Temperature patch

• US 8,079,756 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Quinn, David E., Martin, Scott A., Lane, John A., Corcoran, Clare L., Meyerson, Craig M.
• Primary Examiner(s): VERBITSKY, GAIL KAPLAN
• Application Number:
  US12/942,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20110051774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 600/549, 600/474, 116/200, 116/216, 340/870.17, 702/136, 702/139, 250/338.1
• US Class Current: 374/121
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 17/002 for detecting period of heat of animals, i.e. for detecting oestrus for humans A61B10/0012
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0022 for sensing the radiation of moving bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0893 Arrangements to attach devices to a pyrometer, i.e. attaching an optical interface; Spatial relative arrangement of optical elements, e.g. folded beam path G01J5/049 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/18 for reducing thermal inertia
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/25 Protective devices therefor, e.g. sleeves preventing contamination

Abstract

A patch may be adapted for placement proximate to a surface region of a mammal. The patch may include an infrared target for receiving thermal energy from the surface region and for emitting infrared radiation according to a substantially known emissivity property. When the target is placed proximate to the surface region, the characteristics of infrared radiation emitted by the target substantially correspond to the temperature of the surface region. The patch may have means for selectively maintaining the target in a position proximate to a surface region of a mammal. The patch may include indicia uniquely associated with the patch.

Claims

1. A temperature patch comprising:

a supporting portion;

an infrared target disposed within said supporting portion for receiving thermal energy from a skin surface region of a mammal and for emitting infrared radiation according to a known emissivity property, when the target is placed onto the skin surface region, in which the characteristics of infrared radiation emitted by the target substantially correspond to the temperature of the surface region;

an insulator disposed upon said supporting portion and radially coextensive with an outer edge of said infrared target;

means for selectively maintaining the target in a position on said supporting portion, enabling said target to be sufficiently proximate to the skin surface region to enable thermal energy therefrom to be received; and

indicia fixedly disposed on said temperature patch, said indicia identifying at least one of said temperature patch and said mammal.

2. The patch according to claim 1 wherein the indicia is one of visible and invisible to a human eye.

3. The patch according to claim 1 wherein the indicia is selected from the group consisting of a bar code or other pattern recognized by at least one of a machine, an RFID device, a photodiode, a magnetic medium, and physical deformation of a portion of the patch.

4. The patch according to claim 1 wherein the patch includes a bio-reactive agent having a characteristic that is detectively altered in the presence of a pre-selected bio-chemical property of the skin surface region.

5. The patch according to claim 4 wherein the property is essentially the pH value of the surface region.

6. The patch according to claim 4 wherein the bio-reactive agent characteristic is configured to be altered in a manner detectable through spectroscopy.

7. The patch according to claim 1 further including indicia uniquely associated with a particular location on the mammal where the patch is to be placed.

8. The patch according to claim 1 wherein the target is flexible so as to permit the patch to adapt and conform to the contour of the surface region.

9. The patch according to claim 1 wherein the target and the maintaining means are disposable and are fashioned of essentially biodegradable materials.

10. The patch according to claim 1, wherein said insulator is a ring-shaped member forming an annular space between the emission side of said infrared target and said insulator, said patch further including an infrared transparent film disposed onto said insulator forming an emission window.

11. A temperature patch comprising:

a supporting portion;

an infrared target disposed within said supporting portion for receiving thermal energy from the surface region and for outwardly emitting infrared radiation according to a known emissivity property when the target is placed onto a skin surface region of a mammal, in which the characteristics of infrared radiation emitted by the target substantially correspond to the temperature of the skin surface region;

an insulator disposed on said supporting portion and radially coextensive with an outer edge of said infrared target; and

indicia fixedly disposed on said temperature patch, said indicia identifying at least one of said patch and said mammal.

12. The patch according to claim 11 wherein the indicia is one of visible and invisible to a human eye.

13. The patch according to claim 11 wherein the indicia is selected from the group consisting of a bar code or other pattern adapted to be recognized by at least one of a machine, an RFID device, a photodiode, a magnetic medium, and physical deformation of a portion of the patch.

14. The patch according to claim 11 wherein the patch includes a bio-reactive agent having a characteristic that is configured to be detectively altered in the presence of a pre-selected bio-chemical property of the skin surface region.

15. The patch according to claim 14 wherein the property is essentially the pH value of the surface region.

16. The patch according claim 14 wherein the bio-reactive agent characteristic is altered in a manner detectable through spectroscopy.

17. The patch according to claim 11 further including indicia uniquely associated with a particular location on the mammal where the patch is to be placed.

18. The patch according to claim 11 wherein the target is flexible, enabling so as to permit the patch to adapt and conform to the contour of the skin surface region.

19. The patch according to claim 11 wherein the target is adapted to be disposable and fashioned of a essentially biodegradable material.

20. The patch according to claim 11, wherein said insulator is a ring-shaped member forming an annular space between an emission side of said infrared target and said insulator, said patch further including an infrared transparent film disposed onto said insulator forming an emission window.