Ribbon cable substrate pulse oximetry sensor

• US 20020095074A1
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Inventors: Al-Ali, Ammar
• Granted Patent: US 6,760,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/63 connecting to another shape cable
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

A pulse oximetry sensor is constructed using ribbon cable as a substrate for component mounting and interconnection as well as for forming a patient cable connector. The ribbon cable is constructed of multiple conductors spaced apart within an insulation layer and is advantageously cut to length to form a substrate for a particular type of sensor, such as a neonatal, pediatric or adult sensor. A detector is attached to a pair of conductors at a component end of the substrate, after insulation is stripped from the conductor tips. Another pair of conductors is cut to a length between the substrate ends. An emitter is attached to the shortened conductors after insulation is stripped from the conductor tips. Insulation is also stripped from the conductor tips at a connector end of the substrate. Pins are attached to each of these tips, and the pins are used to form a patient cable connector. The assembled substrate is mounted to an adhesive tape that is configured to removably attach the sensor to a patient so that the emitter transmits light into a tissue portion of the patient and the detector correspondingly receives emitted light that is not absorbed by the tissue. The ribbon cable may have one or more conductive layers with embedded conductors for electrical noise shielding, particularly at the detector.

Claims

1. A physiological sensor comprising:

a ribbon cable having a plurality of conductors extending within an insulation layer between a first end and a second end;

a detector mounted to said ribbon cable and electrically connected to at least a first pair of said conductors;

an emitter mounted to said ribbon cable and electrically connected to at least a second pair of said conductors, at least one of said detector and said emitter being mounted proximate said first end;

a connector mounted to said ribbon cable proximate said second end; and

a retainer mounted to said ribbon cable and configured to removably attach said ribbon cable to tissue so that said emitter may transmit light into a tissue sample and said detector may receive light from said tissue sample.

2. The physiological sensor according to claim 1 wherein said detector is mounted to said ribbon cable proximate said first end and said emitter is mounted to said ribbon cable between said first and second ends, said ribbon cable being foldable around a tissue portion of a patient so that said emitter opposes said detector on either side of said tissue portion.

3. The physiological sensor according to claim 1 wherein said connector comprises:

a plurality of pins each enclosing one of a plurality of end portions of said conductors, said insulation being stripped from said end portions at said second end; and

an encapsulant disposed around a portion of said pins and said second end so as to form a housing portion of said connector.

4. The physiological sensor according to claim 1 wherein said connector comprises:

a plurality of pins each enclosing one of a plurality of end portions of said conductors, said insulation being stripped from said end portions at said second end; and

a welded connector shell disposed around a portion of said pins and said second end so as to form a housing portion of said connector.

5. The physiological sensor according to claim 1 wherein said ribbon cable comprises a first conductive layer shielding said first pair of conductors, said first conductive layer having a first embedded conductor extending to said connector.

6. The physiological sensor according to claim 5 further comprising a detector shield disposed around said detector and electrically connected to said first embedded conductor.

7. The physiological sensor according to claim 6 further comprising a second conductive layer shielding said first pair and said second pair of conductors, said second conductive layer having a second embedded conductor extending to said connector.

8. A physiological sensor manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

cutting a substrate from a length of ribbon cable having a plurality of conductors to form a connector end and a component end of said substrate, said length measured to conform to a particular sensor type;

stripping a first portion of insulation from said component end to expose a detector contact portion of said conductors;

stripping a second portion of insulation from said component end to expose an emitter contact portion of said conductors;

attaching a detector and an emitter at said component end so that a plurality of detector leads of said detector are electrically connected to said detector contact portion and so that a plurality of emitter leads of said emitter are electrically connected to said emitter contact portion;

forming a connector at said connector end configured to electrically communicate with a patient cable; and

mounting said substrate to a retainer configured so that said substrate can be attached to living tissue.

9. The physiological sensor manufacturing method according to claim 8 wherein said attaching step comprises the substep of crimping said detector leads and said emitter leads onto said detector contact portion and said emitter contact portion, respectively.

10. The physiological sensor manufacturing method according to claim 8 wherein said forming step comprises the substeps of:

stripping a third portion of insulation from said connector end to expose a connector contact portion of said conductors, said connector contact portion being in electrical communication with said detector contact portion and said emitter contact portion;

disposing a plurality of pins around said connector contact portion; and

encapsulating said pins to form a connector housing.

11. The physiological sensor manufacturing method according to claim 8 wherein said forming step comprises the substeps of:

stripping a third portion of insulation from said connector end to expose a connector contact portion of said conductors, said connector contact portion being in electrical communication with said detector contact portion and said emitter contact portion;

disposing a plurality of pins around said connector contact portion; and

welding a connector shell around said pins to form a connector housing.

12. The physiological sensor manufacturing method according to claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

removing an insulation window between said connector end and said component end to expose an ID element contact portion of said conductors; and

attaching an ID element within said window so that a plurality of ID element leads of said ID element are electrically connected to said ID element contact portion.

13. The physiological sensor manufacturing method according to claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

exposing a detector shield conductor at said component end, said detector shield conductor being embedded within a conductive layer of said substrate extending from said component end to said connector end;

attaching a shield to said detector; and

electrically connecting said detector shield conductor to said detector shield.

15. The physiological sensor according to claim 14 further comprising a window means for attaching an ID element to said ribbon cable means.

16. The physiological sensor according to claim 14 further comprising a first shielding means disposed within said ribbon cable means for suppressing electrical noise at said detector.

17. The physiological sensor according to claim 14 further comprising a second shielding means disposed within said ribbon cable means and around said first shielding means for suppressing electrical noise.

14. A physiological sensor comprising:

an emitter means for transmitting light into tissue;

a detector means for receiving light from tissue;

a connector means for providing external instrument communication;

a ribbon cable means for conducting electrical signals between said connector and each of said emitter and said detector; and

a retainer means for attaching said ribbon cable means to tissue.