Granted Patent B2

US 12,745,951 · App. 18/601,263 · Granted Sep 29, 2026

Inventors: Ben Alan Askem (Leeds, GB); Fernando Bettani (Milan, IT); Alberto Fasan (Milan, IT); Allan Kenneth Frazer Grugeon Hunt (Beverely, GB); Felix Clarence Quintanar (Hull, GB); Daniel Lee Steward (Hull, GB)

Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC

A61B5/445A61M1/73A61M1/915A61M1/95H05K1/0215H05K1/0259A61M1/985A61M2205/3306A61M2205/3317A61M2205/3368H05K2201/10151

Abstract

Claims (30)

1 . A wound monitoring or treatment apparatus comprising:

a wound contact layer configured to be positioned over a wound of a patient;

an elastomer substrate incorporated in or coupled to the wound contact layer, the elastomer substrate being flexible and including a first conductive pathway formed from ink on at least part of a perimeter of a first side of the elastomer substrate, the first conductive pathway being electrically coupled to an electrical ground plane for the elastomer substrate; and

a sensor mounted on the elastomer substrate, the sensor being configured to monitor a physiological parameter of the patient,

wherein the first conductive pathway is configured to protect the sensor against an electrostatic discharge.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer substrate is incorporated in the wound contact layer.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer substrate is stretchable.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer substrate comprises a second conductive pathway formed from ink on at least part of a perimeter of a second side of the elastomer substrate opposite the first side, the second conductive pathway being electrically coupled to the electrical ground plane and configured to protect the sensor against the electrostatic discharge.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of vias electrically connecting the first conductive pathway and the second conductive pathway through the elastomer substrate.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive pathway extends around at least half of the perimeter of the first side.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to output a signal indicative of the physiological parameter subsequent to the wound contact layer being exposed to a defibrillation shock.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises one or more of a temperature sensor, an impedance sensor, an optical sensor, or a SpO2 sensor.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a controller external to the elastomer substrate, the controller being configured to communicate with the sensor and output the physiological parameter for presentation.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a conformal coating encapsulating the elastomer substrate and the sensor.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical ground plane is formed from ink.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wound contact layer and the elastomer substrate are perforated.

13 . A method for manufacturing a wound monitoring or treatment apparatus, the method comprising:

mounting a sensor on an elastomer substrate and in electrical communication with at least one conductive track on the elastomer substrate;

forming a first conductive pathway from ink on at least part of a perimeter of a first side of the elastomer substrate;

electrically connecting the first conductive pathway to an electrical ground plane for the elastomer substrate; and

incorporating the elastomer substrate into a wound contact layer or coupling the elastomer substrate to the wound contact layer.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the elastomer substrate is stretchable.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the elastomer substrate comprises thermoplastic polyurethane.

16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising encapsulating the elastomer substrate and the sensor with a conformal coating.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein forming the first conductive pathway comprises extending the first conductive pathway around at least half of the perimeter of the first side.

18 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

forming a second conductive pathway from ink on at least part of a perimeter of a second side of the elastomer substrate opposite the first side; and

electrically connecting the second conductive pathway to the electrical ground plane.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising electrically connecting the first conductive pathway to the second conductive pathway through the elastomer substrate.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising electrically connecting the first conductive pathway to the second conductive pathway around an edge of the elastomer substrate.

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (400)