Abstract:
A bandage type sensor arrangement wherein the sensor includes two parts movable with respect to each other, a carrier assembly is connected to the sensor parts for maintaining the sensor parts in place prior to use, and that is readily detachable for releasing the sensor parts while providing a connection of the sensor parts to a surface to be monitored. A cover is included as part of the carrier assembly to protect the operation of the sensor.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates in general to pre-packaged sensors for monitoring movements in the form of deformations and displacements, and more particularly to sensor arrangements that can be readily attached to flexible membranes such as skin, and to carrier assemblies for the sensors. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    With the ever increasing growth of automated systems used in industrial and medical systems, there is the need for new, low cost and improved sensor apparatus or appliance and means for applying the sensors to substrates to detect movements thereof and for maintaining the sensors in place during tests. In the field of medicine there is continued research and development underway for measuring body internal and external physiological properties by non-intrusive means. This is particularly so as the sensors become miniaturized so as to be attached to the body and be worn with minimal discomfort, allowing the patient a significant amount of freedom of movement without impacting the tests underway. 
         [0003]    As the sensors are reduced in size, it becomes more difficult to attach the sensors to the body, particularly if the sensors are in the form of at least two separate movable parts that need to be kept together in a predetermined relationship as they are secured in place for use. Furthermore, depending upon the application of the sensor function and the duration of attachment, it is desirable to have a cover for the sensor so as to reduce the likelihood sensor is moved or dislodged. 
         [0004]    A good deal of medical tests made on the body are now performed by nurses and technicians. It is therefore important to simplify the application of the sensors. Further it is desirable if the cost of the sensor and application apparatus therefore can be manufactured to be cost effective as entirely disposable or reusable in part. 
         [0005]    Disposable probes, or probes reusable in part, have been developed in the area of oximetry, the study and measurement of oxygen status of blood flow, that are readily attachable and detachable to patients and are disposable units or disposable in part. These probes include a light emitter and a light detector that are placed on opposite sides of a finger, toe or earlobe and the blood oxygen saturation level is detected by the differential absorption of the light waves at several wavelengths. Examples of such probes are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,786, issued on Dec. 18, 1992 to Thomas et al and entitled “Reusable Probe System,” and U.S. Pat. No. 7,039,449, May 2, 2006 to Ammar Al-Ali and entitled “Resposable Pulse Oximetry Sensor.” However these sensors are not involved in measuring movements. 
         [0006]    In a pending U.S. patent application Ser. No 11/321,161, filed on Dec. 29, 2005, entitled Sensor for Monitoring Movements, Apparatus and Systems Therefore, and Method for Manufacturing and Use, for the same inventor William T. Cochran, and owned by the same entity that owns the present application, a bandage type arrangement for a sensor for detecting movement is disclosed. The bandage type arrangement includes a flexible tape with a thin resilient plastic nodule type projection that partially encases the sensor. The nodule includes two caps or projections extending there from that loosely capture the ends of the sensor keeping the sensor parts in place. When applying the bandage type senor arrangement, an adhesive is applied to the opposite free ends of the sensor and the nodule depressed to flex and urge the glued ends of the sensor ends against the substrate under test and adhere thereto, and then the nodule is released to flex back and away from the sensor allowing the sensor parts to move with changes in the substrate. 
         [0007]    Although the nodule type bandage sensor arrangement is satisfactory, a lower cost and simplified version is also desirable. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The apparatus and methods are disclosed concerning a disposable, or partially disposable, bandage type sensor arrangement or appliance and a carrier assembly therefore. A sensor having at least two movable parts is adapted to be captured by the carrier assembly and held in place until the sensor is to be attached to a substrate to monitor deformations or movements. In one example, the carrier assembly is formed from a thin flexible material and includes at least two pads adapted to adhere to the sensor parts. The carrier assembly may also be formed of a more rigid material and may include an activation method in which a portion of the carrier assembly is detachable providing free movement of the sensor parts. The pads are connected to the rest of the carrier assembly by structure having a readily detachable arrangement in the form of perforation or tear lines, and the like, to allow the pads to be readily separated from the rest of the carrier assembly when activating the sensor. In accordance of one embodiment of the invention, the sensor can be used with the carrier assembly alone. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention the sensor can be used with a bandage type cover formed with an arch over the sensor. The carrier assembly includes a number of extensions located adjacent the pads and that are also connected to the rest of the carrier assembly by a readily detachable arrangement in the form of tear or perforations, and the like, so as to be easily separated. The extensions are adhered to the cover and cooperate with the cover to keep the sensor in place when attached to the substrate to be monitored. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the bandage type sensor arrangement of the invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is the top view of an embodiment of a carrier assembly for the sensor arrangement. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is the top view of the carrier assembly of  FIG. 2  with the sensor mounted thereon. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an assembled top view of the bandage type sensor arrangement of  FIG. 1  with a cover in place. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is the assembled bottom view of the bandage type sensor arrangement of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is the assembled front view of the bandage type sensor arrangement of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is the assembled side view of the bandage type sensor arrangement of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is the assembled side view of the bandage type sensor arrangement of  FIG. 1  with a portion of the carrier assembly folded under the bandage cover prior to activation. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a three dimensional side view of the bandage type sensor arrangement of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a three dimensional view of the bandage type sensor arrangement of  FIG. 9  with part of the carrier assembly detached and the sensor secured to a substrate. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is the top view of the bandage type sensor arrangement of  FIG. 9  with the sensor arrangement secured to a substrate. 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is the end view of  FIG. 10  after detachment from the sensor. 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  is the bottom view of the bandage type sensor arrangement of  FIG. 9  viewed from the substrate after activation. 
