WEARABLE THERAPEUTIC DEVICE

• US 20150165222A1
• Filed: 02/25/2015
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Oskin, Emil, Skalos, Philip C., Kaib, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,226,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/04 Electrodes electrosurgical electrodes A61B18/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0484 Garment electrodes worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3918 characterised by shock pathway, e.g. by electrode configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators

Abstract

A wearable monitoring device is provided. The wearable monitoring device includes a garment to hold an electrode, be worn about a subject, and include an orientation circuit. The monitoring device also includes a control unit coupled to the orientation circuit capable of measuring at least one parameter associated with the orientation circuit and determine whether the electrode is positioned in the garment with the conductive surface oriented towards the subject based on the at least one parameter.

Claims

1. A wearable monitoring device comprising:

a garment to hold an electrode and be worn about a subject, the garment including an orientation circuit; and

a control unit coupled to the orientation circuit, the control unit capable of measuring at least one parameter associated with the orientation circuit and determine whether the electrode is positioned in the garment with the conductive surface oriented towards the subject based on the at least one parameter.

2. The wearable monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the electrode comprises a therapy electrode for providing a therapeutic shock to the subject.

3. The wearable monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the orientation circuit can be in at least one of an open circuit state corresponding to an incorrect orientation of the electrode and a closed circuit state corresponding to a correct orientation of the electrode.

4. The wearable monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one of a voltage, a current, and a resistance associated with the orientation circuit.

5. The wearable monitoring device of claim 1, where the control unit determines whether there is an electrical connection between the orientation circuit and the electrode based on the at least one parameter.

6. The wearable monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the orientation circuit comprises conductive thread.

7. The wearable monitoring device of claim 1, comprising at least one conductive element coupled between the orientation circuit and the control unit.

8. The wearable monitoring device of claim 7, comprising conductive snaps disposed between the at least one conductive element and the orientation circuit.

9. The wearable monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is coupled to the electrode and wherein the control unit causes the electrode to sense cardiac activity of the subject.

10. The wearable monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the wearable monitoring device can provide treatment to a subject.

11. The wearable monitoring device of claim 1, comprising an alarm module to indicate positioning information of the electrode in the garment based on the electrical connection.

12. A garment to be worn about a subject comprising:

a pocket to hold an electrode;

an orientation circuit included in the pocket, the orientation circuit to provide an indication of an orientation of the electrode in the pocket; and

at least one conductive element to couple the orientation circuit to a control unit.

13. The garment of claim 12, wherein the pocket comprises one of a pouch, a sleeve, a slit, or a flap.

14. The garment of claim 12, wherein the pocket comprises at least one of a button, a snap, a hook and loop fastener, a latch, and a zipper to removably secure the electrode in the garment.

15. The garment of claim 12, wherein the pocket comprises a first lateral side proximate to the subject and a second lateral side distal to the subject, and wherein the first lateral side of the pocket comprises conductive mesh.

16. The garment of claim 12, wherein the pocket comprises a first lateral side proximate to the subject and a second lateral side distal to the subject, and wherein the orientation circuit is included in the second lateral side of the pocket.

17. The garment of claim 12, comprising at least one of a belt and a strap to removably secure the garment to the subject.

18. A wearable monitoring device comprising:

a garment to hold an electrode and be worn about a subject, the garment including at least one pressure sensor; and

a control unit coupled to the at least one pressure sensor, the control unit to cause the at least one pressure sensor to measure an amount of pressure and determine whether the electrode is properly positioned on the subject based on the measured amount of pressure.

19. The wearable monitoring device of claim 18, wherein the at least one pressure sensor comprises one of a spring loaded sensor and a piezoelectric sensor.

20. The wearable monitoring device of claim 18, wherein the control unit determine whether the electrode is positioned in the garment based on the measured amount of pressure.

21. The wearable monitoring device of claim 18, comprising an alarm module to indicate positioning information of the wearable monitoring device about the subject based on the measured amount of pressure.

22. The wearable monitoring device of claim 21, wherein the alarm module indicates whether the wearable monitoring device is too tight or too loose about the subject.