Patent · US Expired

Electromyographic repetitive strain injury monitor

US4807642A · kind A · utility

317Cited by
10References
11Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 10, 1987
Grant dateFeb 28, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 10, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B5/389
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A monitoring device for detecting muscle strain, which might lead to repetitive strain injury includes EMG sensors which generate an EMG signal, signal processing circuitry to derive a signal or signals representative of undesirable strain conditions and an acoustic signal generator which produces a signal to indicate when undesirable strain conditions exist. The signal processor includes a band pass filter to band limit the EMG signal, a rectifier and low pass filter to produce an envelope signal and a minimum signal level tracking circuit comprising amplifiers, capacitor, diodes and resistors. The minimum signal level tracking circuit produces a minimum level signal which tracks the envelope signal, with a short time constant while the minimum level signal is greater than the envelope signal, and with a long time constant when the minimum level signal is less than the envelope signal. The acoustic signal generator produces an acoustic alarm signal when the minimum level signal exceeds a preset threshold level.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.