           [0022]      FIG. 14  is a top view of the detachable portion of the carrier assembly after being removed from the bandage type sensor arrangement. 
           [0023]      FIG. 15  is a top view of multiple carrier assemblies printed on flexible material to be cut away for use in assembling the bandage type sensors. 
           [0024]      FIG. 16  is a top view of a second embodiment of the carrier assembly with the sensor attached, for use with or without a bandage cover. 
           [0025]      FIG. 17  is the top view of the removable part of the carrier assembly of  FIG. 16  detached from the sensor after installation. 
           [0026]      FIG. 18  illustrates the sensor attached to a substrate after the carrier assembly of  FIG. 16  is removed. 
           [0027]      FIG. 19  is a bottom view of an embodiment of the bandage type sensor arrangement with the carrier assembly of  FIG. 16  including the sensor cover. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    The bandage type sensor arrangement  10  of  FIG. 1  includes a flexible bandage cover  12 , a sensor carrier assembly  14  and a sensor  16  including two movable components  18  and  20  to provide indications of displacement there between. The bandage cover  12  includes an arched portion  15  having a stiffened portion  17  running along the center of the arched portion extending toward opposite ends of the bandage  11  and  13 , and with flexible portions  19  and  21  on opposite sides of the stiffened portion  17 . The stiffened portion  17  is formed by the application of an epoxy type cement. The bottom of the cover  12  with ends  11  and  13  include an adhesive for adhering the carrier assembly to a substrate to be tested. 
         [0029]    The sensor  16  includes two mounts  22  and  24  attached to the components  18  and  20  respectively. Electrical connections to sensor coil portion  18  are provided by the wires  26  that may be tucked away under the bandage during installation so as to reduce stress on the sensor. Alternately the wires can terminate in a connector that can be secured to the substrate (not shown). The sensor  16  can be of the type disclosed in a pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/321,161, filed on Dec. 29, 2005, entitled “Sensor for Monitoring Movements, Apparatus and Systems Therefore, and Method for Manufacturing and Use,” for the same inventor William T. Cochran and assigned to the same entity as owns the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0030]    The sensor mounts  22  and  24  are adapted to be secured to the carrier assembly  14  by the adhesive pads  32  and  34 , respectively, and the mounts  22  and  24  are also adapted to be secured to a substrate to be monitored by the adhesive pads  28  and  30 . Alternatively instead of the adhesive pads  28  and  30 , the mounts  22  and  24  may receive an application of an adhesive prior to mounting. 
         [0031]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the carrier assembly includes an elongated body  40  of a flexible material, such as paper, latex, and the like, being formed with two apertures  42  and  44 . Two pads  46  and  48  are attached to the body  40  a via readily detachable structure such as the perforation or tear lines  50 ,  51 ,  52 , and  53 . Extending outward from the body  40  is a first set of larger extensions  56  and  58  or flanges adjacent aperture  44  and pad  48 , and a second set of smaller extensions  60  and  62  or wings adjacent pad  46 . The connections of the extensions  56 ,  58 ,  60  and  62  are made by a readily detachable arrangement such as the perforations, threaded break lines, or tear lines  66 ,  68 ,  70  and  72 . The carrier assembly body  40  also includes a pair of fold lines  74  and  76  extending from opposite sides of the aperture  42  to the outer edge of body  40  allowing the body  40  to be folded at the fold lines. In  FIG. 2 , a pair of cut outs  77  and  79  are formed in the carrier assembly through which an adhesive on the cover  12  may extend to be secured to the substrate under test. The cut outs  77  and  79  may be preferentially designed for freedom of movement of the substrate under test. Alternately, the adhesive on the cover  12  may be positioned to be in contact only with extensions  56 ,  58 ,  60 , and  62 . In  FIG. 3 , the sensor  16  is illustrated with the mounts  22  and  24  attached to the detachable pads  46  and  48 , respectively. The extensions  56 ,  58 ,  60 , and  62  may include an adhesive on the side extending away from the cover  12  to be used to adhere to a substrate to be monitored once the bandage type sensor is applied. The sensor arrangement may include a protective detachable sheet (not shown) adhering to the extensions  56 ,  58 ,  60  and  62  and the bottom of cover  12  via cut outs  77  and  79  that can be removed prior to use. 
