Constructions for zero-heat-flux, deep tissue temperature measurement devices

• US 8,292,502 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2010
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Arizant Healthcare Inc. (3M Company)
• Inventors: Bieberich, Mark T., Hansen, Gary L., Staab, Ryan J., Van Duren, Albert P., Ziaimehr, Allen H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Macchiarolo, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Courson, Tania
• Application Number:
  US12/798,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20110249701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 374163-164, 374/166, 374/208, 374/1, 374/E17.001, 374/141, 600/549
• US Class Current: 374/163
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/165 for application in zero heat flux sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals

Abstract

The invention pertains to flexible devices used for zero-heat-flux, deep tissue temperature measurement, especially to disposable temperature measurement devices. Such a device is constituted of a flexible substrate. An electrical circuit is disposed on a side of the substrate. The electrical circuit includes first and second thermal sensors disposed, respectively, on first and second substrate layers. A heater trace is disposed on the first substrate layer with the first thermal sensor. The first and second substrate layers are separated by a flexible layer of insulation disposed between the first and second substrate layers. The heater trace defines a heater with a central portion that operates with a first power density and a peripheral portion around the central portion that operates with a second power density greater than the first power density.

Claims

1. A zero-heat-flux temperature device with first and second flexible substrate layers sandwiching a layer of thermally insulating material, in which a heater trace disposed on the first substrate layer defines a heater facing one side of the layer of thermally insulating material and including a central power density portion surrounding a zone of the first substrate layer having no heater trace and a peripheral power density portion surrounding the central power density portion, a first thermal sensor is disposed in the zone, a second thermal sensor is disposed on the second substrate layer facing an opposing side of the layer of thermally insulating material, a plurality of electrical pads is disposed outside of the heater trace on a substrate surface, and a plurality of conductive traces connects the first and second thermal sensors and the heater trace with the plurality of electrical pads.

2. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 1, in which the flexible substrate includes a center section, a tab extending outwardly from the periphery of the center section, and a tail extending outwardly from the periphery of the center section, the plurality of electrical pads is disposed on the tab, and the center section and the tail are folded around the layer of thermal insulating material such that the center section constitutes the first substrate layer and the tail constitutes the second substrate layer.

3. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 2, in which the central power density portion has a first power density and the peripheral power density portion has a second power density that is greater than the first power density.

4. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 3, in which the central power density portion has an annular shape and the peripheral power density portion has an annular shape that is concentric with the central power density portion annular shape.

5. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 3, further comprising a pattern of slits in the center section extending from the periphery of the center section toward the zone, in which the heater trace includes portions flanking the slits with a power density that is greater than the first power density.

6. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 3, further comprising a bulbous enlargement at the end of the tail in which the second thermal sensor is disposed.

7. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 3, in which the heater trace includes two terminal ends and a first electrical pad of the plurality of electrical pads is connected only to a first terminal end of the heater trace and a second electrical pad of the plurality of electrical pads is connected only to the second terminal end of the heater trace.

8. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 2, in which the central power density portion includes a first heater trace portion, the peripheral power density portion includes a second heater trace portion separate from the first heater trace portion, and the heater trace further includes a common heater trace portion separate from the first and second heater trace portions and connected at a shared node to the first and second heater trace portions.

9. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 8, in which the central power density portion has an annular shape and the peripheral power density portion has an annular shape that is concentric with the central power density portion annular shape.

10. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 9, further comprising a pattern of slits in the center section extending from the periphery of the center section toward the zone, in which the second heater trace portion includes elongate portions flanking the slits.

11. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 8, in which the heater trace includes three terminal ends and a first electrical pad of the plurality of electrical pads is connected only to a first terminal end of the heater trace, a second electrical pad of the plurality of electrical pads is connected only to the second terminal end of the heater trace, and a third electrical pad of the plurality of electrical pads is connected only to the third terminal end of the heater trace.

12. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 2, in which the center section has a substantially circular shape and the tail and tab are separated by an arc of less than or equal to 180°

on the periphery of the center section.

13. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 12, in which the plurality of electrical pads includes at least four electrical pads.

14. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 13, in which the tab includes opposing notches to receive and retain retainers of a cable connector.

15. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 1, further comprising a pattern of slits in the center section extending from the periphery of the center section toward the zone in which the heater trace includes elongate portions flanking the slits.

16. A temperature device, comprising:

a flexible substrate including a first section, a tab section extending outwardly from the periphery of the first section, and a tail section extending outwardly from the periphery of the first section; and

,

an electrical circuit on a surface of the flexible substrate, the electrical circuit including a heater trace on the first section defining a central heater portion surrounding a zone of the substrate with no heater trace and a peripheral heater portion surrounding the central heater portion, a first thermal sensor disposed in the zone, a second thermal sensor disposed on the tail section, a plurality of electrical pads disposed outside of the annular heater trace, and a plurality of conductive traces connecting the first and second thermal sensors and the heater trace with the plurality of electrical pads disposed on the tab section.

17. The temperature device of claim 16, in which the central heater portion has a first power density and the peripheral heater portion has a second power density that is greater than the first power density.

18. The temperature device of claim 16, in which the central heater portion includes a first heater trace portion, the peripheral heater portion includes a second heater trace portion separate from the first trace portion, and the heater trace further includes a common heater trace portion separate from the first and second heater trace portions and connected at a shared node to the first and second heater trace portions.

19. A temperature device, comprising:

a flexible substrate; and

,

an electrical circuit on a surface of the flexible substrate, the electrical circuit including an annular heater trace surrounding a zone of the surface, a first thermal sensor disposed in the zone, a second thermal sensor disposed outside of the annular heater trace, a multi-pin electronic circuit device, a plurality of electrical pads disposed outside of the annular heater trace, and a plurality of conductive traces connecting the first and second thermal sensors, the multi-pin electronic circuit device, and the heater trace with the plurality of electrical pads;

at least one conductive trace connected to a pin of the multi-pin electronic circuit device, to a terminal of the first or the second thermal sensor, and to an electrical pad of the plurality of electrical pads.

20. The temperature device of claim 19, in which the annular heater trace includes a central heater portion having a first power density and a peripheral heater portion having a second power density that is greater than the first power density.

21. The temperature device of claim 20, in which the plurality of electrical pads includes six electrical pads.

22. The temperature device of claim 21, in which the multi-pin electronic circuit device is a programmable memory device.

23. The temperature device of claim 19, in which the annular heater trace includes a central heater portion including a first heater trace portion, a peripheral heater portion including a second heater trace portion separate from the first trace portion, and a common heater trace portion separate from the first and second heater trace portions and connected at a shared node to the first and second heater trace portions.

24. The temperature device of claim 23, in which the plurality of electrical pads includes seven electrical pads.

25. The temperature device of claim 24, in which the multi-pin electronic circuit device is a programmable memory device.

26. A temperature device including a flexible substrate, a layer of thermally insulating material, and an electrical circuit with a heater disposed on a first substrate layer and surrounding but not intruding into a zone of the first substrate layer, a first thermal sensor disposed in the zone, and a second thermal sensor disposed on a second substrate layer, in which the first and second substrate layers are separated by a flexible thermally insulating layer and the heater has a central power density portion for operating at a first power density and a peripheral power density portion surrounding the central power density portion for operating at a second power density greater than the first power density.

27. The temperature device of claim 26, in which the central power density portion has a first power density and the peripheral power density portion has a second power density that is greater than the first power density.

28. The temperature device of claim 26, in which the central power density portion and the peripheral central power density portion are separately controllable.