Non-invasive, pressure sensor apparatus for communicating pressure inside a body to the exterior thereof

Claim 2

A pressure sensor apparatus for indicating pressure in the body comprising a housing, a gold-plated nickel bellows contained within said housing, said bellows having a plurality of convolutions and a length over the convoluted portion of substantially 0.410 inch, a wall thickness substantially within the range of 0.00025 to 0.00033 inch, and an average spring rate of substantially 0.130 to 0.242 pounds per inch, wherein the mean cross-sectional area of said bellows is substantially 0.005 square inches, means for placing said bellows in communication with said pressure in the body so that said pressure will cause said bellows to expand and contract linearly as a function of said body pressure substantially 24.5 to 45.5 mils, and means contained within said housing and associated with said bellows for communicating the linear movement of said bellows to a receiver means located external to said body to provide data indicative of said pressure.

Claim 3

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bellows has 41 convolutions and a pitch of substantially 0.010 inch.

Claim 4

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outside diameter of said bellows is substantially 0.100 inch and the inside diameter is substantially 0.060 inch.

Claim 5

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bellows is adapted to expand and contract substantially 35 mils.

Claim 6

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said average spring rate is substantially 0.186 pounds per inch.

Claim 7

A pressure sensor apparatus for indicating pressure in the body comprising a housing, a bellows contained within said housing, said bellows being resilient and made of gold-plated nickel having essentially 100% memory of position, said bellows further having a plurality of convolutions along its entire length, and a length of substantially 0.410 inch, an average spring rate of approximately 0.130 to 0.242 pounds per inch and a wall thickness substantially within the range of 0.00025 to 0.00033 inch, means for placing said bellows in communication with said pressure in the body so that said pressure will cause said bellows to move linearly as a function of said pressure approximately 24.5 to 45.5 mils, and output means contained within said housing and associated with said bellows for producing an output which is a function of the linear movement of said bellows to a receiver means located external to said body to provide data indicative of said pressure.

Claim 8

A pressure sensor apparatus for indicating pressure in the body comprising a housing, a bellows contained within said housing, said bellows being resilient and made of gold-plated nickel having essentially 100% memory of position, said bellows further having a plurality of convolutions along its entire length, and a length of substantially 0.410 inch, an average spring rate of approximately 0.130 to 0.242 pounds per inch and a wall thickness substantially within the range of 0.00025 to 0.00033 inch, means for placing said bellows in communication with said pressure in the body so that said pressure will cause said bellows to move linearly as a function of said pressure approximately 24.5 to 45.5 mils, and output means contained within said housing and associated with said bellows for producing an output which is a function of the linear movement of said bellows to a receiver means located external to said body to provide data indicative of said pressure.

Claim 9

A pressure sensor apparatus for indicating pressure in the body comprising a housing, a resilient gold-plated nickel bellows contained within said housing having a plurality of convolutions and a length over the convoluted portion of substantially 0.410 inch, said bellows having a wall thickness substantially within the range of 0.00025 to 0.00033 inch, and an average spring rate of approximately 0.130 to 0.242 pounds per inch, means for placing said bellows in communication with said pressure in the body so that said pressure will cause said bellows to contract and expand a distance of approximately 24.5 to 45.5 mils, output means contained within said housing for producing an output which is a function of said pressure, said output means having at least two components, the first of said two components being operatively connected to said bellows and movable therewith when said bellows expands and contracts, the second of said two components being operatively associated with said first component but not movable with said bellows so that when said first component moves the output of said output means varies as a function of said pressure, the output of said output means being adapted to being sensed by a sensor means located external to said body and which is responsive to said output to provide data indicative of said pressure.

Claim 10

A pressure sensor apparatus for indicating pressure in the body comprising a housing, a resilient gold-plated nickel bellows contained within said housing having a plurality of convolutions and a length over the convoluted portion of substantially 0.410 inch, said bellows having a wall thickness substantially within the range of 0.00025 to 0.00033 inch, and an average spring rate of approximately 0.130 to 0.242 pounds per inch, means for placing said bellows in communication with said pressure in the body so that said pressure will cause said bellows to contract and expand a distance of approximately 24.5 to 45.5 mils, output means contained within said housing for producing an output which is a function of said pressure, said output means having at least two components, the first of said two components being operatively connected to said bellows and movable therewith when said bellows expands and contracts, the second of said two components being operatively associated with said first component but not movable with said bellows so that when said first component moves the output of said output means varies as a function of said pressure, the output of said output means being adapted to being sensed by a sensor means located external to said body and which is responsive to said output to provide data indicative of said pressure.

Claim 11

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 7, wherein said bellows has 41 convolutions and a pitch of substantially 0.010 inch.

Claim 12

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 7, wherein said bellows is adapted to expand and contract substantially 35 mils.

Claim 13

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the outside diameter of said bellows is substantially 0.100 inch and the inside diameter is substantially 0.060 inch.

Claim 14

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 7, wherein said spring rate is substantially 0.186 pounds per inch.

Claim 15

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first component comprises a radioactive source, and said second component comprises a shield means connected to said housing for shielding said radioactive source.

