Birth monitor
First Claim
1. In a system for monitoring the birth of an infant which comprises a sensor provided with at least one intrusion electrode adapted to be affixed to a portion of the body of an infant during parturition and providing an ekg output, said sensor including a support member having a first side carrying said intrusion electrode and adapted to lie against the skin of said infant and a second side opposite thereto, the improvement which comprises a heat-flow detector on said member, responsive to the heat flow from the skin of the infant for generating an output signal at least upon a deviation of said heat flow from a normal value, and means responsive to said detector for signaling such deviation, said detector comprising a heat-flow plate formed on the first side of said member and engageable with said infant, a pair of thermoelements disposed on opposite sides of said plate, and means for creating a thermal condition at least on a side of said plate turned away from the infant whereby a temperature differential detector between said thermoelements represents said heat flow from the skin of the infant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring the birth of a child, e.g. to allow immediate response to a blood circulation failure or metabolic distress symptom, comprises a support member on which is mounted an intrusive ekg measuring electrode and heat-flow detector. The heat-flow detector responds to the thermal flux at the head or other body portion of the infant and produces a signal which can be compared with a set point value.
77 Citations
13 Claims
- 1. In a system for monitoring the birth of an infant which comprises a sensor provided with at least one intrusion electrode adapted to be affixed to a portion of the body of an infant during parturition and providing an ekg output, said sensor including a support member having a first side carrying said intrusion electrode and adapted to lie against the skin of said infant and a second side opposite thereto, the improvement which comprises a heat-flow detector on said member, responsive to the heat flow from the skin of the infant for generating an output signal at least upon a deviation of said heat flow from a normal value, and means responsive to said detector for signaling such deviation, said detector comprising a heat-flow plate formed on the first side of said member and engageable with said infant, a pair of thermoelements disposed on opposite sides of said plate, and means for creating a thermal condition at least on a side of said plate turned away from the infant whereby a temperature differential detector between said thermoelements represents said heat flow from the skin of the infant.
Specification