Abstract:
A system for connecting remote equipment to a sensor device having a connector coupled to at least two terminals located on different portions of the sensor device. The portions of the sensor device may be an anterior portion and a posterior portion with each having at least one terminal. In turn, the terminals are nested on top of one another and at least one terminal is electrically accessible through a window region of the other portion. Further, the terminals are alignable with each other and with a connector by alignment indicators, which may provide a visual alignment indication for the terminals as well as a mechanical alignment of the connector with the sensor device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to sensor devices and, more specifically, to a system and apparatus for connecting the sensor device to remote equipment. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electrocardiogram devices employing twelve or more leads are known. For systems using more than 12 leads, such as 80 lead systems, the electrodes may be deployed as part of a sensor device, such as an electrode vest, which is adhered to a patient. By way of example, one type of electrode vest is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,448. These vests are typically made of a flexible material that includes a dielectric substrate upon which are conductive traces that couple sensor electrodes to multiple terminal areas on the device. Remote equipment, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) base unit, is generally attached to the sensor device with multiple connectors, typically one for each separate terminal area of the electrode vest. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a sensor device  100  in the form a vest placed on a human patient  500  for either monitoring bioelectric signals from the patent  500  or delivering stimulus signals to the patent  500 . The vest  100  includes an anterior portion  110  for placing onto the front of the patient&#39;s torso and a posterior portion  210  for placing on the back of the patient&#39;s torso. Anterior portion  110  includes a plurality of electrodes  120  connected by a network of conductive traces  140  to a terminal portion  160 . Posterior portion  210  (only partially shown, but understood to be placed on the back and sides of the human patient) also includes a plurality of electrodes connected by a network of conductive traces to a terminal portion  260 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , both anterior terminal portion  160  and posterior terminal portion  260  are positioned generally at the front  510  of the patient. 
     An anterior connector  170  and a posterior connector  270  are connected to the respective anterior and posterior terminal portions  160 ,  260 . The connectors are further in electronic and/or signal communication with remote equipment, such as the connectors in electronic communication with an electrocardiogram (ECG) base unit (not shown) by electrical or fiber-optic cables  180 ,  280 . The user must take care to correctly configure the connectors  170 ,  270  and terminal portions  160 ,  260  to avoid errors, either in monitoring the patient&#39;s bioelectric signals or in supplying stimulating signals to the patient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an electrode system includes a sensor device, a first conductive terminal located on the sensor device, a second conductive terminal located proximate to and registered with respect to the first conductive terminal on the sensor device, and a connector electrically coupled to both the first and second conductive terminals. 
     In accordance with another example of the invention, a sensor vest engageable with a connector includes a first electrode mounting portion having a first conductive terminal and a first window located proximate the first conductive terminal, a second electrode mounting portion having a second conductive terminal and a second window located proximate the second conductive terminal, wherein the first window is configured to provide electrical access to the second conductive terminal when the first and second conductive terminals are placed proximate each other, and wherein the second window is configured to provide electrical access to the first conductive terminal when the first and second conductive terminals are placed proximate each other. 
     In accordance with yet another example of the invention, a sensor vest engageable with a connector includes a first electrode mounting portion having a first conductive terminal and a first alignment indicator, a second electrode mounting portion having a second conductive terminal and a second alignment indicator, and wherein registering the first and second alignment indicators in an overlapping manner provides a visual indication that the first and second conductive terminals are electrically accessible. 
