BODY ADHERENT PATCH WITH ELECTRONICS FOR PHYSIOLOGIC MONITORING

• US 20110144470A1
• Filed: 12/02/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Monitoring, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Corventis
• Inventors: Swaminathan, Senthil, Engel, Jonathan, Mazar, Scott T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,451,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/391
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/257 using adhesive means, e.g. adhesive pads or tapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/335 using integrated circuit memory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

In one configuration, an adherent device to adhere to a skin of a subject includes a stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating on the lower side to adhere the base layer to the skin of the subject. The base layer has at least two openings extending therethrough, each of the at least two openings having a size. The adherent device also includes a stretchable covering layer positioned above and adhered to the base layer with an adhesive to define at least two pockets. The adherent device also includes at least two gels, each gel having a size larger than the size of openings to retain the gel substantially within the pocket, and a circuit carrier supported with the stretchable base layer to measure at least one physiologic signal of the subject. Other configurations and methods are also claimed.

Claims

1. An adherent device to adhere to a skin of a subject, comprising:

a stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating on the lower side to adhere the base layer to the skin of the subject, the base layer having at least two openings extending therethrough, each of the at least two openings having a size;

a stretchable covering layer positioned above and adhered to the base layer with an adhesive to define at least two pockets;

at least two gels, each gel having a size larger than the size of the at least two openings to retain said gel substantially within said pocket; and

a circuit carrier supported with the stretchable base layer to measure at least one physiologic signal of the subject.

2. An adherent device to monitor a subject having a skin, comprising:

a stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating disposed on the lower side to adhere the base layer to the skin of the subject, the base layer having at least two openings extending therethrough, each opening having a size;

a flexible circuit support having at least two electrodes disposed thereon, each electrode positioned with a respective one of the at least two openings to couple to the skin of the subject;

at least two gels positioned with the at least two openings in the base layer, each gel having a size larger than the size of said each opening;

a stretchable covering layer positioned above the at least two gels and adhered to the base layer, such that each gel is constrained substantially within a corresponding pocket disposed between the base layer and the covering layer; and

a circuit carrier holding electronic components electrically connected to the at least one electrode with the flexible circuit support to measure at least one physiologic signal of the subject.

3. The adherent device of claim 2 wherein each of the gels and each of the pockets is sized larger than a corresponding opening of the stretchable base layer to retain said gel in said pocket when the stretchable base layer is adhered to the skin of the subject.

4. The adherent device of claim 2 wherein the stretchable base layer comprises a thin, flexible, stretchable base layer to stretch with the skin of the subject and conform to folds of the skin of the subject, and wherein the stretchable covering layer comprises a thin, flexible, stretchable covering layer to stretch with the skin of the subject and conform to folds of the skin of the subject.

6. The adherent device of claim 2, further comprising a thin, flexible, stretchable overlayer disposed above and adhered to the covering layer.

14. The adherent device of claim 2, wherein the flexible circuit is configured to be stretchable, and wherein the flexible circuit is formed of a substantially non-stretchable material, and is geometrically configured to be stretchable.

18. The adherent device of claim 2, wherein the flexible circuit is disposed between the base layer and the covering layer.

5. (canceled)

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22. An adherent device, comprising:

a thin, flexible, stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating on the lower side;

at least one electrode affixed to the base layer and capable of electrically coupling to the skin of a subject;

a flexible circuit connected to the at least one electrode;

a circuit carrier holding electronic components electrically connected to the at least one electrode via the flexible circuit and configured to measure at least one physiologic signal of the subject; and

a stiffening structure disposed over and coupled to a perimeter of the base layer and configured to stiffen the perimeter edge of the base layer.

25. The adherent device of claim 22, further comprising a thin, flexible, stretchable overlayer disposed above and adhered to the base layer, the stiffening structure disposed over and coupled to a common perimeter of the base layer and overlayer and configured to stiffen the perimeter edge of the base layer and overlayer.

26. The adherent device of claim 22, further comprising gel patch under each electrode, wherein each gel patch enhances electrical conductivity between its respective electrode and the skin of the subject.

