DEVICE FOR PROTECTING AN ELECTRIC IMPEDANCE TOMOGRAPH FROM OVERVOLTAGE PULSES

• US 20070049993A1
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dragerwerk AG & Company KGaA (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Drager Medical AG & Co KG (Dragerwerk AG)
• Inventors: LI, Jianhua, STEEGER, Markus, HOFMANN, Gerhard
• Application Number:
  US11/463,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20070049993A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0536 Impedance imaging, e.g. by tomography
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6666 with built-in overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/04 for network, e.g. LAN connectors

Abstract

A circuit is provided which protects the measuring input of an impedance tomograph from damage due to overvoltage. A resistor capacitor (RC) series connection is provided as a protective circuit at the measuring input.

Claims

1. An electric impedance tomograph comprising:

electric impedance tomograph signal input;

an electrode for connection to a patient; and

a voltage protection circuit connected to said electrode and to said signal input, said voltage protection circuit shielding said signal inputs from high input currents that are too high for normal measuring operation.

2. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

measuring channels, each said measuring channel being equipped with a protective circuit to minimize overvoltage pulses.

3. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 2, wherein said protective circuit comprises a resistor capacitor (RC) series connection contained within said measuring channels.

4. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

shieldings of measuring lines, said shieldings being equipped with a protective circuit.

5. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 1, wherein said protective circuit is integrated in electrodes.

6. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 1, wherein said protective circuit is integrated in an electrode carrier.

7. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 1, wherein said protective circuit is integrated in electric plug-type connections.

8. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 1, wherein said protective circuit is integrated in electrode cables.

9. An electric impedance tomograph comprising:

at least one electric impedance tomograph signal input means;

a plurality of electrodes for connection to a patient;

a voltage protection circuit connected to at least one electrode and to said signal input, said voltage protection circuit shielding said signal inputs from high input currents that are too high for normal measuring operation, said signal input means for passing a signal from at least one electric impedance tomograph signal input through at least one voltage protection circuit to at least one electrode and detecting a feedback signal passing from at least one electrode sent through said voltage protection circuit to at least one electrical impedance signal input and providing the feedback signal for further processing to create an image.

10. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

measuring channels, wherein each said measuring channel is equipped with a voltage protection circuit to minimize overvoltage pulses.

11. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 10, wherein said voltage protection circuit comprises a resistor capacitor (RC) series connection contained within said measuring channels.

12. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

shieldings of measuring lines, said shieldings being equipped with a voltage protection circuit.

13. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 9, wherein said voltage protection circuit is integrated within electrodes used with an impedance tomograph.

14. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 9, wherein said voltage protection circuit is integrated in an electrode carrier used with an impedance tomograph.

15. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 9, wherein said voltage protection circuit is integrated in electric plug-type connections used with an impedance tomograph.

16. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 9, wherein said voltage protection circuit is integrated in electrode cables used with the impedance tomograph.

17. An electric impedance tomograph comprising:

electric impedance tomograph signal input;

an electrode connected to a patient;

an overvoltage shielding circuit connected to said electrode and to said electric impedance tomograph signal input, wherein said overvoltage shielding circuit detects high input currents that are too high for normal measuring operation and dissipates the high input current to protect said electric impedance signal input from the high input currents.

18. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 17, wherein said overvoltage shielding circuit includes a voltage supply.

19. An electric impedance tomograph in accordance with claim 18, wherein said overvoltage shielding circuit dissipates the high input currents to said voltage supply.

20. A device in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

measuring channels, wherein each said measuring channel is equipped with an overvoltage shielding circuit to minimize overvoltage pulses.