Device features and design elements for long-term adhesion

Inventors

Kumar, Uday N. • Livingston, Peter H. • Day, Mark J. • Park, Shena Hae • Willis, William F. • Righter, William H.

Assignees

iRhythm Technologies Inc

Abstract

An electronic device for long-term adhesion to a mammal includes a housing with an electronic component. The electronic device may include a first wing and a second wing, each being integrally formed with the housing. An electrode is positioned on a bottom surface of each of the wings, the electrodes electrically connected to the electronic component. An adhesive layer is provided for adhesion to a surface of the mammal. The adhesive layer may cover a portion of the bottom surfaces of the wings but generally does not cover the electrode or a bottom surface of the housing. A method of applying an electronic device to a mammal includes removing first and second adhesive covers from first and second wings of the electronic device to expose an electrode and an adhesive coated on a bottom surface of each wing.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to an electronic device for long-term adhesion that includes a housing and a physiologic data collection circuit contained in the housing. A skin-adhering section extends from the housing and includes an electrode positioned on a bottom surface of the skin-adhering section, where the electrode is electrically connected to the physiologic data collection circuit.

The skin-adhering section further includes an adhesive layer positioned over the electrode and an adhesive strip or adhesive portion extending outward beyond a boundary of the adhesive layer. The skin-adhering adhesive is configured such that it does not extend beneath the housing, so that a portion of the housing is not coated with adhesive and can be treated as a floating rigid section.

The disclosure also describes maintaining long-term skin contact during flexion by using a distribution of rigid and flexible regions and including hinge portions between rigid and flexible regions. Wiring slack and undulations, coiled portions, watertight enclosures, shell or perimeter adhesive forming watertight chambers, optional flaps connected to wings with a connector segment and connector holes, and supporting structures such as open-cell structured support or porous foam are described to anchor adhesion, mitigate shear and moisture, buffer rigid portions, and absorb fluids.

Claims Coverage

The document provides two independent claims. Across them, the independent claim coverage includes long-term skin adhesion for an electronic physiologic monitoring device, with a housing-contained physiologic data collection circuit, a skin-adhering section, an electrode on a bottom surface electrically connected to the circuit, and an adhesive layer with an adhesive strip or adhesive portion extending outward beyond an adhesive boundary.

The main inventive coverage centers on a housing-contained physiologic data collection circuit with a skin-adhering section whose bottom-surface electrode is electrically connected to the circuit, combined with an adhesive layer over the electrode and an adhesive strip or adhesive portion extending outward beyond an adhesive boundary. Dependent claim refinements include limiting skin-adhering adhesive so it does not extend beneath the housing, specifying hydrocolloid adhesive, narrowing physiologic collection to cardiac rhythm data, and specifying the housing as rigid.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications