Abstract: An apparatus and a method for restricting to a proper level the pressure increase in cuffs (7) for use in non-invasive automatic sphyghmomanometry and connectable with a common monitor (1). The apparatus comprises a pump (2) and a cuff (7) in communication therewith that can be replaced with another type of cuff. The pressure of the cuff is increased by means of pump" (2), a valve (8) for releasing the pressure out of cuff (7), a pressure-sensing element (12) for monitoring the development of a cuff pressure, an AC/DC signal separator (13) for separating an AC component from a DC component in a signal received from the pressure-sensing element, and a control element (16) for further processing the information received from the signal separator and for controlling the operation of valve (8).

Abstract: The invention relates to an automatic identification method for the cuff of a sphygmomanometer. When changing the pressure in a cuff (6 or 19) or in a space in flow communication therewith, the pressure change occurring in this space is monitored at two spaced-apart measuring points by means of one or a plurality of pressure-sensing means (12 and/or 9) and the pressure signals obtained from these two measuring points are compared to each other and, on the basis of the conducted comparison, the different cuff types are distinguished from each other as the measured pressure difference indicates a cuff type presently in use.