Sensor system, garment and heart rate monitor

• US 7,680,523 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Original Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Inventors: Rytky, Pekka
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen; Lee S
• Application Number:
  US11/314,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20060142654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 600388-390, 600/393, 600/377, 600/378, 607/116
• US Class Current: 600/388
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/276 Protection against electrode failure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor system, a garment and a heart rate monitor. The sensor system comprises at least one flexible film structure comprising: a first insulation layer and at least one electric conductor layer formed on top of the first insulation layer and comprising an electrode area, which is configured to establish an electric contact with the surface of the user'"'"'s skin and to generate as output an electric signal proportional to a momentary value of the electrocardiogram.

Claims

1. A sensor system for indicating an electrocardiogram from the surface of the user'"'"'s skin, the sensor system being configured to be connected to a user-specific heart rate monitor, wherein the sensor system comprises at least one flexible film structure comprising:

a first insulation layer; and

at least one electric conductor layer formed on top of the first insulation layer and comprising an electrode area, the electrode area comprising electrodes configured to establish an electric contact with the surface of the user'"'"'s skin and to generate as output an electric signal proportional to a momentary value of the electrocardiogram, the electrode area comprising several electrodes connected together with a first impedance connection, each of the electrodes connected together with the first impedance connection only being configurable together to establish an electric contact between all of the electrodes connected together with the first impedance connection and the surface of the skin during an application to the user'"'"'s skin, the electrodes being configured to generate as output an electric signal proportional to the value of the electrocardiogram, wherein the impedance of the first impedance connection is 1 kΩ

to 1 MΩ

.

2. The sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film structure comprises a second insulation layer such that the electric conductor layer is formed between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer, and the second insulation layer comprises an opening, through which the electrode area establishes an electric contact with the surface of the user'"'"'s skin.

3. The sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric conductor layer further comprises a protective area surrounding the electrode area at the film structure level, the protective area being configured to establish an electric contact with the surface of the skin and to protect the sensor system from static electricity.

4. The sensor system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the protective area comprises protective electrodes connected together with a second impedance connection, the protective electrodes being configured to establish an electric contact with the surface of the skin and to protect the sensor system from static electricity.

5. The sensor system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the protective area is connected to the electrode area with a third impedance connection, where the impedance of the third impedance connection exceeds the impedance of the first impedance connection.

6. The sensor system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sensor system also comprises an insulation zone located between the electrode area and the protective area at the film structure level and the insulation zone is arranged to be at least partly in mechanical contact with the surface of the skin when used.

7. The sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor system comprises:

at least one transfer conductor film in order to establish an electric contact between the electric conductor layer and the central processing unit of the heart rate monitor or between the electric conductor layer and the transmitter unit of the heart rate monitor, and the transfer conductor film is connected to the electric conductor layer and comprises;

a first transfer conductor insulation layer;

a second transfer conductor insulation layer; and

at least one electric transfer conductor layer, which is closed between the first transfer conductor insulation layer and the second transfer conductor insulation layer, and the electric transfer conductor layer comprises at least one insulated transfer input.

8. The sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor system further comprises at least one preamplifier connected to the electrode area in order to amplify the electric signal generated in the electrode area.

9. A garment, wherein the garment comprises a sensor system integrated into the garment for indicating an electrocardiogram from the surface of the user'"'"'s skin, and the sensor system is configured to be connected to a user-specific heart rate monitor and comprises at least one flexible film structure comprising:

a first insulation layer; and

at least one electric conductor layer formed on top of the first insulation layer and comprising an electrode area, the electrode area comprising electrodes configured to establish an electric contact with the surface of the skin and to generate as output an electric signal proportional to a momentary value of the electrocardiogram, the electrode area comprising several electrodes connected together with a first impedance connection, each of the electrodes connected together with the first impedance connection only being configurable together to establish an electric contact between all of the electrodes connected together with the first impedance connection and the surface of the skin during an application to the user'"'"'s skin, the electrodes being configured to generate as output an electric signal proportional to the value of the electrocardiogram, and at least one contact element is connected to at least one electrode, wherein the impedance of the first impedance connection is 1 kΩ

to 1 MΩ

.

