Patent Application
20220104720
The invention relates to a coupling arrangement for a bio-signal measurement, an electrode system and a bio-signal processing device for bio-signal measurement, and a bio-signal measurement system.
Because an individual ECG, EEG and/or EOG (ElectroCardioGraphy, ElectroEncephaloGraphy and/or ElectroOculography) patch electrode structure is disposable, it should be as simple as possible. A typical solution has at least some electromechanical way of connecting and fixing the non-disposable measurement device with the disposable single-use electrode structure part.
The measurement devices can be connected with a disposable electrode structure using assembled connectors such as snap connectors, a USB-connector etc. Some devices use PoGo-pins.
The electromechanical connectors are often structurally and functionally complicated and expensive parts to both manufacture and assemble on the disposable patch electrode. The electrode structure with the electromechanical connectors should, thus, further be developed and simplified.
The present invention seeks to provide an improvement to the electromechanical connections.
The invention is defined by the independent claims. Embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.
Example embodiments of the present invention are described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
The following embodiments are only examples. Although the specification may refer to “an” embodiment in several locations, this does not necessarily mean that each such reference is to the same embodiment(s), or that the feature only applies to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments. Furthermore, words “comprising” and “including” should be understood as not limiting the described embodiments to consist of only those features that have been mentioned and such embodiments may also contain features/structures that have not been specifically mentioned. All combinations of the embodiments are considered possible if their combination does not lead to structural or logical contradiction.
It should be noted that while Figures illustrate various embodiments, they are simplified diagrams that only show some structures and/or functional entities. The connections shown in the Figures may refer to logical or physical connections. It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the described apparatus may also comprise other functions and structures than those described in Figures and text. It should be appreciated that details of some functions, structures, and the signalling used for measurement and/or controlling are irrelevant to the actual invention. Therefore, they need not be discussed in more detail here.
An idea in this document is to handle the electromechanical connection from a bio-signal processing device 106 to disposable electrode structure (substrate 1020 with least two electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ and electrodes 112, 112′, 112″) with spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″, the spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″ being required only on a side of the bio-signal processing device 106. The spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″ may be industry standard springs. The mechanical holding force of the interconnection is then handled with separate, dummy mechanical plastic parts i.e. a holder 104. The holder 104 holds the bio-signal processing device 106 and electrode structure together.
The bio-signal measurement system 10 comprises a bio-signal processing device 106, which has at least two spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″ (see also
The bio-signal processing device 106 may be an electronic device, which may convert an analog bio-signal it receives to a digital bio-signal. The bio-signal processing device 106 may also filter the bio-signal in an analog or in a digital form. Additionally or alternatively, the bio-signal processing device 106 may perform data processing of the bio-signal, and it may also store data of the bio-signal and/or a result of its processing. The bio-signal may be related to heart rate variability, electrocardiogram, electromyogram, electroencephalogram or the like for example. The bio-signal processing device 106 may be a measurement device that performs the bio-signal measurement. However, the bio-signal processing device 106 may also be connected to another electronic device such as a computer or the like during the measurement or after the measurement.
The substrate 1020 may be made of polymer or cloth, for example. The polymer may be made of plastic, for example. In an embodiment, the polymer may be made of PET (PolyEthylene Terephthalate) and/or PU (PolyUretan). In an embodiment, the polymer may be made of material based on wood fibers, which in an embodiment may be recycled which makes it environmental friendly. The substrate 1020 with the least two electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ may be made of material which is harmless to environment and which may be burnt because the substrate 1020 with the least two electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ is disposable. In an embodiment, the least two electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ may be made of electrically conductive material based on carbon. In an embodiment, the least two electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ may be made of silver chloride (AgCl), for example.
The holder 104 comprises a combination of a wall 1040, which follows an outer contour of the bio-signal processing device 106 and is fitted to it, and the substrate 1020. The wall 1040 may be made of polymer such as plastic, for example. The polymer structure of the wall 1040 may be stretching and flexible. The wall 1040 and the substrate 1020 form a pocket 104′ inside the holder 104. The pocket 104′ is a cavity or a tube that is fit to the bio-signal processing device 106. The wall 1040 may have a fully continuous structure, it may have holes regularly or irregularly, or it may have a net structure. In an example of
The pocket 104′ has an aperture 110 for inserting the bio-signal processing device 106 into the pocket 104′ and removing the bio-signal processing device 106 from the pocket 104′. That is, the pocket 104′ may have only one aperture 110. A width and a height of the aperture 110 may be about the same as a width and a thickness of the bio-signal processing device 106. In an embodiment, a maximum width and a maximum height of the aperture 110 may be about the same as a maximum width and a maximum thickness of the bio-signal processing device 106. In an embodiment, the thickness and the width of the casing of the bio-signal processing device 106 may be at least approximately constant for its full length.
