Medical garment
A medical garment or patch, at least a portion of which is formed from a flexible, air-impervious film. The garment or patch is configured to be directly applied to a region of an individual's skin surface when the garment or patch is donned by an individual. The garment may be used to apply a medical device to the body.
The present invention relates to devices comprising a flexible film for application to a body surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMedical devices are often applied to a subject's skin in order to measure or record a parameter of the skin or to apply a stimulus to the skin. Such devices include, for example, thermometers, stethoscopes, electrodes, microphones, and so on. If the device is to be applied to the skin for a short period of time (e.g. a stethoscope), it may be applied manually by the care giver. If the device is to be applied to the skin for a prolonged period of time (e.g. ECG electrodes), the device is usually affixed to the skin. Such means of fixation include, for example, use of straps, embedding the device in a garment worn by the subject, or by means of a vacuum.
In many cases, functioning of a device applied to a subject's skin requires firm contact between the device and the skin. In practice, however, the presence of skin defects, such as hair, pimples or wrinkles, prevent firm application of the device to the skin. The problem is especially significant when a device is to be applied to the skin by vacuum. The presence of skin defects, often prevents the formation of an airtight seal between the device and the skin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a thin flexible film that is applied to a subject's skin. The film is formed into a patch or garment, the shape of which matches the skin surface to which it is to be applied. The film is provided with means for firmly applying it to the shape of the skin surface. Such means include elastic straps and/or a nipple for connection to a negative pressure source so as to generate a vacuum between the film and the skin surface.
Due to the firm attachment of the film to the skin surface, the film forms a smooth surface juxtaposed to the skin surface. After firm application of the film to the skin surface, a medical device, such as a microphone is applied to the film. The absence of geometrical defects in the film surface allows the device to be applied firmly to the film surface. In particular, a better airtight seal may be formed between the device and the film than is normally possible when the device is applied directly to the skin surface. If the device is a microphone, the film is preferably acoustically transparent in the frequency range of interest. In this case, an airtight seal between the microphone and the film, has been found to allow an acoustic signal to be recorded from the skin surface having a higher signal to noise ratio than is obtainable when the microphone is applied directly to the skin.
Thus, in its first aspect, the invention provides a medical garment or patch, at least a portion of which is formed from a flexible, air-impervious film, the garment or patch being configured to be directly applied to a region of an individual's skin surface when the garment or patch is donned by an an individual.
In its second aspect, the invention provides a system for applying a flexible film to a body surface comprising:
- (a) A garment or patch at least a portion of which is formed from an air impervious flexible film and having a nipple for connection to a source of negative pressure to remove air between the film and the body surface when the film is applied to the body surface; and
- (b) a source of negative pressure.
In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The film 5 in this embodiment is formed from an air impervious material such as polyurethane or latex. The film 5 forms the portion of the vest that is to be applied to a subject's back (
The sealing surface or surfaces 14 are then pressed against the skin, so as to create an airtight seal with the skin at the edges of the vest. The vacuum pump 22 is then activated in order to remove air trapped in the space bounded by the film 5, the sealing lips 14 and the subject's skin. This causes the film 5 to be firmly applied to the subject's skin.
The film 5 is formed from an air impervious material such as polyurethane or latex. The film 5 forms the portion of the vest that is to be applied to a subject's back (
Claims
1. A medical garment or patch, at least a portion of which is formed from a flexible, air-impervious film, the garment or patch being configured to be directly applied to a region of an individual's skin surface when the garment or patch is donned by an individual
2. The garment or patch according to claim 1 wherein the film is made from polyurethane or latex.
3. The garment or patch according to claim 1 including a nipple for connection to a source of negative pressure so as to remove air between the film and the skin surface.
4. The garment or patch according to claim 1 wherein the means for conforming at least a portion of the film to the skin surface includes straps.
5. The garment according to claim 1 wherein the film is acoustically transparent in at least a predetermined frequency range.
6. A system for applying a flexible film to a body surface comprising:
- (a) A garment or patch at least a portion of which is formed from an air impervious flexible film and having a nipple for connection to a source of negative pressure to remove air between the film and the body surface when the film is applied to the body surface; and
- (b) a source of negative pressure.
7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the film is made from polyurethane or latex.
8. The system according to claim 6 wherein the film is acoustically transparent in at least a predetermined frequency range.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 4, 2004
Publication Date: Aug 18, 2005
Inventors: Igal Kushnir (Pardes Hana), Guy Ben-Ezra (Karkur)
Application Number: 10/771,147