WATER-RESISTANT PATIENT MONITORING DEVICE

Abstract

A patient-monitoring device includes a main device with a recess and a first group of electrical contacts provided in the recess. The patient-monitoring device further includes a battery pack that engages the recess and that includes a second group of electrical contacts. A first gasket is provided in patient-monitoring device and is located on either the main device or the battery pack. The first gasket surrounds the first group of electrical contacts and the second group of electrical contacts when the battery pack engages the recess.

Claims

1: A patient-monitoring device comprising: a main device that includes: a recess; and a first group of electrical contacts provided in the recess; a battery pack that engages the recess and that includes a second group of electrical contacts; and a first gasket that is located on either the main device or the battery pack and that surrounds the first group of electrical contacts and the second group of electrical contacts when the battery pack engages the recess.

2: The patient-monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a ridge that is located on either the battery pack or the main device opposite to the first gasket and that engages with and compresses the first gasket when the battery pack engages the recess.

3: The patient-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein: electrical contacts included in the first group of electrical contacts are separated from one another by at least 2 mm, and electrical contacts included in the second group of electrical contacts are separated from one another by at least 2 mm.

4: The patient-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein at least one electrical contact of the first group of electrical contacts or the second group of electrical contacts includes stainless steel.

5: The patient-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein at least one electrical contact of the first group of electrical contacts or the second group of electrical contacts is plated by nickel.

6: The patient-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein at least one electrical contact of the first group of electrical contacts or the second group of electrical contacts is plated by gold.

7: The patient-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein at least one electrical contact of the first group of electrical contacts or the second group of electrical contacts is a movable pin.

8: The patient-monitoring device of claim 7, wherein a direction of motion of the movable pin is perpendicular to a recessed surface of the recess when the battery pack engages the recess.

9: The patient-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the battery pack includes a protrusion that extends further away from the battery pack than an uppermost portion of the second group of electrical contacts.

10: The patient-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the main device and the battery pack are releasably connected.

11: The patient-monitoring device of claim 10, further comprising: a loop that is located on either the main device or the battery pack; a latch that is located on either the battery pack or the main device opposite to the loop and that engages with the loop; and a button that is connected to the latch to release the latch from the loop.

12: The patient-monitoring device of claim 11, further comprising a second gasket that at least partially encloses the latch when the battery pack engages the recess.

13: The patient-monitoring device of claim 11, further comprising a second gasket around a portion of the button.

14: The patient-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the battery pack includes an internal circuit that closes when the battery pack engages the recess such that a voltage is applied to electrical contacts of the second group of electrical contacts.

15: A patient-monitoring device comprising: a wearable sensor including first electrical connectors in a recess of the wearable sensor; a removable pack that connects to and disconnects from the recess and that includes second electrical connectors; and a first gasket that is located on either the wearable sensor or the removable pack and that surrounds the first and the second electrical connectors when the removable pack is connected to the recess.

16: A removable battery pack for a patient monitoring device comprising: a battery; and electrical connectors that connect to and disconnect from the patient monitoring device; wherein the removable battery pack provides a voltage from the battery only when a first group of the electrical connectors is connected to the patient monitoring device.

17: The removable battery pack of claim 16, the removable battery pack charges the battery only when a second group of the electrical connectors is connected to a charging station.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a conventional patient-worn sensor of an ECG monitoring system.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows the conventional patient-worn sensor in contact with a patient's skin.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a conventional adapter that can be used with the patient-worn sensor of FIG. 1.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a conventional sensor that can be used with the patient-worn sensor of FIG. 1.

[0032] FIGS. 5 and 6 show a conventional adapter-sensor assembly.

[0033] FIGS. 7 and 8 show interior components of a conventional adapter.

[0034] FIG. 9 shows a conventional protection circuit.

[0035] FIG. 10 shows a top view of a patient monitoring device that protects electrical connections from water intrusion and corrosion.

[0036] FIG. 11 shows a bottom view of the patient monitoring device shown in FIG. 10.

[0037] FIG. 12 shows a top view of the chest device of the patient monitoring device shown in FIG. 10 with cables removed.

