HRP970562A2 - Universal eeg cap - Google Patents

Description

Technical field to which the invention relates

This invention relates generally to the field of medicine and more particularly to a universal EEG cap. According to the International Classification of Patents (IPC) it is primarily classified as: A 61 B 5/0478 - electrodes specially adapted for electroencephalography as a procedure for detecting, measuring or recording bioelectrical signals of the body or its parts, and secondarily as: A 61 B 5/00 - detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes.

Technical problem

During the procedure of EEG recording using a cap, problems of different etiologies arise, namely: how to avoid artifacts caused by poor technical solutions of the EEG cap elements, furthermore, how to increase the speed of preparation of the subject for EEG recording as well as the speed of the recording itself, how to achieve a technically high-quality recording due to the restlessness of the patient caused by inadequate electrodes and the cap that serves as an electrode fixator, how to achieve access to each electrode or the place on the scalp where it is placed, and how to ensure the highest level of hygiene.

State of the art

The development of technique and technology has led to a high level in the production of diagnostic devices (computerized devices), however, a very important part in the technological process of bio-potential registration is precisely the electrodes through which the signal is transmitted from the scalp to the diagnostic device.

There are usually large sources of interference on the electrodes, which are further amplified in the amplifiers, and the output result is not a real signal, but amplified interference.

There are different types of electrodes such as "horseshoe" electrodes Fig. 1. They are fixed using a rubber mesh cap. For recording, 21 electrodes are required and each one is individually placed in a specific place and connected using a connecting wire. 1a.

The electrodes are made of silver-plated brass or of silver 3, with a thread, which is held by a plastic support 4. On the metal tip of the electrode 3, a spring holder of the connection wire 2, which has a "banana" plug 1 at the other end, is mechanically connected. connects to the connection box of the device. The lower part of the metal electrode 3 is covered with hygroscopic fabric or natural leather 5, which is fixed to the electrode using a rubber ring 6.

Another type of EEG cap is made of lastex fabric in the shape of a bathing cap, in which electrodes are embedded. The big disadvantage is that the cap is closed, and it causes sweating (big disturbances) during recording, the electrodes are inaccessible to the technician. The contact gel is applied using an injection needle with a blunt tip, and there is a possibility of damage to the scalp to the point of bleeding. The Lastex fabric stretches very quickly, and the arrangement of the electrodes no longer meets the International 10-20" system.

Presentation of the essence of the invention

The universal EEG cap is made of a stretched foam rubber cord of a round shape with a diameter of 5 mm, which forms a network of longitudinally and transversely placed rubber, which is tied by means of circular plastic fixators, which also serve to accurately determine the size of the cap according to the International System 10-20.

The transverse tires at their ends pass through the lateral fixators, which also determine the size of the lateral segments related to the International 10-20 system. The tires were then threaded through the Velcro holders. Velcro is used to fix the cap on the subject's head. Longitudinal tires on the front and back of the cap end with a knot. It is these knots that limit the size of the cap along the longitudinal line, also according to the International 10-20 system. Plastic supports with electrodes, twenty-one of them, are installed on the network, according to precisely determined measurements that correspond to the International 10-20 system. The contact wires come out of the plastic supports and end in a multi-core cable with a twenty-five-pin connector. In order to satisfy the International 10-20 system, which is based on the size of the head of the examinee, the caps are made in six different sizes from children's to adults.

It is important to emphasize that with the help of this invention, the time spent preparing subjects for EEG recording is evidently reduced by 20-40%.

The recording process itself also takes less time, since possible disturbances are reduced to a minimum, or there are none at all.

The entire preparation and recording of the examinee can save up to 50% of time compared to the conventional way of recording.

It is possible to access each electrode if necessary and inspect the skin under the electrode (case of erosion, nevus, etc.).

The very construction of the cap allows for a high degree of hygiene, and they are suitable for maintaining hygiene by disinfection or sterilization.

A big advantage is that they are compatible with all registration devices from different manufacturers, either directly or via an adapter cable.

Brief description of the drawing

The accompanying drawings, which are included in the description and form part of the description of the invention, illustrate the best mode of carrying out the invention thus far considered and help to explain the basic principles of the invention.

Sl. 1 shows a section of a "horseshoe" - an electrode known from the state of the art

Sl. 2a shows a vertical projection of the electrode scheme according to the International 10-20 system

Sl. 2b shows a side projection of the electrode scheme according to the International 10-20 system

Sl. 3 shows a spatial view of the EEG cap according to the invention, before being placed on the subject's head

Sl. 4a shows the EEG cap secured under the chin

Sl. 4b shows the EEG cap attached to a belt worn by the subject around the chest at armpit level

Sl. 5a shows a cross section of the EEG electrode

Sl. 5b shows the floor plan of the EEG electrode

Sl. 5c shows the spatial layout of the EEG electrode seen from above

Sl. 5d shows the spatial layout of the EEG electrode seen from below

Sl. 6a shows the plastic holder for the electrode - floor plan

Sl. 6b shows the plastic holder for the electrode as seen from behind

Sl. 6c shows the plastic electrode holder in section

Sl. 6d shows the plastic electrode holder in spatial projection

Sl. 7 shows the electrode placed in the plastic electrode holder

Sl. 8a shows a cross plastic fixator for a rubber mesh

Sl. 8b shows a circular plastic fixator for a rubber net - plan view

Sl. 8c shows a circular plastic fixator for a rubber net in a three-dimensional projection

Sl. 9a shows the lateral fixator for the rubber mesh

Sl. 9b shows the lateral fixator for the rubber net - side view

Sl. 9c shows the lateral fixator for the rubber mesh - floor plan

Sl. 9d shows the lateral fixator for the rubber mesh in a three-dimensional projection

Sl. 10a shows a velcro holder in section

Sl. 10b shows the Velcro holder - side view

Sl. 10c shows the velcro holder - plan view

Sl. 10d shows the Velcro holder in a spatial projection

A detailed description of at least one way of realizing the invention

We will now turn to the details of this supposed embodiment of the invention, one example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

As can be seen in Fig. 3, the universal Comby EEG cap 30 is made of extruded foam rubber of a round shape with a diameter of 5 mm, which makes up a network longitudinally 9 and transversely 10, placed by a rubber cord that is tied by means of circular plastic fasteners 8. The transverse rubbers at their ends pass through the lateral fasteners 16, and end in holders for Velcro tape 17. Velcro tapes 14 and 15 serve to fix the cap on the subject's head. Longitudinal tires 9, on the front and back of the cap, end with node 18. Plastic supports with electrodes 40, twenty one of them, are installed on the network, according to precisely determined measurements that correspond to the International 10-20 system. S1.2a and Fig. 2b. The contact wires come out of the plastic supports and end in a multi-core cable with a twenty-five-pin connector. In order to satisfy the international 10-20 system, which is based on the size of the subject's head, the caps are made in six different sizes from children's to adults, S1.2a and Fig. 2b.

Through the circular plastic fasteners 8, shown in Fig. 8a-8c, which have four holes 36, a foam rubber string is passed along the longitudinal and transverse axis. Before pulling in, the tire must be pointed at the ends 10, and stretched to reduce its diameter and make it easier to pull in. When the circular fixator is placed in the desired place, the tire relaxes, the diameter of the tire increases and thus fixes the longitudinal and transverse cord. Twenty circular fasteners 8 are placed on the cap, in order to obtain certain segments where the supports with electrodes are mounted. The transverse tires 10, on both sides, are inserted into the lateral tire fixator 16, through the holes 37, shown in Fig. 9a-9d. Holes 37 are smaller in diameter than the rubber cord so that the fixator does not allow the rubber itself to move, but stays in the exact place. With the side fixator, we also determine the distances on the side segments of the cap in relation to the International 10-20 system.

In this way, you get twenty properly arranged segments that are used for mounting the support with electrodes 40, twenty-one of them.

The plastic support with the electrode 40 is shown in Fig. 7. Electrode 19 consists of a round metal plate with a thickness of 0.3 mm. 33, on which 34, contact wire 11 is soldered on the lower side, which is pulled to the metal part through the channel of the extension 23, the plastic part of the electrode 19. The metal part is pressed into the space on the plastic part of the electrode 22, to a depth of 1.2 mm and leaves a space (container) 35, where the contact gel is applied, all visible in Fig. 5a-5d. The electrodes prepared in this way are mounted in plastic supports 7, shown in fig. 6a - 6c, which are previously placed on transverse profile rubber cords 9, through holes for threading the rubber 31, to which the groove for the rubber 32 continues, in the middle part of the support. The locations of the electrode holders are accurately measured according to the International System 10-20. First, the contact wire, which is 0.8 m long, is inserted up to Im, through the hole on the support 28, until the extended part of the electrode 23 sits in the space on the support 27. So that the electrode does not fall out of the support, it has a small nose 25 on it, which sits in the groove on electrode 20. The rubber groove on electrode 21 and on support 32 form a cylindrical space with a smaller diameter than the rubber, so that by mounting the electrode in the support, we also achieve fixation of the support with electrode 40, in a certain place. Likewise, if necessary, by slightly stretching the rubber, it is possible to move the electrode with the support to the desired location.

