Device for detecting electrical potentials in the forehead-area of a patient

• US 7,054,680 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2000
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ResMed R&D Germany GmbH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: MAP Medizin-Technologie GMBH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Genger, Harald, Negele, Claus
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOREMAN, JONATHAN M
• Application Number:
  US09/980,573
• Time in Patent Office: 2,217 Days
• Field of Search: 128/206.21, 600/372, 600/382, 600/383, 600/386, 600/388, 600/390, 600/391, 600/393, 600/529, 600/544, 600/300, 600/301
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/00 Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. mouth-to-mouth respiration; Tracheal tubes stimulating the respiratory movement by mechanical, pneumatic or electrical means, iron lungs combined with gas breathing means A61H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0069 the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/021 operated by electrical means A61M16/202 – A61M16/205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/08 Bellows; Connecting tubes having means for taking samples G01N1/22; Water traps; Patient circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/30 Blood pressure A61M2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for detecting electrical potentials on a patient. The device comprises an electrode device that is applied in the area of the forehead, this electrode device being located on a forehead support element (6) which is connected to a breathing mask (1). The electrode device preferably comprises at least two electrode elements (9, 10, 11). According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, these electrode elements are connected to a signal processing device which is located in the direct proximity of the electrode elements. The output of said signal processing device is preferably potential-free and communicates directly with a data transmission device, so that the processed signals can be transmitted to a data processing device in a cordless manner, especially by radio transmission. The invention can be used in a patient monitoring system of a sleep laboratory or in a CPAP device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting brain electrical potentials on a patient, comprising:

a breathing mask;

a stiff tubular nonround member extending upwardly from said breathing mask and for supplying gas to said breathing mask;

an electrode device which can be applied in the forehead region of the patient on said tubular member, the electrode device being arranged on a forehead support element of an elastomeric material which co-operates with the breathing mask in such a way that an application position of the electrode device is established in conjunction with the application position of the breathing mask, said forehead support element being transverse to said tubular member and having free ends on opposite sides of a central portion, said electrode device including at least one electrode element on each of said ends adapted to bear on the forehead region of the patient when said breathing mask is on the face of the patient and another electrode element on said central portion bearing on the forehead region, said breathing mask having a seal engaging the face of the patient around a nose and mouth region, a cavity surrounded by said seal and a drawn-in region receiving the nose of the patient and attached to the seal, the electrode elements being coupled to a signal processing device for processing brain signals.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the forehead support element is formed in one piece with a mask base member of the breathing mask device.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electrode elements are mounted on an application surface to yield in a direction substantially perpendicular to said application surface.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the signal processing device is integrated into the forehead support element.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the signal processing device is provided with a data transmission device for the cord-less transmission of the processed signals to a data processing device.

6. A breathing mask arrangement for feeding a respiration gas to a patient under an increased pressure, comprising:

a mask member which engages over the nose region of the patient;

a stiff tubular nonround member extending upwardly from said mask member;

a sealing device for sealing off an inner region of the mask with respect to the ambient atmosphere, and

a forehead support element of an elastomeric material for supporting the mask member in the forehead region of the patient, said forehead support element having at least two electrodes said forehead support element being transverse to said tubular member and having free ends on opposite sides of a central portion, said forehead support element having at an electrode on each of said ends and another electrode in said central portion adapted to press against said forehead region for detecting brain-electrical potentials.

7. The arrangement defined in claim 6 wherein the mask member is formed from an elastomer material.

8. The arrangement defined in claim 6 wherein the forehead support element and the mask member are integral.

9. The arrangement defined in claim 6 wherein the mask member and the forehead support element are adapted to the individual contour of the face of the patient by virtue of stiffening with a stiffening device which extends into the forehead support element and is formed by said tubular member.