Claim 16

A pressure sensor apparatus for indicating pressure in the body comprising a housing, a gold-plated nickel bellows contained within said housing, said bellows substantially cylindrical in shape and having a plurality of convolutions and a length over the convoluted portion of substantially 0.410 inch in its at-rest condition, and having a wall thickness substantially within the range of 0.00025 to 0.00033 inch, and an average spring rate of substantially 0.130 to 0.242 pounds per inch, flexible means associated with said housing and adapted to move as a function of the pressure in said body, a pressure-transmitting fluid contained within said housing and communicating with said flexible means so that said pressure acting upon said flexible means will cause said bellows to contract and expand as a function of said pressure a distance of approximately 24.5 to 45.5 mils, output means contained within said housing having first and second components cooperating to produce an output, said first component being operatively associated with said bellows and movable therewith and said second component being operatively associated with said first component but not movable with said bellows so that said output produced by said output means is a function of the contraction and expansion of said bellows, and ambient pressure sensing means associated with said bellows for compensating for ambient pressure variations acting upon said flexible means whereby said output is sensed by a sensor means located external to said body to provide data indicative of said pressure.

Claim 17

A pressure sensor apparatus for indicating pressure in the body comprising a housing, a gold-plated nickel bellows contained within said housing, said bellows substantially cylindrical in shape and having a plurality of convolutions and a length over the convoluted portion of substantially 0.410 inch in its at-rest condition, and having a wall thickness substantially within the range of 0.00025 to 0.00033 inch, and an average spring rate of substantially 0.130 to 0.242 pounds per inch, flexible means associated with said housing and adapted to move as a function of the pressure in said body, a pressure-transmitting fluid contained within said housing and communicating with said flexible means so that said pressure acting upon said flexible means will cause said bellows to contract and expand as a function of said pressure a distance of approximately 24.5 to 45.5 mils, output means contained within said housing having first and second components cooperating to produce an output, said first component being operatively associated with said bellows and movable therewith and said second component being operatively associated with said first component but not movable with said bellows so that said output produced by said output means is a function of the contraction and expansion of said bellows, and ambient pressure sensing means associated with said bellows for compensating for ambient pressure variations acting upon said flexible means whereby said output is sensed by a sensor means located external to said body to provide data indicative of said pressure.

Claim 18

A pressor sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 13, wherein said bellows has 41 convolutions and a pitch of substantially 0.010 inch.

Claim 19

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 13, wherein the outside diameter of said bellows is substantially 0.100 inch and the inside diameter is substantially 0.060 inch.

Claim 20

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 13, wherein said spring rate is substantially 0.186 pounds per inch.

Claim 21

A pressure sensor apparatus, as claimed in claim 13, wherein said first component comprises a radioactive source, and said second component comprises a shield means connected to said housing for shielding said radioactive source.

Claim 22

A pressure sensor apparatus for indicating pressure in the human body, particularly intracranial pressure, comprising a housing, bellows means supported within said housing, wherein said bellows means defines a first chamber and a second chamber within said housing, a fluid filled within said first and second chambers, means for placing said first chamber in communication with said pressure to be sensed so that said pressure will cause said bellows means to contract and expand, communication means contained within said housing for communicating the contraction and expansion movement of said bellows means, said communication means having at least two components, the first of said two components being operatively connected to said bellows means and movable therewith when said bellows means expands and contracts, the second of said two components positioned within said first chamber and being operatively associated with said first component but not movable with said bellows means so that the relative movement of said first component with respect to said second component varies as a function of said pressure, said communication means being adapted to being sensed by a sensor means located at a remote position from said housing and free of any physical interconnection with said housing for sensing the relative position of said first and second components to provide data indicative of said pressure, wherein said bellows means comprises a gold-plated nickel bellows having a plurality of convolutions and a length over the convoluted portion of substantially 0.410 inch, a wall thickness substantially within the range of 0.00025 to 0.00033 inch, and an average spring rate of substantially 0.130 to 0.242 pounds per inch, wherein the bellows is substantially cylindrically shaped and has a mean cross-sectional area of substantially 0.005 square inches, and wherein said bellows is adapted to contract and expand a distance of approximately 24.5 to 45.5 mils when exposed to intracranial pressure.

Claim 23

A pressure sensor apparatus for indicating pressure in the human body, particularly intracranial pressure, comprising a housing, bellows means supported within said housing, wherein said bellows means defines a first chamber and a second chamber within said housing, a fluid filled within said first and second chambers, means for placing said first chamber in communication with said pressure to be sensed so that said pressure will cause said bellows means to contract and expand, communication means contained within said housing for communicating the contraction and expansion movement of said bellows means, said communication means having at least two components, the first of said two components being operatively connected to said bellows means and movable therewith when said bellows means expands and contracts, the second of said two components positioned within said first chamber and being operatively associated with said first component but not movable with said bellows means so that the relative movement of said first component with respect to said second component varies as a function of said pressure, said communication means being adapted to being sensed by a sensor means located at a remote position from said housing and free of any physical interconnection with said housing for sensing the relative position of said first and second components to provide data indicative of said pressure, wherein said bellows means comprises a gold-plated nickel bellows having a plurality of convolutions and a length over the convoluted portion of substantially 0.410 inch, a wall thickness substantially within the range of 0.00025 to 0.00033 inch, and an average spring rate of substantially 0.130 to 0.242 pounds per inch, wherein the bellows is substantially cylindrically shaped and has a mean cross-sectional area of substantially 0.005 square inches, and wherein said bellows is adapted to contract and expand a distance of approximately 24.5 to 45.5 mils when exposed to intracranial pressure.