Sensor cable support device including mechanical connectors

• US 10,729,360 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2020
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DexCom Incorporated
• Original Assignee: DexCom Incorporated
• Inventors: Ko, Pey-Jiun, Lin, Arthur, Stowe, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuong Chi Thi
• Application Number:
  US16/779,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20200170550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 186 Days
• Field of Search: 700295, 700 3, 700 9, 700 10, 700 32, 455 303, 455 92, 4551511, 455352, 455419
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0462 Apparatus with built-in sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/225 Connectors or couplings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1451 for interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1473 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6847 mounted on an invasive device
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10356 Cables
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1427 Housings

Abstract

A sensor cable support device is described. The sensor cable support device can be used to implemented in wearable monitoring device to support a proximal portion of a sensor cable and electrically connect the proximal portion with a sensing circuitry. A distal portion of the sensor cable is insertable into a person'"'"'s skin. The sensor cable support device may include a rigid body defining a pair of openings, a set legs attached to the rigid body, and a pair of electrical traces extending between the pair of openings and distal ends of a pair of legs of the set of legs. The pair of openings may be sized and configured to receive a pair of pucks that mechanically retain a sensor cable to the body and electrically connect the sensor cable with the electrical traces.

Claims

1. A support device for supporting a sensor, the support device, comprising:

a rigid body defining a pair of openings, each opening sized and configured to receive a conductive elastomer, the rigid body configured to support a proximal end of the sensor and electrically couple the sensor with sensing circuitry of a monitoring device;

a set of legs connected to the rigid body;

a first electrical trace electrically coupling a first opening of the pair of openings and a distal end of a first leg of the set of legs; and

a second electrical trace electrically coupling a second opening of the pair of openings and a distal end of a second leg of the set of legs.

2. The support device of claim 1, wherein the set of legs is integral to the rigid body.

3. The support device of claim 1, wherein the pair of openings extend through the rigid body.

4. The support device of claim 1, wherein the rigid body comprises conductive plating within the pair of openings.

5. The support device of claim 1, wherein the first opening is electrically isolated from the second opening.

6. The support device of claim 1, wherein:

the rigid body and the set of legs have characteristics of having been formed from a first material using an injection molding technique; and

the first and second electrical traces have characteristics of having been formed using a laser direct structuring technique, the first and second electrical traces comprising a second material.

7. The support device of claim 1, wherein the rigid body is further configured to position distal end the sensor that is insertable into a person'"'"'s skin.

8. The support device of claim 1, wherein a groove is formed on a bottom side of the rigid body or on a top side of the rigid body that is opposite the bottom side, the groove sized and configured to accommodate the sensor.

9. The support device of claim 8, wherein the groove defines:

a first region disposed adjacent to the first opening, the first region having a first cross-sectional area and sized to accommodate a first portion of the sensor including a first wire; and

a second region disposed adjacent to the second opening, the second region having a second cross-sectional area and sized to accommodate a second portion of the sensor including a second wire, the first cross-sectional area different from the second cross-sectional area.

10. The support device of claim 1, further comprising an electrical guard structure disposed between the pair of openings.

11. The support device of claim 10, wherein the electrical guard structure comprises a third electrical trace that extends to a distal end of a third leg of the set of legs.

12. The support device of claim 10, wherein the electrical guard structure comprises a guard opening formed in the rigid body and extending through the rigid body.

13. A wearable monitoring device, comprising:

a printed circuit board disposed in a housing having an exterior surface for positioning the wearable monitoring device on a person'"'"'s skin;

sensing circuitry comprising one or more electronic components connected to the printed circuit board; and

a sensor holder system, comprising;

a body having a set of legs that extends from one side of the body, the sensor holder system physically coupled to the printed circuit board via the set of legs, the body having a pair of conductive openings formed therein, the pair of conductive openings electrically coupled to the printed circuit board;

a sensor electrically coupled to the sensing circuitry and comprising a first portion in electrical contact with a first conductive opening of the pair of conductive openings to form a first electrical connection and a second portion in electrical contact with a second conductive opening of the pair of conductive openings to form a second electrical connection; and

a pair of conductive elastomers installed in the pair of conductive openings such that a first conductive elastomer of the pair of conductive elastomers mechanically retains the first portion in electrical contact with the first conductive opening and a second conductive elastomer of the pair of conductive elastomers mechanically retains the second portion in electrical contact with the second conductive opening.

14. The wearable monitoring device of claim 13, wherein:

each conductive elastomer of the pair of conductive elastomers defines a slit;

the first portion of the sensor cable is held within a first slit of the first conductive elastomer when the first conductive elastomer is installed in the first conductive opening; and

the second portion of the sensor is held within a second slit of the second conductive elastomer when the second conductive elastomer is installed in the second conductive opening.

15. The wearable monitoring device of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises a distal end that extends to a position beyond the exterior surface of the housing.

16. The wearable monitoring device of claim 13, wherein the first portion of the sensor extends across the first conductive opening and is in physical contact with the first conductive opening at two or more locations.

17. The wearable monitoring device of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises a first electrode corresponding to the first portion and a second electrode corresponding to the second portion.

18. The wearable monitoring device of claim 13, wherein the sensor holder system further comprises an electrical guard structure disposed between the pair of conductive openings, the electrical guard structure comprising at least one of an electrical trace or an opening formed in the body.

19. The wearable monitoring device of claim 13, wherein the pair of conductive openings is electrically coupled to the printed circuit board via a pair of electrical traces extending between distal ends of a pair of legs of the set of legs and the pair of conductive openings.

20. The wearable monitoring device of claim 13, wherein the sensing circuitry is configured to sense biological information about the person via a pair of electrodes of the sensor that is inserted into the person'"'"'s skin.

21. The wearable monitoring device of claim 13, wherein the pair of conductive elastomers is formed from a conductive material.

22. The wearable monitoring device of claim 21, wherein the pair of conductive elastomers, when installed in the pair of conductive openings, contribute to the first electrical connection and the second electrical connection.

23. The wearable monitoring device of claim 13, wherein the housing comprises a top enclosure and a bottom enclosure, the exterior surface defined on the bottom enclosure.

24. The wearable monitoring device of claim 23, wherein the top enclosure physically contacts outward-facing sides of the pair of pucks and the bottom enclosure physically contacts a bottom side of the printed circuit board.