DETECTOR FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL QUANTITIES

• US 3,810,460 A
• Filed: 10/13/1972
• Issued: 05/14/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell BV (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cornelis Pieter Van Nie
• Inventors: Van Nie, Cornelis Pieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/297,243
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2L,2R,2.5E,2.5P,2.5R 248/54R,55,399,401,402,182,188.3,188.8,350
• US Class Current: 600/479
• 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 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 Ear lobe

Abstract

A device for detecting physiological quantities, comprising two hinged arms which are provided on their end with freely movable end members. When a part of the body, for example, an ear lobe, is clamped between the end members, the latter will be immovably retained in a mount.

Claims

1. A device for detecting physiological quantities comprising first and second arms connected to each other for pivotal movement of one with respect to the other, a hinge located at one end of said arms for pivotally connecting said arms together, an end member carried on the free end of each arm so as to locate therebetween a part of a body such as an ear lobe or fingertip, a mounting means carried at the free end of at least one of said arms comprising a recess in said arm for carrying its respective end member whereby said end member is immovably accomodated in said recess when a force is applied to said end member in the direction of said mounting means and in the vicinity of the center of said end member and at least one of said end members is displaceable with respect to its associated arm when no forces are applied thereto, flexible connecting means connecting said end member to said mounting means, and measuring means carried by at least one of said end members so as to detect said physiological quantities.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said recess is rotation-symmetrical and wherein the shape of the end member accomodated within said recess has a rotation-symmetry adapted to the shape of said recess.

3. The detector according to claim 2 wherein the surface of said end member facing its respective mounting means is spherical, and wherein said mounting means is annular having three bearing points for supporting said spherical surface, said bearing points being evenly distributed about the circumferance of said mounting means.

4. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a groove in the recess of at least one of said arms, and wherein said flexible connecting means comprises an e-shaped resilient wire, the straight portion of said e-shaped wire being located in said end member substantially at the center thereof near the surface facing said mounting means so as to be rotatable therewith, the bent portion of said e-shaped wire being arranged within said groove.

5. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a clamping spring and wherein the force required to move said arms with respect to each other is equal to the combination of the force produced by said clamping spring and a frictional force of said hinge, said frictional force being at least 10 grams.

6. The device according to claim 5 wherein said hinge comprises a hinge pin inserted through eyelets on both arms, at least one friction ring arranged between two eyelets of one of said arms forming a friction pack with said eyelets, and a compression spring carried by said pin for exerting a compression force on said friction pack.

7. The device according to claim 6 further comprising a means for adjusting said compression force exerted by said spring carried on said pin.

8. The device according to claim 6 further comprising a screw bolt extending axially through said pin and a nut for cooperative engagement therewith, whereby rotational movement of said nut produces compressive forces exerted in the axial direction on said friction pack, said compressive forces being substantially larger than the force exerted by said compression spring.

9. The device according to claim 1 wherein said measuring means is detachably connected to said end members.

10. The device according to claim 1 wherein said measuring means further comprises a photo emissive means and a photosensitive means arranged adjacent each other on each of said end members.