Sensor Holder With Gradually Thickening Substrate For Appendage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional disposable sensors cause skin reactions and pressure necrosis due to adhesives, requiring frequent site changes and leaving residue, while reusable sensors face degradation and adhesion issues during repositioning.
Innovation Solution
A disposable sensor holder with a substrate that gradually thickens perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, allowing for elastic deformation and even pressure distribution without adhesives, enabling easy repositioning and maintaining mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If adhesive disposable sensors are used to secure the sensor to the patient, then the sensor can be easily applied and disposed of, but skin reactions and pressure necrosis occur due to adhesive pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the adhesive component entirely from the sensor design. The sensor holder is made disposable and is secured to the patient using mechanical means (interlocking elements, friction fit) rather than adhesive, thereby eliminating the source of skin reactions and pressure necrosis while maintaining ease of application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable sensor holder that is used once and then discarded. This eliminates the need for adhesives that cause skin damage during repeated use and removal, as each new sensor is applied to fresh skin without residue or degradation from previous adhesive cycles.
2Adaptability or versatility
If adhesive disposable sensors are removed and repositioned, then the sensor can be moved to a new site, but adhesive performance degrades and residue remains
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive is completely removed from the design. The disposable sensor holder uses mechanical attachment methods that allow for clean removal without residue and maintain consistent performance regardless of how many times the sensor is removed and reapplied to different locations.
Solution Approach 2:
By making the sensor holder disposable rather than relying on reusable adhesive, the system allows unlimited repositioning during the single use period without any degradation in attachment performance or accumulation of residue issues.
3Reliability
If pressure is applied to the sensor site to secure the sensor, then the sensor remains in place, but pressure necrosis and skin symptoms occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates adhesive-based pressure application. Instead, the sensor holder uses mechanical interlocking elements and friction fit designs that secure the sensor without requiring continuous adhesive pressure, thereby preventing pressure necrosis and skin symptoms while maintaining reliable sensor retention.
4Reliability
If LED chips are mounted on substrate using conductive adhesive and encapsulated, then the LED assembly is protected and electrically connected, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the LED chip mounting, electrical connection, and encapsulation into a single pre-assembled LED module. This modular approach maintains the reliability of protected LED assemblies with proper electrical connections while significantly simplifying the overall manufacturing process by reducing the number of discrete steps required.
Solution Approach 2:
The LED assembly is pre-manufactured and tested as a complete unit before being integrated into the sensor holder. This preliminary preparation ensures reliable electrical connections and protected LEDs while allowing the final sensor assembly to be completed quickly without repeating complex manufacturing steps.
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 holder provides a stable, repositionable platform with uniform pressure distribution, reducing skin symptoms and motion artifacts, suitable for a wide range of patient sizes and applications like pulse oximetry.
Implementation Method 1
The substrate is configured to become gradually thicker when drawing away at least a predetermined distance from the at least first location for the first sensor component along a perpendicular direction of the substrate in relation to the longitudinal axis of the hollow
Implementation Method 2
The concentration of substances, such as oxygen, in tissue is typically measured non-invasively by measuring the absorption of light at different wavelengths in the tissue
Implementation Method 3
The light is typically emitted using light emitting diodes (LED's) of different wavelengths and detected using a photodetector (e.g. photodiode)
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor holder to be applied on an appendage of a subject is disclosed herein. The sensor holder includes a substrate with at least a first location for a first sensor component, the substrate surrounding a hollow for receiving the appendage along a longitudinal axis of the hollow. The substrate is gradually thickening when drawing away at least a predetermined distance from the at least first location for the first sensor component along a perpendicular direction of the substrate in relation to the longitudinal axis of the hollow.