Dormant to active appurtenances for reporting information regarding wound dressings
First Claim
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1. An appurtenance to a wound dressing, comprising:
- a substrate configured to attach to a wound dressing;
a fluid-activated voltaic cell attached to the substrate, the fluid-activated voltaic cell including a chamber within an internal region and an anode and a cathode within the chamber, the fluid-activated voltaic cell including at least one aperture positioned to allow a fluid from the wound dressing into the chamber, the fluid-activated voltaic cell being configured to generate electrical power from interaction of the fluid with the anode and the cathode;
a transmission unit attached to a surface of the substrate, the transmission unit including circuitry and at least one antenna, the transmission unit configured to transmit a signal in response to electrical power from the fluid-activated voltaic cell; and
a projection operably attached to the aperture in the fluid-activated voltaic cell, the projection of a size and shape to extend into an interior region of the wound dressing and configured to sample a fluid within the interior region of the wound dressing.
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Abstract
Appurtenances to wound dressings can include: a substrate configured to attach to a wound dressing; a fluid-activated voltaic cell attached to the substrate; a transmission unit attached to a surface of the substrate, the transmission unit including circuitry and at least one antenna, the transmission unit configured to transmit a signal in response to current generated by the fluid-activated voltaic cell; and a projection operably attached to the fluid-activated voltaic cell, the projection of a size and shape to extend into an interior region of the wound dressing and configured to sample a fluid within the interior region of the wound dressing.
75 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An appurtenance to a wound dressing, comprising:
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a substrate configured to attach to a wound dressing; a fluid-activated voltaic cell attached to the substrate, the fluid-activated voltaic cell including a chamber within an internal region and an anode and a cathode within the chamber, the fluid-activated voltaic cell including at least one aperture positioned to allow a fluid from the wound dressing into the chamber, the fluid-activated voltaic cell being configured to generate electrical power from interaction of the fluid with the anode and the cathode; a transmission unit attached to a surface of the substrate, the transmission unit including circuitry and at least one antenna, the transmission unit configured to transmit a signal in response to electrical power from the fluid-activated voltaic cell; and a projection operably attached to the aperture in the fluid-activated voltaic cell, the projection of a size and shape to extend into an interior region of the wound dressing and configured to sample a fluid within the interior region of the wound dressing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An appurtenance to a wound dressing, comprising:
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an enclosure of a height and width to fit substantially within an interior region of a wound dressing, the enclosure including at least one aperture configured to allow a fluid to flow from the interior region of the wound dressing into the enclosure; a fluid-activated voltaic cell attached to one or more of the at least one aperture, the fluid-activated voltaic cell including a chamber within an internal region and an anode and a cathode within the chamber, the fluid-activated voltaic cell including at least one aperture positioned to allow a fluid from the wound dressing into the chamber, the fluid-activated voltaic cell being configured to generate electrical power from interaction of the fluid with the anode and the cathode; and a transmission unit attached to an internal surface of the enclosure, the transmission unit including circuitry and at least one antenna, the transmission unit configured to transmit a signal in response to electrical power from the fluid-activated voltaic cell. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An appurtenance to a wound dressing, comprising:
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an appurtenance configured to attach to a wound dressing, the appurtenance including a conduit configured to allow a fluid to flow from an interior region of the wound dressing into the appurtenance; a fluid-activated voltaic cell including an internal chamber, the internal chamber attached to the conduit and including at least one aperture positioned to allow the fluid into the internal chamber, the internal chamber including an anode and a cathode configured to generate electrical power from interaction of the fluid with the anode and the cathode; and a radio frequency identification (RFID) unit attached to the fluid-activated voltaic cell and configured to operate in response to the electrical power generated by the fluid-activated voltaic cell. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of monitoring a wound, the method comprising:
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conveying fluid from an interior region of a wound dressing to an appurtenance of the wound dressing, the appurtenance including; a substrate configured to attach to a wound dressing; and a fluid-activated voltaic cell attached to the substrate, the fluid-activated voltaic cell including a chamber within an internal region and an anode and a cathode within the chamber, the fluid-activated voltaic cell including at least one aperture positioned to allow a fluid from the wound dressing into the chamber, the fluid-activated voltaic cell being configured to generate electrical power from interaction of the fluid with the anode and the cathode; placing the fluid adjacent to a first electrode and a second electrode of a fluid-activated voltaic cell integral to the appurtenance; and utilizing electrical power received from the fluid-activated voltaic cell directly to send a wireless signal beyond the appurtenance.
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33. A method of monitoring a wound, the method comprising:
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conveying fluid from an interior region of a wound dressing to an appurtenance of the wound dressing, the appurtenance including; a fluid-activated voltaic cell including a chamber within an internal region and an anode and a cathode within the chamber, the fluid-activated voltaic cell including at least one aperture positioned to allow a fluid from the wound dressing into the chamber, the fluid-activated voltaic cell being configured to generate electrical power from interaction of the fluid with the anode and the cathode; placing the fluid adjacent to the anode and the cathode the fluid-activated voltaic cell integral to the appurtenance; and utilizing electrical power received from the fluid-activated voltaic cell directly to send a wireless signal beyond the appurtenance.
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Specification