Arterial pulse rate monitor and stress warning device

• US 4,459,992 A
• Filed: 11/15/1982
• Issued: 07/17/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marion V. Gwyn
• Original Assignee: Marion V. Gwyn
• Inventors: Gwyn, Marion V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shein, Mitchell J.
• Application Number:
  US06/441,473
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 128/687-690, 128/701, 73/DIG. 1, 340/573, 340/683, 200/61.45 R, 200/61.48, 200/61.51
• US Class Current: 600/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient

Abstract

A rugged, relatively low cost, reliable warning device wearable on a person'"'"'s body, preferably in the form of a bracelet or wristwatch. This device novelly utilizes the principal of natural sympathetic vibration or harmonic response of a fine metal reed, such as a finely drawn tungsten wire, to effect closing of an electrical circuit which hereby emits an appropriate warning signal or combination of signals. The device further embodies adjustable frequency of response calibration selection in combination with the selective electrical circuit features to promptly detect an excessive heartbeat or pulse rate. The signal emitted may be of audio, visual or sensory form or a combination thereof to warn the user against over exertion, stressful situations.

This device is unlike known prior art devices of the strain gauge and piezo-electric types, which rely upon electrical circuit resistance changes, as well as other types of the electromagnetic and pressure transducer types which use electrical circuit impulses to sense pulse rates.

Claims

1. A portable blood pulse rate monitor and stress warning device for warning of imminent heart trouble to the user of the device, said device comprising:

case means for housing components of the device, said case means including a case member having wall means defining a dual purpose combined resonator-amplifier chamber in the form of;

a shallow horn or hopper-shaped pulse-amplifying chamber having a closed-off large end and a smaller oppositely disposed narrowed and elongated open end;

a membrane stretched across and overlaying said latter chamber at its large end to close off same, said membrane adapted to lay against a given pulse area and to amplify the attendant pulse thereat;

a resonator in the form of a thin linear reed supported by and within said case member in a manner extending medially across said chamber adjacent said narrowed open end thereof;

said resonator reed being of a material characterized by natural sympathetic vibration capability having a predeterminable frequency of response when vibrating;

means for varying the frequency of response of said reed;

electric circuit means with operatively connected battery power means therefore, said circuit means comprising integrated warning alarm means and a circuit portion within said case member adapted to be energized by pulse-amplified resonator contact upon the attaining of a predetermined high level of resonator reed vibration or frequency response which corresponds to a predeterminable dangerously high level of pulse rate; and

said device having a variable range of pulse rates calibrated therewithin for selection according to different needs of different wearer'"'"'s of said device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said resonator reed is a fine tungsten wire having a diameter ranging between approximately 0.0001 and 0.0002 inches.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said resonator reed is of appoximately from one to one and one-quarter inches in length in initial installation.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said variable range of pulse rates calibrated therewithin include calibration scale means in association with said means for varying said reed'"'"'s frequency of response, so as to facilitate correlating predetermined different frequencies of response with predetermined corresponding heartbeat or pulse rates set forth on said calibration scale means.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said case means has strap means connected thereto to facilitate appropriate mounting on a user'"'"'s body.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said means for adjusting said reed'"'"'s frequency of response includes an adjustable collar member having a close sliding fit upon said linear reed.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said means for adjusting the reed'"'"'s frequency of response includes reed-tensioning means, to impart predetermined different tensions corresponding to predetermined different frequencies of response.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said reed tensioning means includes two complementary screw threaded relatively rotatable members, with said reed having one of two end portions affixed to one side of said case member and the other end portion affixed to one of said relatively rotatable threaded members so as to be selectively tensioned by the interaction of said two relatively rotatable members.

9. The device of claim 7, further including calibrated scale means applied complementally to said relatively rotatable members in a manner to correlate predetermined frequencies of response to calibrated predetermined levels of heartbeat or pulse rate.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said electric circuit alarms means includes separate types of visual, audio and sensory alarms with respective subcircuits for each type thereof, as well as for concurrent operation of a collective plurality of said alarms;

and selector switch means for effecting selective operation of individual alarms and for collective operation of a plurality of said alarms.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein all defined components constitute a unitary assembly having a relatively small overall size adaptable to be worn on a wearer'"'"'s wrist, and further including strap means to facilitate removable attachment to and from the wrist.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the defined resonator and case means constitute one basic subassembly, which also has strap means to removably attach to a wearer'"'"'s body;

further wherein said electric circuit with related battery power means and warning alarm means constitute another separate basic subassembly adaptable for carrying within a user'"'"'s clothing and upon the wearer'"'"'s body; and

flexible wire conductor means adapted to operatively interconnect the aforesaid two basic subassemblies.