Multilayer Medical Device Attachment for Humidity Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for attaching medical devices to the body, such as adhesives, fail to provide a stable connection, especially in humid environments and active lifestyles, leading to inaccurate readings and medication delivery issues due to detachment and instability, particularly when anchoring rigid devices to curved body contours.
Innovation Solution
A multilayer attachment apparatus comprising a nonwoven layer with adhesive and fastener material layers, including hook and loop elements, which provides a removable and adjustable connection to medical devices, ensuring stability and accuracy while accommodating body contours.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adhesive is used to attach medical device to body, then device can be connected to body, but attachment becomes unstable in high humidity or active lifestyles
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is divided into multiple functional layers: a nonwoven layer for adhesion to skin, fastener material layers for mechanical attachment to the device, and adhesive layers for bonding components together. This segmentation allows each layer to address specific challenges, with the nonwoven layer providing humidity-resistant skin attachment and the fastener layers providing stable mechanical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment apparatus uses composite construction combining different materials with complementary properties: nonwoven fabric for breathability and skin compatibility, adhesive materials for bonding, and fastener materials for mechanical attachment. This composite approach creates a system that maintains attachment stability across varying humidity conditions and physical activities.
2Reliability
If adhesive strength is increased to overcome instability, then attachment becomes more stable, but device becomes difficult to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system transitions from a static adhesive bond to a dynamic, reversible fastening mechanism. The hook and loop fastener layers allow the attachment to be securely fixed during use but easily released when needed, providing both stability during wear and ease of removal without requiring excessive adhesive strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener material layers are designed to be reusable and recoverable. The hook and loop components can be detached and reattached multiple times, allowing the attachment apparatus to be removed and reapplied without loss of functionality, thereby enabling easy removal while maintaining attachment stability during use.
3Reliability
If rigid device is used for medical treatment, then device provides consistent treatment, but device cannot accommodate curved body contours
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment apparatus uses a flexible nonwoven layer that can conform to curved body surfaces while providing stable attachment. This flexible substrate allows the rigid medical device to be securely mounted on contoured surfaces such as joints or curved body parts, maintaining both treatment consistency and body contour adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The nonwoven attachment layer is designed with flexibility and drape characteristics that allow it to conform to curved and contoured surfaces. This enables the rigid medical device to be attached to body parts with complex geometries, such as knees, elbows, or other curved surfaces, while maintaining secure and consistent attachment.
4Ease of operation
If device is made removable for easy application, then ease of operation improves, but attachment stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is segmented into modular components including nonwoven layers, adhesive layers, and fastener material layers that can be independently optimized. This segmentation allows the fastener layers to provide easy removability while the adhesive and nonwoven layers maintain attachment stability, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment apparatus merges multiple attachment mechanisms (adhesive bonding and mechanical fastening) into a unified system. The adhesive layers provide initial bonding and stability, while the fastener material layers enable easy application and removal. This combination allows the device to achieve both ease of operation and attachment stability simultaneously.
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
The multilayer attachment apparatus enhances the accuracy and durability of medical device attachment, improving sensor readings and medication delivery by maintaining a stable connection for extended periods, even in challenging environmental conditions, and allows for easy removal and replacement of components.
Implementation Method 1
at least a portion of the bottom surface of the nonwoven layer includes an adhesive material adapted to attach to the body of the user
Implementation Method 2
a first fastener material layer and a second fastener material layer... a first fastener material layer having a plurality of loop elements and the second fastener material layer having a plurality of hook elements
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention describes improved systems and methods for attaching external medical devices to the body of a patient using a multilayer attachment apparatus. Medical devices that require attachment to the body, including monitoring devices, drug-infusing devices and the like, can utilize embodiments of the attachment apparatus and method described herein. Embodiments of the invention include new adhesive and hook and loop attachment mechanisms and methods for using embodiments of the multilayer attachment apparatus to attach medical device and/or medical device components to the body.