Fluorescent Marker for Detecting Gel or Lack of Gel

• US 20100075532A1
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Riordan, John, Govindarajulu, Sriram, Copp-Howland, Warren
• Application Number:
  US12/237,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20100075532A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/488
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/06 containing organic luminescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/58 using luminescence generated by light
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/255 Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/59 Transmissivity G01N21/25 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 3/08 for making connection to a liquid slip rings with liquid contacts H01R39/30, H01R39/646
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49764 with testing or indicating

Abstract

A conductive composition having a transparent and colorless appearance under normal or ambient lighting and at least a dyed, translucent or fluorescent appearance under artificial lighting is provided. The composition includes a photo-reactive quantity of a dye-marker.

Claims

1. A conductive composition having a transparent or colorless appearance under normal or ambient lighting and at least a dyed, translucent, or fluorescent appearance under artificial lighting, the conductive composition comprising:

a photo-reactive quantity of a dye-marker, wherein the conductive composition has a transparent and colorless appearance under normal or ambient lighting and at least a dyed, translucent, or fluorescent appearance under artificial lighting.

2. The conductive composition according to claim 1, wherein the dye-marker is a fluorochrome.

3. The conductive composition according to claim 2, wherein the fluorochrome is one of fluorescein sodium and rhodamine.

4. The conductive composition according to claim 3, wherein the fluorescein sodium has a concentration of about 1-100%.

5. The conductive composition according to claim 3, wherein the conductive composition includes 1-1000 ppm of flourescein sodium.

6. The conductive composition according to claim 1, wherein the conductive composition is a hydrogel.

7. The conductive composition according to claim 6, wherein the hydrogel is selectively adherable.

8. An electrode for selective attachment to the skin of a subject, the electrode comprising:

a conductive member;

a conductive composition disposed on a first side of the conductive member, wherein the conductive composition includes a photo-reactive quantity of a dye-marker; and

an electrical lead in electrical communication with the conductive member, wherein the conductive composition has a transparent and colorless appearance under normal or ambient lighting and at least a dyed, translucent or fluorescent appearance under artificial lighting.

9. The electrode according to claim 8, wherein the dye-marker is one of a fluorochrome and rhodamine.

10. The electrode according to claim 9, wherein the fluorochrome is fluorescein sodium.

11. The electrode according to claim 10, wherein the fluorescein sodium has a concentration of 1-100%.

12. The electrode according to claim 10, wherein the composition includes about 1-1000 ppm of flourescein sodium.

13. The electrode according to claim 8, wherein the conductive composition is a hydrogel.

14. The electrode according to claim 8, wherein the conductive composition is selectively adherable to the skin of a subject.

15. The electrode according to claim 8, further comprising a backing member disposed on a second side of the conductive member.

16. The electrode according to claim 8, further comprising a release liner selectively, removably adhered to a surface of the conductive composition.

17. The electrode according to claim 8, further comprising a reinforcement member supporting the conductive composition.

18. The electrode according to claim 8, further comprising at least one of silver and silver-chloride on at least a portion of at least one of the first and second sides of the conductive member.

19. The electrode according to claim 8, wherein the electrical lead is one of a pig-tail style electrical leadwire, a snap style electrical lead and a tab style electrical lead.

20. A method of manufacturing and/or inspecting an object including a quantity of a transparent and colorless conductive composition when viewed under normal or ambient lighting conditions, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an object including a conductive composition having a photo-reactive quantity of a dye-marker;

wherein the conductive composition has a transparent and colorless appearance under normal or ambient lighting and at least a dyed, translucent, or fluorescent appearance under artificial lighting; and

exciting the object with an artificial light source to cause the photo-reactive quantity of the dye-marker to irradiate, whereby the conductive composition becomes at least one of colored, translucent and fluorescent.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of observing at least the conductive composition to determine at least one of a quantity and a quality of the conductive composition present in the object.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of providing the conductive composition with a fluorochrome dye-marker.

23. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of providing the conductive composition with a dye-marker of one of fluorescein sodium and rhodamine.

24. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of providing the composition with a dye-marker of fluorescein sodium having a concentration of 1-100%.

25. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of providing the composition with a dye-marker including about 1-1000 ppm of flourescein sodium.

26. The method according to claim 20, wherein the composition is a hydrogel.

27. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of exciting the object with an artificial light source having a wavelength of about 420 nm to about 480 nm.

28. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of exciting the object with a UV light source.

29. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of placing the object in a darkened environment prior to the step of exciting the object with the artificial light source.