Cover sheet for a body measuring apparatus and an automatic sheet dispenser therefor

• US 8,725,229 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2008
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Original Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Inventors: Ogura, Minoru, Furue, Masaaki, Niizato, Makoto, Natsume, Kazuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cardinal, Erin M
• Application Number:
  US12/032,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20080200793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,279 Days
• Field of Search: 600/372, 600/382, 600/547, 600/393, 439/909
• US Class Current: 600/393
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/247 Hygienic covers, i.e. for covering the sensor or apparatus during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/40 Drape material, e.g. laminates; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4869 Determining body composition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 Body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle

Abstract

A cover sheet (1) used in a body measuring apparatus having electrodes for supplying current to a human body or for measuring a difference in electrical potential between two sites of the body. The cover sheet has electric conductive area portions (2) corresponding to the electrodes of the body measuring apparatus and having a electric conductivity in thickness direction, and insulation area portions (3) spacing adjacent electric conductive area portions (2) and having electrically insulating property at least along a plane direction. The cover sheet is used to prevent cross-infection and can be used safely without slip and prepared cheaply without affecting to impedance, with assuring completely insulation between adjacent electrodes. Conductivity is created with conductive solid (“dry type”) or conductive liquid (“wet type”). The cover sheet is fed automatically by a sheet dispenser.

Claims

1. A disposable cover sheet detachably used in a body measuring apparatus comprising electrodes providing an apparatus body thereof for supplying an electric current to a human body or for measuring a difference in electrical potential between two sites of the body, wherein said disposable cover sheet (1) comprises electric conductive area portions (2) corresponding to said electrodes providing said apparatus body of said body measuring apparatus and having an electric conductivity through a thickness direction from an innermost surface to an outermost surface of the cover sheet, and insulation area portions (3) spacing said electric conductive area portions (2) and having an electrically insulating property at least along a plane direction, wherein said disposable cover sheet (1) possesses an anti-slip property at least on a part of said disposable cover sheet (1).

2. A disposable cover sheet detachably used in a body measuring apparatus comprising electrodes providing an apparatus body thereof for supplying an electric current to a human body or for measuring a difference in electrical potential between two sites of the body, wherein said disposable cover sheet (1) comprises electric conductive area portions (2) corresponding to said electrodes providing said apparatus body of said body measuring apparatus and having an electric conductivity through a thickness direction from an innermost surface to an outermost surface of the cover sheet, and insulation area portions (3) spacing said electric conductive area portions (2) and having an electrically insulating property at least along a plane direction, wherein said electric conductivity in the thickness direction of said electric conductive area portions (2) is created by impregnating, adhering or applying electro-conductive liquid into and/or onto a sheet material.

3. The disposable cover sheet according to claim 2, wherein said electro-conductive liquid is an electro-conductive aqueous solution.

4. The disposable cover sheet according to claim 2, wherein said disposable cover sheet (1) is made of non-woven web or fabric, fiber web, felt, textile, knitting or film.

5. The disposable cover sheet according to claim 2, wherein said body measuring apparatus comprises a body composition measuring apparatus comprising four electrodes in order to measure a body composition using the body impedance technique, and said disposable cover sheet (1) including four electric conductive area portions (2) corresponding to said four electrodes of said body composition measuring apparatus.

6. The disposable cover sheet according to claim 5, wherein said body composition measuring apparatus comprises said four electrodes on a platform (11) thereof, where feet bottoms of an examinee contact, and said disposable cover sheet (1) is configured to be placed on said platform (11) in such a manner that said four electric conductive area portions (2) are positioned on said four electrodes of said body composition measuring apparatus, respectively.

7. The disposable cover sheet according to claim 2, wherein said body measuring apparatus comprises a body composition measuring apparatus comprising four electrodes in order to measure a body composition using the body impedance technique, at least two electrodes of said four electrodes of said body composition measuring apparatus are hand electrodes (15) with which hands of an examinee contact, said disposable cover sheet (1) is configured to cover said hand electrodes (15) in such a manner that said electric conductive area portions (2) are positioned on said at least two electrodes, respectively.

8. The disposable cover sheet according to claim 2, wherein said electric conductive area portions (2) and/or said insulation area portions (3) are prepared from non-woven web.

9. The disposable cover sheet according to claim 2, wherein said electric conductive area portions (2) and/or said insulation area portions (3) are prepared from a laminated material.

10. A stock of the disposable cover sheet (1) according to claim 2, wherein said stock comprises a plurality of unit cover sheets (1′

) connected in series.

11. The stock according to claim 10 in a form of a roll.

12. A set of the stock of the disposable cover sheet (1) according to claim 10, and an openable container (70, 71) packing said stock inside.

13. A stock of the disposable cover sheet (1) according to claim 2, wherein said stock comprises a plurality of unit cover sheets (1′

) stacked one over other in partly nested manner.

14. The disposable cover sheet according to claim 2, wherein removal of the cover sheet does not affect operation of the body measuring apparatus.

15. A set of disposable cover sheets detachably used in a body measuring apparatus comprising electrodes providing an apparatus body thereof for supplying an electric current to a human body or for measuring a difference in electrical potential between two sites of the body, wherein each said disposable cover sheet (1) comprises electric conductive area portions (2) corresponding to said electrodes providing said apparatus body of said body measuring apparatus and having an electric conductivity through a thickness direction from an innermost surface to an outermost surface of the cover sheet, and insulation area portions (3) spacing said electric conductive area portions (2) and having an electrically insulating property at least along a plane direction, wherein each said disposable cover sheet (1) is made of wet type cover sheet in which said electric conductivity in the thickness direction is created by impregnating, adhering or applying electro-conductive liquid into and/or onto a non-woven web or textile, fiber web or film.

16. An automatic cover-sheet dispenser of disposable cover sheets detachably used in a body measuring apparatus comprising electrodes providing an apparatus body thereof for supplying an electric current to a human body or for measuring a difference in electrical potential between two sites of the body, wherein each said disposable cover sheet (1) comprises electric conductive area portions (2) corresponding to said electrodes providing said apparatus body of said body measuring apparatus and having an electric conductivity through a thickness direction from an innermost surface to an outermost surface of the cover sheet, and insulation area portions (3) spacing said electric conductive area portions (2) and having an electrically insulating property at least along a plane direction, comprising a feeding unit (A) of said disposable cover sheet (1) arranged at a side of the electrodes of said body measuring apparatus, a collecting unit (B) of said disposable cover sheet (1), and means (77-79, 80-84) for feeding electro-conductive liquid.

17. The automatic cover-sheet dispenser according to claim 16, wherein said disposable cover sheet (1) is stocked in a form of a roll or a stack in said feeding unit (A).

18. A method of preventing fouling of a body composition measuring apparatus comprising a plurality of electrodes on a platform (11) thereof, where feet bottoms of an examinee contact, in order to measure a body composition using a body impedance technique, comprising:

covering said platform (11) of said body composition measuring apparatus with a disposable cover sheet comprising a plurality of electric conductive area portions (2) corresponding to said plurality of electrodes of said platform (11) of said body composition measuring apparatus and having an electric conductivity in a thickness direction, and insulation area portions (3) spacing said plurality of electric conductive area portions (2) from one another and having an electrically insulating property at least along a plane direction, said disposable cover sheet comprising anti-slip treatment arranged on at least part of an upper surface and/or a lower face thereof.