automated external defibrillator

Abstract

To provide a small-sized and light-weight automated external defibrillator becoming available within a short time.SOLUTION: An automated external defibrillator 1A comprising an electrode pad 30A, an electrode pad 30B, a power supply part 19, and a high voltage generating part 16A is provided. The high voltage generating part 16A includes a transformer 160 formed of a primary-side coil 160a, a secondary-side coil 160b, and a core around which the primary-side coil 160a and the secondary-side coil 160b are wound. One end of the secondary-side coil 160b is connected to the electrode pad 30A and the other end is connected to the electrode pad 30B. The primary-side coil 160a is connected to the power supply part 19. The power supply part 19 supplies the transformer 160 with electric power for causing the transformer 160 to generate a potential difference between the electrode pad 30A and the electrode pad 30B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an automated external defibrillator. [Background technology]

[0002] An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a medical device used in the treatment of ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, the most common causes of cardiac arrest. By using an AED to deliver an electric shock (high-voltage pulse) from outside the body to the heart of a patient in cardiac arrest, the heart may be restored to a normal, regular beating state. Patent Document 1 is an example of a prior art document relating to automated external defibrillators. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2013-543781 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, a high-voltage capacitor for generating a high-voltage pulse is built into an automatic external defibrillator. Assuming that the energy required to generate an electric shock from an automatic external defibrillator to a patient is 150 joules and the voltage applied to the high-voltage capacitor is approximately 2000 volts, the capacitance of the high-voltage capacitor must be 75 microfarads or more. Because the high-voltage capacitor is large and heavy, it is difficult to reduce the size and weight of the automatic external defibrillator itself. Furthermore, because the high-voltage capacitor requires a long time to charge, conventional automatic external defibrillators also require a long time before they can be used, i.e., before they can deliver an electric shock.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to provide an automatic external defibrillator that is small, lightweight, and can be used in a short time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An automatic external defibrillator according to a first aspect of the present disclosure comprises a first electrode pad, a second electrode pad, a DC power supply unit, and a high voltage generation unit including an inductor or a transformer that boosts the DC voltage applied from the DC power supply unit. The first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the inductor or the transformer. The second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the inductor or the transformer. A capacitance between the one output end as viewed from the first electrode pad and the other output end as viewed from the second electrode pad is less than 10 microfarads. stomach. Book Disclosure No. 2 The automatic external defibrillator according to this aspect includes a first electrode pad, a second electrode pad, a DC power supply unit, a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a switch that, when turned on, applies a DC voltage output from the DC power supply unit to the primary winding of the transformer, and a control unit that turns the switch on and off. The first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the secondary winding of the transformer, and the second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the secondary winding of the transformer. When the control unit turns on the switch, the DC voltage output from the DC power supply unit is applied to the primary winding of the transformer, generating a high voltage in the secondary winding and applying a high voltage between the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad. The capacitance between the one output end as viewed from the first electrode pad and the other output end as viewed from the second electrode pad is smaller than 10 microfarads. The present disclosure 3The automatic external defibrillator according to this aspect includes a first electrode pad, a second electrode pad, a DC power supply unit that outputs a DC voltage, an inductor, a switch that applies the DC voltage output by the DC power supply unit to the inductor when turned on and isolates the DC power supply unit from the inductor when turned off, and a control unit that turns the switch on and off. The first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the inductor, and the second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the inductor. The control unit turns the switch on to apply the DC voltage from the DC power supply unit to the inductor to cause a current to flow, and then turns the switch off to generate a back electromotive force in the inductor and apply a high voltage between the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad. The capacitance between the one output end as viewed from the first electrode pad and the other output end as viewed from the second electrode pad is smaller than 10 microfarads.

