Fetal oximetry system and sensor
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical measuring device having multiple optical paths between one or more light emitters and one or more light detectors and/or providing at least two sets of wavelength of light along at least one path, with a final measurement being produced as a combination of measurements of the sets of wavelengths of light taken along one or more of the optical paths. Features that contribute to increased safety and ease of use include providing (1) a receiving cavity in a proximal end of an insertion rod that holds a free end of a circuit connector to keep it from becoming tangled or snagged, (2) a mechanism to keep the sensor within an introducer tube during storage and insertion and to expose a portion of the sensor only when the sensor is applied to the unborn baby, (3) a tab on the insertion rod to prevent the circuit connector from becoming tangled or snagged within the introducer tube, (4) a rotating feature whereby if a torque applied on the sensor exceeds a first predetermined amount, the sensor rotates, and a disengaging feature whereby the sensor detaches from insertion rod if a pull-off force exceeds a second predetermined amount, the rotating and disengaging features being independent of one another, (5) a circuit connector that includes at least one of the following features: (a) a stiffening member provided at the proximal end to minimize bending, (b) a shielding layer, and (c) at least one slit to increase the flexibility of the circuit connector, and (6) an interface that includes an identification element that is detected by an external circuit only if the circuit connector is connected to the interface. The present invention also pertains to a method of manufacturing a needle that is used in an invasive sensor, and preferably for fetal monitoring, that provides features not heretofore available in conventional sensors.
169 Citations
26 Claims
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1-14. -14. (canceled)
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15. A physiological condition measuring device comprising:
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an insertion rod (7) having a distal end and a proximal end, with a receiving cavity (33) being defined in said proximal end;
a sensor (11) selectively attached to said distal end of said insertion rod;
a circuit connector (9) having a distal end coupled to said sensor and a free proximal end, said free proximal end of said circuit connector and said receiving cavity of said insertion rod being sized and configured such that the said free proximal end of said circuit connector is selectively insertable into said receiving cavity and maintained in an engaged relationship therewith responsive to being fully inserted into said receiving cavity; and
an introducer tube (5) selectively positioned relative to said insertion rod so as to house at least a portion of said insertion rod therein with said circuit connector extending along at least a portion of a length of said insertion rod between said insertion rod and said introducer tube, said introducer tube being moveable in an axial direction relative to said insertion rod.
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16. A physiological condition measuring device comprising:
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an insertion rod (7);
a sensor (11) selectively attached to a distal end of said insertion rod;
a circuit connector (9) having a distal end coupled to said sensor and a proximal end that selectively couples said sensor to an external circuit;
an introducer tube (5) selectively positioned relative to said insertion rod so as to house at least a portion of said insertion rod therein with said circuit connector extending along at least a portion of a length of said insertion rod between said insertion rod and said introducer tube, said introducer tube being moveable in an axial direction relative to said insertion rod; and
a mechanism (13) that selectively couples said insertion rod and said introducer tube to maintain said introducer tube in a first position relative to said insertion rod wherein said sensor is located entirely within said introducer tube and that permits said introducer tube to be moved to a second position relative to said insertion rod wherein at least a portion of said sensor is located outside said introducer tube. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A physiological condition measuring device comprising:
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an insertion rod (7);
a sensor (11) selectively attached to a distal end of said insertion rod;
a circuit connector (9) having a distal end coupled to said sensor and a proximal end that selectively couples said sensor to an external circuit;
an introducer tube (5) selectively positioned relative to said insertion rod so as to house at least a portion of said insertion rod therein with said circuit connector extending along at least a portion of a length of said insertion rod between said insertion rod and said introducer tube, said introducer tube being moveable in an axial direction relative to said insertion rod; and
a tab (39) disposed on said insertion rod and extending between said insertion rod and said introducer tube, said tab being sized and configured so as to contact a portion of said circuit connector responsive to said insertion rod being rotated relative to said introducer tube to urge said circuit connector to rotate in a same direction of rotation as said insertion rod.
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20. A physiological condition measuring device comprising:
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an insertion rod (7);
a sensor (11) selectively attached to a distal end of said insertion rod, said sensor and an associated portion of said insertion rod being sized and configured such that said sensor rotates relative to said insertion rod if a torque applied on said sensor by said insertion rod exceeds a first predetermined amount and said sensor disconnects from said distal end of said insertion rod if a pull-off force exerted on said sensor by said insertion rod exceeds a second predetermined amount, wherein said first predetermined amount of torque necessary to cause rotation is independent of said second predetermined amount of force necessary to cause said sensor to disconnect from said insertion rod;
a circuit connector (9) having a distal end coupled to said sensor and a proximal end that selectively couples said sensor to an external circuit;
an introducer tube (5) selectively positioned relative to said insertion rod so as to house at least a portion of said insertion rod therein with said circuit connector extending along at least a portion of a length of said insertion rod between said insertion rod and said introducer tube, said introducer tube being moveable in an axial direction relative to said insertion rod. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A physiological condition measuring device comprising:
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an insertion rod (7);
a sensor (11) selectively attached to a distal end of said insertion rod;
a circuit connector (9) having a distal end coupled to said sensor and a proximal end that selectively couples said sensor to an external circuit, said circuit connector including at least one conductor to carry signals between said distal and said proximal ends, and wherein said circuit connector includes at least one of the following;
(a) a stiffening member (130) provided at said proximal end of said circuit connector to minimize bending thereof, (b) a shielding layer disposed on at least one side of said at least one conductor, and (c) at least one slit extending at least partially into said circuit connector in a longitudinal direction thereof to increase a flexibility of said circuit connector; and
an introducer tube (5) selectively positioned relative to said insertion rod so as to house at least a portion of said insertion rod therein with said circuit connector extending along at least a portion of a length of said insertion rod between said insertion rod and said introducer tube, said introducer tube being moveable in an axial direction relative to said insertion rod. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A physiological condition measuring device comprising:
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an insertion rod (7);
a sensor (11) selectively attached to a distal end of said insertion rod;
a circuit connector (9) having a distal end coupled to said sensor and a proximal end that selectively couples said sensor to an external circuit;
an introducer tube (5) selectively positioned relative to said insertion rod so as to house at least a portion of said insertion rod therein with said circuit connector extending along at least a portion of a length of said insertion rod between said insertion rod and said introducer tube, said introducer tube being moveable in an axial direction relative to said insertion rod; and
an interface that selectively couples to said proximal end of said circuit connector, said interface including an identification element, said circuit connector being configured such that connecting said circuit connector to said interface operatively couples said identification element to an external circuit that enables said external circuit to detect said identification element.
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26. (canceled)
Specification