Apparatus and method for engaging acoustic vibration sensors to skin

• US 20110005320A1
• Filed: 07/12/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deep Breez, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Deep Breeze, Ltd.
• Inventors: Gelman, Gregory, Ben-Ezra, Guy
• Granted Patent: US 8,474,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/589
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4438 Means for identifying the diagnostic device, e.g. barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A system comprising a viscoelastic interface sheet to engage a sound vibrations sensors array to a sound generating objects. The structure of the interface sheet includes elements for easy handling, positioning and mounting. A device for storage and mounting support of such interface sheets is disclosed.

Claims

1. An interfacing assembly for interfacing an array of sound vibration sensors (SVS) to a sound generation object (SGO) comprising:

a viscoelastic sheet;

a flexible adhesive coating on each side of said viscoelastic sheet; and

means for attaching said sheet on one side thereof to said array of SVS and on the other side thereof to said SGO.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said means for attaching comprise a liner on each side of said sheet.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said liner comprises two separate liners, each attached to a respective side of said sheet.

4. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said liner comprises one liner wrapped around one edge, and along both sides of said sheet.

5. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said liner comprises two separate liners, a first liner wrapped around a first edge of said sheet and attached to part of the sheet proximate said first edge and a second liner wrapped around a second edge of said sheet and attached to part of the sheet proximate said second edge, the end parts of said first liner folded backwards and the end parts of said second liner covering said end parts of the first liner.

6. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said liner comprises four separate liners, a first and second liners attached respectively to both sides of the sheet proximate a first end thereof and a third and fourth liners attached respectively to both sides of the sheet proximate a second end thereof, the end parts of said first and second liners folded backwards and the end parts of said second and third liners covering said end parts of the first and second liners, respectively.

7. The assembly of claim 2, additionally comprising at least one separator between part of said sheet and said liner, for facilitating the peeling of said liner from said sheet.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein said at least one separator comprises two separators, each on a respective side of said sheet.

9. The assembly of claim 7, wherein said part of said sheet is clear of glue.

10. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said part of the sheet is coated with non-sticking material.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said interface sheet comprises unique identification means and wherein said SVS array comprises means for reading and processing said identification means to prevent reuse of a used interface assembly.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein said identification means comprise an RFID tag and wherein said reading and processing means comprise RFID reading and processing means.

13. The assembly of claim 11, wherein said identification means comprise a barcode element and wherein said reading and processing means comprise barcode reading and processing means.

14. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said interface sheet comprises registration marks.

15. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the viscoelastic material is cut in geometrical shapes to fit the individual SVS elements of the SVS array.

16. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said SGO comprises an uneven surface of a segment of a subject body.

17. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible adhesive coating comprises an acoustic impedance matching layer.

18. A device for positioning at least one interface assembly for interfacing an array of sound vibration sensors (SVS) to a sound generation object (SGO), comprising pins assembled in registration to an SVS array bed and holes in the at least one interface assembly in conjunction with said pins, such that placing the interface device on the pins registers the interface device to the SVS array which is in the SVS array bed.

19. The device of claim 18, comprising a tray for holding the at least one interface assembly and guides to help guiding each said at least one interface assembly to the SVS array in proper registration.

20. A method of attaching one or more acoustic elements to an uneven surface of a segment of a subject body, said method comprising:

providing an article including at least a layer of flexible adhesive material;

providing an assembly of piezo electric acoustic elements arranged in a two dimensional pattern;

attaching said layer of piezo electric acoustic elements to one side of the flexible adhesive material; and

attaching a second side of said flexible adhesive material to the uneven segment of the subject body.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the layer of flexible adhesive material comprises an acoustic impedance matching layer.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the layer of flexible adhesive material matches the acoustic impedance between the piezoelectric acoustic elements and the uneven segment of subject body.