[0007] The present disclosure 4 The automatic external defibrillator according to this aspect comprises a first electrode pad, a second electrode pad, a power supply unit, and a high-voltage generating unit including an inductor or a transformer that boosts the DC voltage applied from the power supply unit. The first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the inductor or the transformer, and the second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the inductor or the transformer. The capacitance between the one output end as viewed from the first electrode pad and the other output end as viewed from the second electrode pad is less than 10 microfarads. The high-voltage generating unit includes a rectifying element interposed between the other output end and the second electrode pad.

[0008] The present disclosure 5The automatic external defibrillator according to this aspect comprises a first electrode pad, a second electrode pad, a power supply unit, and a high-voltage generating unit including an inductor that boosts the DC voltage applied from the power supply unit. The first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the inductor, and the second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the inductor. The capacitance between the one output end as viewed from the first electrode pad and the other output end as viewed from the second electrode pad is less than 10 microfarads. The wiring material that supplies power from the power supply unit to the inductor is conductive and has a relative permeability value greater than 1, and also serves as the core of the inductor.

[0009] This disclosure No. 6 The automatic external defibrillator according to this embodiment comprises a first electrode pad, a second electrode pad, a power supply unit, and a high-voltage generating unit including a transformer that boosts a DC voltage applied from the power supply unit. The first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the transformer, and the second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the transformer. A capacitance between the one output end as seen from the first electrode pad and the other output end as seen from the second electrode pad is less than 10 microfarads. A wiring material that supplies power from the power supply unit to the transformer is conductive and has a relative permeability value greater than 1, and also serves as the core of the transformer. The wiring material has a through-hole for winding a secondary coil of the transformer along the direction of flow of current supplied from the power supply unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of an automatic external defibrillator 1A according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing how an automated external defibrillator 1A is used. [Figure 3] 1 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an automatic external defibrillator 1A. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an automatic external defibrillator 1B according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5]FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a high voltage generating unit 16C according to a modified example (1). [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a high voltage generating unit 16D according to a modified example (1). [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a high voltage generating unit 16E according to a modified example (1). [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a modified example (2). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Various technically preferable limitations are applied to each of the embodiments described below. Note that the dimensions and scale of each part in the drawings may differ from those in reality. Furthermore, the embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present disclosure. Therefore, various technically preferable limitations are applied to the following embodiments. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments unless otherwise specified in the following description to the effect that the present disclosure is limited.

[0012] (A: First embodiment) FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the appearance of an automatic external defibrillator 1A according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic external defibrillator 1A includes a main body 10, electrode pads 30A and 30B, a cable 40A electrically connecting the main body 10 and the electrode pads 30A, and a cable 40B electrically connecting the main body 10 and the electrode pads 30B. The electrode pads 30A are an example of a first electrode pad in the present disclosure. The electrode pads 30B are an example of a second electrode pad in the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating how the automatic external defibrillator 1A is used. When using the automatic external defibrillator 1A, the electrode pads 30A and 30B are attached to the right chest and flank of a patient in cardiac arrest, respectively.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 1, a display unit 11 and an operation unit 12 are provided on the flat surface of the main body 10. The display unit 11 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display and its drive circuit. The display unit 11 displays information indicating the operating status of the automatic external defibrillator 1A. The operation unit 12 includes various operation devices such as buttons for instructing the user of the automatic external defibrillator 1A to start operation.

[0014] Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of automatic external defibrillator 1A. As shown in Fig. 3, automatic external defibrillator 1A has, in addition to display unit 11 and operation unit 12, memory unit 13, control unit 14, communication unit 15, high-voltage generation unit 16A, electrocardiogram signal acquisition unit 17, status detection unit 18, power supply unit 19, and audio output unit 20. Memory unit 13, control unit 14, communication unit 15, high-voltage generation unit 16A, electrocardiogram signal acquisition unit 17, status detection unit 18, power supply unit 19, and audio output unit 20 are built into main body unit 10.

[0015] The power supply unit 19 includes a battery with an output voltage of approximately 12 volts. In addition to the battery, the power supply unit 19 may also include a charger that charges the battery with AC power supplied from a commercial power source. As shown in FIG. 3, the power supply unit 19 is connected to the high-voltage generation unit 16A. Although detailed illustration is omitted in FIG. 3, the power supply unit 19 is also connected to the display unit 11, the operation unit 12, the memory unit 13, the control unit 14, the communication unit 15, the electrocardiogram signal acquisition unit 17, the status detection unit 18, and the audio output unit 20. The power supply unit 19 supplies operating power to the display unit 11, the operation unit 12, the memory unit 13, the control unit 14, the communication unit 15, the high-voltage generation unit 16A, the electrocardiogram signal acquisition unit 17, the status detection unit 18, and the audio output unit 20.

[0016] The control unit 14 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), i.e., a computer. The control unit 14 may include a single computer or multiple computers. The control unit 14 also includes a gate array and an A / D converter. The display unit 11, the operation unit 12, the memory unit 13, the communication unit 15, the high-voltage generation unit 16A, the electrocardiogram signal acquisition unit 17, the state detection unit 18, and the audio output unit 20 are each connected to the control unit 14.

[0017] Control unit 14 functions as the control center of automated external defibrillator 1A by operating in accordance with a control program (not shown in FIG. 3) stored in memory unit 13. Control unit 14 operating in accordance with the control program controls the operation of display unit 11, operation unit 12, memory unit 13, communication unit 15, high-voltage generation unit 16A, electrocardiogram signal acquisition unit 17, status detection unit 18, and audio output unit 20, thereby performing electrocardiogram analysis, controlling the output of electric shocks, etc.

[0018] Although detailed illustration of the storage unit 13 is omitted in FIG. 3, the storage unit 13 includes a nonvolatile memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a volatile memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory). The nonvolatile memory stores the above-mentioned control program in advance. The volatile memory is used by the control unit 14 as a work area when executing the above-mentioned control program. Furthermore, the volatile memory temporarily stores electrocardiogram signals and the like.

[0019] The communication unit 15 is a communication interface that performs wireless or wired communication with external devices such as a server device under the control of the control unit 14. The audio output unit 20 includes a sound output device such as a speaker. Under the control of the control unit 14, the audio output unit 20 outputs audio guidance, audio warnings, and the like.

[0020] The electrode pad 30A is connected to the high voltage generating unit 16A, the electrocardiogram signal acquiring unit 17, and the state detecting unit 18 via a cable 40A. The electrode pad 30B is connected to the high voltage generating unit 16A, the electrocardiogram signal acquiring unit 17, and the state detecting unit 18 via a cable 40B.

[0021] The electrocardiogram signal acquiring unit 17 filters noise contained in the electrocardiogram signals from the electrode pads 30A and 30B, amplifies the electrocardiogram signals after filtering out the noise, etc. The electrocardiogram signals amplified by the electrocardiogram signal acquiring unit 17 are sent to the control unit 14 and used for electrocardiogram analysis, etc.

[0022] The state detection unit 18 detects the attachment state of the electrode pads 30A and 30B to the patient, for example, by measuring the impedance between the electrode pads 30A and 30B and the patient's body surface. The state detection unit 18 outputs an attachment state signal indicating the attachment state of the electrode pads 30A and 30B to the control unit 14.

[0023] The high voltage generation unit 16A generates high voltage pulses (more specifically, the potential difference between the electrode pads 30A and 30B) related to the electric shock to be given to the patient from the electrode pads 30A and 30B based on a control signal from the control unit 14. As shown in Fig. 3, the high voltage generation unit 16A includes a transformer 160 and a switch 161 that is switched on / off in response to a control signal from the control unit 14.

[0024] The transformer 160 includes a primary coil 160a and a secondary coil 160b. Although detailed illustration is omitted in FIG. 3, the primary coil 160a and the secondary coil 160b are wound around a core (iron core) formed of ferrite or the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the switch 161 and the primary coil 160a of the transformer 160 are connected in series to the power supply unit 19. Furthermore, one end of the secondary coil 160b of the transformer 160 (i.e., one output end of the transformer 160) is connected to the electrode pad 30A via a cable 40A. The other end of the secondary coil 160b (i.e., the other output end of the transformer 160) is connected to the electrode pad 30B via a cable 40B.

[0025] When the switch 161 is switched from off to on, a voltage V2 corresponding to the power supplied to the primary coil 160a from the power supply unit 19 is generated in the secondary coil 160b. Here, if the number of turns of the primary coil 160a is N1, the number of turns of the secondary coil 160b is N2, and the voltage applied to the primary coil 160a from the power supply unit 19 is V1, then the voltage V2 is expressed by the following equation (1). V2 = V1 × (N2 / N1)…(1)

[0026] To restore the heart of a patient in cardiac arrest to normal, it is necessary to administer an electric shock (pulse) to the patient with a voltage of 2000 to 3000 volts and a current of approximately 30 amperes. In conventional automatic external defibrillators using high-voltage capacitors, energy of approximately 150 joules is stored in the high-voltage capacitor by charging the high-voltage capacitor over a predetermined charging time, and an electric shock is delivered by releasing the energy stored in the high-voltage capacitor within a short period of time, such as 2.5 milliseconds. In contrast, the automatic external defibrillator 1A of this embodiment generates a high voltage of 12 to 2000 volts DC using the back electromotive force of the transformer 160. However, in this embodiment, the high voltage is generated in a very short pulsed period. In the automatic external defibrillator 1A of this embodiment, the required energy is obtained by waveform shaping and polarity control of the continuous wave energy of the pulse. Furthermore, because the voltage V1 applied from the power supply unit 19 to the primary coil 160a is 12 volts, the law of conservation of energy dictates that a large current of approximately 5000 amperes must be supplied from the power supply unit 19 to the primary coil 160a in order to generate an electric shock sufficient to restore the heart of a patient in cardiac arrest to a normal state. In this case, setting the turns ratio N2 / N1 to approximately 167 allows the generation of an electric shock sufficient to restore the heart to a normal state in cardiac arrest. In this embodiment, N1 is 1 and N2 is 167. That is, N2 / N1 is 167.

[0027] Unlike conventional automatic external defibrillators, the automatic external defibrillator 1A of this embodiment does not include a high-voltage capacitor for maintaining a high voltage. Because the automatic external defibrillator 1A does not include a high-voltage capacitor, the automatic external defibrillator 1A can be made smaller and lighter. Furthermore, conventional automatic external defibrillators that use a high-voltage capacitor have the problem of requiring a long time (approximately 10 seconds, for example) to fully charge the high-voltage capacitor. In the automatic external defibrillator 1A of this embodiment, voltage V2 is generated by mutual induction in the transformer 160, so the long charging time required to charge a high-voltage capacitor is not required. The reason for this is as follows.

[0028] To output pulsed continuous wave energy, the automated external defibrillator 1A also needs to charge the transformer 160. The time required to charge the transformer 160 increases as the time constant τ1 of the transformer 160 increases. Here, the time constant τ1 of the transformer 160 is expressed by the following equation (2). In equation (2), L1 is the inductance on the primary side of the transformer 160, and R1 is the resistance value on the primary side. τ1=L1 / R1 (2)

[0029] As mentioned above, a current of about 5,000 amperes flows through the primary side of transformer 160, so the resistance value R1 of the primary side needs to be about a few milliohms. If the resistance value R1 of the primary side is about a few milliohms, τ1 becomes large, and it appears that it takes a long time to charge transformer 160. However, the relationship shown in the following equation (3) exists between the primary-side inductance L1 and the secondary-side inductance L2 of transformer 160. In other words, τ1 is inversely proportional to the square of the number of windings N2 on the secondary side. Because τ1 is inversely proportional to the square of the number of windings N2 on the secondary side, it is possible to make τ1 sufficiently small (i.e., to make the charging time of transformer 160 sufficiently short). L1=L2 / N22 (3)

