Interface Patch Adhesive Layout for Skin-Friendly Subcutaneous Wearables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Subcutaneous medical devices cause skin irritation and damage due to strong adhesives and additional coverings during removal, leading to issues like tension injuries, blisters, skin tears, and dermatitis.
Innovation Solution
A subcutaneous medical device system with an interface patch that includes a proximal adhesive side and a distal side for the device, featuring a pierceable region for the needle, allowing the device to adhere to the patch instead of the skin, with a weaker adhesive and pattern-applied adhesive to reduce skin irritation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a strong, water-resistant adhesive is used in the adhesive patch to prevent device movement and maintain puncture site protection, then the device reliability and protection are improved, but skin irritation and damage occur during removal
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive patch is divided into two distinct adhesive regions: a first adhesive region with strong adhesion for initial device attachment and puncture site sealing, and a second adhesive region with reduced adhesion for painless removal. This segmentation allows each region to perform its specific function optimally without the harmful effects of uniform strong adhesion across the entire patch.
Solution Approach 2:
Different adhesive properties are applied to different locations of the adhesive patch. The first adhesive region (central area) uses strong, water-resistant adhesive to ensure reliable device attachment and puncture site protection, while the second adhesive region (peripheral area) uses adhesive with reduced adhesion strength to enable painless removal. This local differentiation of adhesive quality resolves the contradiction between strong attachment and easy removal.
2Reliability
If additional covering dressings are applied to protect the device from knocks, water and dirt, then device protection is improved, but additional skin irritation and damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The protective covering function is merged with the adhesive patch itself by incorporating a transparent, flexible protective layer that covers the entire patch surface. This integrated design provides device protection without requiring separate additional dressings, thereby eliminating the cumulative skin irritation that would result from multiple adhesive layers.
3Shape
If the adhesive patch is made smaller and more discreet to match the device housing, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but adhesion strength and skin protection are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive patch uses adhesive with variable adhesion strength parameters across different regions. The strong adhesive in the first region compensates for the reduced patch size, ensuring sufficient adhesion strength and skin protection even when the patch is made smaller and more discreet to match the device housing aesthetics.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces skin irritation and damage by using a weaker adhesive and pattern-applied adhesive, making removal easier and less harmful to the skin.
Implementation Method 1
a proximal side with an adhesive region for attaching the interface patch to the patient's skin
Implementation Method 2
an aperture or pierceable region positioned to receive the needle such that when the subcutaneous medical device is attached to the interface patch the needle can pierce the patient's skin through the aperture or pierceable region
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a subcutaneous medical device system, comprising an interface patch and a subcutaneous medical device having an adhesive surface and a needle for piercing a patient's skin. The interface patch comprises: a proximal side having an adhesive region for attaching the interface patch to the patient's skin; a distal side to which the adhesive surface of the subcutaneous medical device is attachable. The interface patch also includes an aperture or pierceable region positioned to receive the needle of the subcutaneous medical device such that when the subcutaneous medical device is attached to the interface patch the needle can pierce the patient's skin through the aperture or pierceable region.