[0038] FIG. 13 shows a bottom view of the battery pack of the patient monitoring device shown in FIG. 10.

[0039] FIG. 14 shows a cross-sectional view of the patient monitoring device shown in FIG. 10.

[0040] FIG. 15 shows an enlarged portion of the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 14.

[0041] FIGS. 16-19 show perspective views of internal components of the chest device and the battery pack of the patient monitoring device shown in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0042] FIGS. 10 and 11 show a patient monitoring device 100 that protects electrical connections from water intrusion and corrosion. In the example of patient monitoring device 100 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a chest device 110 of the patient monitoring device 100 can be attached to the chest of a patient. However, the patient monitoring device 100 can be attached to one or more other areas on the patient's body. The patient monitoring device 100 can detect, record, store, and transmit various vital signs and other information of the patient. For example, the patient monitoring device 100 can include several adherent electrodes that contact the patient's skin to measure various biological information, vital signs, and patient information including, but not limited to, heart rhythm, heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, respiratory rate, blood oxygenation, blood glucose level, hydration levels, perspiration, and bio-impedance. The patient monitoring device 100 can also track patient motion, movement, activity, position, posture, and physical location.

[0043] The patient monitoring device 100 can also communicate with one or more other computing devices, either through wired or wireless communication. For example, the patient monitoring device 100 can use Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or a cellular communication protocol to communicate with other computing devices such as bedside monitors, personal computers, tablet devices, mobile phones, central servers, or a cloud-based network. As an example, the patient monitoring device 100 can transmit vital-sign information collected from the patient to a tablet device or a personal computer that operates as a bedside monitor. The tablet or personal computer can process received information and display the information in a readily understandable format to a caretaker or other user. For example, a tablet device can receive vital-sign information from the patient monitoring device 100 through a Bluetooth connection and display an electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform of the patient, as well as information on the patient's heart rate, respiration rate, blood oxygenation level, body temperature, and/or other vital signs. As another example, the patient monitoring device 100 can be periodically connected to a computing device (such as a bedside monitor) through a wired connection to allow information collected by the patient monitoring device 100 to be stored, processed, and displayed by the computing device and/or transferred to one or more other computing devices (e.g., personal computers, servers located at the hospital, cloud storage servers, etc.).

[0044] Furthermore, information recorded by the patient monitoring device 100 can be transmitted to other computing devices to provide real-time or near real-time analysis of the patient's condition, and to provide tracking of vital-sign information of the patient over time. For example, the information recorded by the patient monitoring device 100 can be transmitted to a display device to allow caregivers to observe the information and adjust patient care based on the information. The information can also be transmitted to a central information repository to log and store historical vital-sign and other information of the patient. Both real-time and historical vital-sign information, and other information, of a patient can be accessed by caregivers who are not at the same physical location as the patient. For example, vital-sign information collected by the patient monitoring device 100 can be transmitted to a mobile device owned by the patient or caregiver (e.g., a smart phone) to allow the patient or caregiver to view the information. The information can further be transmitted to a central server that can be accessed by one or more caregivers (e.g., using personal computers or mobile devices) to allow the caregivers to view the collected information and make patient care decisions for the patient from a location that is remote from where the patient is located.

[0045] Other components that can be included as part of the patient monitoring device 100 include a power supply, buttons, or other input mechanisms for receiving user input, one or more audible alarms or speakers, and lights or a display screen. The patient monitoring device 100 can further include input mechanisms such as, for example, buttons, keys, or a touch screen. The input mechanisms can allow the patient or a caregiver to adjust settings for the patient monitoring device 100, perform various tests (for example, sensor tests, battery power level tests, etc.), or reset one or more alarms for the patient monitoring device 100. The input mechanisms can also allow the patient to place a distress call (e.g., to a caregiver or to a hospital alert system) if the patient needs assistance.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the patient monitoring device 100 can include a chest device 110 connected to a patient, a battery pack 120 to provide power to the chest device 110, and cables 140 each connected to different sides of the chest device 110 that attach signal leads to the chest device 110. The cables 140 can include, for example, ECG cables and pulse ox cables. The battery pack 120 can include standard disposable batteries or a rechargeable battery, and the battery pack 120 is removable such that it can be replaced with a different battery pack.

