Screen

• US 20020026112A1
• Filed: 10/17/2001
• Published: 02/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hannu Kinnunen, Jean-Pierre Baumann, Pekka Rytky, Seppo Nissila
• Original Assignee: Hannu Kinnunen, Jean-Pierre Baumann, Pekka Rytky, Seppo Nissila
• Inventors: Nissila, Seppo, Baumann, Jean-Pierre, Kinnunen, Hannu, Rytky, Pekka
• Granted Patent: US 6,600,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/182 Electrical shielding, e.g. using a Faraday cage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

The invention relates to a screen (300), which is particularly intended for a functional unit measuring heart rate from a user'"'"'s chest. Electrodes (304) of the functional unit and preferably also an electric circuit (306) are protected against extracorporeal interference by the screen (300), which closely follows the electrode (304) or a supporting structure (40, 50, 60, 70) at least at the electrode (104, 204, 304, 402, 502, 602, 702).

Claims

1. A screen which is particularly intended for a non-invasive functional unit measuring the function of at least one organ through skin contact, the functional unit comprising a supporting structure, an electrical circuit for operation, and electrodes for the skin contact, the electrodes being operatively coupled to the electrical circuit and mechanically attached to the supporting structure, wherein the screen is arranged to closely follow the electrode or the supporting structure at least at the electrode.

2. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is made of electrically conductive material and the electrodes being substantially located between the screen and skin.

3. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit of the functional unit and the electrodes are protected against disturbance by the screen such that the electrical circuit and the electrodes are both located between the screen and the skin.

4. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit is protected by a unique screen.

5. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit is protected by the unique screen, which is electrically coupled particularly to the screen protecting the electrodes.

6. A screen as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein a protecting structure which belongs to the screen is provided around the electrode, the protecting structure being electrically coupled to the unique screen of the functional unit.

7. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protecting structure which belongs to the screen is provided around the electrode.

8. A screen as claimed in claim 7, wherein the protecting structure is electrically separated from the supporting structure and the electrodes.

9. A screen as claimed in claim 7, wherein the protecting structure is electrically coupled to the protecting structure of the second electrode.

10. A screen as claimed in claim 7, wherein the protecting structure is electrically coupled to the skin.

11. A screen as claimed in claim 7, wherein the protecting structure is electrically coupled to the screen.

12. A screen as claimed in claim 7, wherein the protecting structure is coupled to the protective earth of the functional unit.

13. A screen as claimed in claim 7, wherein the protecting structure is made of the same material as the supporting structure of the transmitter.

14. A screen as claimed in claim 7, wherein the protecting structure is of electrically conductive plastic, metal or the like.

15. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is electrically isolated from the skin.

16. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is electrically coupled to the skin.

17. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of the functional unit comprises two parts:

a surface with skin contact, which is placed next to the skin, and a surface without skin contact, which is any other surface of the functional unit than the surface against the skin, and the screen is also arranged to extend to the functional unit surface with skin contact, generating the galvanic contact of the skin and the screen.

18. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is a separate sheet or structure on the surface of the coating structure isolating the functional unit.

19. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is at least partly the coating structure of the functional unit, the coating structure being isolated from the electrical circuit and the electrodes.

20. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductivity of the screen is substantially lower than the conductivity of the electrodes.

21. A screen as claimed in claim 1 or 20, wherein the screen has more than one skin contacts.

22. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is made of metal, conductive polymer and/or compound plastic.

23. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is a separate sheet inside the coating structure of the functional unit.

24. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen has skin contact between the electrodes.

25. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is electrically coupled to a signal earth of the electrical circuit.

26. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is separated from the operation of the functional unit'"'"'s electrical circuit and the electrodes. cm 27. A screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is a separate, attachable and detachable structure in relation to the functional unit.