METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A TRACING TO AN EXPANDABLE DEVICE

• US 20190320983A1
• Filed: 03/30/2019
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ECOM Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ECOM Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Lowery, Guy Russell
• Granted Patent: US 10,993,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00044 Sensing electrocardiography, i.e. ECG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0209 Special features of electrodes classified in A61B5/24, A61B5/25, A61B5/283, A61B5/291, A61B5/296, A61B5/053
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/125 characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02444 Details of sensor A61B5/02427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/285 Endotracheal, oesophageal or gastric probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6819 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6858 with a distal basket, e.g. expandable basket
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0434 Cuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/044 External cuff pressure control or supply, e.g. synchronisation with respiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0443 Special cuff-wall materials A61M16/0481, A61M16/0422 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0461 Nasoendotracheal tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0233 Conductive materials, e.g. antistatic coatings for spark prevention
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/14 using spraying techniques to apply the conductive material , e.g. vapour evaporation

Abstract

A system for obtaining signals related to electrical activity of the heart of a subject includes a sensing device including an elongate member having a distal end configured for placement within a body lumen of a subject, and a proximal end configured to extend from the subject, an actuation portion carried by the elongate member and configured for placement within the body lumen, the actuation portion having a low-profile state for delivery within the body lumen and an expanded state, and one or more sensors disposed on the actuation portion, each including a contact surface configured to contact an interior wall of the body lumen, wherein the actuation portion is configured to cause the contact surface of each of the one or more sensors to contact a location on the interior wall of the body lumen to provide a signal component for producing one or more electrocardiogram signals.

Claims

1-5. -5. (canceled)

6. A method for applying a conductive tracing to an inflatable device, the method comprising:

placing an inflatable device within a masking fixture having a cavity extending longitudinally therein and a wall, the inflatable device comprising an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and an inflatable portion carried by the distal end of the elongate shaft, the masking fixture including two or more longitudinally extending openings through the wall and into the cavity such that the inflatable device placed within the cavity is partially covered by the wall and partially uncovered by the two or more openings, wherein each of the two or more openings are separated from each other;

applying a conductive material to an uncovered portion of the inflatable device at a first and second of the two or more openings; and

when the conductive material is in a condition that will not significantly change upon removal of the inflatable device from the masking fixture, removing the inflatable device from the masking fixture, such that the inflatable device includes separate first and second conductive traces formed thereon, wherein each of the first and second conductive traces is located at a different rotational orientation than the other of the first and second conductive traces.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the masking fixture comprises a first portion and a second portion, configured to engage with each other to form the cavity.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the two or more openings each comprise an electrode portion and a conductor portion.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the electrode portion is configured to be placed adjacent the inflatable portion of the inflatable device and wherein the conductor portion is configured to be placed adjacent the elongate shaft of the inflatable device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising inflating the inflatable portion of the inflatable device to a desired pressure.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein each electrode portion of the two or more openings is between about 25 mm² and about 400 mm² in dimension.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein each electrode portion of the two or more openings is between about 100 mm² and about 225 mm² in dimension.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein each conductor portion of the two or more openings has a transverse width of between about 0.25 mm and about 5 mm.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein each conductor portion of the two or more openings has a transverse width of between about 1 mm and 3 mm.

15. The method of claim 6, further comprising applying a dielectric material to at least a portion of the first and second conductive traces, after the applying a conductive material step.

16. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of altering the surface of the portion of the inflatable device prior to the applying a conductive material step.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of altering the surface comprises at least one of the methods in the list consisting of cleaning, drying, abrading, etching, treating with plasma discharge, treating with corona discharge, or bead blasting.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein the applying a conductive material step comprises applying a conductive ink comprising silver.

19. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of subjecting the conductive material to UV or visible light radiation after the applying a conductive material step.

20. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of subjecting the conductive material to an elevated temperature after the applying a conductive material step.

21. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of rotationally indexing the masking fixture.

22. The method of claim 6, wherein the applying a conductive material step comprises using a programmable machine.

23. The method of claim 6, wherein the inflatable device is selected from the list consisting of an endo-tracheal tube, a nasogastric tube, and a laryngeal mask.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the inflatable device is configured to obtain signals related to the functioning of the heart of a subject.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the inflatable device is configured to obtain signals related to the electrical activity of the heart of the subject.