阅读说明：本技术 具有用于记录、处理和传输三个ecg导联的集成电极的袖珍折叠设备 (Pocket-sized folding device with integrated electrodes for recording, processing and transmitting three ECG leads ) 是由 斯尔詹·弗拉什卡利奇 达科·博尔耶维奇 于 2019-11-14 设计创作，主要内容包括：具有用于记录、处理和传输三个ECG导联的集成电极的袖珍折叠设备,是一种具有用于测量和处理三个ECG导联并将其传输到远程诊断中心的集成电极的手持式ECG设备。当设备处于闭合状态且不使用时,该设备更加紧凑和坚固,因此可以放在口袋或小袋中携带,并且使电极不被弄脏或损坏。当打开设备使其处于测量状态时,设备符合人体工程学。它能很好适应用户的胸部形状,从而确保胸部电极(4～6)与胸部表面间稳定可靠的接触。手指电极(7,8)被设计为用于与左手和右手拇指接触、支撑设备并确保在无需用户手臂费力的情况下对胸部施加足够的压力。该设备结构紧凑,无需线缆和杠杆,因此非常易于使用。(A pocket-sized folding device with integrated electrodes for recording, processing and transmitting three ECG leads is a handheld ECG device with integrated electrodes for measuring and processing the three ECG leads and transmitting them to a remote diagnostic center. When the device is in a closed state and not in use, the device is more compact and robust and can therefore be carried in a pocket or pouch, and the electrodes are not soiled or damaged. The device is ergonomic when opened to a measuring state. It can adapt well to the shape of the user's chest, thus ensuring a stable and reliable contact between the chest electrodes (4-6) and the chest surface. The finger electrodes (7, 8) are designed for contact with the left and right thumbs, support the device and ensure that sufficient pressure is applied to the chest without the exertion of the user's arms. The device is compact and does not require cables and levers, and is therefore very easy to use.)

1. A collapsible mobile three lead cardiac monitoring device having electrodes for recording, processing and transmitting three ECG leads, comprising:

two integrated electrodes for acquiring signals from the chest of a patient;

two electrodes for acquiring signals from the patient's hand;

a housing having two parts connected by a pivotal connection (3);

a first chest electrode (4) disposed inside the first portion of the housing;

a second chest electrode (6) disposed inside the second portion of the housing;

two finger electrodes (7, 8) disposed outside the first portion of the housing to enable contact by left and right hand fingers.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second parts (1, 2) of the housing are substantially parallel when the device is in the closed state and form an angle of about 150 degrees when the device is in the fully open state.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring chest electrodes (4, 6) are about 100mm apart when the device is in the fully open state.

4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that an integrated chest electrode (5) arranged on the inner side of one of the shells (1, 2) serves as a common ground electrode.

5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that two finger electrodes (7, 8) for contacting the fingers of the patient's left and right hand are provided on the side edges of the exterior of the first part (1) of the housing.

6. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that the contact surfaces of the electrodes (7, 8) form an angle of about 45 degrees with the outer side surface of the first part (1) of the housing of the device.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of electronic devices for recording, processing and transmitting Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals over commercial telecommunication networks. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable handheld device with integrated electrodes for recording 3 ECG leads from the surface of the human body.

Background

Technical problem

The technical problem that the present invention is solving consists in the structural upgrade of a portable pocket-sized device for recording, processing and transmitting three ECG signals, as described in patent document EP1659936a1(Bojovic et al, 2003). The present invention aims to reduce the size of the apparatus, reduce the height of the chest electrodes, and protect the chest electrodes from fouling when the apparatus is not in use. The above improvement should keep the distance between the active chest electrodes constant, enabling good and stable contact of the chest electrodes with the chest area near the pectoral muscle and with the electrodes connected to the fingers of the left and right hand, so that the recorded ECG signal has a higher quality.

State of the art

Mobile portable ECG devices with integrated electrodes for recording more than three ECG leads for emergency cardiac diagnostics are known in the art. The user of such a device can record his/her ECG everywhere and send it to a remote diagnostic center over a commercial network.

