Electrocardiograph monitoring device and connector

• US 20080281180A1
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Lead Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Lead Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Choe, William Chongwon, Ruzumna, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/391
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/303 Patient cord assembly, e.g. cable harness
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0408 Use-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/048 Electrodes characterised by a specific connection between lead and electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to electrocardiography and to electrode arrangements used in electrocardiographic monitoring devices, and is more particularly related to a pad or patch containing said electrodes which may be used to passively and non-invasively monitor electrical activity generated by a patient'"'"'s heart from the surface of that patient'"'"'s chest, and to a connector which allows for fast and simple connection between the pad containing said electrodes and the devices and equipment typically used to monitor and view electrocardiographic information.

Claims

1. An EKG patch, comprising:

a base layer; and

at least three electrodes held in a fixed configuration with respect to said base layer, said at least three electrodes being capable of receiving an electrical signal generated by the myocardium of a human heart,

wherein said base layer is configured to contact the skin of a human patient and attach thereto,

wherein said at least three electrodes are also configured to contact the skin of a human patient concurrently with said base layer, and

wherein said at least three electrodes are spaced at least about 1.5 cm apart and less than about 15 cm apart.

2. An EKG patch according to claim 1, wherein said at least three electrodes are spaced about 5.5 cm apart

3. An EKG patch according to claim 1, wherein said at least three electrodes are one of three, four, five or six electrodes.

4. An EKG patch according to claim 1, further comprising a third layer sandwiched in between said base layer and said second layer which includes at least one pre-wired connection for said at least three electrodes, said at least one pre-wired connection being configured to exit said EKG patch as a single cable.

5. An EKG patch according to claim 1, wherein dimensions of said EKG patch are within a range of about 3 cm×

3 cm square to 16 cm×

16 cm square.

6. An EKG patch according to claim 1, wherein said base layer comprises an adhesive material on a surface thereof for attaching said EKG patch to a patient.

7. An EKG patch according to claim 1, wherein said at least three electrodes comprise a layer of electrode gel thereon.

8. An EKG patch according to claim 1, wherein said base layer has a shape suitable to facilitate at least one of positioning, attaching and removing said EKG patch from a patient.

12. An EKG system comprising an EKG patch according to any one of claims 1-11.

9. An EKG patch, comprising:

a plurality of individual EKG patches, each comprising a base layer and a plurality of electrodes capable of receiving an electrical signal generated by the myocardium of a human heart,

wherein each of the plurality of the individual EKG patches are stacked on top of each other such that each electrode in an individual patch aligns and contacts with at least one corresponding electrode in an adjacent EKG patch, thereby allowing a free flow of electricity through the plurality of stacked EKG patches, and such that the bottom-most EKG patch may be contacted with the skin of a patient, and

wherein a temporary or release adhesive is placed between each of the plurality of EKG patches such that the bottom-most EKG patch may be peeled away from the stack after each use.

10. An EKG patch, comprising:

a base layer; and

a plurality of electrodes held in a fixed configuration with respect to said base layer, said plurality of electrodes being capable of receiving an electrical signal generated by the myocardium of a human heart,

wherein said base layer is configured to contact the skin of a human patient and attach thereto,

wherein said plurality of electrodes are also configured to contact the skin of a human patient concurrently with said base layer, and

wherein said EKG patch is constructed from nonmagnetic materials such that said EKG patch is suitable for use in conjunction with magnetic fields.

11. An EKG patch, comprising:

a base layer; and

a plurality of electrodes held in a fixed configuration with respect to said base layer, said plurality of electrodes being capable of receiving an electrical signal generated by the myocardium of a human heart,

wherein said base layer is configured to contact the skin of a human patient and attach thereto,

wherein said plurality of electrodes are also configured to contact the skin of a human patient concurrently with said base layer, and

wherein said EKG patch comprises perforations to allow at least one of said plurality of electrodes to be ripped apart from a remaining portion of said EKG patch.

13. An EKG-patch connector, comprising:

a connector section adapted to be electrically connected to an EKG patch, the EKG patch comprising a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of electrical leads connected to a respective one of the plurality of electrodes; and

a cable electrically connected to said plurality of electrical leads at a first end through a single port in said connector section, said cable also being suitable to be electrically connected to an EKG monitoring device at a second end.

14. An EKG-patch connector according to claim 13, wherein said EKG patch connector is constructed from nonmagnetic materials such that said EKG patch connector is suitable for use in conjunction with magnetic fields.

15. An EKG-patch connector according to claim 13, wherein a shape of said connector section is configured to attach to a complimentary shape of at least a portion of said EKG patch to provide mechanical and electrical connection between said patch and said cable.