The substrate 1020 has the at least two electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″, which are in a wired electric contact with electrodes 112, 112′, 112″ of the substrate 1020 and receive at least one bio-signal from skin 150, inside the pocket 104′. The electrodes 112, 112′, 112″ are configured to be attached to the skin 150 of a mammal that may be a human being, a cat, a dog, a horse, a cow, a sheep, a pig or the like for example.
The electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ and the at least two spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″ connect electrically with each other in response to insertion of the bio-signal processing device 106 into the pocket 104′.
In this manner, the disposable part i.e. the substrate 1020 with the least two electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ and the electrodes 112, 112′, 112″ has a minimized amount of material and electronic and mechanical components. It is simple to manufacture, i.e. saves material and manufacturing cost, and simple to dispose, which both can be done harmlessly to people and environment.
The pocket 104′ is a free space or volume into which at least a part of the bio-signal processing device 106 may fit accurately. A degree of precision with which the surfaces of the bio-signal processing device 106 and the wall 1040 are adapted to each other may be high enough to enable operation with one hand when inserting the bio-signal processing device 106 into or removing the bio-signal processing device 106 from the holder 104. Friction between an outer surface of the bio-signal processing device 106 and an inner surface of the holder 104 may keep the bio-signal processing device 106 in the holder 104 even under accelerations caused by sport activities or in upside down positions. The fit between the bio-signal processing device 106 and the holder 104 may be rather tight resulting in a suitable friction and suction force. The pocket 104′ may have the wall 1040 round the bio-signal processing device 106 in a continuous hemispherical manner, which is more secure and efficient than a wall that has a shape of a band round the bio-signal processing device 106, for example. Still, the hemispherical wall 1040 allows easy removal of the bio-signal processing device 106 from the pocket 104′.
In an embodiment, the bio-signal processing device 106 may comprise or be coupled with at least one of the following: an oxygen saturation sensor 152, a galvanic skin resistance sensor 154, a magnetic sensor 156, and an ultrasound sensor 158.
In an embodiment, the tissue oxygen saturation sensor 152 may be based on infrared spectroscopy. A person skilled in the art is familiar with the oxygen saturation sensors, per se, which is why the oxygen saturation sensors do not need to be described in detail here. Because the bio-signal processing device 106 is adjacent or directly adjacent to the skin 150 of the mammal, the oxygen saturation sensor 152 may also be in physical contact with the bio-signal processing device 106 or the oxygen saturation sensor and the oxygen saturation sensor may have only a short wire therebetween. The bio-signal processing device 106 may receive electric signals from the oxygen saturation sensor 152 and determine the oxygen saturation of the blood, for example.
In an embodiment, the galvanic skin resistance sensor 154 may be measure conductivity of the skin 150, which varies with an amount and quality of sweat on the skin 150. The bio-signal processing device 106 may receive electric signals from the galvanic skin resistance sensor 154 and determine condition of liver and/or kidneys, for example, because they affect the quality of the sweat.
In an embodiment, the magnetic sensor 156 may be used to measure a flow of blood in vessels. The bio-signal processing device 106 may receive electric signals from the magnetic sensor 156 and determine the flow.
In an embodiment, the ultrasound sensor 158 may transmit and receive ultrasound signals to and from tissue. The bio-signal processing device 106 may receive electric signals from the ultrasound sensor 158 and form at least one image of tissue of the mammal and/or measure a flow of blood in vessels, for example.
As can be seen from
The holder 104 has the aperture 110 for inserting the bio-signal processing device 106 into the pocket 104′ and removing the bio-signal processing device 106 from the pocket 104′.
The holder 104 includes the at least two electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″, which are in a wired electric contact with the electrodes 112, 112′, 112″ of the substrate 1020, and the electrodes 112, 112′, 112″ are configured to receive the at least one bio-signal.
The electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ are attached on the substrate 1020 inside the pocket 104′, and the electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ are configured to electrically connect and contact with the at least two spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″ of the bio-signal processing device 106 in response to insertion of the bio-signal processing device 106 into the pocket 104′.
In an embodiment, a normal N1 of the aperture 110 may be perpendicular to a normal N2 of the substrate 1020 at the aperture 110.
In an embodiment, the wall 1040 is made of polymer. The polymer may be plastic or resin, for example.
In an embodiment examples of which are shown in
It can also be seen that the bio-signal measurement system 10 has a coupling arrangement for the bio-signal measurement. The coupling arrangement comprises at least two spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″ of a bio-signal processing device 106, and a holder 104 comprising a combination of a wall 1040 and a substrate 1020, which are configured to form a pocket 104′ inside the holder 104. The wall 1040 of the pocket 104′ is configured to follow an outer contour of the bio-signal processing device 106.
The holder 104 has the aperture 110 for inserting the bio-signal processing device 106 into the pocket 104′ and removing the bio-signal processing device 106 from the pocket 104′.
The holder 104 includes at least two electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″, which are in a wired electric contact with electrodes 112, 112′, 112″ of the substrate 1020, and the electrodes 112, 112′, 112″ are configured to receive at least one bio-signal.
The electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ are attached on the substrate 1020 inside the pocket 104′, and the electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ and the at least two spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″ are configured to electrically connect with each other in response to insertion of the bio-signal processing device 106 in the pocket 104′.
In an embodiment, the spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″ may slide on the electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ in response to an inserting movement of the bio-signal processing device 106 in the pocket 104′. The electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ may be straight like the pocket 104′ in the direction of the electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ or may curve in a corresponding manner to the electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″. The sliding movement cleanses contact areas of the electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ and the spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″, which improves the electric contact therebetween.
In an embodiment, the spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″ and the electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″ are pressed against each other by a spring force of the spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″ in response to a pressure of the wall 1040 against the bio-signal processing device 106 resulting from the insertion of the bio-signal processing device 106 into the pocket 104′ and presence of the bio-signal processing device 106 in the pocket 104′.
In an embodiment, the spring connectors 108, 108′, 108″ may bend under pressure of the wall 1040 against the bio-signal processing device 106 resulting from the insertion of the bio-signal processing device 106 into the pocket 104′ and the presence of the bio-signal processing device 106 in the pocket 104′.
In an embodiment an example of which is illustrated in
This solution can be used to minimize the needed materials and electronics on the disposable part, i.e. the combination of the wall 1040 and the substrate 1020 with the electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102′, and therefore reduce price, manufacturing time, environmental burden etc.
The bio-signal measurement system can be made to fulfil IP67-code which means the bio-signal measurement system is water (1 m deep) and dust resistant. Namely, water in the pocket 104′ can easily be removed because water clears out of the pocket through the aperture 110 and the remaining water easily dries such that long-term shortcuts after a shower can be avoided.
The solution described above introduces a cheap solution & device concept to form the needed connection between the bio-signal device 106 and the combination of the wall 1040 and the substrate 1020 with the electric conductor lines 102, 102′, 102″. This type of connection could be used in many different kind and type of bio-signal measurements such as ECG, EEG and EOG.
Some of key points of the solution described above:
1. The use of conventional RF shielding slide spring contacts to contact directly on the electrode printed AgCl-conductor surface—no need for assembled mating parts on the disposable part.
2. The use of slide spring contact is beneficial on this kind of body attached product because the mating area is large compared to PoGo-pins, for example, and the slide-action cleans the connection surfaces every time it is used. Large even surfaces also reduce a risk of motion artefacts due to poor connection.
3. A unique Mechanical “Slide and Click”—structure together with Device/Adapter and Electrode Holder.
4. A unique Device/Adapter spring contact arrangement to avoid moisture pockets.
5. A unique Electrode Holder—structure to avoid moisture pockets and enable easy slide of the bio-signal processing device 106.
6. A unique conductive layer construction where conductive layer tail may be flipped 180° on top of the electrode to meet the Slide Spring Contacts and therefore the need for 2-layer conductive layer construction with vias may be avoided.
7. Minimized overall layer structure of the Patch Electrode.
It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that, as technology advances, the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are not limited to the example embodiments described above but may vary within the scope of the claims.