Patent document EP1659936a1(Bojovic, 2003) describes a mobile pocket-sized device with integrated electrodes for recording three ECG leads, which are sent to a remote diagnosis center and presented to a cardiologist with 12 reconstructed ECG leads. The device is designed with two integrated electrodes placed on one side of the device. They are accessible with the fingers of the left and right hand. Two electrodes placed on the other side are connected to the chest of the patient. In addition to the active chest electrode, the device has a third electrode which serves as a common ground electrode and ensures the stability of the device by placing it at three points on the chest. This embodiment assumes that the chest electrodes need to be 100-120 mm apart and high enough (about 8-10 mm) to accommodate the patient's contour (chest area curvature). This shape should avoid the device housing from touching and leaning on the patient's chest, as this would affect the device stability and the contact of the chest electrodes. The above constraints limit any further reduction in the size of the mobile device.

Furthermore, all electrodes are always exposed, so they may become dirty or damaged when the device is carried around and stored when not in use. This is particularly important when the contact area is pyramidal (Khannaet al, skin penetration and breaking strength tests for silicon dioxide microneedles, sensors and actuators a170(2011) 180-186), or when the electrodes have a layer of contact material, such as silver/silver chloride or similar materials (Weder et al, embroidered electrodes with silver/titanium coatings for long term ECG monitoring, sensors 2015, 15, 1750-1759).

In the patent document US6363274 Scalisi et al describe a hand-held pocket-sized device with foldable electrodes. The device can directly record five ECG leads and reconstruct an additional three channels. The device has two electrodes for the left and right thumbs and three electrodes for placement on the chest of the patient, and one skin electrode for acquiring a third peripheral signal, the skin electrode being connected to the device housing by a connection cable. This design allows further reduction in the size of the device by using a foldable lever, a retractable rod and a cable.

In the patent document US20100174204 Danteny discloses a handheld ECG device that can directly record 12 ECG channels. It can store the 12 ECG channels in memory and transmit them to a remote diagnostic center. The device has a concave surface that can conform to the patient's contour and ensure good electrical contact with the chest electrodes. Six integrated chest electrodes are provided on the housing, two finger electrodes (left and right hand) provided on two foldable arms pivotally connected to the housing, and a peripheral electrode connected to the housing by a cable.

The above mentioned handheld device is capable of recording and processing more than three ECG leads and transmitting them to a remote diagnostic center. However, since they use cables and unprotected electrodes, they are relatively large for being carried around in a pocket or pouch and are complex to handle. Therefore, there is a need for a handheld ECG device that has the capabilities of the above-described device, while being compact and requiring no additional components such as cables and rods. It should be easy and reliable to use, small and sturdy so that it can be carried comfortably in a pocket or pouch and so that the electrodes are not soiled or damaged.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks and limitations of existing portable ECG devices, providing a compact three channel handheld ECG device without additional components such as cables and rods. It should be simple and reliable to use, ergonomic and conform to the shape of the patient's chest, small and sturdy so that it can be carried around in a pocket or pouch while ensuring that the electrodes are not soiled or damaged.

To meet these requirements, a handheld folding three lead ECG device was designed. The user can record his or her ECG using the device. This device represents a modified version of a handheld three lead ECG device with integrated electrodes as described in patent document EP1659936a1(Bojovic, 2003).

The equipment shell consists of an upper surface and a lower surface which are pivoted. For the recording state, the device is placed on the patient's chest with its upper side directed towards the patient's head and its lower side facing the patient's legs. Inside the device, two active measuring electrodes are mounted, which face the patient's body during recording, and a ground electrode as the third. An active chest electrode and a ground electrode are mounted on the upper housing, i.e. the housing closer to the user's head, near the edge and on the other side of the pivotal connection. This allows the device to be placed on the chest in three points when in the operational state. This ensures mechanical stability and stable electrical contact with the skin. In another embodiment, the ground electrode may be mounted on the lower housing, remaining placed at three points on the chest.

