure of the subject; and    an input device which is operable for specifying one of said medicines,    said output device comprising means for selecting, from said third memory, one of said batches of medicine-related information which corresponds to said one medicine specified by said input device, said output device outputting the selected batch of medicine-related information, together with said blood pressure values stored in said first memory.    
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said output device comprises a printer which outputs, on a recording sheet, said one pictorial image selected by said image selecting means, together with said blood pressure values stored in said first memory.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said output device comprises means for outputting a graphic representation indicating a time change of said blood pressure values stored in said first memory.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for measuring a blood pressure of a living subject, comprising: 
 a blood pressure measuring device which measures a blood pressure value of the subject;    a first memory which accumulatively stores a plurality of blood pressure values measured by said blood pressure measuring device;    a second memory which stores at least one pictorial image;    an output device which outputs said pictorial image stored in said second memory, together with said blood pressure values stored in said first memory;    an image reading device which reads an original image from an original;    an editing device which is operable for editing said original image read by said image reading device; and    a registering device which registers the image edited by said editing device, by storing the edited image as said pictorial image in said second memory.    
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said second memory stores a plurality of groups of pictorial images, wherein the apparatus further comprises: 
 a data obtaining device which obtains identification data identifying the subject;    group selecting means for selecting one of said groups of pictorial images which corresponds to the identification data obtained by said data obtaining device; and    image selecting means for selecting one of the selected group of pictorial images which corresponds to a current blood pressure value of the subject measured by said blood pressure measuring device, so that said output device outputs the selected one pictorial image together with said blood pressure values stored in said first memory.    
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said second memory stores a plurality of pictorial images each of which is related to a time of measurement of said blood pressure of the subject, wherein the apparatus further comprises: 
 a clock device which produces a signal indicative of a time when said blood pressure measuring device measures a blood pressure value of the subject; and    image selecting means for selecting one of said pictorial images which corresponds to a time of measurement of a current blood pressure value of the subject measured by said blood pressure measuring device, so that said output device outputs the selected one pictorial image together with said blood pressure values stored in said first memory.    
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said second memory stores a plurality of random selectable pictorial images, wherein the apparatus further comprises: 
 a random value generator which provides, according to a random function, a random value in response to an operation of said blood pressure measuring device; and    image selecting means for selecting one of said pictorial images which corresponds to a random value produced by said random value generator, so that said output device outputs the selected one pictorial image together with said blood pressure values stored in said first memory.    
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a third memory which stores a plurality of batches of medicine-related information each of which is related to a corresponding one of a plurality of medicines administrable in treating said blood pressure of the subject; and    an input device which is operable for specifying one of said medicines,    said output device comprising means for selecting, from said third memory, one of said batches of medicine-related information which corresponds to said one medicine specified by said input device, said output device outputting the selected batch of medicine-related information, together with said blood pressure values stored in said first memory.    
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said output device comprises a printer which records, on a recording sheet, said pictorial image stored in said memory, together with said blood pressure values stored in said first memory.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said output device comprises means for outputting a graphic representation indicating a time change of said blood pressure values stored in said first memory.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for measuring a blood pressure of a living subject; comprising: 
 a blood pressure measuring device which measures a blood pressure value of the subject;    a first memory which accumulatively stores a plurality of blood pressure values measured by said blood pressure measuring device;    a second memory which stores a plurality of batches of medicine-related information each of which is related to a corresponding one of a plurality of medicines administrable in treating said blood pressure of the subject;    an input device which is operable for specifying one of said medicines; and    an output device which selects, from said second memory, one of said batches of medicine-related information which corresponds to said one medicine specified by said input device, and outputs the selected batch of medicine-related information, together with said blood pressure values stored in said first memory.    
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for winding an arm belt including an inflatable bag, around an upper arm of a living subject, for measuring a blood pressure of the subject, a pressurized air being supplied to the bag to inflate the bag and thereby press the upper arm, the apparatus comprising: 
 an arm receiver inside which said arm belt is provided so as to define a substantially cylindrical space into which the upper arm of the subject is inserted from one of opposite ends of said cylindrical space;    a positioning device which changes a position of said arm receiver relative to the upper arm of the subject;    a detector which detects a misalignment of a central axis line of said cylindrical space of said arm receiver from a longitudinal axis line of the upper arm of the subject; and    a control device which controls, based on the misalignment detected by said detector, said positioning device to change said position of said arm receiver relative to said upper arm so that said central axis line of said arm receiver is substantially aligned with said longitudinal axis line of said upper arm.    
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said detector comprises two switches provided at a top and a bottom of one of opposite and portions of an inner surface of said arm receiver, respectively, each of said switches producing a detection signal indicating that said each switch is in contact with said upper arm, said control device controlling said positioning device to change said position of said arm receiver relative to said upper arm so that said each switch does not produce said detection signal.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said detector comprises two switches provided at respective bottoms of opposite end portions of an inner surface of said arm receiver, respectively, each of said switches producing a detection signal indicating that said each switch is in pressed contact with said upper arm, said control device controlling said positioning device to change said position of said arm receiver relative to said upper arm so that said each switch produces said detection signal.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said detector comprises a sensor which measures at least one of (a) a sitting height of the subject and (b) a height of a shoulder of the subject and thereby indirectly detects said misalignment, said control device controlling, based on the measured at least one of (a) said sitting height and (b) said height of the shoulder, said positioning device to change said position of said arm receiver relative to said upper arm so that said central axis line of said cylindrical space of said arm receiver is substantially aligned with said longitudinal axis line of said upper arm.  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said positioning device comprises an adjusting device which adjusts at least one of (a) an angle of inclination of said central axis line of said cylindrical shape of said arm receiver relative to said longitudinal axis of said upper arm and (b) a vertical position of said central axis line of said cylindrical shape of said arm receiver relative to said longitudinal axis of said upper arm.