Device for analysing cardiovascular parameters of an individual

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11399726-B2
Application number	US-201816494073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2018
Priority date	Mar 15, 2017
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

A device for collecting cardiovascular data relating to an individual user, comprising a control unit assembly with an electronic controller and a pneumatic unit, an arm band having an inflatable bladder and configured to surround the left arm of the individual, wherein the pneumatic unit has a pump and a pressure sensor, and is configured to inflate and deflate the inflatable bladder, so that the electronic controller can determine the arterial pressure of the user, the device further comprising an acoustic sensor being coupled to the external wall of the arm band and having a sensitive side such that in use configuration, the sensitive side is adjacent to the chest of the user, whereby at least a cardiovascular timing characteristic can be inferred from signals from the acoustic sensor and the pressure sensor. The device may also comprise a set of contact electrodes to provide additionally ECG functionality.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for collecting cardiovascular data relating to an individual user, comprising:
an arm band having an inflatable bladder and an internal wall, and configured to surround an arm of the individual, with the internal wall in contact with the arm's skin,
a housing having a cylinder shape extending along a main axis, the housing receiving an electronic controller and a pump configured to inflate and deflate the inflatable bladder, and wherein the electronic controller is configured to control the pump
a set of contact electrodes for electrocardiographic sensing, the set of contact electrodes including at least first and second contact electrodes for electrocardiographic sensing, the first electrode being arranged in the internal wall of the arm band, the second electrode being arranged at an external wall of the housing, wherein the second electrode covers at least a bottom part of the cylinder shape of the housing over at least 130° about the main axis and over at least 20% of a height of the housing.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the arm band comprises a first portion which has a structural resilience and a second portion which is formed as a flexible extension of the first portion, and fitted with an attaching means.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the attaching means comprise loop and hook pads, a loop pad at one location and a hook pad at another location, such that adjustment and securing of various encompassed circumferences (πD 2 ) of the arm is made available.

4. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the housing and the first and second portions have substantially the same height.

5. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the set of contact electrodes comprises a third contact electrode, arranged in the internal wall of the first portion of the arm band.

6. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a display.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device forms an integral unit.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is has a diameter D 1 <40 mm.

9. A system for monitoring cardiovascular parameters of an individual user, comprising a device as defined in claim 1 , and a smartphone configured to run an application configured to enable the user to enter contextual data and to display at least cardiovascular parameters history for the individual user.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is made of a conductive material formed as a coating.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the second electrode covers over at least 30% of the height of the housing.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the second electrode covers over at least 40% of the height of the housing.

13. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cylinder shape is a circular cylinder shape.

14. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising an acoustic sensor being coupled to the external wall of the arm band and having a sensitive side oriented away from the internal wall of the arm band, such that in use configuration, the sensitive side is adjacent to the chest of the user, to sense sound waves emitted by the heart.

15. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the acoustic sensor is fixedly attached to the external wall of the arm band.

16. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the acoustic sensor is removably attached to the external wall of the arm band.

17. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the housing and the acoustic sensor are arranged at an angle α comprised between 90° and 140° with regard to a cylindrical configuration of a first portion, as defined in a use configuration on a 30 cm reference arm circumference.

Assignees

• Withings

Inventors

• Campo David
• Rechke Bastien
• Zhang Xianzhi
• Patel Alsberghe Mélanie
• Ting Victor
• Bienvenu Olivier

Classifications

• A61B2560/0443

  Modular apparatus · CPC title

• A61B5/02125 Primary

  of pulse wave propagation time · CPC title

• A61B5/0235

  Valves specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title

• A61B5/6831

  Straps, bands or harnesses · CPC title