     These and other examples of the invention will be described in further detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional sensor device positioned on a human patient; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a sensor device according to an embodiment of the present invention positioned on a human patient; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of an anterior portion of the sensor device of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of a posterior portion of the sensor device of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of an anterior terminal portion of the sensor device of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of a posterior terminal portion of the sensor device of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of the posterior terminal portion nested on top of the anterior terminal portion; 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of the anterior terminal portion nested on top of the posterior terminal portion; 
         FIG. 9A  is a perspective view of the connector of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 9B  is an exploded, perspective view of the connector of  FIG. 9A ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the nested terminal portions of  FIG. 7  positioned in the connector; and, 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the nested terminal portions of  FIG. 8  positioned in the connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As previously discussed, conventional electrode vests may be used in situations when more than twelve electrodes, possibly as many as 80 or more, are to be applied to a human patient. These electrode vests usually have multiple terminal areas that require separate connectors for communicating with remote equipment, such as electrocardiogram (ECG) base units. The use of multiple connectors increases the complexity of coupling the sensor device to the remote equipment and may also increase the cost of the overall system. Accordingly, there is a need for a less complex and less costly system and apparatus that allows a sensor device with multiple traces and multiple terminals to be coupled to the remote equipment. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a sensor device  300  in the form an electrode vest according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , vest  300  is placed onto a human patient  500  for either monitoring bioelectric signals from the patient  500  or delivering stimulus signals to the patient  500 . The vest  300  includes a first electrode mounting portion, such as anterior portion  310  ( FIG. 3 ) for placing onto the front of the patient&#39;s torso and a second electrode mounting portion, such as posterior portion  410  for placing onto the back of the patient&#39;s torso. Anterior portion  310  includes a plurality of electrodes  320  connected by a network of conductive traces  340  to a terminal portion  360 . Posterior portion  410  (only partially shown in  FIG. 2 , but understood to be placed on the back and sides of the human patient) also includes a plurality of electrodes  420  connected by a network of conductive traces  440  to a terminal portion  475 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , and as described more fully below, both anterior and posterior terminal portions  360 ,  475  are coupled by a single connector  600  and multi-conductor cable  700  to remote equipment  701 , such as, but not limited to, an electrocardiogram (ECG) base unit. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the anterior terminal portion  360  is located near the bottom edge of the anterior portion  310  of vest  300 . Similarly,  FIG. 4  shows the posterior terminal portion  475  at the end of a tail  430  extending from the bottom edge  460  of the posterior portion  410 . The tail  430  is wrapped around the patient&#39;s torso so that posterior terminal portion  475  is positioned at the front of the patient&#39;s body in the vicinity of the anterior terminal portion  360  (see also  FIG. 2 ). For purposes of clarity, the anterior and posterior portions  310 ,  410  in  FIGS. 3 and 4  are illustrated from the side facing away from the patient when the vest  300  is placed onto the patient and it is understood that the electrodes  320 ,  420  and traces  340 ,  440  are located on the surface of portions  310 ,  410  facing the patient. It is further understood that when the vest  300  is placed onto the patient, the electrodes  320 ,  420  will be in contact with the patient&#39;s body. Conductive traces  340 ,  440  are insulated through conventional methods and materials so as not to contact the patient&#39;s body. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates in greater detail the anterior terminal portion  360 . An alignment indicator, such as notch  380 , is located along a bottom edge of terminal portion  360  and a pair of spaced-apart slots  385  is positioned within the terminal portion  360 . A network of insulated conductive traces  340  are connected at one end to sensors or electrodes  320  ( FIG. 3 ) and are terminated at their opposite end at contacts  355  located at contact pad  356  on terminal portion  360 . As discussed previously, the traces  340  are insulated with a nonconductive material. However, contacts  355  are not insulated so they may be connected to remote equipment, such as an ECG base unit. Adjacent the contact pad  356  is an open area, or window,  370  in the substrate  311 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 6  the posterior terminal portion  475  is illustrated in greater detail. An alignment indicator, such as notch  480 , is located along a bottom edge of terminal portion  475  and a pair of spaced apart slots  485  is positioned within the terminal portion  475 . A network of insulated conductive traces  440  are connected at one end to sensors or electrodes  420  ( FIG. 4 ) and are terminated at their opposite ends at contacts  455  in contact pad  456 . Contacts  455  are not insulated. Adjacent the contact pad  456  is an open area, or window,  470  in the substrate  411 . 
