DE2206913A1 - HEADBAND FOR ELECTROENZEPHALOGRAM - Google Patents

Description

DIPL.-ING. KLAUS BEHN

DIPL.-PHYS. ROBERT MUN ZHUBER A., £ U O i? I O

PATENT LAWYERS

8 MUNICH 22 Wl DENMAYERSTRASSE 6 TEL. (0811) 22 25 30-29 5192

February 14, 1972 Our reference: A 372 / Pp / gb

Company HUMETRICS CORPORATION, 6374 Arizona Circle, Los Angeles, California 90045

Head bandage for electroencephalogram.

The invention relates to a head bandage for an electroencephalogram and in particular an EEG head bandage that a mobility of the patient allows, while the electrodes automatically in a suitable place on the head of the patient.

The analysis of the EEG or the activity signals of the brain waves have long been recognized as valuable diagnostic tools. Generally are in clinical

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Technique until now has been used surface or needle electrodes that are individually dependent and cautious only must be attached to the patient's head by a specialist or a specially trained technician, because the correct area of the head can be determined anatomically must] so it must be avoided that an evaluation of signals from a brain area erroneously as that of a other part of the brain. Not just the need for trained personnel for individual, local installation the electrodes and the time spent attaching the individual electrodes are considerable Obstacle when looking at many EEG wave images is described, for example by an EEG analyzer von Riehl in U.S. Patent 3,413,546, or by a device from Baessler, which is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application 184,825 dated Sept. I97I with the title? procedure and Apparatus for Automatic Analysis of Brain Waves "is described. Both applications are owned by the applicant this invention back.

It is therefore an object of the invention to address the disadvantages of turn off known devices and a new EEG electrode bandage to create a rapid recording of the EEG one

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large numbers of people by medical assistants by means of an automatic application of the electrodes the right places on the patient's head. An EEG electrode bandage is to be created that can be applied quickly and easily to the different head sizes and shapes of the patient. In addition, the patient should be able to move. The task is subordinated to the further goal, To create a new EEG head bandage in which the electrodes can be replaced and automatically converted into an electrical one Contact position with the head of the patient can be brought. In addition, the new head bandage should be separable lengthways so that it can be easily and quickly put on the head of the To be able to attach patients.

These and other objects, as well as the advantages of the invention, should become apparent from the following description will.

In the drawing, embodiments of the invention are shown for example, namely show:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a head bandage according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective partial view from the rear

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wärtigen part of the head bandage shown in Fig. 1j

5 shows a perspective view of the head bandage shown in FIG. 1 in use on Head of a patient; and

Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view of a rear part of another embodiment the head bandage according to the invention.

In the various figures, the same parts are shown with the same reference numbers. A suitable one and common connector 10 is used to connect the recorded signals to any suitable recording, To give display and / or analysis device, and is by means of separate cables of a cable harness 12 with a plurality connected by suitable and customary electrodes 14, which are attached to a clamp at certain intervals are arranged. The clamp 16 can be made of plastic, wood, or any other suitable non-conductive material be made and should generally adapt to the shape of a human head. The clamp 16 can be of length

be separated by means of and the two halves can / a hinge 18 can be connected at the rear end. The hinge 18 can be on the two halves of the point 16 by suitable and customary connecting means, for example through Threaded screws 20 are firmly attached.

A rubber strap 309820/0579 - 5 - can be attached to the front part of the clamp 16

be firmly attached to one side of the clamp 16 by suitable and customary fastening elements 2k- and can have a number of recesses 26 which are suitable for a forward-facing projection 23 located on the other side of the clamp 16 to be placed. The clamp 16 is made in such a way that it can be securely applied to a wide variety of head shapes of different sizes. In order to improve comfort for the wearer, the clamp 16 can be provided with a plurality of elastic pads J50 on the radially inwardly directed surface. In the drawing, four pillows are shown; however, any other number can be used if desired.

The electrodes 14 can be of any suitable and customary type, for example made of silver-silver chloride, as are available on the market. The electrodes can be connected to the individual cable in the cable harness 12 by suitable and customary plugs ^^ for example by telephone, jack or banana plugs, and by an extremely conductive wire J> 6 . The wire 36 can be used for spring force in a loop winding

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2208913

be guided to the electrode 14 in good contact to hold with the skull of the individual whose electroencephalogram signals are to be evaluated. The electrode 14 does not necessarily have to be in direct contact with the skull as soon as one of the commercially available, extremely conductive pastes are used. So the scalp does not have to be shaved and because of sufficient electrical contact can be achieved with the paste. The J56 wires can be of various lengths in order to enable contact at a certain point on the skull and the different lengths the wires can be exchanged as necessary or as desired for creatures with different head shapes will. The number of electrodes can also be changed depending on the number of signals required.

As shown in the embodiment of Figure 4, the hinge 18 and the rubber tab 22 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 can be achieved by a single spring element 8, which holds the two parts of the clamp 16 in a closed position. The power of Spring element 38 should be so strong that the two parts the clamp 16 can be pulled apart easily and sufficiently far and the patient has the opportunity to his

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To be able to bring the head into the inner area surrounding the clamp 16. The force of the spring element j56 however, it must be sufficient that the clamp 16 is held securely on the patient's head. As well as in Pig. I. As shown, elastic pads 30 may also be used in this embodiment for convenience.

From the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that the head bandage The present invention can be conveniently used for any head shape. By replacing the interchangeable Electrode arrangements of different lengths can reduce the number of signals and the brain area from which these are based, can be selected in a simple manner with a minimum of setting time. However, it is It is to be understood that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its essence Characteristics differ. The present embodiment is therefore in all respects as illustrative, not as restrictive and the aim of the invention is set out in the subsequent protection request.

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Claims (10)

PATENT CLAIMS 1.) Head bandage for an EEG, characterized by a clamp (16) made of electrical power that can be placed around the head of a patient non-conductive material that can be separated lengthways for easy placement on the patient's head and has the means (22) for a selectable limitation of this longitudinal separation, by means of elantic, on the clamp (16) elements (j50) fastened radially inwards for pressure adhesion on the patient's head by a number of electrodes (14), each of which is capable of making electrical contact with the patient's head, from the wearer The clamp (l6) is removable and has a spring force directed towards the patient's head, through a connecting piece (10) and through line elements (12) received by the clamp (16) for the electrical connection of each electrode (l4) with the connector (10). 2. Head bandage according to claim 1, characterized in that that the spring force for each of the electrodes (14) is formed by a highly electrically conductive wire (56) and - 9 309820/0579 that each of the wires is different in length from at least one of the other wires. 5. Head bandage according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that that means for limiting the the end
Longitudinal separation of the clamp (16) / a flexible flap (22), which is attached to one end of one longitudinal part of the clamp, and means (28) carried by the other longitudinal part of the clamp (16), optionally in the intermediate links ( 26) can be snapped into place along the length of the tab (22). 4. head bandage according to claim 1, characterized by a right and a left clamp part, both of which surround the human head in the closed position, by means for a rotatable mount at one end of the right and left clamp members for movement from the closed to an open position, in which the other end of the right and left clamp part is sufficient is separable to allow entry of the human head into this clamp, and through a variety of electrodes (l4) carried on the right or left part of the clamp, each of the electrodes (l4) carried by one of the right or left - 10 309320/0579 - ίο - Partly worn electrodes have a spring force on the other clamp part. 5. Head bandage according to claim 4, characterized in that that at least two of the electrodes (14) have an unequal length. 6. Head bandage according to claim 4, characterized in that that the rotatable support means consist of a spring (38) attached to the clamp (l6) on a its ends are attached to hold the right and left clamp parts together, the force of this Spring enables the right and left clamp parts to be separated into an open position. 7. head bandage according to claim 4, characterized in that that the rotatable support means consist of a hinge (l8) which at one end on the right and left clamp part is attached, and the locking means (22) for limiting the rotatable separation are provided. 8. Head bandage according to one of claims 1 to 7 »characterized by one for surrounding a human 309820/0579 22UÜ913 - Ii - Clamp (16) suitable for the head, by a multitude of plug receptacles arranged at intervals around this clamp, by a multiple connecting piece (1O), by conductor elements (12) that electrically connect the plug receptacle and the connector (1O), by a multitude of plugs (3 ² O *, which are each suitable for being received in one of the plug receptacles, by a large number of electrodes (14) and by electrically conductive wires (36) which each connect one of the electrodes (14) to one of the plugs, whereby the electrodes can be connected to a selected feed in the connecting piece (10) by receiving a plug (j4) assigned to an electrode in one of the plug receptacles with which the selected feed is connected. 9. Head bandage according to claim 8, characterized in that the lengths of at least two of the wires (j> 6) differ significantly, so that different areas on the head can be electrically contacted by the electrodes, even when using the same connector receptacle. 10. head bandage according to claim 9, characterized in that the clamp (l6) lengthways in two sections - 12 309820/0579 22Ü6913 divides and that also means for a rotatable securing of these two sections at one end and means for the Limitation of the rotational movement of these sections are provided at the other end. 309820/0579