ELECTRODE BELT FOR CARRYING OUT ELECTRODIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES ON THE HUMAN BODY
First Claim
1. An electrode belt for carrying out electrodiagnostic procedures on the human body, the electrode belt comprising:
- a plurality of connection elements;
a multicore cable, said plurality of connection elements being positioned along said multicore cable, one connection element being located at a spaced location from another connection element, each connection element being connected to a lead of said multicore cable;
a belt formed at least partially of an elastic material and having a length for surrounding the body of a test subject, said belt being movable from a relaxed state to a stretched state, said belt having a first length in said relaxed state, said belt having a second length in said stretched state, said second length being greater than said first length;
a plurality of electrodes connected to the belt for being in flat contact with the body of the test subject, each electrode being positioned along said belt at a spaced location from an adjacent electrode, said elastic material being provided between adjacent electrodes with each electrode moving relative to said adjacent electrode when said belt moves from said relaxed state to said stretched state, whereby said electrodes carry out an electroimpedance tomography procedure in said stretched state; and
a plurality of contact means each for mechanically and electrically connecting and mechanically and electrically disconnecting from a respective one of said connection elements, each contact means extending from a respective one of said electrodes through said belt to a position located outside of said belt, each of said connection elements having a retaining means for mechanically and electrically connecting to one of said contact means, said retaining means being flexible to generate a snap in retaining function as said contact means is inserted into said retaining means, whereby each contact means is mechanically and electrically connected to said multicore cable via said retaining means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrode belt is provided for carrying out electrodiagnostic procedures on the human body. The electrode belt includes a belt (2), which is formed at least partially of an elastic material and surrounds the body of a test subject. A plurality of electrodes, are mechanically connected to the belt and are in flat contact with the body of the test subject. At least one contact passes from the electrodes through the belt (2) and is connected to a connection element (11), which is connected to a lead each of a multicore cable (6). Such an electrode belt offers marked advantages in terms of handling along with increased safety from movement artifacts.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electrode belt for carrying out electrodiagnostic procedures on the human body, the electrode belt comprising:
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a plurality of connection elements; a multicore cable, said plurality of connection elements being positioned along said multicore cable, one connection element being located at a spaced location from another connection element, each connection element being connected to a lead of said multicore cable; a belt formed at least partially of an elastic material and having a length for surrounding the body of a test subject, said belt being movable from a relaxed state to a stretched state, said belt having a first length in said relaxed state, said belt having a second length in said stretched state, said second length being greater than said first length; a plurality of electrodes connected to the belt for being in flat contact with the body of the test subject, each electrode being positioned along said belt at a spaced location from an adjacent electrode, said elastic material being provided between adjacent electrodes with each electrode moving relative to said adjacent electrode when said belt moves from said relaxed state to said stretched state, whereby said electrodes carry out an electroimpedance tomography procedure in said stretched state; and a plurality of contact means each for mechanically and electrically connecting and mechanically and electrically disconnecting from a respective one of said connection elements, each contact means extending from a respective one of said electrodes through said belt to a position located outside of said belt, each of said connection elements having a retaining means for mechanically and electrically connecting to one of said contact means, said retaining means being flexible to generate a snap in retaining function as said contact means is inserted into said retaining means, whereby each contact means is mechanically and electrically connected to said multicore cable via said retaining means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An electrode belt for electrical impedance tomography, the electrode belt comprising:
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an electrode holding belt structure formed at least partially of an elastic material and having a length for surrounding the body of a test subject, said electrode holding belt structure being movable between a non-stretched state and a stretched state; a plurality of electrodes integrated with and fixed to said electrode holding belt structure to provide flat or convex contact with a surface of the test subject, said elastic material being arranged between one of said electrodes and another one of said electrodes; a multiline cable with a plurality of electrode feed lines; a plurality of connection elements, each of said connection elements being connected to one of said electrode feed lines and fixed to said multiline cable at spaced locations along said multiline cable providing spacing between adjacent connection elements; and a plurality of contacts, each leading from a respective one of said electrodes, each contact having a size and shape, each of said plurality of connection elements having a spring contact for mechanically and electrically connecting to a respective one of said plurality of contacts and for mechanically and electrically disconnecting from said respective one of said plurality of contacts, said spring contact having spaced apart ends defining a contact insertion gap that is smaller than said size of said contact to generate a snap in retaining function when said contact is connected to said connection element with said spring contact in electrical contact with a respective said contact, each of said electrodes moving relative to an adjacent electrode when said electrode holding belt structure moves from said non-stretched state to said stretched state, each of said contacts moving relative to an adjacent contact when said electrode holding belt structure moves from said non-stretched state to said stretched state, each of said connection elements moving relative to an adjacent connection element when said electrode holding belt structure moves from said non-stretched state to said stretched state. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An electrode belt for electrical impedance tomography, the electrode belt comprising:
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a belt structure having a plurality of electrodes connected therein, one electrode being located along said belt structure at a spaced location from another electrode to define an electrode spacing, each electrode having a contact extending therefrom, said holding belt structure being formed at least partially of an elastic material and having a length for surrounding the body of a patient, said belt structure being movable from an unapplied state to an applied state, said elastic material being located between each electrode and an adjacent electrode, said belt structure not being stretched in said unapplied state, said belt structure being stretched in said applied state, each electrode moving relative to an adjacent electrode in said applied state, said electrode spacing having a first dimension in said unapplied state, said electrode spacing having a second dimension in said applied state, said second dimension being greater than said first dimension, said electrodes performing an electroimpedance tomography procedure in said applied state; a multicore cable having a plurality of connection elements, one connection element being located along said multicore cable at a spaced location from another connection element; a snap retaining means associated with one of said contacts and one of said connection elements, whereby each said connection element is connected to a respective said contact via said snap retaining means after said belt structure is applied to the patient, said snap retaining means mechanically and electrically connecting each said contact to said multicore cable.
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Specification