Clothing for carrying an electronic device

Abstract

Clothing for Wearing Electronic Devices This document relates to a garment for wearing electronic equipment, in particular a cardiac recorder, comprising a ventral panel, a dorsal panel, and a neckline connecting the dorsal and ventral panels. The ventral panel has a support panel connected to the neckline and a housing panel which, together with the support panel, forms a housing for the electronic equipment. The support panel and the housing panel are made of a non-elastic material surrounded by a portion of the ventral panel that is elastically deformable. Abstract Figure: Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: Clothing for carrying an electronic device technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for carrying an electronic device, in particular a heart rate recorder. The invention is also applicable to any electronic device sensitive to vibrations or movements of the human body, in particular the thorax, when the carrying garment is worn. Previous technique

[0002] Portable heart rhythm recorders are used in various cases to monitor the heart's electrical activity over a prolonged period. We list below some common use cases: - Diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias: Portable cardiac recorders, such as Holters, are used to detect and record cardiac arrhythmias that may not be present when performing a standard electrocardiogram (ECG). - Evaluation of intermittent cardiac symptoms: when patients experience intermittent cardiac symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness or fainting, a portable cardiac recorder can be used to record any heart rhythm abnormalities that may be present alongside the symptoms. - Post-stroke or post-infarction monitoring: patients who have had a stroke or myocardial infarction can be equipped with portable heart rhythm recorders to monitor rhythmic cardiac activity (diagnostic and prognostic value). - Evaluation of treatment response: Portable heart rhythm recorders are sometimes used to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment, by recording cardiac activity before, during and after the administration of drugs or interventions. - Investigating the causes of unexplained syncope: Syncope, or loss of consciousness, can have various causes, including heart problems. Portable heart monitors help record heart activity during these episodes to identify the underlying cause. - Blood pressure and ECG monitoring: some portable heart recorders integrate blood pressure measurement in addition to ECG recording, offering a more complete view of cardiac status. vascular. - Evaluation of heart-related sleep disorders: some portable cardiac recorders can be used to monitor cardiac activity during sleep, contributing to the evaluation of heart-related sleep disorders.

[0003] In summary, portable cardiac recorders are valuable tools for diagnosing, monitoring and managing various cardiac problems, especially those that occur intermittently or in response to specific stimuli.

[0004] Interpreting an electrocardiogram (ECG) can sometimes be complex due to several factors. Here are some reasons why an ECG can be difficult to interpret: - Normal variability: There is a great deal of variability in normal cardiac physiology. ECGs can show subtle variations from person to person, which can make it difficult to distinguish between normal patterns and abnormalities. - Individual anatomical elements: the position of the heart in the chest, the size of the cardiac chambers and other individual anatomical factors can influence the appearance of the ECG (existence of proven cardiac pathology). - Electrical abnormalities: Non-cardiac electrical abnormalities, such as electromagnetic interference, can disrupt the reading of the ECG. - External factors: artifacts can be introduced by patient movements, muscle tremors, poor electrode connection, or other external factors.

[0005] Holter-type portable recorders are devices used to monitor the heart's electrical activity over a prolonged period, at least 24 hours, with the duration extending up to 72 hours for continuous recordings and 21 days for event recorders. These compact devices are worn by patients during their normal daily activities, thus allowing an ECG to be recorded over an extended period.

[0006] A portable heart rhythm recorder comprises a recording unit connected to conductive cables, each end of which is fitted with an adhesive electrode placed on the patient's chest. These electrodes are generally attached to specific locations to obtain precise electrical information from the heart. Common electrode placement positions are as follows: one electrode located in the upper presternal region, one electrode located in the xiphoid region, and one electrode located in the left lateral and submammary region when the configuration is three electrodes; two additional electrodes may be used. Two electrodes are positioned in the upper presternal region and another in the right lateral thoracic region when the configuration is five electrodes. It is therefore understood that several wires run over all or part of the anterior surface of the thorax.

