Method and device for folding a cover on a medical sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9968298-B2
Application number	US-201414778519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2014
Priority date	Mar 19, 2013
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A method and a device for folding a cover material on a medical sensor having a carrier material which is to be fixed to the skin of a patient and which, on the side facing the patient, is provided with an adhesion or adhesive layer to which the cover material is applied, wherein a section of the cover material which is opposite an adhesion-layer-free section of the carrier material forms a tab. The method and the device are based on the use of a tool for folding the cover material which has at least two contact surfaces which intersect at an edge which runs parallel to the plane of the combination of carrier material and cover material. The tool is moved on an axis which runs at an angle to the plane of the combination of carrier material and cover material in such a way that the tab is gripped by the tool and folded over by the tool. After the tab has been folded over, pressure is applied to the folded-over section of the carrier material to produce a folded edge.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for folding a cover material on a medical sensor having a carrier material which, on one side, in a first section, has an adhesion or adhesive layer and, in a second section, has no adhesion or adhesive layer, wherein a cover material, which forms a tab in a third section which overlaps the second section of the carrier material, is applied to the carrier material, the device comprising:
a holding device having a contact surface configured for placement of the medical sensor;
a tool arranged next to the holding device and having a first contact surface and a second contact surface which intersect at an edge which runs parallel to the contact surface of the holding device, wherein the tool is movably guided on an axis which runs at an angle to the plane of the contact surface of the holding device; and
a movably guided contact-force element configured to exert pressure to produce a folded edge.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the tool has a third contact surface which lies opposite and at a distance from the second contact surface.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the second and the third contact surfaces are substantially parallel to one another.

4. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the second contact surface extends beyond the third contact surface.

5. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the second and the third contact surfaces form lateral boundaries of a groove in the tool.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the holding device is movably guided on an axis which runs parallel to the contact surface of the holding device.

7. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the axis on which the positioning element is movably guided runs parallel to the axis on which the holding device is movably guided.

8. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a holding element, wherein the holding element is configured to hold the tab, wherein the holding element is arranged next to the holding device above the contact surface of the holding device.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the holding element is arranged on a swivel arm.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first contact surface runs substantially orthogonally with respect to the axis on which the tool is movably guided.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the second contact surface lies in a plane which is substantially parallel to the contact surface of the holding device.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the contact-force element is movably guided in the tool on an axis which runs orthogonally with respect to the contact surface of the holding device.

13. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a positioning element which is movably guided on an axis which runs parallel to the contact surface of the holding device.

14. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the contact surface of the holding device has a contoured depression configured for placement of the second section of the carrier material and the cover material which is applied to the second section, wherein the contoured depression extends as far as the edge of the contact surface of the holding device such that the tab of the sensor which is placed in the depression extends beyond the contact surface of the holding device.

15. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a gripper element, wherein the gripper element is configured to separate the second section from the tab, wherein the gripper element is arranged next to the holding device below the contact surface of the holding device, wherein the gripper element is configured to swivel about an axis which runs parallel to the contact surface of the holding device.

16. A method for folding a cover material on a medical sensor having a carrier material which, on one side, in a first section, has an adhesion or adhesive layer and, in a second section, has no adhesion or adhesive layer, wherein a cover material, which forms a tab in a third section which overlaps the second section of the carrier material, is applied to the carrier material, the method comprising:
providing the carrier material and the cover material in a first plane;
providing a tool having a first contact surface facing towards the tab and a second contact surface facing away from the tab on the side of the carrier material and the cover material on which the tab is located, wherein the first and the second contact surfaces of the tool intersect at an edge which runs parallel to the first plane of the carrier material and the cover material and which faces the carrier material and cover material;
moving the tool on an axis which runs at an angle to the first plane of the carrier material and the cover material so that the tab is gripped by the tool and folded over by the tool; and
exerting pressure on the folded section of the folded-over cover material to produce a folded edge.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the tool has a third contact surface which lies opposite and at a distance from the second contact surface, wherein the folded section is pressed against the third contact surface.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the second and the third contact surfaces form lateral boundaries of a groove in the tool, wherein the folded section is pressed against a base of the groove before the folded section is pressed against the third contact surface.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the folded section is pressed against the base of the groove via a positioning element which is pushed forward into the groove in a plane parallel to the first plane.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the folded section is retracted by a predetermined distance before the folded section is pressed against the third contact surface.

21. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the second and the third contact surfaces run substantially parallel to one another.

22. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the second contact surface extends beyond the third contact surface.

23. The method according to claim 16 , wherein a gripper element, which grips a side of the carrier material facing away from the cover material, is swiveled about an axis which runs parallel to the plane of the carrier material and the cover material to separate the second section of the carrier material from the tab.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein during the swiveling of the gripper element, the tab is held on a side facing away from the carrier material by a holding element.

25. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the second section is separated from the tab before the tool is moved.

26. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the first contact surface runs substantially orthogonally with respect to the axis on which the tool is moved.

27. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the second contact surface lies in a plane substantially parallel to the first plane.

28. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the carrier material and the cover material are arranged on a fourth contact surface in such a way that the tab extends beyond the fourth contact surface.

Assignees

• Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland Gmbh

Inventors

• Heppe John
• Rullof Roland

Classifications

• A61M2207/00

  Methods of manufacture, assembly or production · CPC title

• A61B5/6833 Primary

  Adhesive patches · CPC title

• A61M1/3656 Primary

  Monitoring patency or flow at connection sites; Detecting disconnections · CPC title

• A61M2005/1588

  having means for monitoring, controlling or visual inspection, e.g. for patency check, avoiding extravasation · CPC title

• A61B2562/12

  Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements · CPC title