Activity sensor, particularly for heart pacemakers
First Claim
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1. A sensor for detecting activity of a patient wearing a pacemaker, comprising:
- a) a mass of mercury positioned in an initial location, wherein said mass of mercury has an initial shape due to gravitation acting thereon, wherein said mass of mercury is in the range of about 20 micrograms to about 40 micrograms; and
b) a detector means configured for housing and positioning said mass of mercury, wherein said detector means is adapted for detecting changes in the shape of said mass of mercury from said initial shape due to activity of the patient irrespective of the direction in which forces act relative to the geometry of the sensor, and generating a signal indicative of said change, so that when a force in a direction is applied to said mass of mercury said detector means detects said change in shape from said initial shape as a result and in the direction of said applied force and said detector means generates said signal indicative of said change thereby detecting the activity of the patient.
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Abstract
The sensor is intended preferably for use in conjunction with a heart pacemaker whose stimulation rate is variable in dependence on the physical activity of the wearer. The sensor includes a mass of mercury which, in use, can assume a shape determined by the gravitational force and variable as a result of the forces applied to the mass due to movement. Detector means sensitive to the variations in shape generate signals which can be used as activity monitoring signals.
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10 Claims
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1. A sensor for detecting activity of a patient wearing a pacemaker, comprising:
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a) a mass of mercury positioned in an initial location, wherein said mass of mercury has an initial shape due to gravitation acting thereon, wherein said mass of mercury is in the range of about 20 micrograms to about 40 micrograms; and b) a detector means configured for housing and positioning said mass of mercury, wherein said detector means is adapted for detecting changes in the shape of said mass of mercury from said initial shape due to activity of the patient irrespective of the direction in which forces act relative to the geometry of the sensor, and generating a signal indicative of said change, so that when a force in a direction is applied to said mass of mercury said detector means detects said change in shape from said initial shape as a result and in the direction of said applied force and said detector means generates said signal indicative of said change thereby detecting the activity of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification