Wearable patch comprising multiple separable adhesive layers

• US 10,226,216 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2017
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zansors LLC
• Original Assignee: Zansors LLC
• Inventors: Das, Ranjit, Travaglini, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu, Chu Chuan (JJ)
• Application Number:
  US15/456,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20170181705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/04 Babies, e.g. for SIDS detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14517 for sweat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/00051 Accessories for dressings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/02 Adhesive bandages or dressings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0246 characterised by the skin-adhering layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/025 having a special distribution arrangement of the adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/0094 for sensing physical parameters plasters for conducting test A61F2013/00429
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/703 characterised by shape or structure; Details concerning release liner or backing; Refillable patches; User-activated patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 35/00 Devices for applying media, e.g. remedies, on the human body devices for handling toiletry or cosmetic substances A45D; absorbent pads, e.g. swabs, A61F13/15
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Wearable patches comprising multiple separable adhesive layers. One or more of the layers can comprise electronics, mechanical components, gauze, medicine and/or other types of hardware suitable for the intended use of the patch. In use, a first layer of the patch is adhered to a user. When it is time to change layers, the patch is removed from the user, the first layer is removed from the patch to expose a second adhesive layer, and the second layer is applied to the user. The process may be repeated until the remaining layers of the patch have been used.

Claims

1. A re-usable patch comprising:

a plurality of removable lower layers, each lower layer having a substrate with a first surface and a second surface, the removable lower layers being configured into a stack, each lower layer comprising a same lower layer electronics as other lower layers in the stack; and

a top layer provided over a second surface of a topmost lower layer in the stack, the top layer comprising top layer electronics in communication with the electronics of the lower layers,

wherein the electronics on the lower layers comprise one or more sensors configured to monitor a same characteristic or activity of a wearer of the patch,

wherein each of said lower layers is configured to be removable such that removal of a lower layer removes the electronics of that lower layer and exposes the first surface of a next lower layer in the stack such that the one or more sensors of a lowest one of said lower layers monitor the characteristic or activity of the wearer and the one or more sensors of all other lower layers are inactive, and

wherein each of said lower layers is configured so that upon removal of a lowest of said lower layers, the one or more sensors of the next lower layer in the stack monitors the characteristic or activity of the wearer.

2. The patch of claim 1, further comprising a liner attached to the adhesive of a bottommost layer in the stack.

3. The patch of claim 2, wherein the liner comprises release paper.

4. The patch of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to monitor one or more of movement, breathing, and biological fluids of the wearer.

5. The patch of claim 1, wherein the lower layer and top layer electronics comprise one or more of microphones, accelerometers, pressure sensors, humidity sensors, temperature sensors, altimeters, electrical sensors, microcontrollers, power source components, data bus components, memory storage devices and communication devices.

6. The patch of claim 5, wherein the power source components comprise solar cells.

7. The patch of claim 5, wherein the communication devices comprise wired or wireless communication devices.

8. The patch of claim 1, wherein at least one of the lower layers comprises a tab configured to assist with removal of the at least one of the lower layers from the patch.

9. The patch of claim 1, wherein each first surface comprises an adhesive formed thereon.

10. A patch comprising:

a plurality of first layers formed into a stack; and

a second layer provided over a topmost first layer of the stack,

wherein each first layer and the second layer comprises a first surface and a second surface, and a second surface of a lower first layer in the stack is removably adhered to a first surface of an upper first layer in the stack,

wherein each first layer comprises at least one sensor and an integrated circuit configured to perform a monitoring function,

wherein the at least one sensor and the integrated circuit of a lowest one first layer is configured to perform the monitoring function until the lowest one first layer is removed from the stack, and

wherein, when the lowest one first layer is removed, the at least one sensor and the integrated circuit of a next first layer perform the same monitoring function that the lowest one first layer performed prior to removal.

11. The patch of claim 10, wherein the second layer comprises electronics.

12. The patch of claim 10, wherein the electronics of each first layer are configured to pass data to the electronics on another first layer and the second layer using a data bus formed across each first layer and the second layer.

13. The patch of claim 10, wherein the electronics of each first layer are configured to pass data to the electronics on another first layer and the second layer using wireless communications.

14. The patch of claim 10, wherein the electronics of a first layer are powered by a power source on that first layer and the electronics of the second layer are powered by a power source on the second layer.

15. The patch of claim 10, wherein the electronics of a first layer are powered by a power source on the second layer.

16. The patch of claim 10, wherein each first surface comprises an adhesive and each second surface comprises a non-adhesive substrate.

17. A method comprising:

performing, with at least one sensor and an integrated circuit of a lowest one of a plurality of first layers formed into a stack, a monitoring function, wherein each first layer comprises a first surface and a second surface, and a second surface of a lower first layer in the stack is removably adhered to a first surface of an upper first layer in the stack; and

upon removal of the lowest one of the plurality of the first layers from the stack, performing, with at least one sensor and an integrated circuit of a next first layer, the same monitoring function that the lowest one first layer performed prior to removal, where each first layer comprises a same at least one sensor and integrated circuit as each other first layer in the stack.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the monitoring function comprises monitoring one or more of movement, breathing, and biological fluids of a wearer.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising passing, from the lowest one of the first layers or the next first layer, data generated by performing the monitoring function to electronics on the second layer.