Layered Electrode Sensor for Transcutaneous Glucose Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thin film sensors for monitoring blood glucose levels are difficult to place transcutaneously with sensor electrodes in direct contact with patient blood or extracellular fluid, limiting their effectiveness in continuous monitoring applications.
Innovation Solution
A flexible thin film electrochemical sensor with a thinner configuration and staggered electrode layers, where electrodes are positioned vertically and horizontally displaced, allowing exposure to patient fluid, and an insertion set with a slotted needle for easy placement, ensuring direct contact with the skin and minimizing insertion trauma.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional thin film sensors are used with electrodes positioned in a single layer, then the sensor structure is simpler, but the sensor cannot be placed transcutaneously with electrodes in direct contact with patient blood
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-layer electrode configuration to a multi-layer stacked configuration, where electrodes are positioned in separate layers (first electrode layer and second electrode layer) at different vertical positions. This dimensional change allows the sensor to achieve transcutaneous placement with direct blood contact while maintaining a thin overall profile, resolving the contradiction between reliability of electrode contact and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is divided into distinct functional segments: a first electrode layer with first electrodes, a second electrode layer with second electrodes, and intermediate insulating layers. This segmentation allows each electrode layer to be optimized independently for blood contact while maintaining overall sensor functionality, addressing the contradiction between reliable blood contact and structural simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If the sensor is made thinner to enable easy placement, then ease of operation improves, but manufacturing precision becomes more difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
By stacking electrodes in vertical layers rather than arranging them in a single plane, the patent achieves thinness in the vertical dimension while maintaining adequate horizontal spacing between electrodes. This dimensional approach enables easy placement through thin film construction while preserving manufacturing precision through standardized layer deposition processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs thin film construction with flexible insulating layers between electrode layers, enabling the sensor to be made extremely thin for easy placement. The thin film structure maintains manufacturing precision through controlled deposition thicknesses and standardized fabrication processes, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and manufacturing precision.
3Reliability
If electrodes are staggered in multiple layers, then electrode exposure to patient fluid is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions first electrodes and second electrodes in different vertical layers, creating staggered exposure to patient fluid when the sensor is placed transcutaneously. This vertical dimensionality achieves improved electrode exposure and reliability while the layered structure provides a systematic approach to managing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent nests intermediate insulating layers between the first and second electrode layers, creating a compact nested structure. This nesting approach enables multiple electrode layers with fluid exposure capability while containing the overall device complexity through integrated layer construction.
Data Source
AI summary
A thin film sensor, such as a glucose sensor, is provided for transcutaneous placement at a selected site within the body of a patient. The sensor includes several sensor layers that include conductive layers and includes a proximal segment defining conductive contacts adapted for electrical connection to a suitable monitor, and a distal segment with sensor electrodes for transcutaneous placement. The sensor electrode layers are disposed generally above each other, for example with the reference electrode above the working electrode and the working electrode above the counter electrode. The electrode layers are separated by dielectric layer.