Portable EEG electrode locator headgear

• US 6,161,030 A
• Filed: 02/05/1999
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Brain Monitoring
• Original Assignee: Advanced Brain Monitoring
• Inventors: Berka, Christine, Levendowski, Daniel J., Konstantinovic, Zoran R.
• Primary Examiner(s): COHEN, LEE S
• Application Number:
  US09/245,784
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 600/383, 600/390, 600/393, 607/544, 607/139
• US Class Current: 600/383
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes

Abstract

The EEG electrode locator headgear allows the user to locate and apply disposable EEG electrodes accurately according to the International 10/20 System without technical assistance, to allow the acquisition of high quality EEG signals. The headgear includes a front forehead pad, a base strap assembly connected to the front forehead pad, a plurality of EEG electrode locators for receiving EEG electrodes, and a plurality of locator straps connected to the front pad of material, the base strap assembly, and to the plurality of EEG electrode locators for accurately positioning the plurality of EEG electrode locators positioned relative to the scalp of a user. A visor can be attached to the front pad of material, and the base strap assembly may include an occipital locator device. A plunger assembly with spreadable fingers for parting the hair of the scalp of the user is also provided that is inserted in the electrode locators to prepare the scalp of the user and to seat the electrodes.

Claims

1. An electroencephalograph (EEG) electrode locator headgear, comprising:

a plurality of EEG electrode locators adapted to receive EEG electrodes;

a front pad of material having first and second ends, said front pad of material being adapted to extend across a user'"'"'s forehead;

a base strap assembly having a first end connected to said first end of said front pad of material, and a second end connected to said second end of said front pad of material, said front pad of material and said base strap assembly being adapted to be secured comfortably around the circumference of a user'"'"'s head; and

a plurality of locator straps connected to said front pad of material, said base strap assembly, and to said plurality of EEG electrode locators for accurately positioning said plurality of EEG electrode locators positioned at predetermined positions relative to the scalp of a user.

2. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 1, wherein said plurality of EEG electrode locators each comprise a hollow tubular base adapted to receive an EEG electrode, and an annular flange extending from an upper edge of said hollow tubular base, said annular flange including a plurality of slots for receiving a plurality of said locator straps.

3. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 2, wherein said hollow tubular base comprises an electrical conductor adapted to be electrically connected to an EEG electrode inserted in said hollow tubular base.

4. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 3, further including electrical conductors electrically connected to said electrical conductors of said hollow tubular bases and adapted to be connected to an EEG monitor.

5. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 1, wherein said plurality of EEG electrode locators comprise three EEG electrode locators adapted to be positioned at central (Cz), parietal (Pz), and occipital (Oz) positions relative to the scalp of a user.

6. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 1, wherein said base strap assembly is adjustable.

7. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 1, wherein said base strap assembly further comprises an occipital locator device adapted to be seated on a region of the user'"'"'s scalp over the user'"'"'s occipital bone, said base strap assembly comprising first and second elastic edge straps connected at one end to said front pad of material, and adjustably connected at the other end to said occipital locator device.

8. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 7, wherein said occipital locator device comprises a ring having a plurality of feet adapted to be positioned over the user'"'"'s occipital bone.

9. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 7, further comprising anterior locator strap connected to said front pad of material, said anterior locator strap having a free end adapted to be positioned over the user'"'"'s nasium to confirm accurate placement of the electrode locators.

10. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 1, wherein said plurality of locator straps are made of elastic material, such that said locator straps bias said plurality of electrode locators with a biasing pressure toward the user'"'"'s scalp.

11. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 1, further comprising a visor attached to said front pad of material.

12. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 1, wherein said base strap assembly comprises a pair of adjustable elastic straps connected at one end to said front pad of material and adjustably connected together at the other end.

13. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electrodes adapted to be seated in said plurality of electrode locators, respectively, whereby the electrodes can be inserted into the electrode locators, to provide a stable electrode-scalp interface capable of producing a high signal quality.

14. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 1, further comprising a plunger assembly adapted to cooperate with said plurality of electrode locators, including a hollow tubular base having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a plunger adapted to be received in said hollow tubular base, adapted to be inserted in the electrode locators to prepare the scalp of the user and to seat the electrodes.

15. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 14, wherein said lower portion of the hollow tubular base includes a plurality of flexible, resilient fingers having distal ends biased to meet at a common distal central location, and that can be spread in order to part the hair of the scalp of the user.

16. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 15, wherein said flexible, resilient fingers of the plunger assembly hollow tubular base can be spread by insertion of an electrode through the plunger hollow tubular base, so that the plunger assembly can be used to simultaneously part the hair by spreading of the fingers of the plunger hollow tubular base, seat the disposable electrode, and optionally also abrade the scalp of the user at the intended location of the electrode, such as by manually twisting the hollow tubular base to rub the distal ends of the fingers against the scalp of the user.

17. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 15, wherein said plunger is adapted to be inserted in the hollow tubular base of the plunger assembly to spread the flexible, resilient fingers.

18. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 17, wherein said plunger has an external helical rib, and the hollow tubular base has a corresponding interior groove for receiving and guiding the external helical rib of the plunger as the plunger is inserted in the hollow tubular base of the plunger assembly, to provide a predetermined turning and torque to the plunger as it is inserted.

19. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 14, wherein said hollow tubular base includes an electrical conductor adapted to be electrically connected between an electrode inserted in said hollow tubular base and one of said electrode locators for conducting EEG signals from said electrodes to an EEG monitor.

20. An electroencephalograph (EEG) electrode locator visor, comprising:

a plurality of EEG electrode locators adapted to receive EEG electrodes;

a front pad of material having first and second ends, said front pad of material being adapted to extend across a user'"'"'s forehead;

a visor attached to said front pad of material;

a base strap assembly having a first end connected to said first end of said front pad of material, and a second end connected to said second end of said front pad of material, said front pad of material and said base strap assembly being adapted to be secured comfortably around the circumference of a user'"'"'s head; and

a plurality of locator straps connected to said front pad of material, said base strap assembly, and to said plurality of EEG electrode locators for accurately positioning said plurality of EEG electrode locators positioned relative to the scalp of a user.

21. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 20, wherein said base strap assembly further comprises an occipital locator device adapted to be seated on a region of the user'"'"'s scalp over the user'"'"'s occipital bone, said base strap assembly comprising first and second elastic edge straps connected at one end to said front pad of material, and adjustably connected at the other end to said occipital locator device.

22. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 20, further comprising anterior locator strap connected to said front pad of material, said anterior locator strap having a free end adapted to be positioned over the user'"'"'s nasium to confirm accurate placement of the electrode locators.

23. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 20, further comprising a plunger assembly adapted to cooperate with said plurality of electrode locators, said plunger assembly including a hollow tubular base having an upper portion and a lower portion.

24. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 23, further comprising a plunger adapted to be received in said plunger assembly hollow tubular base, adapted to be inserted in the electrode locators to prepare the scalp of the user and to seat the electrodes.

25. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 23, wherein said lower portion of the plunger assembly hollow tubular base includes a plurality of flexible, resilient fingers having distal ends biased to meet at a common distal central location, and that can be spread in order to part the hair of the scalp of the user.

26. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 25, wherein said flexible, resilient fingers of the plunger assembly hollow tubular base can be spread by insertion of an electrode through the plunger assembly hollow tubular base, so that the plunger assembly can be used to simultaneously part the hair by spreading of the fingers of the plunger hollow tubular base, seat the disposable electrode, and optionally also abrade the scalp of the user at the intended location of the electrode, such as by manually twisting the hollow tubular base to rub the distal ends of the fingers against the scalp of the user.

27. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 25, wherein said plunger is adapted to be inserted in the hollow tubular base of the plunger assembly to spread the flexible, resilient fingers.

28. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 27, wherein said plunger has an external helical rib, and the hollow tubular base has a corresponding interior groove for receiving and guiding the external helical rib of the plunger as the plunger is inserted in the hollow tubular base of the plunger assembly, to provide a predetermined turning and torque to the plunger as it is inserted.

29. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 23, wherein said hollow tubular base includes an electrical conductor adapted to be electrically connected between an electrode inserted in said plunger assembly hollow tubular base and one of said electrode locators for conducting EEG signals from said electrodes to an EEG monitor.

30. An electroencephalograph (EEG) electrode locator headgear, comprising:

a plurality of EEG electrode locators adapted to receive EEG electrodes;

a plunger assembly adapted to cooperate with said plurality of EEG electrode locators, said plunger assembly including a hollow tubular base having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a front pad of material having first and second ends, said front pad of material being adapted to extend across a user'"'"'s forehead;

a base strap assembly having a first end connected to said first end of said front pad of material, and a second end connected to said second end of said front pad of material, said front pad of material and said base strap assembly being adapted to be secured comfortably around the circumference of a user'"'"'s head; and

a plurality of locator straps connected to said front pad of material, said base strap assembly, and to said plurality of EEG electrode locators for accurately positioning said plurality of EEG electrode locators positioned relative to the scalp of a user.

31. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 30, further comprising a plunger adapted to be received in said plunger assembly hollow tubular base, adapted to be inserted in the electrode locators to prepare the scalp of the user and to seat the electrodes.

32. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 30, wherein said lower portion of the plunger assembly hollow tubular base includes a plurality of flexible, resilient fingers having distal ends biased to meet at a common distal central location, and that can be spread in order to part the hair of the scalp of the user.

33. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 32, wherein said flexible, resilient fingers of the plunger assembly hollow tubular base can be spread by insertion of an electrode through the plunger assembly hollow tubular base, so that the plunger assembly can be used to simultaneously part the hair by spreading of the fingers of the plunger hollow tubular base, seat the disposable electrode, and optionally also abrade the scalp of the user at the intended location of the electrode, such as by manually twisting the hollow tubular base to rub the distal ends of the fingers against the scalp of the user.

34. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 32, wherein said plunger is adapted to be inserted in the hollow tubular base of the plunger assembly to spread the flexible, resilient fingers.

35. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 34, wherein said plunger has an external helical rib, and the hollow tubular base has a corresponding interior groove for receiving and guiding the external helical rib of the plunger as the plunger is inserted in the hollow tubular base of the plunger assembly, to provide a predetermined turning and torque to the plunger as it is inserted.

36. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 30, wherein said hollow tubular base includes an electrical conductor adapted to be electrically connected between an electrode inserted in said plunger assembly hollow tubular base and one of said electrode locators for conducting EEG signals from said electrodes to an EEG monitor.

37. An electroencephalograph (EEG) electrode locator headgear, comprising:

a plurality of EEG electrode locators adapted to receive EEG electrodes;

a front pad of material having first and second ends, said front pad of material being adapted to extend across a user'"'"'s forehead;

a base strap assembly having a first end connected to said first end of said front pad of material, and a second end connected to said second end of said front pad of material, said front pad of material and said base strap assembly being adapted to be secured comfortably around the circumference of a user'"'"'s head, said base strap assembly including an occipital locator device adapted to be seated on a region of the user'"'"'s scalp over the user'"'"'s occipital bone, and said base strap assembly comprising first and second elastic edge straps connected at one end to said front pad of material, and adjustably connected at the other end to said occipital locator device; and

a plurality of locator straps connected to said front pad of material, said base strap assembly, and to said plurality of EEG electrode locators for accurately positioning said plurality of EEG electrode locators positioned relative to the scalp of a user.

38. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 37, wherein said occipital locator device comprises a ring having a plurality of feet adapted to be positioned over the user'"'"'s occipital bone.

39. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 37, further comprising anterior locator strap connected to said front pad of material, said anterior locator strap having a free end adapted to be positioned over the user'"'"'s nasium to confirm accurate placement of the electrode locators.

40. An electroencephalograph (EEG) electrode locator headgear, comprising:

a plurality of EEG electrode locators adapted to receive EEG electrodes;

a front pad of material having first and second ends, said front pad of material being adapted to extend across a user'"'"'s forehead;

a base strap assembly including a pair of adjustable elastic straps each connected at one end to said front pad of material and adjustably connected together at the other end of said adjustable elastic straps, said base strap assembly having a first end connected to said first end of said front pad of material, and a second end connected to said second end of said front pad of material, said front pad of material and said base strap assembly being adapted to be secured comfortably around the circumference of a user'"'"'s head; and

a plurality of locator straps connected to said front pad of material, said base strap assembly, and to said plurality of EEG electrode locators for accurately positioning said plurality of EEG electrode locators positioned relative to the scalp of a user.

41. An electroencephalograph (EEG) electrode locator headgear, comprising:

a plurality of EEG electrode locators adapted to receive EEG electrodes;

a plunger assembly adapted to cooperate with said plurality of EEG electrode locators, said plunger assembly including a hollow tubular base having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a plunger adapted to be received in said hollow tubular base, adapted to be inserted in the electrode locators to prepare the scalp of the user and to seat the electrodes;

a front pad of material having first and second ends, said front pad of material being adapted to extend across a user'"'"'s forehead;

a base strap assembly having a first end connected to said first end of said front pad of material, and a second end connected to said second end of said front pad of material, said front pad of material and said base strap assembly being adapted to be secured comfortably around the circumference of a user'"'"'s head; and

a plurality of locator straps connected to said front pad of material, said base strap assembly, and to said plurality of EEG electrode locators for accurately positioning said plurality of EEG electrode locators positioned relative to the scalp of a user.

42. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 41, wherein said lower portion of the hollow tubular base includes a plurality of flexible, resilient fingers having distal ends biased to meet at a common distal central location, and that can be spread in order to part the hair of the scalp of the user.

43. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 42, wherein said flexible, resilient fingers of the plunger assembly hollow tubular base can be spread by insertion of an electrode through the plunger hollow tubular base, so that the plunger assembly can be used to simultaneously part the hair by spreading of the fingers of the plunger hollow tubular base, seat the disposable electrode, and optionally also abrade the scalp of the user at the intended location of the electrode, such as by manually twisting the hollow tubular base to rub the distal ends of the fingers against the scalp of the user.

44. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 42, wherein said plunger is adapted to be inserted in the hollow tubular base of the plunger assembly to spread the flexible, resilient fingers.

45. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 44, wherein said plunger has an external helical rib, and the hollow tubular base has a corresponding interior groove for receiving and guiding the external helical rib of the plunger as the plunger is inserted in the hollow tubular base of the plunger assembly, to provide a predetermined turning and torque to the plunger as it is inserted.

46. The EEG electrode locator headgear of claim 41, wherein said hollow tubular base includes an electrical conductor adapted to be electrically connected between an electrode inserted in said hollow tubular base and one of said electrode locators for conducting EEG signals from said electrodes to an EEG monitor.