Body monitoring apparatus

• US 6,603,995 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2000
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Del Mar Reynolds Medical Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Reynolds American Incorporated (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Carter, Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCHALL, MARK H
• Application Number:
  US09/692,962
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 600/509, 600/510-520, 600/300, 600/549, 600/527, 128/903, 128/904, 128/901, 607/17-20
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/333 Recording apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16

Abstract

Portable ECG monitoring apparatus comprises a sensor device 1 detachable from a monitoring device 2. The sensor device includes ECG sensors attached via cabling 5 to a connector 4. The sensor device 1 and monitoring device 2 are connected by attaching the connector 4 to the monitoring device 2, which provides a watertight seal for the apparatus and prevents access to any internal components in the monitoring device 2.

Claims

1. Body monitoring apparatus including a sensor device for detecting physiological signals and a monitoring device, the monitoring apparatus comprising a casing having a first and a second part, the monitoring device comprising an electronics module, the first part of the casing shaped so as to allow access to the electronics module, the sensor device including the second part of the casing wherein a completed casing which surrounds the electronics module is provided by the first and second parts attached together when the sensor device is connected to the monitoring device and wherein the casing is adapted such that access to the electronics module is prevented while the sensor device is connected to the monitor device.

2. Body monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the completed casing is watertight.

3. Body monitoring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a watertight seal between the first and second parts of the completed casing is formed between an ‘

O’

ring in a channel formed on one of first and second parts of the casing and a raised edge formed on the other part.

4. Body monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, the electronics module including a power source which can be removed when the sensor device is not connected to the monitoring device.

5. Body monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, the electronics module including a storage medium which can be removed when the sensor device is not connected to the monitoring device.

6. Body monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, the electronics module including an internal control switch which can be accessed when the sensor device is not connected to the monitoring device.

7. Body monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, including circuitry for detecting whether the casing is complete or incomplete.

8. Body monitoring apparatus according to claim 7, the circuitry including connector pins.

9. Body monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device includes means to sensing potentials at points on a living body.

10. A body monitoring apparatus comprising:

a sensor device for detecting physiological signals, the sensor device having a first casing;

a monitoring device including an electronics module, the monitoring device having a second casing that is removeably coupled to the first casing; and

a cabling device coupled to the sensor device,

wherein the second casing is shaped to allow access to the electronics module,

wherein the first casing and the second casing form a complete casing that surrounds the electronics module when the sensor device is connected to the monitoring device,

wherein the complete casing is adapted to prevent access to the electronics module while the sensor module is connected to the monitoring device, and

wherein the sensor device includes means for sensing potentials at points on a living body.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor device for detecting physiological signals; and

a first casing coupled to the sensor device,

wherein the first casing is configured to couple to a second casing to form a complete casing that surrounds an electronics module of a monitoring device when the sensor device is connected to the monitoring device, and

wherein the complete casing is adapted to prevent access to the electronics module while the sensor module is connected to the monitoring device.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a first casing;

a monitoring device coupled to the first casing; and

an electronics module coupled to the monitoring device,

wherein the first casing is configured to couple to a second casing to form a complete casing that surrounds the electronics module when a sensor device is connected to the monitoring device, and

wherein the complete casing is adapted to prevent access to the electronics module while the sensor module is connected to the monitoring device.