Body adherent patch with electronics for physiologic monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9451897-B2
Application number	US-95891010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2010
Priority date	Dec 14, 2009
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

In one configuration, an adherent device to adhere to a skin of a subject includes a stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating on the lower side to adhere the base layer to the skin of the subject. The base layer has at least two openings extending therethrough, each of the at least two openings having a size. The adherent device also includes a stretchable covering layer positioned above and adhered to the base layer with an adhesive to define at least two pockets. The adherent device also includes at least two gels, each gel having a size larger than the size of openings to retain the gel substantially within the pocket, and a circuit carrier supported with the stretchable base layer to measure at least one physiologic signal of the subject. Other configurations and methods are also claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adherent device to adhere to a skin of a subject, comprising: a stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating on the lower side to adhere the base layer to the skin of the subject, the base layer having at least two openings extending therethrough, each of the at least two openings having a size; a stretchable covering layer positioned above and adhered to the base layer with an adhesive to define at least two pockets, wherein the stretchable covering layer is thin, flexible, and configured to stretch with the skin of the subject; at least two gels, wherein each gel is positioned within one of the corresponding pockets, each gel having a size larger than the size of the at least two openings to retain said gel substantially within said corresponding pocket; a flexible circuit that includes at least two electrodes in contact with the at least two gels, the flexible circuit including a first portion located on the upper side of the stretchable base layer and a second portion that extends away from the first portion and through an opening in the stretchable covering layer; a circuit carrier positioned above the stretchable covering layer and supported with the stretchable base layer to measure at least one physiologic signal of the subject, wherein the circuit carrier is connected to the at least two electrodes via the second portion extending through an opening in the stretchable covering layer; and a compliant connection that includes a plurality of bridging loops formed between the upper side of the stretchable base layer and the circuit carrier that permits at least some movement of the circuit carrier in a plane parallel to the stretchable base layer.

2. An adherent device to monitor a subject having a skin, comprising: a stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating disposed on the lower side to adhere the base layer to the skin of the subject, the base layer having at least two openings extending therethrough, each opening having a size; a flexible circuit having at least two electrodes disposed thereon, each electrode positioned with a respective one of the at least two openings to couple to the skin of the subject the flexible circuit including a first portion located adjacent to the upper side of the stretchable base layer and a second portion that extends away from the stretchable base layer through an opening in a stretchable covering layer; at least two gels positioned with the at least two openings in the base layer, each gel having a size larger than the size of said each opening; the stretchable covering layer positioned above the at least two gels and adhered to the base layer, such that each gel is constrained substantially within a corresponding pocket disposed between the base layer and the covering layer, wherein the stretchable covering layer is thin, flexible, and configured to stretch with the skin of the subject; a circuit carrier positioned above the stretchable covering layer and holding electronic components electrically connected to the at least one electrode via the second portion of with the flexible circuit to measure at least one physiologic signal of the subject; and a compliant connection that includes a plurality of bridging loops formed between an upper side the stretchable base layer and the circuit carrier that permits at least some movement of the circuit carrier in a plane parallel to the stretchable base layer.

3. The adherent device of claim 2 wherein each of the gels and each of the pockets is sized larger than a corresponding opening of the stretchable base layer to retain said gel in said pocket when the stretchable base layer is adhered to the skin of the subject.

4. The adherent device of claim 2 wherein the stretchable base layer comprises a thin, flexible, stretchable base layer to stretch with the skin of the subject and conform to folds of the skin of the subject, and wherein the stretchable covering layer is configured to conform to folds of the skin of the subject.

5. The adherent device of claim 2 , further comprising a thin, flexible, stretchable overlayer disposed above and adhered to the covering layer.

6. The adherent device of claim 2 , wherein the first portion of the flexible circuit is formed of a substantially non-stretchable material, and has a serpentine, sawtooth, or other shape that geometrically configures the flexible circuit to be stretchable along a length of the adherent device.

7. The adherent device of claim 2 , wherein the first portion of the flexible circuit is disposed between the base layer and the covering layer.

8. An adherent device, comprising:
a thin, flexible, stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating on the lower side to adhere to the skin of a subject;
at least one electrode affixed to the base layer and capable of electrically coupling to the skin of the subject;
a flexible circuit connected to the at least one electrode, wherein the flexible circuit includes a first portion located adjacent to the upper side of the stretchable base layer and a second portion that extends away from the first portion, wherein the second portion of the flexible circuit includes a loop shape to relieve strain when the stretchable base layer stretches with the skin of the subject;
a circuit carrier holding electronic components electrically connected to the at least one electrode via the second portion of the flexible circuit and configured to measure at least one physiologic signal of the subject;
a compliant connection that includes a plurality of loops formed between the upper side of the stretchable base layer and the circuit carrier that permits at least some movement of the circuit carrier in a plane parallel to the stretchable base layer, wherein the second portion of the flexible circuit extends around an outer circumference of one of the plurality of loops; and
a stiffening structure disposed above and coupled to a perimeter of the base layer and configured to stiffen the perimeter edge of the base layer, wherein the stiffening structure is removable.

9. The adherent device of claim 8 , further comprising a thin, flexible, stretchable overlayer disposed above and adhered to the base layer, the stiffening structure disposed over and coupled to a common perimeter of the base layer and overlayer and configured to stiffen the perimeter edge of the base layer and overlayer.

10. The adherent device of claim 8 , further comprising a gel patch under each electrode, wherein each gel patch enhances electrical conductivity between its respective electrode and the skin of the subject.

11. The adherent device of claim 8 , wherein the flexible circuit is configured to be stretchable.

12. An adherent device, comprising:
a thin, flexible, stretchable base layer having an upper side and a lower side and an adhesive coating on the lower side configured to adhere to a skin of a subject;
at least one electrode affixed to the base layer and capable of electrically coupling to the skin of a subject;
a flexible circuit having a first portion located on the upper side of the stretchable base layer that is connected to the at least one electrode and a second portion that extends away from the stretchable base layer, wherein the first portion of the flexible circuit is formed of a substantially non-stretchable material, and has a serpentine, sawtooth, or other shape that geometrically configures the flexible circuit to be stretchable along a length of the adherent device, and wherein the second portion includes a loop shape to relieve strain when the stretchable base layer stretches with the skin of

Assignees

• Mazar Scott T
• Swaminathan Senthil
• Engel Jonathan
• Lai Arthur
• Medtronic Monitoring Inc

Inventors

• Mazar Scott T
• Swaminathan Senthil
• Engel Jonathan
• Lai Arthur

Classifications

• Y10T29/49117

  Conductor or circuit manufacturing · CPC title

• A61B5/0006

  ECG or EEG signals · CPC title

• A61B5/04085

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61B5/04325

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61B5/6833 Primary

  Adhesive patches · CPC title