TRANSDUCER MOUNTINGS AND WEARABLE MONITORS

• US 20120296191A1
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: McGrath, Matthew John Ross, Jensen, Erik Weber
• Application Number:
  US13/502,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20120296191A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/383
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0462 Apparatus with built-in sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/38 Acoustic or auditory stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4821 Determining level or depth of anaesthesia A61B5/1106 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units

Abstract

A transducer mounting comprising a compliant elongate support member having a skin engaging surface, adhering means to adhere the skin engaging surface to a wearer'"'"'s head, and a plurality of transducers longitudinally spaced on the skin engaging surface. A wearable monitor comprising adhering means for adhering the wearable monitor to skin, a skin-facing surface with a transducer thereon for either or both stimulating a physiological response and measuring a physiological parameter, and display means or audio output means integral to the wearable monitor for displaying a signal related to a measured physiological parameter on the wearable monitor or transmitting a sound related to a measured physiological parameter from the wearable monitor, respectively.

Claims

1. A wearable monitor comprising one or more fixing elements for fixing the wearable monitor to a body, a body-facing surface and a transducer for either or both stimulating a physiological response and measuring a physiological parameter, and display means or audio output means integral to the wearable monitor for displaying a signal related to a measured physiological parameter on the wearable monitor or transmitting a sound related to a measured physiological parameter from the wearable monitor, respectively.

2. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the body-facing surface has the transducer thereon.

3. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the body-facing surface is a skin-facing surface.

4. A wearable monitor according to a claim 1, wherein the one or more fixing elements comprise one or more adhesion means.

5. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the display means or audio output means are display means for displaying a signal or transmitting a sound related to a measured physiological parameter on the wearable monitor.

6. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the physiological parameter is a parameter specific to a part of the body to which the wearable monitor can be attached.

7. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the wearable monitor is a wearable sensor and the transducer is a sensor.

8. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the transducer comprises an actuator.

9. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the display means do not protrude significantly from the wearable monitor.

10. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the wearable monitor has a body engaging surface and an opposite outer surface and the display means are flush with the outer surface.

11. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays a visual signal dependent on the quality of the electrical connection between an electrode and body.

12. A wearable monitor according to claim 11, wherein the wearable monitor includes one or more electrodes and the visual indicator operable to display a visual indication dependent on the quality of the electrical connection between an electrode and body is located on an outer surface of the wearable monitor, directly over the respective electrode.

13. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the display means comprises one or more light sources operable to display a visual signal related to a measured physiological parameter by the intensity or colour of light emitted by the light source.

14. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the display means is operable to display an image including numbers or text related to a measured physiological parameter.

15. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the display means comprises a minimum display area of at least 8 cm².

16. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, wherein the display means is operable to display visual signals related to more than one physiological parameter.

17. A wearable monitor according to claim 1, operable to communicate a measured signal to a remote processor and to receive a physiological parameter calculated taking into account the communicated measured signal, wherein. the display means displays a visual indication related to the received calculated physiological parameter.

18. A wearable monitor comprising a body portion and a retaining portion;

the retaining portion demountably retaining the body portion;

the body portion comprising a display means or audio output means for displaying a signal related to a measured physiological parameter on the wearable monitor or transmitting a sound related to a measured physiological parameter from the wearable monitor, respectively;

the retaining portion comprising one or more fixing elements to fix the wearable monitor to a body, a body-facing surface, and a transducer for either or both stimulating a physiological response and measuring a physiological parameter.

19. A kit for a wearable monitor, the kit comprising a body portion and a retaining portion, the retaining portion demountably retaining the body portion;

the body portion comprising the display means or audio output means for displaying a signal related to a measured physiological parameter on the wearable monitor or transmitting a sound related to a measured physiological parameter from the wearable monitor, respectively;

the retaining portion comprising the one or more fixing elements to fix the wearable monitor to a body (generally the body of a mammal, typically a human being), a body-facing surface, and a transducer for either or both stimulating a physiological response and measuring a physiological parameter.

20. A wearable transducer mounting comprising a compliant elongate support member having a body engaging surface, one or more fixing elements to fix the body engaging surface to a wearer'"'"'s body, and a plurality of transducers longitudinally spaced along the compliant elongate support member.

21. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein the transducers are longitudinally spaced along the body engaging surface.

22. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein the said transducers are electrodes.

23. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein the transducer mounting is for mounting transducers to a wearer'"'"'s head and the body engaging surface is a skin engaging surface.

24. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein the body engaging surface of the compliant elongate support member is a head engaging surface, and the plurality of transducers are a plurality of electrodes longitudinally spaced on the head engaging surface.

25. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein the one or more fixtures are adhering means.

26. A transducer mounting according to claim 25, wherein the adhering means comprises one or more adhesive strips.

27. A transducer mounting according to claim 25, wherein the adhering means extend longitudinally on either side of each transducer, but do not extend laterally of each transducer.

28. A transducer mounting according to claim 25, wherein the adhering means comprises one or more compressible chambers provided within the elongate support member and at least one aperture extending from each compressible chamber through the elongate support member to the skin engaging surface.

29. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein each transducer has a breadth of at least 75% of the breadth of the or body engaging surface where the respective electrode is mounted.

30. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein the breadth of the elongate support member in the region of each transducer is less than 20 mm.

31. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein the elongate support member has a length which is greater than 10 times its maximum breadth.

32. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein the depth of the transducer mounting in the region of each transducer is at least 2 mm.

33. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein the elongate support member may have a breadth to thickness ratio of between 0.25 and 4.0, at least in the region of each transducer.

34. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, which is flexible around an axis normal to the skin engaging surface, with a radius of curvature of less than 10 cm.

35. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, having a three sided cross-section along the majority of its length.

36. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein the elongate support member comprises one or more raised portion which extend further from the skin engaging surface than surrounding regions of the elongate support member.

37. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, formed to retain at least two electrodes on a wearer'"'"'s forehead, above the eyeline, and a third electrode on a wearer'"'"'s cheek, below the eyeline.

38. A transducer mounting according to claim 20 wherein the transducer mounting comprises a connecting member, a first compliant elongate support member extending from the connecting member having a skin engaging surface, adhering means to adhere the skin engaging surface to a wearer'"'"'s head, and a plurality of transducers on the skin engaging surface of the first compliant elongate support, and a second compliant elongate support member extending from the connection member and having a skin engaging surface, adhering means to adhere the skin engaging surface to a wearer'"'"'s head, and at least one transducer on the skin engaging surface of the second compliant elongate support, wherein the first and second compliant elongate support members extend from the connecting member at spaced apart locations.

39. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, wherein the connecting member comprise a sound generation module for generating sounds in a wearer'"'"'s ear or a fitment for demountably attaching a sound generation module to the transducer mounting.

40. A transducer mounting according to claim 20, comprising a body portion and a retaining portion demountably retaining the body portion;

the retaining portion comprising the compliant elongate support member, the one or more fixing elements and a plurality of transducers longitudinally spaced along the compliant elongate support member, the body portion comprising a display means or audio output means for displaying a signal or transmitting a sound related to a physiological parameter measured by the transducers.

41. A kit for a transducer mounting, the kit comprising a body portion and a retaining portion configured to demountably retain the body portion;

the retaining portion comprising the compliant elongate support member, adhering means and a plurality of transducers longitudinally spaced along the compliant elongate support member, the body portion comprising a display means or audio output means for displaying a signal or transmitting a sound related to a physiological parameter measured by the transducers.