Thermal stress indicator

• US 8,325,048 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Ranganathan, Sridhar, Baker, Andrew Thomas, Heller, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORTELL, JOHN F
• Application Number:
  US12/633,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20110133939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 340/584
• US Class Current: 340/584
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0271 Thermal or temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• 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 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/10 in respect of time, e.g. reacting only to a quick change of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/427 Temperature calculation based on spatial modeling, e.g. spatial inter- or extrapolation

Abstract

The present invention provides a device for non-invasive monitoring thermal stress of a user. The device is capable of monitoring the internal body temperature and changes in the internal body temperature of a user. Also, the device is capable of alerting a user when the user is in danger of thermal stress.

Claims

1. A device for non-invasive monitoring thermal stress of a user comprising:

a. a monitoring unit comprising

1) a first substrate comprising a first side and an opposite second side; and

2) at least two temperature sensors, wherein at least one temperature sensor is located of the first side of the first substrate and at least one temperature sensor is located on the second side of the first substrate, each temperature sensor is directly or indirectly connected to said first substrate;

b. a cover comprising a first side and an opposite second side, where the first side of said cover has a defined surface area, said defined surface area has a first area and a second area, said cover being adapted to receive the monitoring unit in the first area of said defined area; and

c. a thermally conductive member contacting the temperature sensor on the second side of the first substrate, the thermally conductive member extending through the second side of the cover.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an adhesive applied to a portion of the second area of the cover.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises a circuit board.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit further comprises a shell directly or indirectly connected to said first substrate, said shell essentially covers the second side of said first substrate.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an alert mechanism wherein the alert mechanism comprises an audible alarm, a visual alarm, a tactile alarm, an action to provide heating or cooling to the user, or a combination thereof.

6. The device according to claim 2, further comprising a processor attached to the first substrate, where the processor is configured to receive input from each temperature sensor and the processor is configured to determine a core temperature of a user of the device.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to compare the measured core temperature to a stored core temperature value and/or the processor is configured to determine a rate of change in core temperature to a stored threshold rate of change in core temperature range, and where the processor is configured to output an alert signal when the measured core temperature is outside the stored core temperature or value the determined rate of change in core temperature or the stored threshold rate of change in core temperature range.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a flexible material.

9. The device according to claim 2, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive adapted to be applied to the skin of a user.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said adhesive is covered with a release sheet.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cover is removable from the monitoring unit and the cover is disposable, while the monitoring unit is reusable.

12. A device for non-invasive monitoring thermal stress of a user having a monitoring unit comprising

a first substrate comprising a first side and an opposite second side;

at least two temperature sensors, wherein at least one temperature sensor is located of the first side of the first substrate and at least one temperature sensor is located on the second side of the first substrate, each temperature sensor is directly or indirectly connected to said first substrate;

a shell directly or indirectly connected to said first substrate, said shell essentially covers the second side of said first substrate; and

a thermally conductive member, said thermally conductive member contacting the temperature sensor on the second side of the first substrate and extends through the shell.

13. A device for non-invasive monitoring thermal stress of a user comprising:

a) a monitoring unit comprising

(1) a first substrate comprising a first side and an opposite second side; and

(2) at least two temperature sensors;

(3) a processor;

(4) an alert mechanism; and

(5) a power supply;

wherein

at least one temperature sensor is located of the first side of the first substrate and at least one temperature sensor is located on the second side of the first substrate, each temperature sensor is directly or indirectly connected to said first substrate and each temperature sensor is connected to the processor;

the processor is configured to compare the measured core temperature to a stored core temperature value and/or the processor is configured to determine a rate of change in core temperature to a stored threshold rate of change in core temperature range, and where the processor is configured to output an alert signal when the measured core temperature is outside the stored core temperature or value the determined rate of change in core temperature or the stored threshold rate of change in core temperature range;

the alert mechanism is connected to the processor and is configured to alarm the user when the processor outputs the alert signal; and

the power supply being connected to the processor and the power supply is configured to provide power to the processor and alert mechanism;

b) a cover comprising a first side and an opposite second side, where the first side of said cover has a defined surface area, said defined surface area has a first area and a second area, said cover being adapted to receive monitoring unit in the first area of said defined area;

c) a thermally conductive member contacting the temperature sensor on the second side of the first substrate, the thermally conductive member extending through the second side of the cover.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the alert mechanism comprises an audible alarm, a visual alarm, a tactile alarm, an action to provide heating or cooling to the user, or a combination thereof.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein the cover comprises a flexible material.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein the cover is removable from the monitoring unit and the cover is disposable, while the monitoring unit is reusable.

17. The device according to claim 13, further comprising an adhesive applied to a portion of the second area of the cover.

18. A method of monitoring thermal stress in a user, said method comprising

a. providing a monitoring unit comprising a first substrate having a first side and an opposite second side;

at least two temperature sensors, wherein at least one temperature sensor is located of the first side of the first substrate and at least one temperature sensor is located on the second side of the first substrate, each temperature sensor is connected to said first substrate;

b. providing a cover comprising a first side and an opposite second side, where the first side of said cover has a defined surface area, said defined surface area has a first area and a second area, said cover being adapted to receive the monitoring unit such that the monitoring unit directly or indirectly contacts the first area of said defined area and an adhesive applied to a portion of the second area of the cover;

c. placing the monitoring unit into the cover in the first area to create a monitoring unit/cover combination;

d. applying the monitoring unit/cover combination to the skin of a user, such that the adhesive on the cover and the at least one temperature sensor on the first side of the first substrate contacts the skin of the user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the monitoring unit/cover combination is applied to the skin of the user in the temporal artery region of the skin.