10. The garment as claimed in claim 9, wherein the garment comprises at least one contact element in order to establish an electric contact from the electric conductor layer on the surface of the user'"'"'s skin.

11. The garment as claimed in claim 10, wherein, the electric conductor layer comprises a protective area surrounding the electrode area at the film structure level, the protective area being configured to establish an electric contact with the surface of the skin and to protect the sensor system from static electricity, the protective area comprising protective electrodes connected together with a second impedance connection, and the protective electrodes are configured to protect the sensor system from static electricity, and

at least one contact element is connected to at least one protective electrode.

12. The garment as claimed in claim 9, wherein the electric conductor layer also comprises a protective area surrounding the electrode area at the film structure level, the protective area being configured to establish an electric contact with the surface of the skin and to protect the sensor system from static electricity.

13. The garment as claimed in claim 12, wherein the protective area is connected to the electrode area with a third impedance connection, where the impedance of the third impedance connection exceeds the impedance of the first impedance connection.

14. The garment as claimed in claim 12, wherein the garment further comprises an insulation zone located between the electrode area and the protective area at the film structure level and the insulation zone is arranged to be at least partly in mechanical contact with the surface of the skin when used.

15. The garment as claimed in claim 9, wherein the garment comprises a pressing structure integrated into the garment for pressing the at least one contact element against the user'"'"'s skin.

16. The garment as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor system comprises:

at least one transfer conductor film in order to establish an electric contact between the electric conductor layer and the central processing unit of the heart rate monitor or between the electric conductor layer and the transmitter unit of the heart rate monitor, and the transfer conductor film is connected to the electric conductor layer and comprises;

a first transfer conductor insulation layer,

a second transfer conductor insulation layer and

at least one electric transfer conductor layer, which is closed between the first transfer conductor insulation layer and the second transfer conductor insulation layer, the electric transfer conductor layer comprising at least one insulated transfer input, and that the garment comprises positioning means for positioning the transfer conductor film.

17. The garment as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor system further comprises at least one preamplifier connected to the electrode area in order to amplify the electric signal generated in the electrode area.

18. A user-specific heart rate monitor, wherein the heart rate monitor comprises a sensor system for indicating an electrocardiogram from the surface of the user'"'"'s skin, the sensor system comprising at least one flexible film structure, which comprises:

a first insulation layer; and

at least one electric conductor layer formed on top of the first insulation layer and comprising an electrode area, the electrode area comprising electrodes configured to establish an electric contact with the surface of the user'"'"'s skin and to generate as output an electric signal proportional to a momentary value of the electrocardiogram, the electrode area comprising several electrodes connected together with a first impedance connection, each of the electrodes connected together with the first impedance connection only being configurable together to establish an electric contact between all of the electrodes connected together with the first impedance connection and the surface of the skin during an application to the user'"'"'s skin, the electrodes being configured to generate as output an electric signal proportional to the value of the electrocardiogram wherein the impedance of the first impedance connection is 1 kΩ

to 1 MΩ

.

19. The user-specific heart rate monitor as claimed in claim 18, wherein the electric conductor layer further comprises a protective area surrounding the electrode area at the film structure level, the protective area being configured to establish an electric contact with the surface of the skin and to protect the sensor system from static electricity.

20. The user-specific heart rate monitor as claimed in claim 18, wherein the user-specific heart rate monitor comprises:

at least one transfer conductor film in order to establish an electric contact between the electric conductor layer and the central processing unit of the heart rate monitor or between the electric conductor layer and the transmitter unit of the heart rate monitor, and the transfer conductor film is connected to the electric conductor layer and comprises;

a first transfer conductor insulation layer;

a second transfer conductor insulation layer; and

at least one electric transfer conductor layer, which is closed between the first transfer conductor insulation layer and the second transfer conductor insulation layer, and the electric transfer conductor layer comprises at least one insulated transfer input.