Calibration and measurement system

• US 20090204028A1
• Filed: 02/07/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richards Tj
• Original Assignee: Richards Tj
• Inventors: Richards, T.J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,123,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/107 Measuring physical dimensions, e.g. size of the entire body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore

Abstract

The present invention is a calibration and measurement system designed primarily for use in the rapid evaluation and characterization of open or visible wounds in patients. The invention in a preferred embodiment comprises a set of colored concentric rings, constructed of paper or synthetic material. The practitioner removes only as many rings, from the center outward, until the entire wound is visible within the open aperture at the center of the remaining rings. The area dimensions of the wound are then read out from the size of the inner remaining ring. Photography optionally records the wound appearance and size. A related system is developed for linear dimensioning of wounds. This invention is also designed to standardize the color scheme for accurate photography wound description. This color scheme is also applicable to a linear device to accurately describe wound size. The invention is also useful in forensic and accident investigations.

Claims

1. A calibration and measurement apparatus and system comprising:

a planar set of concentric rings;

each ring within said set being removably attached to its nearest neighbor rings;

each ring being visually distinct from each other ring;

each ring surrounding an inner area of known dimensions, each ring of a different inner area than each other ring; and

,

said set so configured as to allow selective removal of an individual ring from the set without disturbing the connectivity of the remaining set.

2. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 1 wherein each said ring comprises visual indicia indicating the size of the area within the ring.

3. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 1 wherein the rings are adapted to surround a wound on a patient.

4. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 6 wherein the rings are colored, and each ring is a different color from each other ring.

5. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 1 further comprising an area suitable for writing.

6. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 1 wherein the rings have an adhesive backing.

7. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 1 wherein each ring is encoded with a label indicating the area surrounded by the given ring.

19. A calibration and measurement apparatus and system and method according to claim 1, further comprising:

arranging a set of rings around the wound of a medical patient;

removing inner rings until the entire wound just appears in the aperture inside the rings;

recording the image of rings and wound with a camera; and

,

producing a photograph or electronic image for future use.

8. A calibration and measurement apparatus and system comprising:

a planar set of concentric closed curve polygonal or circular rings;

each ring comprising a circle around an area of known dimensions;

each ring visually distinct from each other ring;

and,

said set so configured as to allow selective removal of an individual ring from the set without disturbing the remaining set.

9. A calibration and measurement apparatus and system comprising:

a planar set of linear bars, arranged in side-by-side order;

each bar comprising a length of known dimensions, and different from the length of each other bar;

each bar being visually distinct from each other bar; and

,

said set so configured as to allow selective removal of an individual ring from the set without disturbing the remaining set.

10. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 9 wherein the bar set is mounted on a transparent base.

11. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 9 wherein said bars have an adhesive backing.

12. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 9 wherein the bars are adapted to measure the length of a wound on a patient.

13. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 9 wherein the bars are colored, with each bar a distinctly different color from each other bar.

14. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 9 wherein each bar is independently removable from the set.

15. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 9 wherein the bars further comprise pull tabs containing length indicia.

16. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 9 wherein each bar is encoded with visual indicia indicating the length of the given bar.

17. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 16 wherein said visual indicia comprise incremental indicia indicating lengths of the bars as on a ruler.

18. The calibration and measurement apparatus and system of claim 9 further comprising an area suitable for writing.

20. A calibration and measurement apparatus and system and method according to claim 9, further comprising:

arranging a set of bars alongside the wound of a medical patient, such that the length of the wound is displayed;

recording the image of bars and wound with a camera; and

,

producing a photograph or electronic image for future use.