Uterine contraction detection
US5168879A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 30, 1990 |
| Grant date | Dec 8, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 30, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/4356
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system for tracing uterine contraction is disclosed. The system comprises a probe and an electronics module. The electronics module includes a drive circuit and an output section having a frequency counter. The output section also includes a strip-chart recorder driven by a frequency-to-voltage converter. The probe includes an electro-mechanical transducer which is driven at resonance by the action of the drive circuit. When the probe contacts the abdomen of a pregnant subject, changes in the mechanical impedance of bodily tissue during a contraction affect the resonant frequency of the probe and thus the frequency output by the drive circuit. This frequency can be read directly from the frequency counter and recorded on the strip-chart so that contractions can be traced.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.