Flexible deep tissue temperature measurement devices

• US 20110051776A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Arizant Healthcare Inc. (3M Company)
• Inventors: Mason, Brian J., Jue, Clifford T., Silberschatz, Paul J., Bieberich, Mark T., Van Duren, Albert P., Kaplan, Jonathan I.
• Granted Patent: US 8,226,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/163
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/165 for application in zero heat flux sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

The invention pertains to flexible devices used for zero-heat-flux, deep tissue temperature measurement, especially to disposable temperature measurement devices. Such a device is constituted of a flexible substrate with a plurality of contiguous sections. An electrical circuit is disposed on a side of the substrate. The electrical circuit includes first and second thermal sensors disposed, respectively, on first and second substrate sections. A heater trace is disposed on the first substrate section with the first thermal sensor. The first and second sections are folded together to position the first and second thermal sensors therebetween, and a flexible insulator disposed between the folded-together first and second sections maintains the first and second thermal sensors in a spaced-apart relationship.

Claims

1. A temperature device, comprising:

a flexible substrate; and

,

an electrical circuit on a surface of the flexible substrate, the electrical circuit including an annular heater trace surrounding a zone of the surface, a first thermal sensor disposed in the zone, a second thermal sensor disposed outside of the annular heater trace, a plurality of electrical pads disposed outside of the annular heater trace, and a plurality of conductive traces connecting the first and second thermal sensors and the heater trace with the plurality of electrical pads.

2. The temperature device of claim 1, in which sections of the flexible substrate are folded together to place the first and second thermal sensors in proximity to one another, between the sections.

3. The temperature device of claim 2, further including a layer of flexible insulation disposed between the folded-together sections and separating the first and second thermal sensors.

4. A temperature device, comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a first thermal sensor disposed on a first section of the substrate;

a heater trace disposed on the first section with the first thermal sensor;

a second thermal sensor disposed on a second section of the substrate;

a plurality of electrical pads disposed on a third section of the substrate;

a plurality of traces on the flexible substrate connecting the first and second thermal sensors and the heater trace with the plurality of electrical pads;

the first and second sections disposed in a folded-together configuration in which the first and second thermal sensors are positioned in a spaced apart relationship; and

,

a flexible insulator disposed between the first and second thermal sensors.

5. The temperature device of claim 4, wherein the first and second thermal sensors and the heater trace are disposed on a first side of the flexible substrate, the temperature device further comprising a flexible insulator disposed on a second side of the flexible substrate, over the first section.

6. The temperature device of claim 5, further comprising a flexible stiffener disposed on the second side of the flexible substrate, substantially coextensively with the third section.

7. The temperature device of claim 6, further comprising an electrical connector alignment key on the third section.

8. The temperature device of claim 4, further comprising a pattern of slits in the first section.

9. The temperature device of claim 8, wherein the pattern of slits defines a plurality of heater zones occupied by the heater trace.

10. The temperature device of claim 9, wherein the heater zones are wedge shaped.

11. The temperature device of claim 9, wherein each heater zone is flexible independently of any other heater zone.

12. The temperature device of claim 11, further comprising a reduced width of the second section where the first and second sections are joined.

13. The temperature device of claim 4, further comprising a reduced width of the second section where the first and second sections are joined.

14. A temperature device, comprising:

a flexible substrate having first and second sides;

the flexible substrate including a circular center section, a tab contiguous with the center section and extending from the center section in a first radial direction, and a tail contiguous with the center section and extending from the center section in a second radial direction;

a first thermal sensor disposed on the first side, substantially at the center of the center section;

a heater trace disposed on the first side, in the center section, around the first thermal sensor;

a second thermal sensor disposed on the first side, in the tail;

a plurality of electrical pads disposed on the first side, in the tab;

a plurality of traces disposed on the first side and connecting the first and second thermal sensors and the heater trace with the plurality of electrical pads;

the center section and the tail folded together to position the first and second thermal sensors in a spaced-apart relationship; and

,

a layer of flexible insulation disposed between the folded-together center section and tail.

15. The temperature device of claim 14, further comprising a flexible stiffening layer attached to the second side and coextensive with the tab and a portion of the center section.

16. The temperature device of claim 15, further comprising a layer of flexible insulation coextensive with the center section and attached to the second side and a portion of the stiffening layer.

17. The temperature device of claim 14, further comprising an electrical connector alignment key on the tab.

18. The temperature device of claim 14, further comprising a pattern of slits in the center section within which the heater trace is disposed.

19. The temperature device of claim 18, wherein the pattern of slits and the heater trace define a multi-zone heater.

20. The temperature device of claim 19, wherein the multi-zone heater includes a plurality of wedge shaped zones.

21. The temperature device of claim 19, wherein each zone is flexible independently of any other zone.

22. The temperature device of claim 14, further comprising a reduced width of the tail where the tail joins the center section.

23. The temperature device of claim 14, further comprising a reduced width of the tail where the center section and tail are folded together.

24. A method of temperature device manufacture, comprising:

fabricating an electrical circuit on a first side of a flexible substrate with a center section, a tab extending from the center section, and a tail extending from the center section, the electrical circuit including a first thermal sensor disposed on the first side, in the center section, a heater trace disposed on the first side, in the center section, around the first thermal sensor, a second thermal sensor disposed on the first side, in the tail, a plurality of electrical pads disposed on the first side, in the tab, and a plurality of traces disposed on the first side and connecting the first and second thermal sensors and the heater trace with the plurality of electrical pads; and

then,

attaching a flexible heater insulating layer to the second side, over the center section;

attaching a flexible central insulating layer to the first side, over the center section;

folding the tail over the central insulating layer; and

,

attaching a layer of adhesive with a release liner to the central insulating layer, over the central insulating layer and the tail.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

forming the heater trace in a plurality of heater zones; and

forming a pattern of slits in the center section, each slit separating one heater zone from an adjacent heater zone.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising, attaching a flexible stiffening layer to the second side, coextensively with the tab and a portion of the center section, followed by attaching the flexible heater insulating layer to the second side, over the center section and a portion of the stiffening layer.