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

• US 8,801,282 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Bieberich, Mark T., Hansen, Gary L., Staab, Ryan J., Van Duren, Albert P., Ziaimehr, Allen H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Richard A
• Assistant Examiner(s): COURSON, TANIA C
• Application Number:
  US13/614,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20130010828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 374/1, 374/163, 374/164, 374/166, 374/208, 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 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, a plurality of connection pads is disposed outside of the heater trace, and a plurality of conductive traces connects the first and second thermal sensors and the heater trace with the plurality of connection 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 connection 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 connection pad of the plurality of connection pads is connected only to a first terminal end of the heater trace and a second connection pad of the plurality of connection 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 center section has a substantially circular shape and the tail and tab are separated by an arc of less than or equal to 1800 on the periphery of the center section.

9. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 8, in which the plurality of connection pads includes at least four connection pads.

10. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 9, in which the tab includes opposing notches.

11. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 1, 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.

12. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 11, 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.

13. The zero-heat-flux temperature device of claim 12, 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.

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

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; and

,

an electrical circuit on the flexible substrate, the electrical circuit including an annular heater trace surrounding a zone of the flexible substrate, 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 connection 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 connection pads.

17. The temperature device of claim 16, 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.

18. The temperature device of claim 17, in which the plurality of connection pads includes six connection pads.

19. The temperature device of claim 18, in which the multi-pin electronic circuit device is a programmable memory device.

20. The temperature device of claim 16, 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.

21. The temperature device of claim 20, in which the plurality of connection pads includes seven connection pads.

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