BELT FOR ELECTRO IMPEDANCE MEASUREMENT AND METHOD USING SUCH BELT

• US 20150038823A1
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Brunner, Josef X., Bohm, Stephan H.
• Granted Patent: US 10,278,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/382
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0295 using plethysmography, i.e. measuring the variations in the volume of a body part as modified by the circulation of blood therethrough, e.g. impedance plethysmography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0535 Impedance plethysmography for measuring blood flow A61B5/0295
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0536 Impedance imaging, e.g. by tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/2035 Arrangement or mounting of filters F24C15/2021 takes precedence; filters per se B01D46/00

Abstract

An electro impedance measuring belt for placing electrodes around the thorax of a patient comprises an array of a plurality of spaced apart electrodes, and a support structure, on which the electrodes are arranged. The support structure with the electrode array comprises two angulated legs on which the electrodes are lined up, the two legs spread out from an apex at an angle, such that, when the belt is put around the thorax of a patient, the array of electrodes extends from the back of the patient, where the apex of fee angulated legs is to be located, essentially parallel to the ribs to the lower part of the breastbone of the patient.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. An electro impedance measuring belt for placing electrodes around the thorax of a patient comprising;

an electrode array comprising a plurality of spaced apart electrodes;

a support structure comprising a belt, on which the electrode array is arranged, having two angulated legs on which the electrodes are aligned, the two angulated legs spread out from an apex at a first angle, such that, when the belt is placed around a thorax of a patient, the electrode array extends from a back of the patient, where the apex of the angulated legs is configured to be located, to a lower part of the breastbone of the patient with the electrode array positioned substantially parallel to the patients ribs.

35. The belt of claim 34, wherein the first angle formed between the legs is between 80 and 170 degrees.

36. The belt of claim 34, wherein the legs are connected by a transverse middle part and wherein a second angle between a longitudinal axis of the middle part and a longitudinal axis of each leg is between 15 and 35 degrees.

37. The belt of claim 34, wherein the legs comprise an electrode band, and further comprising a first fastener proximate a first end and second end of the electrode band for connecting the first and second ends together.

38. The belt of claim 34, further comprising an attachment structure for holding the support structure and the array of electrodes in position relative to a patient so that relative movement of the electrodes and a body of the patient is substantially limited during breathing.

39. The belt of claim 38, wherein the attachment structure is configured to be coupled to the body of the patient and also to the support structure.

40. The belt of claim 38, wherein the attachment structure comprises a harness configured to hold the support structure in position.

41. The belt of claim 40, wherein the harness comprises a vest-like structure configured to position and carry the support structure and the electrode array.

42. The belt of claim 41, wherein the vest-like structure is comprised at least partially from an elastic textile.

43. The belt of claim 38, wherein the attachment structure and the support structure are releasably connected to each other.

44. The belt of claim 38, wherein the electrode array when coupled to the attachment structure and spread out flat has a generally curved V shape for aligning with a rib inclination of the patient.

45. The belt of claim 34, wherein the electrode array and the support structure are integrally formed and comprise at least two layers including a first layer comprising a skin-contacting cloth with electrically conducting pathways for establishing contact between the skin and the electrodes, and a second layer comprising an electronic circuit board.

46. The belt of claim 45, wherein the support structure defines a plurality of electrode positions, and further comprising at least one of supply lines control lines and data lines to connect the electrode array with analyzing and control equipment.

47. The belt of claim 34, wherein the support structure comprises a non-stretchable and non-elastic material including a circuit board.

48. The belt of claim 34, wherein the belt is configured for a single use.

49. A method for measuring electro impedance, comprising:

placing an electrode impedance measuring belt around a thorax of a human patient and substantially along the ribs or in the intercostal region of two neighboring ribs, the belt comprising an array of electrodes arranged in a longitudinally spaced apart manner along the belt.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising using the belt with the array of electrodes defining an oblique oval plane at an angle with respect to a transverse plane due to inclination about a transverse axis running from a left to a right side of a body of the patient.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the angle approximately corresponds to a rib inclination with respect to a dorsoventral axis.

52. The method of claim 49, further comprising placing the array of electrodes along one specific rib on one side of a body of the patient and a corresponding specific rib on an opposite side of the body.

53. The method of claim 49, further comprising placing the array of electrodes between a 4th and a 7th rib of the patient.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising placing the array of electrodes at a level of a specific intercostal space.

55. The method of claim 49, further comprising performing electro impedance imaging.