[0030] As described above, this embodiment provides an automated external defibrillator 1A that is compact, lightweight, and ready for use in a short time. In this embodiment, electrode pad 30A is connected to one output end of transformer 160 via cable 40A, and electrode pad 30B is connected to the other output end of transformer 160 via cable 40B. However, a circuit for noise reduction or transient voltage reduction may be inserted between one output end and the other output end of transformer 160. This type of circuit may include a small-capacity capacitor with a capacitance of less than 3 microfarads. Even if this type of circuit is inserted between one output end and the other output end of transformer 160, the capacitance between one output end of transformer 160 as viewed from electrode pad 30A and the other output end of transformer 160 as viewed from electrode pad 30B is less than 3 microfarads. On the other hand, in conventional automated external defibrillators that use high-voltage capacitors to store the energy required to generate high-voltage pulses, the energy required to generate a high-voltage pulse is approximately 150 joules. If the voltage applied to the high-voltage capacitor is 2000 volts, the capacitance of this high-voltage capacitor is 75 microfarads. In conventional automated external defibrillators for children, the energy required to generate a high-voltage pulse is 50 joules, so the capacitance of the high-voltage capacitor is less than 75 microfarads. However, even if the voltage applied to the high-voltage capacitor is assumed to be higher, at 3000 volts, the capacitance of the high-voltage capacitor is still 10 microfarads or more. In other words, in conventional automated external defibrillators that use high-voltage capacitors, the capacitance between one output terminal and the other output terminal of the high-voltage generator, as viewed from the electrode pad side, is 10 microfarads or more. In the automated external defibrillator 1A of this embodiment, a circuit including a small-capacity capacitor for noise countermeasures (output smoothing) or transient voltage countermeasures may be inserted between one output terminal and the other output terminal of the transformer 160. The small-capacity capacitor for noise countermeasures or the like does not contribute to storing energy for generating an electric shock, and the capacitance of this capacitor is generally less than 3 microfarads.Even if a circuit including such a small-capacity capacitor is inserted between one output terminal and the other output terminal of automatic external defibrillator 1A, the capacitance between the two outputs will be less than 10 microfarads (more specifically, 3 microfarads). In this respect, automatic external defibrillator 1A of this embodiment is distinguished from conventional automatic external defibrillators that use high-voltage capacitors.

[0031] (B: Second embodiment) Figure 4 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of automatic external defibrillator 1B. In Figure 4, the same components as in Figure 3 are assigned the same reference numerals. Automatic external defibrillator 1B has high-voltage generation unit 16B instead of high-voltage generation unit 16A. High-voltage generation unit 16B has inductor 163 instead of transformer 160. Inductor 163 has coil 163a wound around a core (not shown). High-voltage generation unit 16B also has rectifying element 162, such as a diode.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4, the switch 161 and the coil 163a of the inductor 163 are connected in series to the power supply unit 19. One end of the coil 163a (i.e., one output end of the inductor 163) is connected to the electrode pad 30A via the cable 40A. The other end of the coil 163a (the other output end of the inductor 163) is connected to the electrode pad 30B via the rectifying element 162 and the cable 40B. The rectifying element 162 is provided to prevent current from flowing along a path such as the power supply unit 19 → electrode pad 30A → patient → electrode pad 30B → power supply unit 19 when charging the coil 163a. ​​If the resistance value of the path from the electrode pad 30A → patient → electrode pad 30B is sufficiently larger than the resistance value of the coil 163a, the rectifying element 162 may be omitted. Furthermore, the rectifying element 162 may be added to the high-voltage generating unit 16A in the first embodiment.

[0033] In the automated external defibrillator 1B of this embodiment, if the current supplied from the power supply unit 19 to the inductor 163 is I and the inductance of the inductor 163 is L, then by switching the switch 161 from off to on, charging energy Ji=L×I2 / 2 is stored in the coil 163a.

