DEVICE FOR MEASURING A PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETER OF A USER

• US 20150282712A1
• Filed: 12/11/2013
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Presura, Cristian Nicolae, Lijten, Gerardus Franciscus Cornelis Maria, Van Engen, Pieter Geert, Schipper, Alphonsus Tarcisius Jozef Maria, Geenen, Koen
• Granted Patent: US 10,856,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02444 Details of sensor A61B5/02427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/72 Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes character recognition, recognising digital ink, document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00; recognition or understanding of postal images G06V30/424
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49171 with encapsulating

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for measuring a physiological parameter of a user carrying said device. The device comprises a sensor (22) comprising at least two sensor elements (221, 222, 223) for detecting a sensor signal and a carrier (26) carrying said sensor, wherein electrical contacts (34) of said sensor elements lead on, into or through said carrier. One or more frames (41, 42, 43) carried by said carrier are formed around said sensor and/or said individual sensor elements, and an insulator material (32) is filled between said one or more frames and the sensor and/or the sensor elements surrounded by the respective frame without covering the top surface of the respective sensor element facing away from the carrier.

Claims

1. Device for measuring a physiological parameter of a user carrying said device, said device comprising:

an optical sensor comprising at least one light emitting element for emitting light to the user'"'"'s skin and at least one light receiving element, in particular a photo detector, for receiving light reflected from the user'"'"'s skin,

a carrier carrying said sensor, wherein electrical contacts of said sensor elements lead on, into or through said carrier,

one or more frames carried by said carrier and formed around said optical sensor and/or said light emitting and receiving elements,

a insulator material filled between said one or more frames and the optical sensor and/or the light emitting and receiving elements surrounded by the respective frame without covering the top surface of the respective sensor element facing away from the carrier, characterized in that said at least one light emitting element is surrounded by an emitter frame having a height from the carrier that is smaller than or equal to the distance between the carrier and the top surface of the respective light emitting element surrounded by said emitter frame.

3. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one light receiving element, is surrounded by a separate receiver frame having a height from the carrier that is larger than the distance between the carrier and the top surface of the respective light receiving element surrounded by said receiver frame.

4. Device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the height difference between the top edge of the receiver frame and the top surface of the respective light receiving element surrounded by said receiver frame is in the range from 0 mm to 0.5 mm, in particular in the range from 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm.

6. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the height difference between the top edge of the emitter frame and the top surface of the respective light emitting element surrounded by said emitter frame is in the range from 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm, in particular in the range from 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm.

7. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance between the carrier and the top surface of said least one light emitting element is equal to or smaller than the distance between the carrier and the top surface of said least one light receiving element.

8. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor is an electrical sensor comprising two skin conductance electrodes for contacting the user'"'"'s skin and measuring conductivity the user'"'"'s skin.

9. Device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising additional components, in particular a processor for processing said sensor signal.

10. Device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said additional components are arranged on said carrier on a different surface than said sensor.

11. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said insulator material is epoxy resin.

12. Device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fixation element for fixing the device to the user'"'"'s skin.

13. Device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said fixation element is a wristband, an adhesive strip, a band aid or a strap.

14. Method of manufacturing a device for measuring a physiological parameter as claimed in claim 1, said method comprising:

arranging an optical sensor comprising at least one light emitting element for emitting light to the user'"'"'s skin and at least one light receiving element, in particular a photo detector, for receiving light reflected from the user'"'"'s skin,

forming electrical contacts of said sensor elements on, into or through said carrier,

forming one or more frames on said carrier around said optical sensor and/or said light emitting and receiving elements,

filling insulator material between said one or more frames and the optical sensor and/or the light emitting and receiving elements surrounded by the respective frame without covering the top surface of the respective sensor element facing away from the carrier, characterized in that the filling is performed such that at least one light emitting element is surrounded by an emitter frame having a height from the carrier that is smaller than or equal to the distance between the carrier and the top surface of the respective light emitting element surrounded by said emitter frame.

16. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is a light emitting device LED.

17. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light receiving element is a photo-detector.

2. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

15. (canceled)