Cardiac impulse detector
First Claim
1. A flexible substrate engageable with a patient'"'"'s skin for detecting infrasonic cardiac apical impulses, the flexible substrate being operable in connection with an apparatus including a light source spaced apart from and facing the substrate to transmit light thereon, an optical sensor spaced apart from and facing the substrate for receiving reflected light from the substrate and generating a signal indicative of movement of the substrate and corresponding to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point, and a circuit coupled to the optical sensor for generating at least one of (i) an audible output and (ii) a visual output, in response to the signal and indicative of an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse, the flexible substrate comprising:
- (i) a flexible skin-contacting surface located on one side of the substrate that is disposable in contact with a skin surface region of a patient defining an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point, and is movable with the contacted skin surface region in response to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point, and (ii) a flexible reflective surface located on an opposite side of the substrate relative to the skin-contacting surface and movable with the skin-contacting surface in response to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point for reflecting light transmitted thereon by the light source onto the optical sensor.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for detecting infrasonic cardiac apical impulses of a patient including a sensor disposable in contact with skin of the patient for producing a signal responsive to a motion of the skin at an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point of the patient. A first circuit coupled to the first sensor for generating at least one audible output in response to the first signal and indicative of the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A flexible substrate engageable with a patient'"'"'s skin for detecting infrasonic cardiac apical impulses, the flexible substrate being operable in connection with an apparatus including a light source spaced apart from and facing the substrate to transmit light thereon, an optical sensor spaced apart from and facing the substrate for receiving reflected light from the substrate and generating a signal indicative of movement of the substrate and corresponding to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point, and a circuit coupled to the optical sensor for generating at least one of (i) an audible output and (ii) a visual output, in response to the signal and indicative of an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse, the flexible substrate comprising:
(i) a flexible skin-contacting surface located on one side of the substrate that is disposable in contact with a skin surface region of a patient defining an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point, and is movable with the contacted skin surface region in response to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point, and (ii) a flexible reflective surface located on an opposite side of the substrate relative to the skin-contacting surface and movable with the skin-contacting surface in response to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point for reflecting light transmitted thereon by the light source onto the optical sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
7. A cardiac impulse detecting system comprising:
-
at least one reflective patch;
at least one sensor assembly; and
a circuit assembly for detecting, audibly and/or visually representing, and/or quantifying infrasonic vibrations associated with a cardiac apical impulse. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for detecting a cardiac pathology comprising the steps of;
-
providing a cardiac impulse detector having at least one sensor assembly with means for emitting and/or detecting light, and means suitable for manipulating data from said sensing assembly for generating signals indicative of the movement at least one remote reflective patch;
sitting a person at a distance from said sensing assembly in an upright position;
placing said at least one reflective patch in intimate contact with the person'"'"'s skin at a cardiac apical impulse point;
orienting said at least one sensor assembly to respectively emit and detect light in and from the direction of said at least one reflective patch; and
generating signals indicative of the movement of the at least one reflective patch in response to a cardiac apical impulse. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
20. A flexible substrate engageable with a patient'"'"'s skin for detecting infrasonic cardiac apical impulses, the flexible substrate being operable in connection with an apparatus including means spaced apart from and facing the substrate for transmitting light thereon, means spaced apart from and facing the substrate for receiving reflected light from the substrate and generating a signal indicative of movement of the substrate and corresponding to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point, and means for generating at least one of (i) an audible output and (ii) a visual output in response to the signal and indicative of an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse, the flexible substrate comprising:
(i) first means located on one side of the substrate for flexibly contacting a skin surface region of a patient defining an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point, and moving with the contacted skin surface region in response to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point, and (ii) second means located on an opposite side of the substrate relative to the first means and movable with the skin-contacting surface in response to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point for reflecting light transmitted thereon by the means for transmitting onto the means for receiving reflected light. - View Dependent Claims (26)
Specification