Measuring head for a gas analyser

• US 20040267151A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MASIMO Sweden AB (Masimo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MASIMO Sweden AB (Masimo Corporation)
• Inventors: Eckerbom, Anders
• Granted Patent: US 7,235,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/3174 Filter wheel
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath

Abstract

A measuring head for the analysis of respiratory gases to and from a patient connected to a respirator, includes an aperture (7) which is intended to be placed over an adapter (2) through which respiratory gases flow. The measuring head (1) has a light transmitter (9) which includes an IR-emitter (12) on one side of the aperture (7) and a light receiver (10) which includes an IR-detector on the other side of the aperture (7). The measuring head (1) also includes a signal processing unit (20) necessary for the gas analysis.

Claims

1. A measuring head for the analysis of respiratory gases to and from a patient connected to a respirator, wherein the measuring head includes an aperture (7) which is intended to be placed over an adapter (2) through which respiratory gases flow, wherein the measuring head (1) also comprises a light transmitter (9) which includes an IR-emitter (12) on one side of the aperture (7) and a light receiver (10) which includes an IR-detector on the other side of side of said aperture (7), characterized in that the measuring head (1) is arranged in the in close proximity to the patient'"'"'s mouth or trachea to measure all the respiratory gases occurring in the gas flow, that the measuring head (1) also includes a signal processing unit (20) necessary for the gas analysis of different gases and that the light receiver (10) includes a filter wheel (16) being rotated by miniaturised motor (15) and including a number of optical band-pass filters.

2. A measuring head according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal processing unit (20) includes a miniprocessor.

3. A measuring head according to claim 2, characterized in that the microprocessor is adapted to receive signals from the light receiver (10) and also to carry out calculation functions on the basis of received signals and to send the processed signals through a signal cable (11;

41) to a unit that stands free from the measuring head, for presentation, storage or further processing.

4. A measuring head according to claim 2, characterized in that the microprocessor includes an analogue/digital converter (27) and a calibration memory (31).

5. A measuring head according to claim 1, characterized in that the motor (15) is controlled by software.

6. A measuring head according to claim 1, characterized in that correction of the temperature drift of the band-pass filters is controlled by software.

7. A measuring head according to claim 1, characterized in that the central portion (4) of the adapter includes a connection (17) for a fuel cell (18) for measuring the oxygen gas content of the respiratory gases.

9. A measuring head according to claim 3, characterized in that the microprocessor includes an analogue/digital converter (27) and a calibration memory (31).

8. (cancelled)