Disposable sensing device with contaneous conformance

• US 5,807,268 A
• Filed: 10/18/1996
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MedAcoustics, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Douglas R., Reeves, William, Hilmer, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahr, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUANG, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US08/733,767
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 128/695 R, 128/701, 128/700, 128/714, 128/715, 128/662.01-662.06, 600/457, 600/458, 600/461-469, 600/449, 600/513, 600/514, 600/527, 600/528
• US Class Current: 600/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 11/08 using piezoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/004 Mounting transducers, e.g. provided with mechanical moving or orienting device mountings specially adapted to a particular sound-producing device, see the preceding groups G10K1/00 - G10K9/00, e.g. G10K1/26, G10K1/28, G10K9/22; arrangements of sonic watch equipment on submarines B63G8/39; buoys B63B22/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sensing device for capturing acoustic heart sounds. The sensing device has a diaphragm formed from a piezoelectric transducer material which generates excitation signals in response to acoustic and vibratory energy outputs. The sensing device includes metallization layers on the diaphragm for receiving and transmitting the excitation signals to an output display device via associated electrical contacts and electrical leads and also includes a layer of adhesive material for coupling the sensing device to the subject. The sensing device further includes snap connectors for allowing the device to be quickly disengaged from electrical leads and discarded. A patch sensor device is disclosed which enables acoustic outputs to be triangulated and pinpointed.

Claims

1. A patch sensing device for picking up multiple acoustic output signals in a subject'"'"'s anatomy and for triangulating the acoustic output signals so as to pinpoint a location and source of the acoustic output signals in the subject'"'"'s anatomy,

wherein the acoustic output signals have a location and source in the subject'"'"'s anatomy,

wherein said patch comprises a sheet of compliant material which can be conformed to a shape of a surface of a portion of the subject'"'"'s anatomy above the subject'"'"'s heart valves,

wherein the sheet comprises at least two sensors in laterally spaced apart association therewith,

wherein each of said laterally spaced apart sensors has a diaphragm formed from a piezoelectric polymer transducer material, and

wherein said laterally spaced apart sensors are positioned to cover the subject'"'"'s heart valves when the patch is conformed to the shape of the surface of the portion of the subject'"'"'s anatomy above the subject'"'"'s heart valves.

2. The sensing device of claim 1 further comprising:

ECG electrodes associated with said patch material.

3. The sensing device of claim 1 further comprising:

four sensors associated with said patch; and

said four sensors being positioned substantially over the subjects'"'"' heart.