Electrodes for contact with the fingers of the left and right hand are placed in the upper part of the housing of the device, on or near the edge side of the device. Finger contact electrodes serve two purposes: ensuring electrical contact with the left and right hand fingers and supporting the device during recording. When the device is in the recording state, the upper side of the housing (where the finger electrodes are placed) is facing the user's head, which ensures that the support of the device and the pressure of the electrodes against the chest are achieved in the most relaxed hand position. This position reduces the disturbance caused by the muscle activity of the hand.

The upper and lower faces of the device may be rotatable about a pivot connecting them. The pivot is designed such that the angle between the upper and lower parts of the housing can vary between 0 and 150 degrees. In the open state for recording, the angle between the two parts of the housing is limited to about 150 degrees, so that the distance between the active chest electrodes is 100-120 mm. This makes the device for recording the condition ergonomic as it is adjusted to the body contour of the user's chest area, preventing any contact between the housing and the body surface, which results in a good and stable electrical contact between the chest electrode and the skin. This is particularly important for male users with large pectoral muscles (pectoralis major).

In the folded state (for storage or carrying of the device in a pocket or pouch), the angle between the upper and lower parts of the housing is 0 degrees so that the two parts are stacked on top of each other. This can significantly shorten the length of the device and keep the electrodes from getting dirty or damaged. Thus, the folded device becomes compact and convenient to store or carry in a pocket or pouch.

The upper side of the housing contains finger electrodes on its outside. An active chest electrode and a common ground electrode are located on the inside thereof. The upper side of the housing is also where the electronic module is located. The electronic module performs the functions of recording, storing and transmitting to a remote diagnostic center. It also enables the device to communicate with a smartphone with an application that the user uses to activate, monitor and control the recording process.

The underside of the housing serves as a support for the chest electrode when the device is in the open state. The electrode is connected to an electronic module located in the upper part of the housing. The lower portion of the housing serves as a cover for the chest electrode once the device is in the closed state.

Drawings

The present invention will be described in detail by examples shown below.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a folded device with integrated electrodes for recording, processing and transmitting three special ECG leads in an open measurement state.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of an isometric view of a device in a closed state, i.e., a cross-section through a chest electrode, with integrated electrodes for recording, processing and transmitting three special ECG leads.

Description of The Preferred Embodiment

This embodiment is shown in fig. 1 and 2. The folding device with integrated electrodes for recording, processing and transmitting three special ECG leads consists of an upper shell part 1 and a lower shell part 2 connected by a pivot 3. The inner side of the upper shell 1 faces the chest of the patient and contains active measuring electrodes 4 and electrodes 5 which serve as a common ground. Between the electrodes 4 and 5 is a recess 9 for placing the active electrode 6 when the device housing is in the closed state. An on/off switch 12 is installed at the side of the apparatus.

The electrode 7 is placed in the upper part of the housing. The electrode is for contact with the thumb of the right hand. The electrode is recessed into the housing rim in such a way that: the plane containing the electrodes forms an angle of about 45 degrees with the plane including the front face (front) of the upper part of the housing. Electrodes 8 are placed on the other side of the upper edge of the housing for contact with the left thumb. The finger electrodes are placed in such a way that the supporting force of the two thumbs (placed on the electrodes 7 and 8) is transferred towards the user's body. This ensures additional pressure on the chest electrodes 4, 5 and 6 and helps to form a stable electrical connection with the chest surface of the user.

The USB connector 13 is mounted on one of the side edges of the housing. It is used to charge a battery placed in the upper part of the housing.