[0007] The recording unit of a Holter monitor is generally held on the patient in such a way as to ensure its stability during the recording period. The method of fixation may vary depending on the specific model of the recorder, but here are some commonly used methods: - Belt clip or pocket attachment: Many Holter monitors are designed with a belt clip on the back, allowing the patient to attach the monitor to their belt loop or clothing belt. Some models may also have a pocket attachment for insertion into a special pocket. - Neck strap: Some Holters are equipped with a strap or cord that allows the patient to wear the device around their neck, like a pendant. This can be particularly convenient when belt attachment is not possible or comfortable. - Armband or shoulder strap: some Holter recorder models may be supplied with an adjustable armband or shoulder strap. The device is then attached to the patient's arm or shoulder. - Adhesive fixation: In some cases, the recording device can be attached directly to the skin using a special adhesive patch. This can be useful when other fixation methods are impractical or uncomfortable. - Chest harness: Some Holters use a chest harness, similar to a cardiac monitor harness, to hold the device in place on the patient's chest. - Combination of methods: some models may offer several fixation options, allowing the patient to choose the method that best suits their preferences and comfort.

[0008] It is important that the recording device be properly secured to ensure the quality of the tracings. Secure fixation helps minimize unwanted movement of the device, thereby reducing artifacts and ensuring reliable and usable ECG data for subsequent analysis. Patients are generally instructed on how to wear the recording device and on the need to report any fixation problems during the recording period. It is therefore understood that the device's positioning, which is an external factor contributing to ECG artifacts, must be controlled as effectively as possible and, where feasible, should be independent of the patient's attention to the operating instructions.

[0009] All current portable devices lead to the formation of artifacts in quantity This is important on an ECG, which the cardiologist must interpret as such in order to understand the true cardiac signals. This can therefore significantly increase the time spent reading the tracings to provide a reliable medical opinion.

[0010] Figure 1 illustrates a tracing in Figure IA of a healthy carrier, Figure 1B illustrates supraventricular extrasystole, and Figure 1C illustrates ventricular extrasystole. It is readily apparent that there are numerous artifacts designated by XX.

[0011] The invention aims to address the problem of maintaining the recording device in a simple and effective manner while increasing the comfort of the wearer. Summary

[0012] To this end, the present document proposes a garment for carrying electronic equipment, in particular a heart rate recorder, comprising a ventral wall and a dorsal wall and a neckline connecting the dorsal and ventral walls, the ventral wall carrying a support wall connected to the neckline and carrying a housing wall forming with the support wall a housing for receiving said electronic equipment, said support wall and housing wall being made of a non-elastic material and being surrounded by a part of the ventral wall which is elastically deformable.

[0013] Thus shaped, the support wall and the housing wall deform less than the rest of the ventral wall, so that when the garment is worn, the support wall retains more or less its shape. The garment will be dimensioned so that the ventral and dorsal walls provide a comfortable, anatomical, elastic fit on the wearer. In this way, the garment remains in position on the wearer, which allows the housing for the electronic equipment to remain in a fixed position on the wearer's torso, that is, in the mid-lower presternal region.

[0014] Said support wall and housing wall are surrounded only in part by a part of the ventral wall since the support wall is connected to the neck.

[0015] According to the invention, the support wall is connected on a first peripheral part to the neck and the rest of the periphery of the latter is connected to the ventral wall and surrounded by it.

[0016] In one embodiment, the support wall and the ventral wall can be made in two separate parts joined together by any means such as a seam, for example. Similarly, the housing wall can be formed separately from the support wall and / or the ventral wall and joined by any means such as a seam, for example.

[0017] In one embodiment, the ventral wall and the dorsal wall are made in a The first material is used for the support wall. The second material is used for the housing wall, and the third material for the support wall. The first material can be a non-woven material, such as jersey cotton (obtained by knitting, for example). The second and third materials can be identical, such as a woven or non-woven textile, provided they are non-stretch. The dorsal and ventral walls can be made entirely of an elastically deformable material. The deformability of the dorsal and ventral walls can be identical in both height and width.

[0018] The dorsal wall and the ventral wall can be made of a mixture of 95% cotton and 5% elastane.

[0019] In one embodiment, the housing wall and the support wall are made by weaving warp and weft yarns.

[0020] The support wall may include an upper edge directly connected, i.e., fixed, to the neckline. In this configuration, the neckline, the upper edge of the support wall, and the ventral wall may be joined together, for example by sewing.

[0021] The term “textile” here refers to a woven or non-woven material. A non-woven textile can be defined by ISO 9092: non-wovens are randomly or directionally oriented fibers transformed into webs or sheets, consolidated and bonded by friction, and / or cohesion, and / or adhesion. This disclosure therefore concerns all textile materials, that is, those suitable for forming a garment for carrying.