[0034] After charging coil 163a, when switch 161 is switched from on to off, self-induction in coil 163a generates voltage V2 between electrode pad 30A and electrode pad 30B according to charging energy Ji. Therefore, by appropriately setting at least one of current I supplied to inductor 163 from power supply unit 19 and inductance L of coil 163a, it is possible to generate voltage V2 necessary for an electric shock to restore a heart in cardiac arrest to a normal state. Because the automated external defibrillator 1B of this embodiment also does not include a high-voltage capacitor, it is possible to reduce the size and weight of the automated external defibrillator 1B and it does not require long charging times.

[0035] This embodiment also provides an automatic external defibrillator 1B that is small, lightweight, and ready for use in a short time. In this embodiment, a circuit for noise reduction or transient voltage reduction may be inserted between one output terminal and the other output terminal of inductor 163. Even if this type of circuit is inserted between one output terminal and the other output terminal of inductor 163, the capacitance between one output terminal of inductor 163 as viewed from electrode pad 30A and the other output terminal of inductor 163 as viewed from electrode pad 30B is less than 10 microfarads. This also distinguishes the automatic external defibrillator 1B of this embodiment from conventional automatic external defibrillators that use high-voltage capacitors.

[0036] (C: Transformation) The above-described first and second embodiments can be modified as follows. (1) In order to generate the high voltage required for electric shock in the automated external defibrillator 1B shown in FIG. 4, it is necessary to supply a large current of about 5,000 amperes to inductor 163, which requires thickening the wiring connecting inductor 163 to power supply 19 via switch 161 and the wiring forming coil 163a. ​​Increasing the thickness of the wiring forming coil 163a requires a larger core. However, thickening the wiring and enlarging the core undesirably leads to an increase in the size of inductor 163.

[0037] One way to supply a large current to an inductor without increasing its size is to use the internal inductance of the wiring material, in other words, to have the wiring material double as a core. The inductance L of the wiring material is expressed as the following equation (4) using the internal inductance Li, which is the inductance inside the wiring material, and the external inductance Lo in the space outside the wiring material. L = Li + Lo (4)

[0038] If the length of the wiring material is l and the cross section of the wiring material taken along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wiring material is a circle with a radius of a, the internal inductance Li and external inductance Lo are expressed by the following equations (5) and (6). Note that in equations (5) and (6), π is the circumference constant, μ is the magnetic permeability of the wiring material, and μ0 is the magnetic permeability of a vacuum. The magnetic permeability μ of the wiring material is expressed as the product of the magnetic permeability μ0 of a vacuum and the relative magnetic permeability μs of the wiring material (i.e., μ = μ0 × μs). Also, ln() in equation (6) represents the natural logarithm. Li = μ × l / (8 × π) (5) L0≒μ0×l×(ln(2×l / a)-1) / (2×π)···(6)

[0039] For typical wiring materials, μs is approximately 1. If a = 1 millimeter and l = 1 meter, then for typical wiring materials, Li is approximately 50 nanohenries and Lo is 1.32 microhenries. Therefore, the overall inductance L of a typical wiring material is 1.37 microhenries. For typical wiring materials, μs is approximately 1, and the internal inductance Li cannot be increased. However, by using a conductive ferromagnetic material as the wiring material, i.e., by increasing the relative permeability μs of the wiring material to a value greater than 1, the internal inductance Li can be increased. Furthermore, since the internal inductance Li of a wiring material does not depend on the radius a of the wiring's cross section, even if the wiring material is made thicker (i.e., the cross-sectional area is increased and the electrical resistance is reduced) to carry a current of approximately 5,000 amperes, the internal inductance Li will not be significantly affected.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a high-voltage generator 16C according to this modification. In addition to the high-voltage generator 16C, FIG. 5 also shows the power supply 19, electrode pads 30A and 30B, and cables 40A and 40B connected to the high-voltage generator 16C. As is apparent from a comparison with the high-voltage generator 16B in FIG. 4, the high-voltage generator 16C includes an inductor 164 instead of the inductor 163. A circuit for noise reduction or transient voltage reduction may be inserted between one output terminal and the other output terminal of the inductor 164. Even if such a circuit is inserted between the one output terminal and the other output terminal of the inductor 164, the capacitance between the one output terminal of the inductor 164 as viewed from the electrode pad 30A side and the other output terminal of the inductor 164 as viewed from the electrode pad 30B side is less than 10 microfarads. In this respect, an automatic external defibrillator having high voltage generating unit 16C of this modified example is distinguished from conventional automatic external defibrillators that use high-voltage capacitors.

