EKG device having individually storable eletrode leads

• US 5,813,979 A
• Filed: 05/09/1997
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donna A. Wolfer
• Original Assignee: Donna A. Wolfer
• Inventors: Wolfer, Donna A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US08/853,197
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 600/382, 600/384, 600/393, 600/508, 600/509, 600/522, 600/520
• US Class Current: 600/373
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/303 Patient cord assembly, e.g. cable harness

Abstract

A portable EKG machine having a plurality of individually storable electrode leads, each of which may be selectively moved from a retracted position wherein the electrode lead is stored within a storage enclosure, to an extended position wherein the electrode lead is drawn from the storage enclosure. The EKG machine of the present invention includes a monitor, a storage enclosure and a plurality of conducting leads each terminating in an electrode. In a preferred embodiment, the storage enclosure includes a plurality of retractable and extendable leads mounted on individual rotatable spools enclosed therein. Each electrode and lead may be individually selectively extended by an EKG technician by grasping and separating an electrode from the storage enclosure thereby unwinding the lead from its storage spool to an extended position, whereafter the electrode may be conductively attached to the patient'"'"'s body. Upon removal of one or more electrodes from the patient'"'"'s body, the spools provide for automatic retraction of each individual lead to its stored position thereby eliminating entanglement problems associated with dangling leads.

Claims

1. An EKG machine having a plurality of individually storable electrode leads each terminating in an electrode, said EKG machine comprising:

a monitor having means for generating output;

a plurality of electrodes for sensing electrical activity generated by a person'"'"'s heart;

said of said plurality of electrodes individually electrically connected to said monitor by a corresponding plurality of elongated electrically conducting flexible leads; and

an enclosure, said enclosure including means for storing each of said plurality of electrode leads, each of said plurality of leads being selectively and individually movable from a retracted position wherein the lead is substantially stored within said enclosure, to an extended position wherein the lead is substantially drawn from said enclosure;

said enclosure having opposing first and second ends, each of said ends having a plurality of leads dispensed therefrom, whereby said enclosure may be disposed proximal to a patient'"'"'s torso and leads may be dispensed toward the patient'"'"'s upper torso from said first end, and additional leads may be dispensed toward the patient'"'"'s lower torso and legs.

2. An EKG machine according to claim 1, wherein said means for storing further includes means for individually biasing each of said electrode leads to said retracted position within said enclosure.

3. An EKG machine according to claim 2, wherein said means for storing includes:

a plurality of rotatable spools supported by said enclosure, each of said spools having a portion of one of said electrode leads at least partially wound thereon;

each of said rotatable spools being rotationally biased in a rotational direction, corresponding to said retracted position, by said means for individually biasing, whereby said leads are biased to a retracted position wound about one of said plurality of rotatable spools.

4. An EKG machine according to claim 3, further including means for selective and individual rotational locking of each of said rotatable spools.

5. An assembly of sensors for use with an EKG machine for detecting and transmitting signals relating to heart activity, said assembly of sensors comprising:

a plurality of electrodes, each electrode electrically connected to a conducting lead, each lead electrically connected to a cable terminating in at least one connector for electrical connection to an EKG monitor;

a storage enclosure having means for retractable storage of each of said leads, said means for retractable storage for enabling selective and individual retraction and extension of each electrode lead, whereby each of each lead is positionable from a retracted position wherein each lead is individually stored within a storage enclosure, to a manually extended position wherein each lead is dispensed from said storage enclosure such that each of said electrodes may be placed in contact with a patient for detecting signals relating to the patient'"'"'s heart activity;

said storage enclosure having opposing first and second ends, each of said ends having a plurality of leads dispensed therefrom, whereby said storage enclosure may be disposed proximal to a patient'"'"'s torso and leads may be dispensed toward the patient'"'"'s upper torso from said first end, and additional leads may be dispensed toward the patient'"'"'s lower torso and legs.

6. An assembly of sensors for use with an EKG machine according to claim 5, wherein said means for retractable storage includes:

a plurality of spools rotatably supported within said storage enclosure, each of said spools having a length of one of said electrode leads wound thereon.

7. An assembly of sensors for use with an EKG machine according to claim 6, wherein each of said spools is rotatably biased to a position wherein an electrode lead associated with a spool is substantially wound thereon within said storage enclosure and said electrode connected to said lead is substantially adjacent to said storage enclosure, whereby said leads are not subject to entanglement.

8. An assembly of sensors for use with an EKG machine according to claim 7, further including means for selective rotatable anchoring of each of said spools.