[0022] The support wall and the housing wall can be directly attached to the ventral wall and independently of each other. They can also be attached to each other, with the support wall attached only to the ventral wall, so that the housing wall is not directly attached to the ventral wall.

[0023] The support wall may include an upper edge connected directly to the neck for at least 20% of the neck's periphery, preferably between 20 and 50%, more particularly between 20 and 40%. The neck's periphery is measured on the inner edge.

[0024] This connection allows the neckline and the support wall to be joined over a sufficiently large portion to properly distribute the stresses related to the mass of the recorder. This connection will be continuous along the entire upper edge of the support wall. This connection can be made by any means, such as, for example, by sewing.

[0025] The support wall can be connected over its entire periphery to the ventral wall.

[0026] The surface area of ​​the support wall is greater than the surface area of ​​the housing wall in order to define a peripheral band surrounding the housing wall.

[0027] With the garment thus shaped, a strip of the support part surrounds the wall housing and allows the housing wall to be held rigidly, that is to say without deformation.

[0028] The peripheral band may have a width of at least 5 mm, preferably at least 10 mm, and preferably less than 30 mm. These values ​​ensure that the housing wall is securely held against the support wall. The peripheral edge of the support wall must be sufficiently far from the armholes to maintain adequate elastic deformation in the portion of the ventral wall arranged laterally between the support wall and the armholes.

[0029] The peripheral band of the support wall may include a lower opening leading into the interior of the garment.

[0030] The lower opening of the support wall can communicate with the outside of the garment or with the inside of the housing.

[0031] The housing wall may include an opening, preferably formed in a lower peripheral edge, leading to the outside of the garment.

[0032] In combination with the lower opening of the support part, the opening in the wall of the housing thus allows connecting wires of a heart rhythm recorder to be passed through and retrieved by hand before being inserted into the lower opening of the support part.

[0033] When the support wall covers the ventral wall, it is understood that the lower opening then passes through the ventral wall and the support wall.

[0034] The housing wall may include an upper free edge delimiting a mounting passage for the electronic device in the housing, this free edge having an elastic element shaped to ensure that the ends of said upper edge are brought together and to keep the heart rhythm recorder immobile in its housing.

[0035] The ventral wall, the support wall and the housing wall can be separate textile pieces, woven or non-woven, stacked successively so that the support wall is arranged between the ventral wall and the housing wall.

[0036] The portion of the support wall that is opposite the housing wall can be free to move relative to the ventral wall.

[0037] The support wall is thus not fixed to the ventral wall in a central portion of the support wall, which allows movement between the support wall and the ventral wall, thereby limiting unwanted movement of the electronic device due to the wearer's movement. When the device is a heart rhythm recorder, this helps reduce background noise on the electrocardiogram.

[0038] The support wall may include at least one upper opening, preferably two openings spaced in a horizontal direction.

[0039] Said at least one upper opening may lead into the interior of the dwelling.

[0040] The support wall may extend vertically at least to a horizontal line arranged below the armholes. The horizontal line may be arranged between 0.5 and 2.5 cm below the armhole.

[0041] The housing wall is preferably arranged above the lower ends of the armholes.

[0042] The housing wall will be dimensioned so that the recorder does not descend below the xiphoid process. Positioning the housing wall in this way keeps the recorder above the abdomen and prevents abdominal movements from affecting the recording quality.

[0043] This document also relates to an assembly comprising a heart rhythm recorder arranged inside the housing. The electrode placement positions are as follows: one electrode located in the upper presternal region, one electrode located in the xiphoid region, one being an electrode located in the left lateral and submammary region when the configuration is three electrodes; two other additional electrodes can be arranged in the upper presternal region and another in the right lateral thoracic region when the configuration is five electrodes.

[0044] The support wall can have any shape. In particular, the support wall may comprise four peripheral edges connected to each other, a first substantially straight edge being connected at its respective ends to a second and a third respective edge which are parallel to each other, the second and third edges being connected to a fourth rounded edge concave upwards connected to the neck.

