Identifying the usage status of a defibrillation pad assembly

• US 8,185,197 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Defibtech, LLC. (Nihon Kohden Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Defibtech, LLC. (Nihon Kohden Corporation)
• Inventors: Vaisnys, Gintaras A., Meier, Giovanni C., Laub, Glenn W., Chi, Benny
• Primary Examiner(s): Gedeon, Brian T
• Application Number:
  US12/723,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20100168811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 439/909, 600/510, 600/522, 607/5
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/046 Specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/048 Electrodes characterised by a specific connection between lead and electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators

Abstract

The connector between the patient electrode pads and the base unit of an automatic external defibrillator (AED) system can be formed by capturing a printed circuit board (PCB) within a connector housing. The PCB can have conductive metal traces that serve as the contact points between the wires from the patient electrodes and the electronics within the AED base unit. The PCB in combination with the conductive metal traces can be shaped similar to a conventional two-prong or two-blade connector. Employing such a PCB-based connector may result in AED pads which are less complex and less costly to manufacture. The PCB can also support a configuration circuit that is positioned between the conductive metal traces and that allows the AED to read and store information about the attached pads. For example, the AED can use this data storage feature to check the expiration date of the pads.

Claims

1. A method of alerting an AED user to a used defibrillation pad assembly, comprising the steps of:

connecting a defibrillation pad assembly to an AED unit, the defibrillation pad assembly being expendable, having a pads circuit and a configuration circuit independent of the pads circuit;

storing within the configuration circuit use information as to use in a rescue, if any, of the defibrillation pad assembly;

the AED unit reading the use information during a rescue to determine if the defibrillation pad assembly has been used; and

if the AED unit determines that the defibrillation pad assembly has been used, alerting a user of the AED unit to the used condition.

2. The method of claim 1, having the additional step of activating the AED unit to perform a rescue, the step of activating occurring prior to the step of the AED unit reading the use information.

3. The method of claim 2, further including the step of requiring the replacement of a used defibrillation pad assembly to continue the rescue.

4. The method of claim 1, having the additional step of activating the AED unit to perform a self-test that is not part of a rescue, the self-test occurring prior to the step of the AED unit reading the use information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration circuit includes a semi-conductor memory and wherein in the storing step the use information is stored therein.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration circuit includes a fusible link and wherein in the storing step the use information is stored therein.

7. A method for maintaining the usage status of a defibrillation pad assembly, comprising the steps of:

connecting an unused defibrillation pad assembly to an AED unit, the defibrillation pad assembly including a configuration circuit;

using the defibrillation pad assembly with the AED unit; and

updating of the configuration circuit by the AED unit to reflect the use of the defibrillation pad assembly.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, in the step of using the defibrillation pad assembly, the use is in a rescue attempt.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the configuration circuit includes a semi-conductor memory for storing the updated information as to use of the defibrillation pad assembly and in the updating step, the AED unit updates the semi-conductor memory to reflect the use of the defibrillation pad assembly.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the configuration circuit includes a fusible link for storing the updated information as to use of the defibrillation pad assembly and in the updating step, the AED unit updates the fusible link to reflect the use of the defibrillation pad assembly.