REMANUFACTURED MEDICAL SENSOR WITH FLEXIBLE FARADAY SHIELD

• US 20140228659A1
• Filed: 04/22/2014
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Besko, David P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,610,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/324
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/182 Electrical shielding, e.g. using a Faraday cage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/268 Release layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/202 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/212 Electromagnetic interference shielding
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2535/00 Medical equipment, e.g. bandage, prostheses, catheter medical patches B32B2556/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/02 characterised by a sequence of laminating steps, e.g. by adding new layers at consecutive laminating stations
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/04 Punching, slitting or perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/145 Printing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor

Abstract

Present embodiments include a remanufactured bandage-type medical sensor having an optical assembly with an emitter adapted to transmit one or more wavelengths of light and a photodetector adapted to receive the one or more wavelengths of light transmitted by the emitter. The sensor also includes a laminate assembly having an electrically conductive adhesive transfer tape (ECATT) layer disposed over the photodetector, and the ECATT layer is adapted to shield the photodetector from electromagnetic interference (EMI). A nonconductive layer supports the emitter, the photodetector, and the ECATT layer within the sensor. At least a portion of the optical assembly is from a used bandage-type medical sensor, and at least a portion of the laminate assembly is new.

Claims

1. A method of remanufacturing a used bandage-type medical sensor, comprising:

obtaining the used bandage-type medical sensor, the used bandage-type medical sensor comprising an electrically conductive adhesive transfer tape (ECATT) layer adapted to shield a detector of the used bandage-type medical sensor from EMI; and

replacing a used patient-contacting adhesive bandage layer of the used bandage-type medical sensor with a new patient-contacting adhesive bandage layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing the used patient-contacting adhesive bandage layer of the used bandage-type medical sensor with the new patient-contacting adhesive bandage layer comprises:

removing the used patient-contacting adhesive bandage layer from a first side of a sensor body of the used bandage-type medical sensor; and

securing the new patient-contacting adhesive bandage layer to the first side of the sensor body.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising securing a new additional patient-contacting adhesive layer to a second side of the sensor body, or to a used additional patient-contacting adhesive layer disposed on the second side of the sensor body, such that the used additional patient-contacting adhesive layer is completely covered by the new additional patient-contacting adhesive layer.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising replacing at least a portion of a used nonconductive support layer of the used bandage medical sensor with a new nonconductive support layer, and wherein replacing the used patient-contacting adhesive bandage layer of the used bandage medical sensor with the new patient-contacting adhesive bandage layer comprises securing the new patient-contacting adhesive bandage layer to the new nonconductive support layer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein replacing at least the portion of the used nonconductive support layer comprises removing at least a portion of the used nonconductive support layer such that the detector remains shielded by the ECATT layer.

6. The method of claim 4, comprising replacing the ECATT layer with a metallic EMI shield, or with a drain wire positioned proximate the detector.

7. A remanufactured bandage-type medical sensor, wherein the remanufactured bandage-type medical sensor is formed by a process comprising:

surrounding a detector of a used medical sensor with an electrically conductive adhesive transfer tape (ECATT) layer to shield the detector from electromagnetic interference (EMI);

securing the ECATT layer to a nonconductive support layer; and

disposing the nonconductive support layer around the detector.

8. The remanufactured bandage-type medical sensor of claim 7, wherein the process comprises securing the detector directly to a nonconductive adhesive layer to electrically insulate the detector from the ECATT layer.

9. The remanufactured bandage-type medical sensor of claim 7, wherein the ECATT layer and the nonconductive support layer are new.

10. The remanufactured bandage-type medical sensor of claim 7, wherein the process comprises:

providing a nonconductive adhesive layer, the ECATT layer, the nonconductive support layer, and at least one patient-contacting adhesive layer in a laminate assembly;

positioning an emitter configured to emit light detectable by the detector, the detector, and a portion of a cable connected to the detector against the laminate assembly such that the detector and exposed conductors connecting the cable to the detector are disposed over the ECATT layer; and

folding the laminate assembly over the emitter, the detector, and the portion of the cable.

11. The remanufactured bandage-type medical sensor of claim 7, wherein the process comprises securing a cable termination of a cable attached to the detector to the ECATT layer.

12. The remanufactured bandage-type medical sensor of claim 7, wherein the process comprises attaching a cable to the detector, the cable comprising a conductive jacketing having a conductive filler disposed within a polymer matrix, and wherein the conductive jacketing is configured to shield a conductor of the cable from EMI.

13. The remanufactured bandage-type medical sensor of claim 7, comprising one or more patient-contacting adhesive layers secured to the nonconductive support layer.

14. The remanufactured bandage-type medical sensor of claim 7, wherein the one or more new patient-contacting adhesive layers are secured to a used patient-contacting adhesive layer such that the used patient-contacting adhesive layer is completely covered by the one or more new patient-contacting adhesive layers.

15. A pulse oximetry sensor, comprising:

an optical assembly having an emitter configured to transmit one or more wavelengths of light and a photodetector configured to receive the one or more wavelengths of light transmitted by the emitter; and

an electrically conductive adhesive transfer tape (ECATT) layer disposed over the photodetector, wherein the ECATT layer is adapted to act as a Faraday shield for the photodetector, and the ECATT layer comprises a tape layer having a pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed on opposite sides and a conductive filler disposed in the adhesive.

16. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 15, wherein the ECATT layer fully covers the photodetector, is transparent with respect to the wavelengths of light emitted by the emitter and detected by the detector, and does not comprise an optical window.

17. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 15, comprising a sensor cable electrically coupled to the photodetector and the emitter, the sensor cable being configured to transmit signals between the pulse oximetry sensor and a pulse oximetry monitor, wherein the sensor cable comprises a drain wire that is terminated with the ECATT layer, and wherein the ECATT layer is isotropically conductive so as to form a 360°

termination for the drain wire.

18. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 15, wherein the pulse oximetry sensor is a bandage-type sensor comprising a nonconductive support layer to which the ECATT layer is laminated.

19. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 18, comprising a nonconductive layer positioned between the photodetector and the ECATT layer to electrically isolate the photodetector and the ECATT layer.

20. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 19, comprising a sensor body surrounding the optical assembly, wherein the sensor body consists of a plurality of laminated layers comprising the ECATT layer, the nonconductive layer, and the nonconductive support layer, and that the emitter and photodetector are only mechanically coupled via the sensor body.