On the electrode holder 7, shown in Fig. 6a-6d, on the upper side there are four holes 26, which serve as conducting channels for the contact wires 11, from the previous electrodes, so that the wires do not stick out haphazardly on the drop. The contact wires from each individual electrode are introduced into the socket 12, so that they form a multi-conductor cable, which finally ends with a twenty-five-pin connector 13.

After the lateral fixator 16, the tires are passed through the holes 38 of the Velcro holder 17, shown in Fig. 10a - 10c. The holes 38 are also smaller in diameter so that the rubber in them is fixed in a certain place after being pulled through.

The very end of the transverse tire 10 has a pointed shape, as can be seen enlarged in Fig.3. This enables easy threading of the tire through the circular tire holder 8, then the lateral tire fixator 16, and through the Velcro holder 17.

On the velcro holder 17, a velcro strip 14 and 15 is attached, which is rough on one side 14 and soft on the other 15, in order to stick together and in this way fix the cap on the subject's head.

The cap can be fixed on the subject's head in two ways, as shown in Fig. 4a and 4b.

On Fig. 4a, the fastening is visible under the subject's chin, and in Fig. 4b shows the fastening by means of a belt that is placed under the armpit of the subject. As a rule, this is used for more sensitive and difficult patients, for children and for long-term imaging. In this way, the feeling of suffocation is avoided, and the disturbances related to it are avoided.

Method of application of the invention

As described above, the invention enables simple, practical and economical application of the Universal EEG cap. With its construction and application in practice, it indicates significant improvements compared to the existing ones, both for the examinees and for the experts who work with it.

Claims (14)

1. The universal EEG cap consists of a rubber net divided into sections according to the International 10-20 system, using longitudinally and transversely placed foam rubber cords, connected and divided into segments using circular holders with holes, or side holders with holes on the lateral sides caps, and ends with Velcro straps, by means of which the cap is attached to the head, and on which network the supports with electrodes are mounted, also satisfying the International 10-20 system, which electrodes are connected by means of contact wires into a multi-conductor cable ending with twenty-five - pin connector. 2. Universal EEG cap according to claim 1, indicated by the fact that it is made of foam rubber cord of a certain elasticity to meet the requirements of the distribution of electrodes according to the International 10-20 system depending on the size of the head and the production of caps in six different sizes. 3. Universal EEG cap according to claim 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that the longitudinal and transverse rubber cords that make up the net are tied with plastic circular rings that have holes on them, and that they cross by pulling the rubber in a stretched state, after the rubber has been relaxed to its normal size , the tire is fixed and thus forms segments that satisfy the International 10-20 system. 4. Universal EEG cap according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the transverse cords of the rubber net on the lateral sides pass through the side holders with five holes of a smaller diameter than the rubber cord, and in the relaxed state the rubber also determines the size of the lateral segments according to the International 10-20 system. 5. Universal EEG cap according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that behind the side holders the rubber passes through the Velcro holder, which holder also has five holes of a smaller diameter compared to the rubber, and thus enables fixation and necessary tightening of the cap. 6. Universal EEG cap according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the longitudinal rubber cords start and end with a knot, which determines and limits the size of the cap along the longitudinal line according to the International System 10-20. 7. Universal EEG cap according to claim 1, indicated by the fact that the electrodes are mounted in the electrode holders which are mounted on a rubber net, and thus it is possible, in case of need, to quickly and easily replace them. 8. Universal EEG cap according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that on the upper part of the electrode holder there are four conductive holes through which the contact wires of the previous electrodes pass, and thus the wires do not get tangled, the order of the wires is known and the cap therefore looks very neat. 9. Universal EEG cap according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that the plastic part of the electrode and the electrode holder form one channel that is smaller in diameter than the diameter of the rubber, so that when the electrode is installed in the holder, the rubber cord is squeezed and thus the movement of the electrode holder and the electrode is prevented and it retains a certain place according to the International 10-20 system. 10. Universal EEG cap according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that there is a groove in the electrode holder, and a support on the plastic part of the electrode that ensures that the electrode does not fall out of the holder and is therefore firmly fixed. 11. Universal EEG cap according to claim 9 and 10, characterized by the fact that moving the support with the electrode is possible by tightening the rubber, because then the diameter of the rubber is significantly reduced and the movement is very easily possible. 12. Universal EEG cap according to claim 11, characterized by the fact that it is possible and easy to install and dismantle the electrode in case of electrode failure or rubber burst. 13. Universal EEG cap according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it is an open, breathable system where sweating of the subject, which causes great interference during recording, is essentially avoided. 14. Universal EEG cap according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that in the case of permanent slight loosening of the rubber cord due to aging, the electrodes can very easily be moved to specific measurements known to every technician in order to satisfy the International 10-20 system, and the cap still remains in satisfying the International 10-20 system for its function.