PHYSIOLOGICAL DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM

• US 3,568,663 A
• Filed: 12/23/1968
• Issued: 03/09/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clifford G. Phipps
• Original Assignee: Clifford G. Phipps
• Inventors: Phipps, Clifford G.
• Application Number:
  US04/786,130
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• US Class Current: 600/387
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/252 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/276 Protection against electrode failure

Abstract

Apparatus for facilitating the rapid acquisition of bioelectric physiological data from aquatic mammals without requiring the use of engirdling straps or time consuming preparational procedures. A feature of the disclosure is the employment of a plurality of electrodes respectively disposed within flexible cups connected to a vacuum system, the action of the latter serving to establish and maintain tight physical engagement between each of the electrodes and the tissue of the mammal being tested. Inaccuracies in the derived data due to slight electrode displacements, common with conventional apparatus, are thus prevented.

Claims

1. In a system for the acquisition of bioelectric physiological data from mammals, said system including a transducer designed for positioning in physical contact with the skin or tissue of a mammal from which such data is to be acquired, the improvement which comprises:

means for precluding the introduction of irregularities into the data so acquired as a result of an improper transducer-skin interface relationship during the acquisition period, said means including;

a cup-shaped member of flexible material intended to be compressed against the skin or tissue of a mammal and, when so compressed to form a substantially airtight seal around the periphery thereof;

an electrode enclosed within said cup-shaped member and designed to contact the skin or tissue of said mammal when said member is compressed; and

means connected to said cup-shaped member for maintaining said electrode in contact with the skin or tissue of said mammal under conditions wherein leakage of air occurs through said seal;

said means connected to said cup-shaped member for maintaining said electrode in contact with the skin or tissue of said mammal including a source of vacuum and means for connecting said vacuum source to the interior of said cup-shaped member;

said electrode being in the general shape of a tablet having a planar surface designed to contact the skin or tissue of said mammal, said tablet having an opening therein generally normal to said planar surface, said opening forming part of said means for connecting said vacuum source to the interior of said cupshaped member;

the planar surface of said tablet having a plurality of grooves formed therein extending radially outwardly from said opening, each of said grooves being designed to conduct therethrough to said opening air which has leaked through said seal when the surface of said tablet is contacting the skin or tissue of said mammal.

2. In a system for the acquisition of bioelectric physiological data from mammals, said system including:

a transducer designed for positioning in physical contact with the skin or tissues of a mammal from which such data is to be acquired;

means for forming a substantially airtight seal around said transducer when the latter is in physical contact with the skin or tissue of a mammal from which data is to be acquired;

means for establishing and maintaining a partial vacuum within said last-mentioned means regardless of any leakage of air which may occur through said seal;

a display device;

means for electrically connecting said transducer to said display device so as to effect a visual presentation of the physiological data acquired from said manual;

said means for establishing and maintaining a partial vacuum within said means for forming a substantially airtight seal around said transducer including a vacuum pump and a conduit for connecting said pump to said seal-forming means so that said pump is effective to withdraw air from within said seal-forming means;

a source of calibration pulses; and

means for injecting pulses from said source into said system so that such pulses are in effect superimposed on the physiological data visually presented on said display device.