[0041] Inductor 164 is configured by sandwiching third member 164c, which is made of a cylindrical magnetic metal or the like, between first member 164a and second member 164b, each of which is formed into a disk shape using a neodymium magnet or the like. Inductor 164 is formed into a thick cylinder because a large current of 5000 amperes is supplied to inductor 164 from power supply unit 19. First member 164a, second member 164b, and third member 164c serve as wiring material to which power is supplied from power supply unit 19, and also serve as the core of inductor 164. The reason why the wiring material to which power is supplied from power supply unit 19 is made up of first member 164a, second member 164b, and third member 164c is to set μs to a value greater than 1.

[0042] The optimum value of the relative permeability μs of the wiring material that serves as the core of inductor 164 can be considered as follows. The maximum value of magnetic flux density B in a typical core is approximately 2 tesla. Meanwhile, there is a relationship B = μH between magnetic flux density B and magnetic field H. Here, since there is a relationship H = I / l, substituting I = 5000 amperes and l = 1 meter, μs = 32. Therefore, the optimum value of μs is considered to be 10 to 100. When using high-voltage generation unit 16C shown in FIG. 5, the material and shape of each of first member 164a, second member 164b, and third member 164c can be adjusted so that the value of μs is 10 to 100.

[0043] As long as the μs value satisfies the condition of 10 to 100, the wiring that serves as the core of the inductor and to which power is supplied from the power supply unit 19 may be formed of a permanent magnet such as a neodymium magnet. The high-voltage generator 16D shown in FIG. 6 includes an inductor 165 that serves as the core and to which power is supplied from the power supply unit 19, and is formed of a permanent magnet. The high-voltage generator 16A in the first embodiment may be replaced by a high-voltage generator 16E shown in FIG. 7. The high-voltage generator 16E includes a transformer 166 instead of the transformer 160. The transformer 166 is formed of a conductive permanent magnet and includes a wiring 166a that also serves as the core of the transformer 166 and a secondary coil 166b wound around the core. The wiring 166a has a through-hole 166c through which the secondary coil 166b is wound along the direction of the current flowing from the power supply unit 19.

[0044] (2) The main body 10 of the automated external defibrillator 1A includes a communication unit 15. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8 , when the automated external defibrillator 1A is connected to the Internet 101 and a server device 100 is connected to the Internet 101, the automated external defibrillator 1A can communicate data with the server device 100 via the Internet 101. When the automated external defibrillator 1A is used as a built-in device, if a treatment such as an electric shock is administered to a patient, the server device 100 is notified of this fact along with the ID of the main body 10. This allows the server device 100 to know in real time at the time of the treatment, which device was used, and what date and time the treatment was administered. Then, the server device 100 can automatically notify the emergency center of the location (managed in association with the device ID) and the date and time of the treatment. Furthermore, when the automated external defibrillator 1A is used as a portable device, if the user has registered in advance on the server device 100 side, it becomes possible to automatically identify the user and notify an emergency center or the like when treatment is performed. Furthermore, if the automated external defibrillator 1A is a small, portable automated external defibrillator, a function for identifying the current location, such as a GPS receiver, may be added. This is because being able to identify the current location of the automated external defibrillator 1A is thought to be advantageous for subsequent emergency life-saving activities. The same applies to the automated external defibrillator 1B of the second embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1A, 1B...automated external defibrillator, 10...main body, 30A, 30B...electrode pads, 40A, 40B...cable, 11...display unit, 12...operation unit, 13...memory unit, 14...control unit, 15...communication unit, 16A, 16B...high voltage generation unit, 160...transformer, 160a...primary coil, 160b...secondary coil, 161...switch, 162...rectifier element, 163...inductor, 163a...coil, 17...electrocardiogram signal acquisition unit, 18...status detection unit, 19...power supply unit, 20...audio output unit, 100...server device, 101...Internet.

