Hat-based oximeter sensor

• US 20040267104A1
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Mannheimer, Paul, Hannula, Don
• Granted Patent: US 7,047,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/340
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/06 Children, e.g. for attention deficit diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14553 specially adapted for cerebral tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches

Abstract

A method for use and an improved oximeter sensor substrate that is conforming to the shape of the patient'"'"'s forehead. In one embodiment, the present invention is an oximeter sensor, having a substrate with a shape similar to a shape of at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s forehead and including a section adapted to substantially fit over a portion of a forehead of a patient; an emitter disposed on the substrate at a position located on the section; and a detector disposed on the substrate at a distance from the emitter. In one embodiment, the substrate includes a hat that holds the emitter and the detector in a spaced-part manner against the patient'"'"'s forehead.

Claims

1. An oximeter sensor, comprising:

a substrate having a shape similar to a shape of at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s forehead and including a section adapted to substantially fit over a portion of a forehead of a patient;

an emitter disposed on said substrate at a position located on said section; and

a detector disposed on said substrate at a distance from said emitter.

2. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said substrate is resilient and has a shape conformable to the forehead of a patient.

3. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises an adhesive layer for adhering to the forehead of a patient.

4. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a darkened layer so as to minimize the incidence of reflected light that does not go through the tissue of a patient onto said detector.

5. The sensor of claim 1 further comprising leads connected to said emitter and said detector, said leads extending along said substrate away from one of the top or a side of a patient'"'"'s forehead.

6. The sensor of claim 1 further comprising a hat for holding said substrate against the patient'"'"'s forehead.

7. The sensor of claim 6 wherein said substrate is adhered to the inside of said hat.

8. The sensor of claim 7 wherein said substrate is adhesively adhered to the inside of said hat.

9. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a plurality of laminated layers.

10. An oximeter sensor, comprising:

a substrate having a shape similar to a shape of at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s forehead and including a section adapted to substantially fit over a portion of a forehead of a patient;

an emitter disposed on said substrate at a position located on said section;

a detector disposed on said substrate at a distance from said emitter; and

a hat for holding said substrate against the patient'"'"'s forehead.

11. A method for determination of a blood characteristic, comprising:

applying an emitter and a detector to spaced-apart positions on a forehead of a patient in the lower forehead region, above the eyebrow, with both the detector and the emitter placed lateral of the iris;

securing said emitter and detector to said patient;

emitting electromagnetic radiation with said emitter;

detecting electromagnetic radiation scattered by the forehead by said detector and producing a detector signal; and

determining a blood characteristic in the patient from said detector signal.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said blood characteristic is oxygen saturation.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said securing comprises placing a hat over said emitter and said detector.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said securing comprises securing said emitter and said detector to the patient by attaching said emitter and said detector to an inside of a hat, and placing said hat on the head of the patient.

15. The method of claim 11 comprising detecting light reflected from the forehead of the patient with said detector.

16. A method for determination of a blood characteristic, comprising:

applying an emitter and a detector to spaced-apart positions on a forehead of a patient in the lower forehead region, above the eyebrow, with both the detector and the emitter placed lateral of the iris;

securing said emitter and detector to said patient, by attaching said emitter and said detector to an inside of a hat, and placing said hat on the head of the patient;

emitting electromagnetic radiation with said emitter;

detecting electromagnetic radiation scattered by the forehead by said detector and producing a detector signal; and

determining a blood characteristic in the patient from said detector signal.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said blood characteristic is oxygen saturation.