[0045] The housing wall can be in the shape of a quadrilateral. Brief description of the drawings

[0046] Other features, details and advantages will become apparent upon reading the detailed description below, and upon analysis of the accompanying drawings, on which:

[0047] [Fig.1] is a figure comprising a first graph in figure IA which illustrates an electrocardiogram of a Holter wearer with a shoulder strap system, a second graph in figure IB illustrating atrial extrasystole and a third graph in figure IC illustrating ventricular extrasystole;

[0048] [Fig.2] is a schematic overview and perspective view on a mannequin of a carrying garment according to this document;

[0049] [Fig.3] and

[0050] [Fig.4] are schematic perspective views of the invention according to two other orientations of the invention;

[0051] [Fig.5] is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the invention;

[0052] [Fig.6] is a figure comprising a first graph in Figure 6A which illustrates an elect trocardiogram of the same wearer as in [Fig.1], the latter wearing the garment according to the invention with the recording box placed in the housing, a second graph in figure 6B illustrating atrial extrasystole and a third graph in figure 6C illustrating ventricular extrasystole. Description of the implementation methods

[0053] Reference is made to [Fig. 2], which represents a garment 10 for carrying electronic equipment, in particular a heart rate recorder, comprising a ventral wall 12 and a dorsal wall (not visible) and a neckline 14 connecting the dorsal and ventral walls 12. The ventral wall 12 carries a support wall 16 connected to the neckline 14 and a housing wall 18 which, together with the support wall 16, forms a housing for receiving said electronic equipment. The support wall 16 and the housing wall 18 are made of a non-elastic material and are surrounded by a portion of the ventral wall 12 that is elastically deformable. In other words, the support wall is connected along a first peripheral portion to the neckline, and the remainder of the periphery of the support wall is connected to and surrounded by the ventral wall.

[0054] In the figures, the recorder 17 is connected to a first end of a wire 19, the opposite end of which carries an electrode 21 applied to the patient's chest.

[0055] In one embodiment of the invention, the dorsal wall, the ventral wall 12, the support wall 16 and the housing wall 18 are formed by weaving, for example, a cotton fiber, which makes it possible to achieve the desired differences in elasticity. Other fibers could be used.

[0056] The ventral wall 12, the support wall 16 and the housing wall 18 can be made by successively stacking three separate pieces of tissue so that the support wall 16 is arranged between the ventral wall 12 and the housing wall 18.

[0057] As can be seen in the figures, the ventral wall 12 is made from a first piece of fabric, as is the dorsal wall, and they exhibit a first elasticity obtained by a given first weave. The neckline 14 exhibits a second elasticity, which can be identical to that of the ventral wall 12 and the dorsal wall. In practice, the deformation of the neckline 14 is limited by the sewing thread that joins a strip of fabric forming the neckline 14 to the ventral wall 12 and the dorsal wall.

[0058] The support wall 16 can be in the form of a non-elastic fabric plate, that is, one that does not visibly or noticeably deform elastically by hand. The support wall is deformable since it is flexible but cannot elongate elastically by stretching when a force is exerted in its two extension directions, that is, in the vertical and horizontal directions. vertical, parallel to the support wall. Similarly, the carrying garment includes a housing wall 18 applied to the support wall 16. This housing wall 18 can be made of the same material as the support wall 16 and is also non-elastic.

[0059] The support wall 16 comprises four sides, a substantially horizontal lower edge 18b, and two substantially vertical lateral edges 16b parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the lower edge. The two lateral edges 16b are connected to a concave upper edge 18c, which is directly connected to the neck. Preferably, the connection of the support wall 16, in particular the concave upper edge 18c, to the neck 14 is made over at least 20% of the periphery of the neck, preferably between 20 and 50%, and more particularly between 20 and 40%.

[0060] The housing wall 18 includes an upper free edge 18a defining a mounting passage for the electronic device within the housing, this free edge 18a having an elastic element shaped to ensure that the ends of said upper edge are brought together. It can be seen that the housing wall 18 may have a substantially rectangular shape.

[0061] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the support wall 16 is fixed over its entire periphery, by a first seam, to the ventral wall 12. The housing wall 18 is fixed to the support wall to the ventral wall 12 by a second peripheral seam surrounded by the first peripheral seam.