     As will be better understood with reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the anterior and posterior terminal portions  360 ,  475  may be nested, or placed on top of one another, such that notches  380 ,  480  and slots  385 ,  485  are aligned, which in turn permits registration of the terminal portions  360 ,  475  with respect to each other. Further, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , with posterior terminal portion  475  placed on top of the anterior terminal portion  360 , the contacts  455  of the posterior contact pad  456  are exposed through window  370 . Likewise, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , in which the anterior terminal portion  360  is positioned on top of the posterior terminal portion  475 , the contacts  355  of the anterior contact pad  356  are exposed through window  470 . As can be appreciated from the foregoing description, nesting the anterior and posterior terminal portions  360 ,  475  aligns notches  380 ,  480  and slots  385 ,  485  and allows the contacts  355 ,  455  of both terminal portions to be accessed from the same side of the vest  300  by one connector  600  ( FIGS. 10 ,  11 ). 
       FIG. 9A  shows a connector  600  suitable for connecting to the nested terminal portions  360 ,  475  ( FIGS. 7 ,  8 ). Top  610  is pivotally attached to base  620  by means of rod  640  ( FIG. 9B ), which passes through pivot support  630  and holes  645  on either side of top  610 . Springs  650  are mounted to base  620  and bias a front edge of the top  610  to a closed position in relation to the base  620 . The connector  600  is shown in the open position in  FIG. 9A , with springs  650  compressed, as would be its state when the top  610  and base  620  are pinched by a user/operator to compress springs  650 . 
       FIG. 9B  shows an exploded view of connector  600  to better illustrate various components of connector  600 . As will be better understood from the description below and with reference to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , alignment element  680  and tabs  670  act to align and secure the nested anterior and posterior terminal portions  360 ,  475  of device  300  when they are placed in the connector  600 . When so placed in the connector  600 , and with connector  600  closed, contacts  355 ,  455  are electrically coupled through conductive pins  695  on connector  600  to the ECG base unit or other remote equipment. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the alignment element  680  shown in  FIG. 9B  is a raised, wedge-shaped shoulder located on the base generally adjacent the pivot support  630  and on a surface of the base facing the top  610 . The alignment element  680  in other embodiments may have a different shape, such as square or an irregular shape. Also, the alignment element  680  may reside in a different position on the connector  600  or may be implemented as more than one aligning member on the connector  600 . The two spaced-apart, retaining tabs  670  are located away from the pivot support  630  on the surface of the base  620  facing the top  610 . In other embodiments of the present invention, the retaining tabs  670  may be positioned differently on the connector  600 , in fewer or greater number and may have a different shape, such as a cylindrical pin, for example. Contact pad  690  is located on the surface of the base  620  facing the top  610  and includes the array of electrically conductive pins  695  that are coupled to one end of cable  615 . Cable  615  is connected at the other end (not shown) to remote equipment, such as an ECG base unit (also not shown). 
     Turning to  FIG. 10 , posterior terminal portion  475  is positioned on top of the anterior terminal portion  360  and positioned in closed connector  600 . The nested terminal portions  475 ,  360  are positioned in connector  600  such that contacts  355 ,  455  are in electrical contact with respective pins  695  located on the base  620  of the connector  600 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates the opposite situation in which the anterior terminal portion  360  is positioned on top of the posterior terminal portion  475  and contacts  355 ,  455  are in electrical contact with respective pins  695  on connector  600 . In both orientations illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the alignment element  680  is seated with the notches  380 ,  480  to align the terminal portions  360 ,  475  with the connector  600  and the retaining tabs  670  are engaged with the slots  385 ,  485  to hold the terminal portions  360 ,  475  in the connector  600  when the connector  600  is in the closed position. 
     As is appreciated from the foregoing discussion, the present invention provides a system and apparatus for connecting multiple terminal portions on an electrode vest with a single connector. Further, the different terminal portions of the vest may be nested in different orientations and still fit into, and make electrical contact with, contacts in the connector. As can be appreciated, the present invention provides and simple, versatile and inexpensive system and apparatus for connecting to multiple terminal areas of an electrode vest. 
     While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the shape, quantity and position of the aligning shoulder and retention tabs may be different than as described and illustrated. Likewise the orientation and geometry of the contact pads and windows may differ. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.