Infrasonic Stethoscope for Monitoring Physiological Processes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016354055-A1
Application number	US-201615244517-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 23, 2016
Priority date	Oct 2, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An infrasonic stethoscope for monitoring physiological processes of a patient includes a microphone capable of detecting acoustic signals in the audible frequency bandwidth and in the infrasonic bandwidth (0.03 to 1000 Hertz), a body coupler attached to the body at a first opening in the microphone, a flexible tube attached to the body at a second opening in the microphone, and an earpiece attached to the flexible tube. The body coupler is capable of engagement with a patient to transmit sounds from the person, to the microphone and then to the earpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An infrasonic stethoscope device for monitoring physiological processes of a patient, said device comprising:
a body comprising an opening within a first end, a body end wall at a second end opposite the first end, and a body side wall extending between the first end and the second end; a body coupler attached to the first end and over the opening of the body to form a substantially air-tight seal, wherein the body coupler is capable of engagement with the patient; a cavity surrounded by the body end wall, the body side wall and the body coupler; a conductive backplate within the cavity and defining a backchamber between the conductive backplate and the body end wall; a conductive membrane within the cavity, the conductive backplate and the conductive membrane being spaced apart from each other to form a capacitor; and a preamplifier board in electrical connection with the conductive backplate, the preamplifier (i) being capable of measuring a capacitance between the conductive membrane and the conductive backplate and converting the measured capacitance into a voltage signal, and (ii) being parallel to each of the conductive backplate and the conductive membrane, said device being capable of detecting acoustic signals in a frequency range of about 0.03 Hertz to 1000 Hertz.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein (i) the conductive backplate defines a plurality of holes, and (ii) a slot is present between an outer diameter of the conductive backplate and an inner surface of the body side wall.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein locations and sizes of the holes and a size of the slot are selected such that membrane motion is substantially critically damped.

4 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conductive support plate mounted to the body, the conductive support plate having a passageway and at least one aperture therethrough; an insulating member extending through the passageway in the conductive support plate; a conductive member extending through the insulating member and extending therefrom, the conductive member being electrically connected to the conductive backplate and to the preamplifier board, wherein the conductive backplate is on one side of the conductive support plate and the preamplifier board is on an opposite side of the conductive support plate.

5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the conductive backplate is seated on the insulating member.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a slot is defined between the preamplifier board and an inner surface of the body side wall, the slot having a length of approximately 0.025″.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the preamplifier board defines a first chamber within the body, and a second chamber within the body.

8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the first chamber has a volume of approximately 0.1287 cubic inch, and the second chamber has a volume of approximately 0.6 cubic inch.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the body coupler is formed of an outer ring having a flexible, non-conductive diaphragm attached thereto, and the outer ring is attached to the body.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the outer ring and the body are threadedly connected.

11 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a sealed electrical connection extending though the body side wall, said sealed electrical connection enabling electrical connection of said device to a remote device.

12 . The device of claim 11 , further comprising a digitizer board remote from the body, said digitizer board being capable of digitizing the voltage signal from the preamplifier via the sealed electrical connection.

13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the voltage signal is digitized and electronically transmitted to a remote location.

14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the voltage signal is electronically transmitted by wire.

15 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the voltage signal is electronically transmitted wirelessly.

16 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the voltage signal is electronically transmitted in real time.

17 . An infrasonic stethoscope device for monitoring physiological processes of a patient, said device comprising:
a body comprising an opening within a first end, a body end wall at a second end opposite the first end, and a body side wall extending between the first end and the second end; a cavity surrounded by the body end wall, the body side wall and the body coupler; a flexible, non-conductive diaphragm extending over the opening and being capable of engagement with the patient; and a preamplifier board positioned within the cavity and being parallel to the flexible, non-conductive diaphragm; said device being capable of detecting acoustic signals in a frequency range of less than about 20 Hertz.

18 . The device of claim 17 , further comprising:
a conductive membrane within the cavity, and positioned between the flexible, non-conductive diaphragm and the preamplifier board; and a conductive backplate within the cavity and positioned between the conductive membrane and the preamplifier board, the conductive membrane and the conductive backplate being spaced apart from each other to form a capacitor.

19 . The device of claim 18 , further comprising:
a conductive support plate mounted to the body, the conductive support plate having a passageway and at least one aperture therethrough; an insulating member extending through the passageway in the conductive support plate; and a conductive member extending through the insulating member and extending therefrom, the conductive member being electrically connected to the conductive backplate and to the preamplifier board, wherein the conductive backplate is on one side of the conductive support plate and the preamplifier board is on an opposite side of the conductive support plate.

20 . An infrasonic stethoscope for monitoring physiological processes of a patient, comprising:
a microphone capable of detecting acoustic signals in a frequency range of about 0.03 Hertz to 500 Hertz, the microphone comprising a body having a first and second spaced apart openings; a body coupler attached to the first opening of the body to form a substantially air-tight seal, wherein the body coupler is capable of engagement with the patient; a flexible tube attached to the body at the second opening; and an earpiece attached to the flexible tube.

Assignees

• Nasa

Inventors

• Shams Qamar A
• Zuckerwar Allan J
• Dimarcantonio Albert L

Classifications

• A61B5/164

  Lie detection · CPC title

• H04R1/46

  Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope (throat mountings H04R1/14) · CPC title

• A61B8/565

  involving data transmission via a network · CPC title

• A61B7/04 Primary

  Electric stethoscopes · CPC title

• A61B7/023 Primary

  for introduction into the body, e.g. into the oesophagus (oesophageal ECG probes A61B5/285) · CPC title