The lower part 2 of the housing is in the shape of a lid, which covers the upper part of the housing when it is closed. An active measurement chest electrode 6 is mounted on the housing lower part 2. The electrode is connected to an electronic device placed in the upper side of the device housing by means of a wire. On both sides of the electrode 6 there are two grooves 10 and 11. When the device is in the closed state, the electrode 6 enters the recess 9. The electrodes 4 and 5 are placed in the grooves 10 and 11, respectively. This causes the housing lower part 2 and the housing upper part 1 to snap into each other. The edge 14 of the lower part of the housing is wider on the side remote from the pivot. The purpose of this is to keep the finger electrodes 7 and 8 from being soiled or damaged.

The pivot mechanism 3 connects the front and rear of the housing. The pivot mechanism 3 is designed such that the angle between the upper and lower parts of the housing can vary between 0 and about 150 degrees. In the open state for recording, the angle between the two parts of the housing is limited to about 150 degrees, so that the distance between the active chest electrodes is about 100 mm. The pivot mechanism comprises a spring that generates sufficient force to mechanically stabilize the device in both the open and closed states. At the same time, the user can also easily open or fold the device. This allows the device to be adjusted to the body contour of the user's chest area when recording the state, so as to be ergonomic and thus prevent any contact between the housing and the body surface, which results in a good and stable electrical contact between the chest electrode and the skin.

In the folded state (for storage or carrying of the device in a pocket or sachet), the angle between the two parts is 0 degrees so that the two parts are stacked on top of each other. In this state, the rear of the housing 2 has the function of a cover that covers the front of the housing 1 and protects the chest electrodes 4, 5 and 6 and the switch 12 from being soiled or damaged. Furthermore, the widening 14 at the rear of the housing protects the electrodes 7 and 8. This allows the folded device to be compact and convenient to store or carry in a pocket or pouch. This embodiment has the following approximate dimensions: length 80mm, width 50mm, thickness 9 mm.

The chest electrodes 4, 5 and 6 are about 2mm higher than the inner surface of the front and rear of the housing surface. The recess 9 is also 2mm deep, which allows the electrode 6 to be placed therein when the device is in the closed state. The chest electrode is about 15mm in length and about 10mm in width. The surface of the chest electrode is configured with three rows of three conical protrusions. The finger electrodes 7 and 8 are about 15mm long and about 5mm wide. They have two rows of five conical projections each.

The electronic module and the rechargeable battery are placed on the upper portion of the housing. The electronic module performs the following functions: the commercial telecommunications network is used to record, store and transmit to the remote diagnostics. It may also use a built-in bluetooth module and antenna to enable the device to communicate with a smartphone. The smartphone carries an application that the user uses to activate, monitor and control the recording process.

The electrical connection between the electrodes and the electronic module is realized as described in patent document EP1659936a1(Bojovic, 2003). Specifically, the signal is measured for the electrode touched by the right finger. Three signals representing the following potential differences were measured: a) the potential difference between electrode 8 and electrode 7, b) the potential difference between electrode 4 and electrode 7, and c) the potential difference between electrode 6 and electrode 7. The active electrodes are connected inside the electronic module in the following way: electrodes 8 and 7 are connected to the first amplifier input, electrodes 4 and 7 are connected to the second amplifier input, and electrodes 6 and 7 are connected to the third amplifier input. The amplified signal is converted into a digital signal, transmitted to the smart phone through Bluetooth connection, and transmitted to the remote diagnosis center through a commercial communication network.

The essence of the invention does not change if the ground electrode is mounted in the lower part of the housing or elsewhere in the immediate vicinity of the chest electrode 6. Furthermore, the electronic module may be placed in the lower part of the housing, while the upper part of the housing serves as a cover.

Industrial applicability

A folded device with integrated electrodes that record, process and transmit three ECG leads can be used for emergency cardiac diagnosis in the following manner. The user can record his/her own ECG at any given location and send it to a remote cardiac diagnostic center over a commercial communications network. Where the physician on duty receives a reconstructed standard 12 lead ECG. A doctor on duty will be able to verify the presence of an emergency heart disease such as an acute myocardial infarction. In this case he will get in contact with the patient and help him/her to get care. In addition, other pathologic cardiac conditions may be discovered or monitored, and appropriate home or hospital care may be provided.