Patent ID: 7957795

Claim:
An abdominal impedance measurement apparatus comprising: a plurality of electrodes for measuring an abdominal impedance of a human subject; and an electrode supporting member for supporting the electrodes in such a manner that the electrodes protrude from the electrode supporting member, the electrode supporting member comprising a plurality of segments aligned in a direction, each single electrode being mounted on a segment that is different from every other segment on which another electrode is mounted, such that no two electrodes are mounted on the same segment, neighboring segments being connected rotatably with each other, the electrode supporting member comprising rotation-angle restricting parts for restricting relative rotation-angles between neighboring segments, wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise two current-supplying electrodes adapted to contact an abdomen of the human subject for applying an electrical current to the abdomen of the human subject and two voltage-measurement electrodes adapted to be brought into contact with two parts of the abdomen of the human subject for measuring a voltage between the parts with which the voltage-measurement electrodes are in contact, the current-supplying electrodes being mounted on two of the segments of the electrode supporting member, the voltage-measurement electrodes being mounted on two of the segments of the electrode supporting member that are different from the segments on which the current-supplying electrodes are mounted, wherein at least one segment on which no electrode is mounted exists between the segment on which one of the current-supplying electrodes is mounted and the segment on which one of the voltage-measurement electrodes is mounted, and wherein the rotation-angle restricting parts of the electrode supporting member are provided such that the rotation-angle restricting parts located nearer a center of the electrode supporting member restrict a relative rotation-angle between neighboring segments within a larger range and such that the rotation-angle restricting parts located farther from the center of the electrode supporting member restrict a relative rotation-angle between neighboring segments within a smaller range.