Apnea detection monitor with remote receiver

• US 5,928,157 A
• Filed: 01/22/1998
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph E O'Dwyer
• Original Assignee: Joseph E O'Dwyer
• Inventors: O'Dwyer, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASTORINO, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/012,023
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 600/534, 600/528
• US Class Current: 600/534
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion

Abstract

The present invention is an apnea detection device with a remote monitoring capability. It includes a transmitter housing having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion has a structure with a bottom planar extension which has a stop coupled thereto and extended upwardly therefrom. The second portion of the housing is adapted to be slidably inserted within the interior space of the first portion. There is also a stiff two piece strap with ends connected to the first portion of the housing and second portion of the housing and a fastener, whereby the strap allows securement to a chest of an infant. There is a conductive strip and a plurality of linearly aligned contacts whereby a decreasing amount of contacts are connected via the conductive strip upon the sliding of the second portion of the housing from an unbiased orientation to a biased orientation. Upon detection by the comparator of the strip connecting an amount of contacts less than a predetermined amount a transmitter sends a signal to a remote receiver which emits an alarm.

Claims

1. An apnea detection device with a remote monitor comprising, in combination:

a transmitter housing having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including a top face, a bottom face, and a thin periphery formed therebetween defining an interior space with access afforded thereto via an open side face, the first portion further including an attachment means for attaching a strap thereto, said attachment means being formed on a side face opposite the open side face, and a bottom planar extension integrally formed with the bottom face and extended outwardly therefrom within a plane in which the bottom face resides, the bottom planar extension including a stop coupled thereto and extended upwardly therefrom, the second portion of the housing including a top face with a periphery integrally coupled thereto and depending therefrom, the second portion further including a top planar extension integrally formed with the top face thereof with the top planar extension adapted to be slidably inserted within the interior space of the first portion, the second portion further including a groove formed in the top surface thereof for accepting the stop therein so as to maintain a slidable relationship between the first portion and second portion and another strap attachment means, second means being formed at the second portion opposite the top planar extension thereof, wherein the second portion has an unbiased contracted orientation with the second portion proximally situated with respect to the first portion and a biased extended orientation with the second portion distally situated with respect to the first portion;

a stiff strap with a first extent having a first end connected to the attachment means of the first portion of the housing and a second end with a fastener coupled thereto, the strap further having a second extent with a first end coupled to the attachment means of the second portion of the housing and a second end with a second fastener coupled thereto, said second fastener corresponding to and for connection to said first fastener, whereby the strap allows securement of the housing to a chest of an infant thus allowing the housing to be repeatedly biased coincidently with breathing of the infant;

a conductive strip situated on the top planar extension of the second portion of the housing;

a plurality of linearly aligned contact situated within the interior space of the first portion of the housing in linear alignment and the contact with the conductive strip, whereby a decreasing amount of contacts are connected via the conductive strip upon the sliding of the second portion of the housing from an unbiased orientation to a biased orientation;

a transmitter subunit situated within the interior space of the first portion of the housing and connected to a small battery and the contacts, the transmitter subunit including a comparator which is adapted to monitor the conductivity between subsequent contacts and a transmitter adapted to transmit an activation signal upon the detection by said comparator of the strip connecting an amount of contacts less than a predetermined amount; and

,

a remote receiver including a housing with a speaker adapted to emit an alarm upon the actuation thereof, a power source and a receiver unit adapted to actuate the speaker upon the receipt of the activation signal via the transmitter unit.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said stiff strap further includes two auxiliary shoulder straps to extend at approximately right angles therefrom with opening and fastening means and each being connected at a front portion and a back portion of said stiff strap so as to be attachable over the shoulders'"'"' of an infant.

3. The device of claim 1 further including an auxiliary torso strap, said auxiliary torso strap, being connected to said stiff strap at a front portion and a back portion with opening and fastening means and adapted to be fastened about the crotch area of an infant.

4. The device of claim 2 further including an auxiliary torso strap, said auxiliary torso strap, being connected to said stiff strap at a front portion and a back portion with opening and fastening means and adapted to be fastened about the crotch area of an infant.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said device further includes a pair of switches situated on the housing adapted to selectively increase or decrease the predetermined amount of contacts and the predetermined amount of time.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein includes a plurality of receivers which includes a housing with a speaker adapted to emit an alarm upon the actuation thereof, a power source and a receiver unit adapted to actuate the speaker upon the receipt of the activation signal via the transmitter unit.

7. The device of claim 2 wherein includes a plurality of receivers which includes a housing with a speaker adapted to emit an alarm upon the actuation thereof, a power source and a receiver unit adapted to actuate the speaker upon the receipt of the activation signal via the transmitter unit.

8. The device of claim 3 wherein includes a plurality of receivers which includes a housing with a speaker adapted to emit an alarm upon the actuation thereof, a power source and a receiver unit adapted to actuate the speaker upon the receipt of the activation signal via the transmitter unit.

9. The device of claim 4 wherein includes a plurality of receivers which includes a housing with a speaker adapted to emit an alarm upon the actuation thereof, a power source and a receiver unit adapted to actuate the speaker upon the receipt of the activation signal via the transmitter unit.

10. The device of claim 5 wherein includes a plurality of receivers which includes a housing with a speaker adapted to emit an alarm upon the actuation thereof, a power source and a receiver unit adapted to actuate the speaker upon the receipt of the activation signal via the transmitter unit.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said power source is a battery power source.

12. The device of claim 6 wherein said power source is a battery power source.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein said power source is a line-in plug for household power.

14. The device of claim 6 wherein said power source is a line-in plug for household power.