Abstract:
A blood pressure kiosk is provided which allows a user to place his or her left or right arm into the blood pressure cuff for measurement. The kiosk includes either a moving support arm, or a moving seat. The kiosk can also include a moving display so that the user is able to view information on the display from either seat position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to blood pressure measuring kiosks. More particularly, the invention relates to a blood pressure measuring kiosk which is adapted to facilitate the taking of a blood pressure measurement from either the left arm or the right arm of a user of the kiosk. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Blood pressure kiosks are known. Various retail stores, such as pharmacies, grocery stores, and other retailers provide blood pressure measurement kiosks for use by their customers to measure their blood pressure. These blood pressure kiosks are designed such that a user may place his arm into a blood pressure cuff, and the machine automatically measures the user&#39;s blood pressure. The blood pressure reading is typically shown on a display. Some of these kiosks offer advanced features such as allowing the use of smartcards to activate the kiosk and to store blood pressure data over time. 
         [0003]    To date, all blood pressure kiosks have been designed to measure the blood of the user from only one of the left or right arm, and typically from the left arm only. However, users of the blood pressure measurement kiosk may have a temporary or permanent disability which prevents the user from placing one of his arms through the measurement cuff. For example, the user may have his left arm in a cast or sling due to an injury, or the user may have had one arm amputated. 
         [0004]    A blood pressure measurement kiosk is needed which is capable of taking the blood pressure from the user from either the right or left arm. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention includes a blood pressure kiosk for measuring the blood pressure of a user. The kiosk includes a base with a control unit mounted on the base. A display is mounted on the base for displaying information, such as the status of the test and the results. A seat is positioned near the base. A support arm supports a blood pressure cuff. The blood pressure cuff could be of the type found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,427,268. In one embodiment, the support arm has two positions, a first position in which the support arm is near the right side of the base and a second position in which the support arm is near the left side of the base. The support arm moves between these two positions by either sliding or pivoting. When the user is sitting on the seat, the user may put his left arm through the blood pressure cuff when the support arm is in the first position and when the user is sitting on the seat, the user may put his right arm through the blood pressure cuff when the support arm is in the second position. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, the seat has two positions, a first position in which the seat is primarily between the left side of the base and right side of the kiosk base, and a second position in which the seat is laterally displaced with respect to the base. The seat may be displaced by sliding it laterally, or pivoting it about a vertical axis. The display may also have two positions. In one embodiment, the display slides between the two positions. In another embodiment, the display is mounted on moving arms which allow the display to move between the two positions. In yet another embodiment, the display rotates about a pivot point between the two positions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following drawings and more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the invention of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a partial-cutaway perspective view of the invention of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the invention of  FIG. 1  showing a rotatable cuff; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention showing a pivoting support arm; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention showing a sliding support arm; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a front elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 7  showing the seat in an alternative position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. It is to be further noted that the drawings are not to scale. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 1 through 12  illustrate the invention, with  FIGS. 1 through 3  best illustrating the main components of the invention. The blood pressure kiosk  10  includes a base  12 , a left side  14 , a right side  16 , control area  20  display  40   a  ( FIG. 1-6 ) or  40   b  ( FIGS. 7-12 ), support arm  50  and seat  80 , with wheels  84 . The base  12  supports the kiosk  10  and can be made in a variety of shapes. The base houses the electronic and pneumatic controls, as is known in the art. The control area  20  includes card slot  22  for inserting data cards (not shown) into the card slot  22 , and includes a barcode reader  24  for reading barcodes on user identification cards. A shroud  26  covers a paper slot (not shown) for preventing a user  2  from removing a printed transaction record before the printing has been completed. The user  2  is shown with his left arm  4  through the blood pressure cuff  54  and his right arm  6  not in the blood pressure cuff  54 . As shown in the cutaway portion of  FIG. 3 , the support arm  50  includes pneumatic and electrical cabling  52  between the blood pressure cuff  54  and a central processing unit (not shown) within the base  12 . 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the blood pressure cuff  54  rotates about a vertical axis  56 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the support arm  50  is capable of rotation about pivot point  58  in the direction of arrow  60   a.  This allows a user (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to insert either a left arm  4  or right arm  6  into the blood pressure cuff  54 . By allowing the blood pressure cuff  54  to rotate, the blood pressure cuff  54  can be aligned with the arm of the user  2  (not shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). Also, the support arm  50  can be rotated out of the way to facilitate access to the seat  80 . 
         [0023]    In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the support arm  50  is capable of sliding in the direction of arrow  60   b.  This allows a user  2 (not shown in  FIG. 6 ) to insert either a left arm  4  or right arm  6  into the blood pressure cuff  54 . Both the sliding arm feature of  FIG. 6  and the rotating arm feature of  FIGS. 4 and 5  can be combined into a single embodiment. 
         [0024]    In another embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 7 through 9 , the seat  80  is adapted to move in the direction of arrow  82  ( FIG. 9 ). Wheels  84  facilitate movement, but other methods of lateral movement are possible. In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the seat  80  is adapted for rotational movement in the direction of arrow  86 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 10 through 12  show three alternative embodiments for moving the display  40   b.  The display  40   b  includes handles  90  for moving the display  40   b.  In  FIG. 10 , the display  40   b  is attached to the kiosk  10  by arms  62  which pivot about pivot points  64 . In  FIG. 11 , the display  40   b  is pivotally attached to the kiosk  10  at pivot point  66  and rotates in the direction of arrow  68 . In  FIG. 12 , the display is  40   b  is slidably attached to the kiosk  10  by sliding rails  70 . 
         [0026]    These various embodiments allow the user  2  conveniently to place either his left arm  4  or right arm  6  into the blood pressure cuff  54  and to read the display  40   b.    
         [0027]    As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.