HEARTBEAT TRANSDUCER FOR A MONITORING DEVICE

• US 3,682,161 A
• Filed: 02/20/1970
• Issued: 08/08/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vernon F. Alibert
• Original Assignee: Vernon F. Alibert
• Inventors: Alibert, Vernon F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/013,051
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.5E,2.5N,2.5P,2.5R,2.5S,2.5T 179/1ST 181/24 73/69,70
• US Class Current: 600/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R

Abstract

The present device is a means for monitoring or listening to a heartbeat which provides an acoustical impedance to the nose generated at the area of contact between the present device and the human and/or animal body, thereby virtually eliminating such noise. In addition, the present device provides a transducer of high sensitivity which translates each heat of the heart into a meaningful signal so that each beat propogated as a force (pressure or strain) pulse can be monitored dynamically (through ear phones or the like) and/or graphically (through a cathode ray tube, a responsive pen writing on a roll of graph paper or on a suitable daylight projection and enlarging system).

Claims

1. A contact device to be employed with a heartbeat monitorinG system comprising in combination:

housing means having a cavity and at least one aperture formed therein;

pad member means mounted to fill said aperture having an inner surface lying toward said cavity and an outer surface lying away from said cavity;

inner support means mounted taut across said aperture in abutment with said inner surface of said pad member;

outer support means mounted taut across said aperture in abutment with said outer surface of said pad member to hold said pad member packed tightly between said inner support means and said outer support means;

piezoelectric crystal means;

means for coupling said piezoelectric crystal means to said inner support means whereby said piezoelectric crystal means generate electrical signals in response to heartbeat forces applied to said outer support means; and

circuitry means mounted in said cavity and connected to said piezoelectric crystal means and adapted for further connection to utility means.

2. A contact device according to claim 1 wherein said means for coupling includes a flexure member means, said flexure member means mounted at one end thereof in said cavity;

and wherein said means for coupling further includes connecting means connecting said flexure member means to said inner support means to transmit forces applied to said outer support means, through said pad member and said inner support means, to said flexure member means and wherein said piezoelectric crystal means is secured to said flexure member means to generate electrical signals in response to forces applied to said flexure member means.

3. A contact device according to claim 1 whereing said pad member is made of foam rubber and is held in shape by said inner and said outer support means.

4. A contact device according to claim 2 wherein said connecting means is a rigid wire member formed to be connected between said inner support means and said flexure member means such that forces applied to said outer support means are transmitted through said pad member,through said inner support means and through said rigid wire to said flexure member means.

5. A contact device to be employed with a heartbeat monitoring system according to claim 4 wherein said rigid wire member is formed to slightly deform said flexure member means to thereby deform said piezoelectric crystal means and hence increase the sensitivity of said contact device.