Claims

1. a first electrode pad; A second electrode pad; A DC power supply unit; a high voltage generating unit including an inductor or a transformer that boosts the DC voltage applied from the DC power supply unit; and, the first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the inductor or the transformer; the second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the inductor or the transformer; a capacitance between the one output end viewed from the first electrode pad and the other output end viewed from the second electrode pad is smaller than 10 microfarads; Automated external defibrillator.

2. a first electrode pad; A second electrode pad; A DC power supply unit; a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding; a switch that, when turned on, applies a DC voltage output from the DC power supply unit to the primary winding of the transformer; a control unit that turns the switch on and off; Equipped with the first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the secondary winding of the transformer; the second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the secondary winding of the transformer; the control unit applies a DC voltage output from the DC power supply unit to the primary winding of the transformer by turning on the switch, and generates a high voltage in the secondary winding, thereby applying a high voltage between the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad; a capacitance between the one output end viewed from the first electrode pad and the other output end viewed from the second electrode pad is smaller than 10 microfarads; Automated external defibrillator.

3. a first electrode pad; A second electrode pad; a DC power supply unit that outputs a DC voltage; an inductor; a switch that applies a DC voltage output from the DC power supply unit to the inductor when turned on and isolates the DC power supply unit from the inductor when turned off; a control unit that turns the switch on and off; Equipped with the first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the inductor; the second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the inductor; the control unit turns on the switch to apply a DC voltage from the DC power supply unit to the inductor to cause a current to flow, and subsequently turns off the switch to generate a counter electromotive force in the inductor and apply a high voltage between the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad; a capacitance between the one output end viewed from the first electrode pad and the other output end viewed from the second electrode pad is smaller than 10 microfarads; Automated external defibrillator.

4. a first electrode pad; A second electrode pad; A power supply unit; a high voltage generating unit including an inductor or a transformer for boosting the DC voltage applied from the power supply unit; and, the first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the inductor or the transformer; the second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the inductor or the transformer; a capacitance between the one output end viewed from the first electrode pad and the other output end viewed from the second electrode pad is smaller than 10 microfarads; The high voltage generating unit further including a rectifying element interposed between the other output terminal and the second electrode pad; Automated external defibrillator.

5. a first electrode pad; A second electrode pad; A power supply unit; a high voltage generating unit including an inductor for boosting the DC voltage applied from the power supply unit; and, the first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the inductor; the second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the inductor; a capacitance between the one output end viewed from the first electrode pad and the other output end viewed from the second electrode pad is smaller than 10 microfarads; a wiring material for supplying power from the power supply unit to the inductor, the wiring material having a conductive property and a relative permeability value greater than 1, and also serving as a core of the inductor; Automated external defibrillator.

6. a first electrode pad; A second electrode pad; A power supply unit; a high voltage generating unit including a transformer for boosting the DC voltage applied from the power supply unit; and, the first electrode pad is connected to one output end of the transformer; the second electrode pad is connected to the other output end of the transformer; a capacitance between the one output end viewed from the first electrode pad and the other output end viewed from the second electrode pad is smaller than 10 microfarads; a wiring material for supplying power from the power supply unit to the transformer has a conductive material and a relative permeability value greater than 1, and also serves as a core of the transformer; The wiring material has a through hole for winding the secondary coil of the transformer, and the power supply unit The current is supplied from the Automated external defibrillator.

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