Sensor system
First Claim
1. A sensor system comprising:
- a mat having an upper surface adapted to receive a patient, the mat comprising at least one hole, the hole having an upper opening at an upper surface of the mat and a bottom surface recessed from the upper surface of the mat;
at least one acoustic sensor including;
a sensor housing, anda sound vibration sensing element in the form of a membrane, the membrane being supported by the housing; and
a flexible and/or deformable layer covering the membrane, the flexible and/or deformable layer being configured to transfer relatively high frequency breath sounds to the membrane without significantly attenuating those high frequency breath sounds, andthe system further comprising;
a mount that mounts the acoustic sensor in the hole, the mount being formed independently of the hole, the mount comprising;
a flange engaging the upper surface of the mat at one or more positions around the upper opening of the hole; and
a connection portion extending between the flange and the acoustic Sensor,wherein the mount suspends the acoustic sensor at a position spaced above the bottom surface of the hole and resiliently biases the acoustic sensor upwardly such that an upper surface of the sensor is located above the upper opening of the hole.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor system comprises a mat (20) for placement over a patient'"'"'s mattress including a number of sensors (10) located in the mat. The sensors include a sensor housing (12), a sound vibration sensing element in the form of a PVDF membrane (13), and means for amplifying sensed sounds. The PVDF membrane is coated/covered with a typically latex, impedance matching layer (14). The sensor automatically provides for auscultation, in which the patient'"'"'s own weight, from the patient lying on the bed, compresses their thorax against the membrane, compressing also the patient'"'"'s clothing, bed sheet and mattress cover material between the two. The recoil in the mattress opposes the body mass, thus compressing the membrane against the thorax. The impedance matching layer on top of the membrane transmits fine breath sounds through to the membrane as the latex does not weaken or attenuate the fine breath sounds but transmits them to the PVDF membrane. However being flexible, it is not uncomfortable to lie on.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A sensor system comprising:
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a mat having an upper surface adapted to receive a patient, the mat comprising at least one hole, the hole having an upper opening at an upper surface of the mat and a bottom surface recessed from the upper surface of the mat; at least one acoustic sensor including; a sensor housing, and a sound vibration sensing element in the form of a membrane, the membrane being supported by the housing; and a flexible and/or deformable layer covering the membrane, the flexible and/or deformable layer being configured to transfer relatively high frequency breath sounds to the membrane without significantly attenuating those high frequency breath sounds, and the system further comprising; a mount that mounts the acoustic sensor in the hole, the mount being formed independently of the hole, the mount comprising; a flange engaging the upper surface of the mat at one or more positions around the upper opening of the hole; and a connection portion extending between the flange and the acoustic Sensor, wherein the mount suspends the acoustic sensor at a position spaced above the bottom surface of the hole and resiliently biases the acoustic sensor upwardly such that an upper surface of the sensor is located above the upper opening of the hole. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A sensor system comprising:
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a mat having an upper surface adapted to receive a patient, the mat comprising at least one hole, the hole having an upper opening at an upper surface of the mat and a bottom surface recessed from the upper surface of the mat; at least one acoustic sensor including; a sensor housing, and a sound vibration sensing element in the form of a membrane, the membrane being supported by the housing; and a mount that mounts the acoustic sensor in the hole, the mount comprising; a flange; and a connection portion; wherein the flange engages the upper surface of the mat at one or more positions around the upper opening of the hole, and wherein the connection portion is connected between the flange and the acoustic sensor such that the acoustic sensor is suspended in the hole and resiliently biased upwardly such that an upper surface of the sensor is located above the upper opening of the hole. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification