Thoracic garment of positioning electromagnetic (EM) transducers and methods of using such thoracic garment
Inventors
SAROKA, Amir • Voshin, Leonid • Bar-Or, Jonathan • Levi, Tal • KARP, Ofer • Barash, Yiftach • MIZRAHI, Nadav • Rappaport, Dan • BERGIDA, Shlomi • Bahat, Jonathan
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12121365-B2
Publication Date
2024-10-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
A garment for bringing an EM transducer to contact with a thoracic skin surface area of a wearer is disclosed. The garment comprises a thoracic garment having a EM transducer placement portion and a pressure applying element associated with the EM transducer placement portion for applying a pressure on an EM transducer secured in an associated the EM transducer placement portion when the thoracic garment is worn by a wearer so that the EM transducer applies a respective pressure on a thoracic skin surface area of the wearer.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a thoracic garment for bringing an EM transducer to contact with a thoracic skin surface area of a wearer. The garment includes the EM transducer and a single inflatable pressure applying element mounted to cover a top side of the EM transducer, such that the inflatable element applies pressure on the EM transducer when the thoracic garment is worn. The EM transducer is thereby adapted to apply a respective pressure on the thoracic skin surface area.
The inflatable pressure applying element and the EM transducer are adapted to be sandwiched between a low elasticity garment portion of the thoracic garment and the thoracic skin surface area of the wearer. The thoracic garment is fitted to allow the EM transducer to tilt with respect to the thoracic skin surface area, while the single inflatable pressure applying element is adapted to inflate and thereby cause the EM transducer to increase a degree of pressure on the subject’s body surface.
The disclosed subject matter addresses reliable EM transducer contact at repeatable anterior/posterior thoracic skin locations, so that the EM transducer placement remains stable across sensing periods and undressing events. The described garment further includes mechanisms and controller features that maintain pressure and placement for improved repeatability and repositioning accuracy.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims include a thoracic garment with an EM transducer and a single inflatable pressure applying element. The disclosed partial content also references dependent refinements that add pressure control behaviors, undressing detection, quantified mechanical and geometric constraints, and specific placement geometry and coverage constraints.
Thoracic garment with an EM transducer and a single inflatable pressure applying element
A thoracic garment comprising an EM transducer and a single inflatable pressure applying element mounted to cover a top side of the EM transducer for applying pressure on the EM transducer when the thoracic garment is worn, so that the EM transducer is adapted to apply a respective pressure on a thoracic skin surface area of the wearer.
Sandwich arrangement with a low elasticity garment portion
The single inflatable pressure applying element and the EM transducer are adapted to be sandwiched between a low elasticity garment portion of the thoracic garment and the thoracic skin surface area of the wearer.
Tiltable EM transducer relative to the thoracic skin surface
The thoracic garment is fitted to allow the EM transducer to tilt with respect to the thoracic skin surface area.
Inflation-based pressure increase on the body surface
The single inflatable pressure applying element is adapted to inflate thereby causing the EM transducer to increase a degree of pressure on the subject's body surface.
Undressing detector-based pressure reduction
The thoracic garment includes an undressing detector that detects an undressing event and causes the controller to reduce pressure in response to that event.
Controller maintaining pressure above a predetermined threshold during a measurement period
The thoracic garment includes a controller that adjusts pressure to keep the pressure above a predetermined threshold throughout a period of measurements using an EM transducer.
Quantified non-elastic thoracic portion mechanical constraint
The thoracic garment includes a non-elastic thoracic portion that has a width of at least 3 centimeters and that extends by no more than 60% of its length when attached to a 0.5 kg load.
Quantified anterior placement geometry for effective EM capture and/or transmission area
The thoracic garment positions an EM transducer placement portion so that at least 30% of the EM transducer’s effective EM capture and/or transmission area lies between 2–9 cm to either side of the sternum central axis and between 2–9 cm below the upper end of the manubrium.
Overall claim coverage is directed to a thoracic garment that sandwiches an EM transducer between a low elasticity garment portion and the wearer’s skin using a single inflatable pressure applying element, with a tiltable transducer and inflation-based pressure increase. Dependent features further constrain pressure control behaviors, undressing-driven pressure reduction, non-elastic garment portion mechanics, and quantified placement geometry for EM capture/transmission area relative to sternum and manubrium landmarks.
Stated Advantages
Improved repeatability and repositioning accuracy of EM transducer placement across sessions, as reported by experimental repeatability results.
Documented Applications
Monitoring of lung tissue using EM energy transmission/capturing, including RF/microwave dielectric-property monitoring of lung tissue.
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