Flexible sensor pad for non-attached monitoring EKG signals of human subjects

• US 3,954,100 A
• Filed: 12/10/1974
• Issued: 05/04/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Defense Consultant Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Defense Consultant Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Sem-Jacobsen, Carl Wilhelm
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US05/531,329
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.06 E, 128/2.1 E, 128/404, 128/416-418, 128/DIG. 4
• US Class Current: 600/393
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287

Abstract

A flexible sensor pad upon which a subject sits or lies for acquiring electrocardiogram (EKG) signals from a human subject for continuous monitoring of the subject without attachments to the subject, as during piloting of aircraft or during transportation on a stretcher, to enable activation of an alarm upon certain conditions. The sensor pad includes a flexible waterproof backing sheet of textile fabric, a pair of flexible pick-up panels of non-corrosive, highly conductive fabric such as cloth formed of threads having metallic strands, and a thin cover cloth which is permeable to peripheral perspiration of the subject to effect transmission of the EKG signals to the pick-up panels by the perspiration.

Claims

1. A flexible sensor pad for continuous biomedical monitoring of electrocardiogram signals from a clothed human subject through the clothing worn by the subject and without direct contact with the skin of the subject while the subject is being supported on a body-supporting surface portion of a subject supporting device and without attachment of electrical leads or sensors to the body or clothing of the subject, comprising a flexible backing sheet in the form of a thin flat panel of electrically non-conducting, non-corrosive, waterproof, flexible sheet material capable of conforming to the contour of a variety of shapes of the body-supporting surface portion and being of a size to span an area coextensive with a predetermined area of the subject'"'"'s body, a pair of separate electrically conductive pick-up panels of highly conductive, non-corrosive flexible web-like material secured in overlying relation on said backing sheet in the form of two strip-like members physically and electrically spaced from each other in side-by-side relation located wholly within the periphery of said backing sheet to receive electrocardiogram signals from the subject by transmission to the pick-up panels through peripheral perspiration from the subject communicated through the clothing being worn by the subject, the pick-up panels being located to be in good compression pressure relation with a pair of spaced predetermined body areas of the subject, a thin flexible fabric cover of moisture-permeable textile material overlying the pair of pickup panels to be disposed in direct contact with clothing of the subject covering said predetermined body areas and isolated from direct contact with subject'"'"'s skin in such body areas by said clothing and having sufficient open spaces therethrough to pass peripheral perspiration from the subject to the pick-up panels for transmission to the latter of the electrocardiogram signals, said fabric cover being secured peripherally to the backing sheet and completely covering said pick-up panels so that said pick-up panels are located wholly within the periphery of said fabric cover, and a pair of electrical signal conductors connected respectively in electrically conductive relation to the respective pick-up panels and extending beyond the backing sheet for connection to electrocardiogram signal processing circuitry.

2. A flexible sensor pad as defined in claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive pick-up panels are each a textile fabric panel formed predominantly of threads having some electrically conductive metallic strands.

3. A flexible sensor pad as defined in claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive pick-up panels are each a textile fabric panel formed predominantly of threads having some electrically conductive gold strands.

4. A flexible sensor pad as defined in claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive pick-up panels are each a textile fabric panel formed predominantly of threads having some electrically conductive metallic strands, the panels each being of generally rectangular configuration.

5. A flexible sensor pad as defined in claim 1, wherein said backing sheet is a flexible panel of waterproofed textile fabric.

6. A flexible sensor pad as defined in claim 2, wherein said backing sheet is a flexible panel of waterproofed textile fabric.

7. A flexible sensor pad as defined in claim 2, wherein said backing sheet is a flexible panel of waterproofed textile upholstery-type fabric.

8. A flexible sensor seat pad for continuous biomedical monitoring of electrocardiogram signals from a clothed human subject such as an aircraft pilot or the like being supported in seated position on the seat cushion portion of a chair-like device through the clothing worn by the subject without direct contact with the skin of the subject and without attachment of electrical leads or sensors to the body or clothing of the subject, comprising a flexible backing sheet in the form of a thin flat panel of electrically non-conducting, non-corrosive, water-proof, flexible sheet material capable of conforming to the contour of a variety of shapes of the upper surface of the seat cushion portion and being of a size to laterally span a major portion of the width of the buttocks portion of the subject'"'"'s body, a pair of separate electrically conductive pick-up panels of highly conductive, non-corrosive flexible web-like material secured in overlying relation on said backing sheet in the form of two panel members physically and electrically spaced from each other in side-by-side relation located wholly within the periphery of said backing sheet at appropriate locations to respectively underly the respective buttocks of the subject in seated position on the chair-like device to receive electrocardiogram signals from the subject by transmission to the pick-up panels through peripheral perspiration from the subject communicated through the clothing being worn by the subject, a thin flexible fabric cover of moisture-permeable textile material overlying the pair of pick-up panels to be disposed in direct contact with clothing of the subject covering the subject'"'"'s buttocks area and isolated from direct contact with the subject'"'"'s skin by the subject'"'"'s clothing and having sufficient open spaces therethrough to pass peripheral perspiration from the subject to the pick-up panels for transmission to the latter of the electrocardiogram signals, said fabric cover being secured peripherally to the backing sheet and completely covering said pick-up panels so that said pick-up panels are located wholly within the periphery of said fabric cover, and a pair of electrical signal conductors connected respectively in electrically conductive relation to the respective pick-up panels and extending beyond the backing sheet for connection to electrocardiogram signal processing circuitry.

9. A flexible sensor pad as defined in claim 8, wherein said electrically conductive pick-up panels are each a textile fabric panel formed predominantly of threads having some electrically conductive metallic strands.

10. A flexible sensor pad as defined in claim 9, wherein said backing sheet is a flexible panel of waterproofed textile fabric.