Wearable Medical Patch Connectors for Reusable-Disposable Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wearable cardiopulmonary physiologic monitors and defibrillators face issues with adhesive patches and batteries having shorter lifespans than other components, necessitating replacement beyond their useful life, and require user-friendly mechanisms for safe and easy battery and adhesive changes.

Innovation Solution

The invention provides wearable devices with reusable components that can be easily and safely detached and attached by patients, using mechanical and electrical connectors that withstand movement and are intuitive for users with limited dexterity, ensuring secure connections that remain intact during use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire wearable medical device is made disposable, then hygiene and cross-contamination prevention are improved, but cost and environmental waste worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovehygieneVSAvoidwaste

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The wearable medical device is divided into two distinct segments: a disposable component (patient engagement substrate with electrodes and adhesive) and a reusable component (sealed housing with electronics and battery). This segmentation allows the patient-contact portion to be discarded for hygiene while the expensive electronic portion is retained and reused, resolving the contradiction between hygiene and waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of substance

If the entire wearable medical device is made reusable, then cost and environmental impact are improved, but cross-contamination and hygiene risks worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovewasteVSAvoidhygiene

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By separating the device into reusable and disposable portions, the electronics and battery can be reused multiple times reducing waste, while the patient-contact substrate is discarded after single use to prevent cross-contamination, thus resolving the contradiction between reusability and hygiene.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If adhesive is applied to the back of electrodes, then patient engagement substrate attachment is improved, but electrode detachment and patient injury worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveattachmentVSAvoidinjury

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive is extracted from the electrode itself and placed on the patient engagement substrate instead. This allows the adhesive to bond the substrate to the skin without directly contacting the electrode, preventing the harmful effect of adhesive on electrode detachment while maintaining the beneficial attachment function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If the device uses a sealed housing design, then protection from environmental factors is improved, but assembly and access worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveprotectionVSAvoidassembly

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealed housing incorporates a movable cover that transitions between closed (protective) and open (accessible) states. This dynamic design maintains the protective benefits of sealing while enabling easy assembly and access to internal components when needed, resolving the contradiction between protection and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

Enables patients to comfortably wear the devices for extended periods without detachment, allowing activities like showering, with robust connections that maintain functionality and ease of use.

Implementation Method 1

The disposable component comprises a patient engagement substrate comprising adhesive on a bottom side

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesive: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP4438108B1Method of using wearable medical device with disposable and reusable components

Publication Date: 2026.04.29 ELEMENT SCIENCE INC

Figure 1A~1D
Figure 2A~3B
Figure 4A~4G

AI summary

Embodiments of a wearable device are provided. The wearable device comprises a resuable component and a disposable component. The disposable component comprises a patient engagement substrate comprising adhesive on a bottom side, an electrode on the bottom side, a disposable component electrical connector, and a disposable component mechanical connector. The reusable component comprises a plurality of sealed housings mechanically coupled to each other and movable with respect to each other, each of the plurality of housings containing one or more of a capacitor and a controller, a reusable component mechanical connector adapted to removably connect to the disposable component mechanical connector, and a reusable component electrical connector adapted to removably connect to the disposable component electrical connector. The device can comprise a cardiopulmonary physiologic monitor or a automatic external defibrillator, among other types of devices.