[0047] FIG. 12 shows that the chest device 110 includes a recess 114 to receive the battery pack 120. The battery pack 120 is removeable from the chest device 110, i.e., the battery pack 120 can be connected to and disconnected from the chest device 110. The recess 114 defines a recessed surface 114S of the chest device 110, and the recessed surface 114S can be flat or substantially flat so that the recessed surface 114S is able to be easily cleaned by a user.

[0048] FIG. 13 shows a bottom perspective view of the battery pack 120. The battery pack 120 makes electrical connection with the chest device 110 via a connector system including chest device connectors 115 and battery pack connectors 125, which are electrical connectors that are described in more detail below.

[0049] External features of the chest device 110 are described with respect to FIGS. 10-12. The chest device 110 can be made from a clam-shell type construction in which a top housing is attached to a bottom housing, the interior of which houses electronic circuitry to perform patient monitoring and communication operations. FIG. 12 shows that the chest device 110 can include openings 113 through which the cables 140 can be attached to the chest device 110. The openings 113 can all have identical shapes or can have different shapes. If a cable or component is not needed, then a plug (not shown) can be inserted in the corresponding opening 113. The plug can be a permanent plug inserted during a manufacturing or assembly process of the chest device 110, or can be a removable plug that is able to be inserted or removed as needed. For example, a customized chest device 110 with a customized cable combination can be made by replacing an unwanted cable with a plug to close the opening 113 during the manufacturing or assembly process. If the openings 113 have identical shapes, then different shaped plugs do not have to be prepared in the manufacturing or assembly process.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the chest device 110 and the battery pack 120 include respective electrical connections that are able to be mated and unmated. In particular, the chest device 110 includes chest device connectors 115 provided in recess 114, and the battery pack 120 includes battery pack connectors 125. The chest device connectors 115 can be electrical targets (for example, pogo targets), and the battery pack connectors 125 can be electrical pins (for example, movable pins such as pogo pins). The battery pack connectors 125 can be movable pins that have a direction of motion perpendicular to the recessed surface 114S of the chest device 110 when the battery pack 120 is mated to the chest device 110.

[0051] The arrangement and location of the chest device connectors 115 and battery pack connectors 125 are not limited to the specific arrangement and location of chest device connectors 115 and battery pack connectors 125 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. As an example, the chest device 110 may be provided with pogo pins and the battery pack 120 may be provided with pogo targets. However, the chest device 110 can be designed to have a longer life cycle than the battery pack 120, and thus the chest device connectors 115 can be pogo targets since pogo targets generally have longer life cycles than pogo pins.

[0052] The chest device 110 can include chest device connectors 115 that do not mate with battery pack connectors 125 of the battery pack 120. For example, one or more of the chest device connectors 115 can be a data connection for a computer or similar device to perform debugging, maintenance, and the like on the chest device 110. Similarly, the battery pack 120 can include battery pack connectors 125 that do not mate with chest device connectors 115 of the chest device 110. For example, one or more of the battery pack connectors 125 can be a data connection to provide temperature data from a thermistor while a battery of the battery pack 120 is being charged.

[0053] For example, the chest device connectors 115 can be separated from one another by at least about 2 mm within manufacturing and measurement tolerances, and the battery pack connectors 125 can be separated from one another by at least about 2 mm within manufacturing and measurement tolerances. Accordingly, corrosion the chest device connectors 115 and the battery pack connectors 125 are further able to be significantly reduced or prevented even if water or other fluids intrude upon the chest device connectors 115 and the battery pack connectors 125.

[0054] The chest device connectors 115 and the battery pack connectors 125 each can include a metal or metal coating that is resistant to corrosion. For example, the chest device connectors 115 and the battery pack connectors 125 can include stainless steel or can be plated by nickel or gold.