         [0032]    The assembled bandage type sensor  10  as shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  7 , illustrates a portion of the carrier assembly  14  extending beyond the cover  12  when first applied to a substrate prior to activation. In the side view of  FIG. 6  the sensor mount  22  is attached to an adhesive pad  28 . The sensor  16  as shown in  FIG. 5  is connected to a substrate via the adhesive pads  28  and  30  to mounts  22  and  24  to the detachable pads  46  and  48 . The sensor mounts  22  and  24  extend from the rest of the carrier assembly  14  and are adapted to make contact with the substrate to be monitored, and be attached thereto by the adhesive pads  28  and  30  or by the application of an adhesive. 
         [0033]    Prior to the connection of the bandage type sensor  10  to a substrate to be monitored, the end  40  of the carrier assembly  14  is folded over along the fold lines  74  and  76  ( FIG. 3 ) while being tucked under the cover arch  15  as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . The sensor is mounted on a substrate by pressing the flexible portions  19  and  21  of the cover arch  15  together with the thumb and a finger and urging the sensor arrangement in place against the substrate so that the adhesive pads  28  and  30  and the extensions or flanges  56 ,  58 ,  60  and  62  engage the substrate. Thereafter a part of the carrier assembly  14  is removed by pulling it away along the perforated or tear lines  50 ,  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  66 ,  68 ,  70  and  72  (shown in bold in  FIG. 14  for the purpose of clarifying the explanation), activating the sensor and leaving behind the sensor  16  and pads  28  and  30 , adhering to the substrate  80  as illustrated in  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 . The portion of the cover adhesive layer over cutouts  77  and  79  not attached to the extensions may also attach to the substrate  80 . Additionally, the extensions  56 ,  58 ,  60  and  62  also adhere to the substrate. The cover  12  remains in place and the arch  15  with the rigid portion  17  protects the sensor from being inadvertently moved or dislodged. 
         [0034]    It should be noted with regards to the bottom view of  FIG. 13  after activation, the extensions  60  and  62  are in the general form of a triangle wherein a smaller corner extends from the carrier body  40  adjacent the mount  22 . The smaller size of the corners of extensions  60  and  62  reduces the impact of the sensor has on the movement of the mount  22  and the substrate. 
         [0035]    Multiple carrier assemblies  14  can be printed on a sheet of flexible material as shown in  FIG. 15 . The sheet is stamped to include the perforation or tear lines and fold lines, and cut away to form individual carrier assemblies. 
         [0036]    In a further embodiment of the invention, the carrier assembly  14  of  FIG. 16  is adapted for use with the bandage cover  12 , or without the bandage cover as a cost reduced model. For ease of explanations, where practical, the same reference numerals will be used for similar items as in the prior Figures. The carrier assembly  14  of  FIGS. 16-19  is formed with a third aperture  100  and a readily detachable pad  106  with the perforated or tear lines  102  and  104  on opposite sides of the detachable pad  106  extending between apertures  44  and  100 . The carrier assembly also includes the perforation or tear lines  108  and  110  across the body  40  on opposite sides of the aperture  44 . The opposite parts  112  and  114  can be detached from the rest of the assembly when mounting the sensor  16  on a substrate  80  by using fingers to urge the sensor mounts  22  and  24  against the substrate and separating the parts  112  and  114  by pulled them apart and away as illustrated in  FIG. 17 , leaving the sensor  16  attached to the substrate  80  as illustrated in  FIG. 18  without the protective cover  12 . However it should be understood that the carrier assembly of  FIGS. 16 and 17  could also be used with the cover  12  as shown in the bottom view of  FIG. 19 . 
         [0037]    The bandage type sensor arrangement can be easily applied to a substrate, such as skin, by a technical or nurse, without the aid of a doctor. Once the sensor  16  is in place and kept in place by fingers, the carrier assembly  14  need merely be removed and the sensor will be connected to the substrate and activated to make measurements. In the low cost embodiments of  FIGS. 16-18 , the sensor arrangement  10  can be used without the cover  12 . Further, for added cost savings, the sensor  16  could be detached after use, sterilized and mounted to another carrier assembly  16  for subsequent use. 
         [0038]    Specific applications and exemplary embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and discussed, which provides a basis for practicing the invention in a variety of ways and in a variety of applications. Numerous variations are possible within the scope of the invention. Features and elements associated with one or more of the described embodiments are not to be construed as required elements for all embodiments. Other changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principals of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.