A system for generating pressure pulses to calibrate a blood pressure (BP)
monitor or other pressure sensing device is disclosed. The oscillometric
blood pressure (BP) simulator of the preferred embodiment comprises an
elastomeric bladder pneumatically coupled to the BP monitor, and an
actuator adapted to reversibly compress the elastomeric bladder and
induce one or more pressure pulses of predetermined magnitude, duration,
and frequency in the BP monitor. The elastomeric bladder generally
comprises an elastomeric tube such as medical grade hose or tubing that
is compressed by a piston and bearing driven by a linear actuator,
preferably a stepper motor and cam. The simulator further includes a
plurality of serially coupled H-bridges for energizing the stepper motor
windings with bipolar square pulses.
