Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Structure of body-contacting electrode or electrode inserted...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-21
2001-08-07
Cohen, Lee (Department: 3739)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Structure of body-contacting electrode or electrode inserted...
C600S393000, C607S149000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272365
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connection between an electrode belt belonging to a heart rate monitor and to be positioned on the chest and a circumferential band to be wound around the body and to the structure of the electrode belt, as far as the above connection is concerned. A heart rate monitor is a device used in sports and medicine, the device measuring the pulse of a human heart by means of an electrode belt on the chest or by means of a device based on pressure measurement at the wrist.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Heart rate monitors typically comprise an electrode belt, a circumferential band and a display unit at the wrist. At its ends, the electrode belt is fastened to the circumferential band that is wound around the body of the person to be measured. Inside the electrode belt, on the side to be positioned against the body, there are electrodes measuring the electrical pulses generated by heartbeat, which pulses are then sent by a sender of the electrode belt to a receiver for instance at the wrist, the receiver also containing a memory and a display unit. Moreover, heart rate monitors can have such a structure that the electrode belt on the chest also comprises functions, such as display and memory, which were included in the receiver at the wrist in the above solution. Naturally, a heart rate monitor like this needs no transmitter-receiver technique, because all functions are contained in the electrode belt to be positioned on the chest. Some heart rate monitors have a structure comprising measuring devices at the wrist only, which measure the heartbeat by means of pressure changes in arteries. The present invention relates to heart rate monitors, comprising an electrode belt to be kept on the chest, and the invention relates especially to a connection between the electrode belt and a circumferential band and to the structure of the electrode belt, as far as the connection is concerned.
In accordance with the prior art, the connection between the electrode belt and the circumferential band consists in that a lock button of the band is passed from the inside (the side against the body) of the electrode belt through a hole in a mounting socket of the electrode belt and placed in the mounting socket outside the electrode belt. With the lock button mounted in the socket, the plane surfaces of the socket keep the button in place so that the button is not capable of returning inside the electrode belt, in which case the connection between the electrode belt and the circumferential band would come loose.
However, a drawback is associated with the prior art technique: when the electrode belt and the circumferential band are placed against the body and when the circumferential band is tightened in such a way that the electrode belt stays on the chest, the connection point is subjected to a force caused by the bent electrode belt and the tightened circumferential band, which force tries to drive the lock button out of the mounting socket. When the electrode belt has been placed on the chest, a force to the left of the person in question has an anticlockwise effect and a force to the right of the person has a clockwise effect. The problem becomes critical as for children and slim adults having a narrow chest: the electrode belt must then be bent much and the force directed to the connection between the electrode belt and the circumferential band is stronger still than when people with a broad chest are concerned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to provide a connecting arrangement of new type, which avoids the problems associated with the known solutions. This aim is achieved by means of a solution according to the invention, the object of which is a connecting arrangement between an electrode belt and a circumferential band at a heart rate monitor, the arrangement comprising the electrode belt for measuring heartbeat at a person's chest, which electrode belt comprises one or more electrodes and one or more sockets provided with a hole and one or more supporting structures, the connecting arrangement further comprising the circumferential band provided with one or more connecting heads for keeping the electrode belt on the person's chest, the electrode belt and the circumferential band being connectable to each other by using one or more connections of the connecting arrangement, which connection can be provided by placing a connecting head in a socket. The invention is characterized in that said one or more supporting structures of said one or more sockets are directed to the same side as said one or more electrodes, whereby the connecting head can be passed from the side of the electrode belt opposite to the side comprising an electrode to the side comprising an electrode, for placing the connecting head in the socket.
Another object of the invention is an electrode belt of a heart rate monitor for measuring heartbeat at a person's chest, the electrode belt comprising one or more electrodes for detecting the heartbeat and one or more sockets provided with one or more supporting structures for one or more connecting heads of a circumferential band for fastening the electrode belt. The invention is characterized in that said one or more supporting structures of said one or more sockets are directed to the same side of the electrode belt as said one or more electrodes.
Preferred embodiments of the invention constitute the object of independent claims.
The connecting arrangement and the electrode belt of the invention provide that significant advantage that, when the electrode belt and the circumferential band are fastened to each other, placed around the body and tightened, and the electrode belt is curving, the connecting head of the circumferential band tends to be positioned in the mounting socket stronger and stronger, while the locking head is pressed against the plane surfaces. By means of the invention, the force caused by the curving electrode belt can be utilized to provide a better connection. This is true for slim adults and children, in particular, whereby the force caused by the curvature of the belt to the connection leads to that the connecting head is pressed stronger and stronger into the socket to provide a better connection.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4122843 (1978-10-01), Zdrojkowski
patent: 4275743 (1981-06-01), Hjort
patent: 4502192 (1985-03-01), Hess
patent: 4709702 (1987-12-01), Sherwin
patent: 5140992 (1992-08-01), Zuckerwar et al.
patent: 5464021 (1995-11-01), Birnbaum
patent: 5491474 (1996-02-01), Suni
patent: 5657514 (1997-08-01), Fabrizio
patent: 26 10 337 (1977-09-01), None
patent: 2831412 (1980-01-01), None
patent: 418218 (1934-10-01), None
patent: 494367 (1938-10-01), None
Lehtonen Jarmo
Ronkainen Ilkka
Cohen Lee
Hoffman & Baron LLP
Polar Electro OY
LandOfFree
Connecting arrangement at heart rate monitor and electrode belt does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Connecting arrangement at heart rate monitor and electrode belt, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Connecting arrangement at heart rate monitor and electrode belt will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2490763