Sensor Patch for Ostomy Adhesive Moisture Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ostomy appliances lack effective means to monitor moisture propagation in the adhesive material, leading to potential adhesive failure, leakage, and skin damage, which can be severe and unpredictable.
Innovation Solution
A sensor patch comprising a nonwoven substrate and electrodes is attached to the adhesive surface of a base plate, allowing for the detection of moisture and facilitating its propagation into the base plate adhesive, thereby enhancing the monitoring of adhesive failure patterns and providing timely alerts for appliance replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If no sensor is integrated into the base plate, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability of monitoring adhesive failure is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring function is segmented from the base plate structure. A separate sensor patch with electrode assembly is attached to the adhesive surface of the base plate, allowing the base plate to maintain its simple structural integrity while the sensor patch provides the monitoring capability. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by distributing functions to separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor patch acts as an intermediary between the adhesive material and the monitoring system. It includes an adhesive layer that bonds to the base plate, a nonwoven substrate that contacts the adhesive material, and electrodes that detect moisture. This intermediary structure enables monitoring without modifying the base plate's core structure.
2Measurement precision
If a sensor patch with nonwoven substrate is attached to the base plate, then the measurement precision of moisture detection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor patch utilizes a nonwoven substrate with porous structure that allows moisture to permeate through it. This porous material enables the electrodes to detect moisture in the adhesive layer with high precision while maintaining a simple, flexible patch structure that is easy to manufacture and apply.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor patch is constructed as a composite structure combining an adhesive layer, nonwoven substrate, and electrode assembly. Each layer contributes specific properties: the adhesive layer provides bonding, the nonwoven substrate enables moisture transport, and the electrodes provide detection. This composite approach achieves high measurement precision without excessive complexity.
3Reliability
If the sensor patch facilitates moisture propagation into the base plate adhesive, then the reliability of early detection is improved, but the object-generated harmful factors increase due to potential adhesive failure
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor patch provides continuous feedback about the moisture status of the adhesive layer by detecting changes in electrical properties as moisture accumulates. This feedback mechanism enables early warning of adhesive failure before it progresses to harmful leakage or skin damage, allowing timely intervention to prevent the harmful effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor patch performs preliminary detection of moisture accumulation in the adhesive layer before adhesive failure occurs. By detecting moisture propagation in advance, the system enables preliminary action (appliance replacement or adjustment) to prevent the harmful outcomes of adhesive failure, leakage, and skin damage.
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 sensor patch effectively detects moisture and facilitates its absorption by the base plate adhesive, enabling early detection of adhesive failure and preventing severe leakage and skin damage, thus improving the reliability and safety of ostomy appliances.
Implementation Method 1
the nonwoven substrate being moisture permeable to facilitate a transfer of moisture from the proximal side of the nonwoven substrate to the distal side of the nonwoven substrate
Implementation Method 2
the electrode assembly being arranged on the proximal surface of the nonwoven substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor patch for attachment to the adhesive surface of a base plate of an ostomy appliance is disclosed. The sensor patch has a proximal surface for attachment to the skin surface of a user and a distal surface for attachment of the sensor patch to the adhesive surface of a base plate. The sensor patch comprises an adhesive layer having a proximal side including a proximal surface for adhering the sensor patch to the skin, and a distal side including a distal surface; and a sensing layer comprising a nonwoven substrate and electrical conductors, the sensing layer arranged on the distal side of the adhesive layer, the sensing layer having a proximal side including a proximal surface and a distal side including a distal surface, the sensing layer being liquid permeable.