[0055] As shown in FIGS. 10-13, the battery pack 120 can include protrusions or lips 123 that are received by corresponding indents 117 of the chest device 110. The protrusions 123 each can extend higher than an uppermost portion of each of the battery pack connectors 125, with respect to the orientation shown in FIG. 13. Accordingly, when the battery pack 120 is separated from the chest device 110, the battery pack connectors 125 are unlikely to be scratched or corroded, for example, by a user placing the battery pack 120 on a desk surface with the battery pack connectors 125 facing the desk surface.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 12, the chest device 110 includes a ridge 116 that surrounds the chest device connectors 115, and as shown in FIG. 13, the battery pack 120 includes a gasket 126 that surrounds the battery pack connectors 125. The ridge 116 and the gasket 126 can have corresponding and similar shapes. However, the gasket 126 can be wider than the ridge 116 to ensure that the ridge 116 is fully engaged and surrounded by the gasket 126. The gasket 126 can include additional material (e.g., protrusions) due to an injection molding process used to form the gasket 126, and/or to help secure the gasket 126 to the battery pack 120.

[0057] FIG. 14 shows a cross-sectional view of the patient monitoring device 100, and FIG. 15 shows an enlarged portion of the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 14. As shown in FIG. 15, the ridge 116 of the chest device 110 engages with and compresses the gasket 126 of the battery pack 120. Accordingly, the ridge 116 and the gasket 126 provide water resistance or water tightness to a portion of the patient monitoring device where the chest device connectors 115 mate with the battery pack connectors 125. Thus, water or other fluids that might splash upon the patient monitoring device 100 (for example, in a case that a patient accidentally wears the patient monitoring device 100 while showering or in a case that a patient spills liquid on the patient monitoring device 100) are able to be significantly reduced or prevented from intruding on the electrical connections between the chest device 110 and the battery pack 120. Accordingly, corrosion of the chest device connectors 115 and the battery pack connectors 125 is able to be significantly reduced or prevented. The battery pack 120 can also include internal circuitry or the like to prevent a short circuit condition between the battery pack connectors 125, for example, if water or other fluids are spilled on the battery pack 120 while the battery pack 120 is not connected to the chest device 110. That is, the battery pack connectors 125 can be disconnected from the battery in the battery pack 120 unless the battery pack 120 is connected to the chest device 110 or a charging station. For example, the battery pack 120 can provide a voltage only when a first group of the battery pack connectors 125 is connected to the chest device 110, and the battery pack 120 can charge the battery only when a second group of the battery pack connectors 125 is connected to a charging station. The second group of the battery pack connectors 125 can be the same as the first group of the battery pack connectors 125.

[0058] A lock structure of the chest device 110 and the battery pack 120 is described below with respect to FIGS. 12 to 15. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the chest device 110 includes a loop 119 that is received by an opening 129 in the battery pack 120. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the battery pack 120 further includes a hook or latch 128 that engages with the loop 119 of the chest device 110 when the loop 119 is inserted into the opening 129. The hook 128 engages with a spring 127 that presses the hook 128 against the loop 119 to support, lock, and retain the battery pack 120 to the chest device 110. The hook 128 is also rigidly connected to a button 124 that protrudes from the housing of the battery pack 120. A user can press the button 124 to compress the spring 127 and disengage the hook 128 from the loop 119, thereby enabling the battery pack 120 to be unmated from the chest device 110. A secondary gasket (not shown), for example, an O-ring, can also be provided on a portion of the button 124 between the housing of the battery pack 120 and the button 124 to significantly reduce or prevent water or other fluids from intruding into the interior of the battery pack 120. An additional or alternative secondary gasket (not shown) can be provided with the chest device 110, for example, that is able to be inserted with the loop 119 into the opening 129 of the battery pack 120.

[0059] The chest device 110 does not need to be disconnected or discarded to change or modify the battery pack 120. With a removable battery pack 120, the chest device 110 can remain attached to the patient and does not need to be removed from the electrodes connected to the cables 140. If rechargeable, the battery pack 120, when depleted, can be replaced with a charged battery pack while the chest device 110 remains attached to the patient. If the battery charge of the battery pack 120 reduces too much or the batteries deteriorate after many times of charging and discharging, a user can simply replace the old battery pack 120 with a new one, without having to replace the chest device 110 that is relatively more expensive than the battery pack 120 because of the circuitry included in the chest device 110.

[0060] FIGS. 16-19 show perspective views of internal components of the chest device 110 and the battery pack 120.

