SEPARABLE MONITORING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20150238094A1
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Monitoring, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Monitoring, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: LANDRUM, Brett A., CHAVAN, Abhi, LAI, Arthur, ENGEL, Jonathan, SWAMINATHAN, Senthil, PIAGET, Thomas, WILLIAMS, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,848,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0285 Apparatus for single use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/68335 including release sheets or liners

Abstract

A patient monitoring device includes reusable and disposable portions. The disposable portion includes two or more electrodes for coupling to the skin of the patient, a battery, and a first set of electrical contacts. The reusable portion includes a processor, memory, a second set of electrical contacts, and sensing circuitry coupled to the at least two electrodes, wherein the reusable portion is mechanically coupleable to the disposable portion and wherein the reusable portion is electrically coupleable to the disposable portion through the first and second electrical contacts. The sensing circuitry and the processor are powered from the battery through the coupled first and second electrical contacts, and wherein when the reusable portion and the disposable portion are mechanically uncoupled after having been mechanically coupled, the disposable portion is rendered unusable by the process of mechanically uncoupling the reusable portion and the disposable portion.

Claims

1. A monitoring device for monitoring one or more physiological parameters of a patient, the monitoring device comprising:

a disposable portion comprising at least two electrodes for coupling to the skin of the patient, a battery, and a first set of electrical contacts; and

a reusable portion comprising a processor, memory, a second set of electrical contacts, and sensing circuitry coupled to the at least two electrodes, wherein the reusable portion is mechanically coupleable to the disposable portion and wherein the reusable portion is electrically coupleable to the disposable portion through the first and second electrical contacts;

wherein when the reusable portion and the disposable portion are electrically coupled through the first and second electrical contacts, signals from the at least two electrodes are passed to the sensing circuitry and processed by the processor;

wherein the sensing circuitry and the processor are powered from the battery through the coupled first and second electrical contacts; and

wherein when the reusable portion and the disposable portion are mechanically uncoupled after having been mechanically coupled, the disposable portion is rendered unusable by the process of mechanically uncoupling the reusable portion and the disposable portion.

2. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the reusable portion and the disposable portion are separable, and wherein the reusable portion can be used with a different disposable portion.

3. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the battery is a primary battery.

4. The monitoring device of claim 3, wherein the reusable portion comprises a real time clock and a secondary battery that powers the real time clock, and wherein when the reusable portion and the disposable portion are coupled through the first and second electrical contacts, the secondary battery is charged from the primary battery through the first and second electrical contacts.

5. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the disposable portion is rendered unusable by breaking a mechanical feature of the disposable portion.

6. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein:

the reusable portion includes a unique reusable portion identifier stored in the reusable portion and accessible to the processor; and

the disposable portion includes a unique disposable portion identifier stored in the disposable portion and accessible to the processor.

7. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the reusable portion can withstand multiple cleaning and disinfection cycles without compromising the usability of the device.

8. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein when the reusable portion and the disposable portion are coupled together, the device can withstand being splashed with water without compromising the usability of the device.

9. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the reusable portion further includes wireless communication circuitry through which information can be transmitted to an external device, and a data interface comprising a connector for transmitting data via wired connection using the connector.

10. A monitoring device for monitoring one or more physiological parameters of a patient, the monitoring device comprising:

a disposable portion comprising at least two electrodes for coupling to the skin of the patient, a battery, and a first set of electrical contacts; and

a reusable portion comprising a processor, memory, a second set of electrical contacts, and sensing circuitry coupled to the at least two electrodes, wherein the reusable portion is mechanically coupleable to the disposable portion such that when the reusable portion and the disposable portion are mechanically coupled they form a water-resistant unit, and wherein the reusable portion is electrically coupleable to the disposable portion through the first and second electrical contacts;

wherein when the reusable portion and the disposable portion are electrically coupled through the first and second electrical contacts, signals from the at least two electrodes are passed to the sensing circuitry and processed by the processor;

wherein the sensing circuitry and the processor are powered from the battery through the coupled first and second electrical contacts; and

wherein the reusable portion and the disposable portion are separable, and wherein the reusable portion can be used with a different disposable portion.

11. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein the battery is a primary battery.

12. The monitoring device of claim 11, wherein the reusable portion comprises a real time clock and a secondary battery that powers the real time clock, and wherein when the reusable portion and the disposable portion are coupled through the first and second electrical contacts, the secondary battery is charged from the primary battery through the first and second electrical contacts.

13. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein the disposable portion is rendered unusable by breaking a mechanical feature of the disposable portion.

14. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein:

the reusable portion includes a unique reusable portion identifier stored in the reusable portion and accessible to the processor; and

the disposable portion includes a unique disposable portion identifier stored in the disposable portion and accessible to the processor.

15. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein the reusable portion can withstand multiple cleaning and disinfection cycles without compromising the usability of the device.

16. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein when the reusable portion and the disposable portion are coupled together, the device can withstand being splashed with water without compromising the usability of the device.

17. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein the processor is initially programmed such that the device is configured to monitor a particular set of one or more physiological parameters, and wherein the processor can be reprogrammed such that the device is configured to monitor a different set of one or more physiological parameters.

18. A monitoring device for monitoring an electrocardiogram of the patient, the monitoring device comprising:

a disposable portion comprising a shell having a bay and a first surface for adhering to the skin of a patient, the disposable portion including at least two skin electrodes on the first surface of the shell, a battery housed within the shell, and a first set of electrical contacts within the bay and in electrical communication with the battery and the skin electrodes; and

a reusable portion releasably received and mechanically coupled within the bay of the disposable portion, the reusable portion comprising a monitoring circuit and a second set of electrical contacts in electrical communication with the monitoring circuit;

wherein the bay of the disposable portion and the reusable portion include interlocking features that releasably lock the reusable portion in the bay of the disposable portion with the second set of electrical contacts in electrical contact with the first set of electrical contacts such that the skin electrodes and battery of the disposable portion are in electrical communication with the monitoring circuit of the reusable portion, wherein the bay includes first and second ends, the first set of electrical contacts being arranged along the first end.

19. The monitoring device of claim 18, wherein the interlocking features include a breakable feature arranged along the second end.

20. The monitoring device of claim 18, wherein the shell of the disposable portion has a second surface and a frame extending into the shell from the second surface to define the bay, the first and second surfaces being formed of one or more flexible, breathable materials, the frame and reusable portion being rigid relative to the first and second surfaces of the disposable portion such that the monitoring device is adapted to conform to the skin of a patient.

21. The monitoring device of any of claim 18, wherein the first surface of the disposable portion is formed of material having a high moisture vapor transmission rate.