[0062] It can be seen that a peripheral band 20 surrounds the housing wall 18 and is formed by a portion of the support wall 16 and is delimited by the lateral edges 16b and the opposite edges of the housing wall 16 and by the lower edge 16a and the lower edge 18b of the opposite housing wall 18. The surface area of ​​the support wall 16 is thus greater than the surface area of ​​the housing wall 18. The peripheral band 20 may have a width of at least 1 cm.

[0063] As illustrated, the peripheral band 20 of the support wall 18 includes an internal opening 22 leading into the garment. The lower edge 18b of the housing wall 18 also includes a lower opening 24 leading to the outside of the housing and to the outside of the garment so that a connecting wire of a heart rhythm recorder mounted inside the housing can pass through the lower opening 24 of the lower edge 18b of the housing wall 18 and into the opening 22 of the peripheral band 20 of the support wall 16. Thus, the wire travels only a short distance on the wearer's body (the white electrode cable intended to be connected in the upper presternal region), which limits the background noise recorded by the device and the contact of the white electrode cable with the wearer's skin.

[0064] In an embodiment shown in [Fig. 5], at least one upper opening 26, preferably two openings 25, 26 spaced along a horizontal direction The presternal openings are formed in the supporting wall 16 and the ventral wall 12. These openings 26 allow the white electrode cable to pass through in the upper presternal region. It can be observed that the wire 19, passing through the opening 26 and connected to an electrode 21, comprises a first part 19a housed inside the housing and a second part 19b running between the ventral wall and the body of the wearer.

[0065] Figure 6 illustrates the gain obtained with the invention. Figure 6 shows the ECG of the same patient as in Figure IA. Figure IB, showing atrial extrasystole, and Figure IC, showing ventricular extrasystole, show that there are virtually no false detections. In practice, the invention reduces the number of artifacts by a factor of 100, thus saving a cardiologist significant time.

[0066] It is observed that the support wall extends vertically at least to a horizontal line arranged below the armholes. This line can be arranged between 0.5 and 2.5 cm below the armhole.

[0067] In this document, the terms vertical and horizontal are to be considered when the carrying garment is worn by a wearer in a standing position.

Claims

Demands

1. A garment for carrying electronic equipment, in particular a heart rate recorder, comprising a ventral wall and a dorsal wall and a neckline connecting the dorsal and ventral walls, the ventral wall carrying a support wall connected to the neckline and carrying a housing wall forming with the support wall a housing for receiving said electronic equipment, said support wall and housing wall being made of a non-elastic material and being surrounded by a portion of the ventral wall which is elastically deformable.

2. Garment according to claim 1, wherein the support wall comprises an upper edge connected directly to the neckline over at least 20% of the periphery of the neckline, preferably between 20 and 50%, more particularly between 20 and 40%.

3. Garment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support wall is connected over its entire periphery to the ventral wall.

4. Garment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the surface of the support wall is greater than the surface of the housing wall so as to define a peripheral band surrounding the housing wall.

5. Garment according to the preceding claim, wherein the peripheral band has a width of at least 5 mm, preferably at least 10 mm, preferably less than 30 mm.

6. Garment according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the peripheral band of the support wall comprises a lower opening leading into the interior of the garment.

7. Garment according to claim 6, wherein the lower opening of the support wall communicates with the outside of the garment or with the inside of the housing.

8. Garment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the housing wall comprises an opening, preferably formed in a lower peripheral edge, leading to the outside of the garment.

9. A garment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing wall comprises an upper free edge delimiting a mounting passage for the electronic device in the housing, this free edge comprising an elastic element shaped to ensure a rapprochement of the ends of said upper edge.

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17. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ventral wall, the support wall and the housing wall are stacked successively so that the support wall is arranged between the ventral wall and the housing wall. Garment according to claim 10, wherein the portion of the support wall that is opposite the housing wall is free to move relative to the ventral wall. A garment for carrying according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the supporting wall comprises at least one upper opening, preferably two openings spaced in a horizontal direction. Garment according to claim 12, wherein said at least one upper opening leads into the interior of the dwelling. Garment according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the support wall extends vertically at least to a horizontal line arranged below the armholes. Garment according to claim 14, wherein the horizontal line is arranged between 0.5 and 2.5 cm below the armhole. A garment according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the housing panel is arranged above the lower ends of the armholes. An assembly comprising a garment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a heart rate recorder is arranged inside the housing.