[0061] A battery 121 of the battery pack 120 can be either a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery. If the battery pack 120 includes a rechargeable battery, then the battery pack 120 can be charged using a charging station. As an example, the battery 121 can be a lithium ion battery that has a voltage between about 4.0 V and 4.2 V. The battery pack 120 is able to be properly oriented with respect to the chest device 110 according to the lock structure including the loop 119 and the opening 129, and according to the mating structure of the indents 117 and the protrusions 123. The lock structure of the patient monitoring device 100 also secures the battery pack 120 in place to the chest device 110 such that more force is required to separate the battery pack 120 from the chest device 110 than the force with which the loop 119 is retained by the hook 128. Accordingly, unintentional detachment of the battery pack 120 from the chest device 110 can be prevented. The lock structure including the button 124 also provides a haptic cue, for example, a snap or click feeling to the user, when the hook 128 engages or disengages the loop 119.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 16, the battery pack 120 can include a battery 121 and a battery PCB 122. The battery PCB 122 routes power and electrical signal interconnections between the battery 121 and the battery pack connectors 125. The battery PCB 122 can be rigid or flexible and can include circuitry components. Although the circuitry components can include circuitry components that are not related to battery functions (e.g., functions related to the chest device 110), the battery pack 120 can only include circuitry components related to battery functions (e.g., charging, battery status, short circuit protection, and the like). Optionally, the power and electrical signals can be routed by discrete wires or another suitable mechanism. According to the arrangement shown in FIGS. 12-15, the battery pack 120 can change without affecting the chest device 110. That is, the battery pack 120 can vary in thickness to accommodate a different battery that can have a longer life or be made with a different battery technology without having to redesign or reconfigure the chest device 110.

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the chest device 110 can include a first PCB 112A that is located to not overlap a battery 121 included in a battery pack 120, in plan view, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to a major surface of the first PCB 112A or in a direction towards the patient when the chest device 110 is attached to a patient. Accordingly, the first PCB 112A can include circuitry to provide wireless communication and the like. For example, the first PCB 112A can include an antenna that does not have to be covered with a potting compound or any other material, to reproducibly provide good impedance matching during the assembly process of the chest device 110. For example, a wall feature (not shown) could be adhered to the first PCB 112A around the antenna to maintain an open space around the antenna. However, if the antenna on the first PCB 112A is covered by a potting compound or the like, the potting compound can have a low permittivity (dielectric constant) to maximize antenna efficiency and to provide reproducible good impedance matching during the assembly process of the chest device 110.

[0064] As further shown in FIG. 17, the chest device 110 can include a second PCB 112B. The first PCB 112A and the second PCB 112B can include mounted circuitry components. In addition, the first PCB 112A and the second PCB 112B can be rigid and made from any suitable material. However, any suitable substrate can be used instead of the first PCB 112A and the second PCB 112B.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 18, the chest device 110 can additionally include a third PCB 112C that is provided below the second PCB 112B and on a bottom housing 150 of the chest device 110. The bottom housing 150 can include a retaining wall 154 that extends around the perimeter of the third PCB 112C. As shown in FIG. 19, the third PCB 112C and the snaps 111 can be covered by a potting compound 159. The retaining wall 154 of the bottom housing 150 can limit the flow of the potting compound 159 to an area surrounding the third PCB 112C and the snaps 111, such that the potting compound 159 is prevented from flowing to other portions of the bottom housing 150. The potting compound 159 can be a dielectric potting compound, for example, an epoxy resin, silicone, or any other suitable material. Because the potting compound 159 encapsulates the third PCB 112C and any electrical components on the third PCB 112C, as well as the snaps 111, a dense and compact electrical assembly is provided without concern of failure during defibrillation.

[0066] Accordingly, in the chest device 110, potting can be applied to circuit components included on the third PCB 112C while potting is not applied to circuit components included on the first PCB 112A and the second PCB 112B. By only potting the circuit components which have been included on the third PCB 112C, for example, analog circuit components, a weight of the potting compound 159 included in the chest device 110 can be reduced compared to a weight of a potting compound used in conventional patient monitoring devices.

[0067] It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.