RELEASABLE LINER FOR SENSOR DEVICE

• US 20130018250A1
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verathon Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verathon Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Caprio, Matthew, Clay, Andrew, Ladwig, Jeffrey William
• Granted Patent: US 8,897,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/392
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6832 using adhesives A61B5/259 takes precedence

Abstract

A releasable liner for a sensor device having adhesive and conductive gel portions includes a flexible sheet having a free end and a fixed end, and a portion of the flexible sheet that is releasably attached to the sensor device, wherein the flexible sheet is folded upon itself so that the fixed end is generally adjacent the free end. Exerting a pulling force on the free end releases the liner in a controlled manner to uncover the adhesive and conductive gel portions of the sensor device.

Claims

1. A releasable liner for a sensor device having a plurality of electrodes, the releasable liner comprising:

a first strip portion configured to overlay and adhere to at least one of the plurality of electrodes, the first strip portion having a fixed end attached to the sensor device; and

a second strip portion extending approximately parallel to the first strip portion and positioned adjacent thereto, the second strip portion having a free end movable relative to the fixed end of the first strip portion, the second strip portion coupled to the first strip portion such that a pulling force applied to the free end causes the first strip portion to separate from at least one of the plurality of electrodes.

2. The releasable liner of claim 1, further comprising:

a first surface of the first strip portion and the second strip portion positioned between the fixed end and free end having a first section and a second section that face each other when the flexible sheet is folded upon itself

3. The releasable liner of claim 2, wherein the first surface has a low coefficient of friction and the first and second sections are in slidable contact with each other.

4. The releasable liner of claim 1, wherein the free end is slidably attached to the sensor device

5. The releasable liner of claim 1, wherein the fixed end is releasably attached to the sensor device.

6. The releasable liner of claim 1, further comprising:

a second surface of the first strip portion and the second strip portion positioned between the free and fixed ends having a first section and a second section that face away from each other when the flexible sheet is folded upon itself.

7. The releasable liner of claim 6, wherein the second surface has a low adhesion characteristic for releasable engagement with at least one of the plurality of electrodes.

8. A sensor device for a human patient, the sensor device comprising, a patient-facing surface with at least a portion of the patient-facing surface having an adhesive member that is removably attachable to the patient'"'"'s body;

a protective liner folded upon itself and releasably affixed to the patient-facing surface of the sensor device; and

, wherein the sensor device is attachable to the patient once the protective liner is at least partially released from the sensor device.

9. A method for placing a sensor device in contact with a patient'"'"'s anatomy, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning the sensor device on the patient in a desired position; and

;

releasing a protective sheet between the patent and a portion of the sensor device such that the releasing step exposes the sensor device to the patient'"'"'s anatomy.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein releasing the protective sheet includes pulling on an end of the sheet in a direction in which the pulling force is generally coplanar with the portion of the sheet between the patient and the sensor device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein pulling on the end of the sheet includes pulling a free end of the sheet in a direction away from a fixed end of the sheet;

causing the sheet to loop back upon itself as it releases from the sensor device.