Importance

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Abstract

A digital watch is utilized to measure blood pressure or heart rate by means of a pressure transducer that contacts the wrist adjacent the radial artery of the wrist and generates electrical pulses corresponding to the blood pressure pulses of the radial artery. A support member is pivotally connected at one end to the watch band and the member supports the transducer at its other end. The support member engages a sliding switch in a first position to hold the transducer in contact with the wrist. The switch engages the hinged member in a second position to hold the transducer out of contact with the wrist. A micro switch supplies power to the blood pressure pulse analyzing circuitry of the watch when the transducer contacts the wrist. The tension of the wrist band is adjusted by a housing that connects two ends of the band and that slidably supports a cam follower and rotatably supports a cam. The cam follower has a tab that engages a spiral groove in the cam. When the cam is rotated, the tab of the cam follower moves along the groove and the cam follower is thereby caused to slide in the housing. The sliding movement of the follower in response to the rotation of the cam either shortens or lengthens the band, thereby adjusting the tension of the band with respect to a wearer's wrist and the corresponding contact pressure between the engaged transducer and the wrist.

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First Claim