27. The adherent device of claim 22, wherein the flexible circuit is configured to be stretchable.

30. The adherent device of claim 22, wherein the lower side of the base layer is configured to adhere to the skin of a subject.

31. The adherent device of claim 22, further comprising a thin, flexible, stretchable underlayer adhered to the lower side of the base layer, the underlayer configured to adhere to the skin of the subject.

34. The adherent device of claim 31, further comprising gel patch under each electrode, wherein each gel patch enhances electrical conductivity between its respective electrode and the skin of the subject, and wherein a perimeter of each gel patch is sandwiched between the base layer and the underlayer.

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37. An adherent device, comprising:

a thin, flexible, stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating on the lower side;

at least one electrode affixed to the base layer and capable of electrically coupling to the skin of a subject;

a flexible circuit connected to the at least one electrode, the flexible circuit configured to stretch; and

a circuit carrier holding electronic components electrically connected to the at least one electrode via the flexible circuit and configured to measure at least one physiologic signal of the subject.

38. The adherent device of claim 37, wherein the flexible circuit is formed of a substantially non-stretchable material, and is geometrically configured to be stretchable.

42. The adherent device of claim 37, further comprising gel patch under each electrode, wherein each gel patch enhances electrical conductivity between its respective electrode and the skin of the subject.

43. The adherent device of claim 37, wherein the base layer is configured to adhere to the skin of the subject, the adherent device further comprising a thin, flexible, stretchable overlayer disposed above and adhered to the base layer.

44. The adherent device of claim 37, further comprising a thin, flexible, stretchable underlayer disposed below and adhered to the base layer, the underlayer configured to adhere to the skin of the subject.

39. (canceled)

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47. An adherent device to monitor a subject having a skin, comprising:

a stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating on the lower side to adhere the base layer to the skin of a subject, the base layer having at least two openings extending therethrough, each of the at least two openings having a size;

a stretchable covering layer positioned above and adhered to the base layer with an adhesive to define at least two pockets;

a flexible circuit support comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the support adhered between the stretchable base layer and the stretchable covering layer, the second portion extending from the first portion;

at least two electrodes disposed on the first portion of the flex circuit support;

at least two gels, wherein each gel and each electrode are positioned within a corresponding pocket, each gel having a size larger than the size of the respective opening to retain said gel substantially within said pocket between the base layer and the covering layer; and

a circuit carrier supported with the stretchable base layer, the circuit carrier holding electronic components electrically connected to the at least two electrodes with the second portion of the flexible circuit support to relieve strain when the stretchable base layer stretches with the skin of the subject, the electronic components configured to measure at least one physiologic signal of the subject.

48. A method of manufacturing an adherent device to adhere to a skin of a subject, comprising:

providing a stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating on the lower side to adhere the base layer to the skin of a subject, the base layer having at least two openings extending therethrough, each of the at least two openings having a size;

providing a flexible circuit support, the flexible circuit support having at least two electrodes and traces of electrically conductive material disposed thereon;

providing at least two gels; and

providing a stretchable covering layer;

positioning the flexible circuit support and at least two gels between the stretchable base layer and the stretchable covering layer;

adhering the stretchable base layer to the stretchable covering layer to form at least two pockets, wherein each pocket has one of the at least two gels and one of the electrodes disposed therein;

coupling a circuit carrier to the at least two electrodes with the flexible circuit support.

49. A method of monitoring a patient having a skin, the method comprising:

adhering a stretchable base layer affixed to a stretchable covering layer to the skin of the patient, wherein the stretchable base layer and the stretchable covering layer define a plurality of pockets with gels and electrodes disposed therein and wherein the electrodes are coupled to the skin with the gels disposed in the pockets; and

measuring signals from the electrodes to monitor the patient.

50. An adherent device to adhere to a skin of a subject, comprising:

means for adhering to a skin of a subject; and

a circuit carrier means coupled to the means for adhering to measure at least one physiologic signal of the subject.