HEART RATE SENSOR DEVICE

• US 3,595,219 A
• Filed: 09/27/1968
• Issued: 07/27/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blockley Walter Vincent, Sidney L. Friedlander
• Original Assignee: Blockley Walter Vincent, Sidney L. Friedlander
• Inventors: Friedlander, Sidney L., BLOCKLEY WALTER VINCENT
• Application Number:
  US04/763,122
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• US Class Current: 600/514
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02455 provided with high/low alarm devices

Abstract

A portable and relatively inconspicuous device for monitoring one'"'"''"'"'s heart beat which is adapted for use by healthy persons engaged in an exercise program as well as by those who have suffered some form of heart disease is disclosed. The device is set to produce an audio null at a particular heart beat rate. The user is notified by the device when his actual heart rate is either greater or less than the set rate. The signals used for this purpose are audio signals, one type indicating that the actual heart rate is lower than it should be and another type signal indicating that it is higher. A null indicates that the actual and set rates coincide.

Claims

1. A heart rate indicating device having a pair of output terminals and adapted to provide prescribed audio signals at the pair of output terminals in response to the application of heart pulse signals corresponding to the heart beat rate of a user thereof whenever said heart beat rate differs from a preselected rate, said device comprising:

pulsing means operable in response to heart pulse signals to produce corresponding square wave pulses, said means including variable means for adjusting the duration of said square wave pulses until it is substantially equal to the interval between heart beats at the preselected heart rate;

an oscillator that continuously generates an audio signal; and

an annunciator means, coupled between said pulsing means and said oscillator, for respectively receiving the square wave pulses and audio signal therefrom, said annunciator means including means for applying said audio signal to said output terminals during periods intermediate successive square wave pulses whereby a sound null is produced when the user'"'"''"'"'s heart beat rate is substantially equal to the preselected rate, a first distinctive audio signal is produced indicating that the user'"'"''"'"'s heart beat rate is nominally below the preselected rate, and a second distinctive audio signal is produced indicating that the user'"'"''"'"'s heart beat rate is nominally above the preselected rate.

2. The heart rate indicating device defined in claim 1 wherein said pulsing means includes amplifier means adapted to amplify only a selected portion of said heart pulse signals;

and a monostable multivibrator coupled to said amplIfier means to produce said square wave pulses in response to the amplified heart pulse signals, said variable means being adapted to permit manual variation of the width of said square wave pulses.

3. The heart rate indicating device defined in claim 1 wherein said annunciator means includes a diode having anode and cathode elements, and a biasing circuit that produces a direct-current voltage in response to said square wave pulses, said anode element being connected to said audio oscillator to receive the audio signal therefrom and said cathode element being connected to said biasing circuit to receive the direct-current voltage therefrom, a first of said pair of output terminals being operatively connected between said biasing circuit and said cathode element, a second of said pair of output terminals being maintained at a ground potential.

4. The heart rate indicating device defined in claim 1 wherein said pulsing means includes amplifier means adapted to amplify only a selected portion of said heart pulse signals, and a monostable multivibrator coupled to said amplifier means to produce said square wave pulses in response to the output therefrom, said variable means being adapted to permit manual variation of the width of said square wave pulses;

and wherein said annunciator means includes a diode having anode and cathode elements, and a biasing circuit that produces a direct-current voltage in response to said train of square wave pulses, said anode element being connected to said audio oscillator to receive the audio signal therefrom and said cathode element being connected to said biasing circuit to receive the direct-current voltage therefrom, a first of said pair of output terminals being operatively connected between said biasing circuit and said diode, a second of said pair of output terminals being adapted to be maintained at a ground potential.

5. The heart rate indicating device defined in claim 3 wherein said biasing circuit includes a resistor and a capacitor connected to smooth the square wave pulses applied to said annunciator means.

6. The heart rate indicating device defined in claim 2 wherein said annunciator means includes a diode having anode and cathode elements, said anode element being connected to said audio oscillator, said pair of output terminals being adapted to be coupled to an audio transducer, one of said pair of output terminals being connected to a ground lead;

a capacitor connected between said cathode element and the other of said pair of output terminals;

a smoothing network connected between said pulsing means and ground; and

a resistor connected between said pulsing means and said cathode element.

7. The heart rate indicating device defined in claim 5 wherein said pulsing means includes amplifier means adapted to amplify only a selected portion of the heart pulse signals produced in response to the heart beat;

and a monostable multivibrator coupled between said amplifier means and said annunciator means.