Multiple wavelength sensor interconnect

• US 20060241358A1
• Filed: 03/01/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cercacor Laboratories
• Original Assignee: Masimo Laboratories, Inc. (Masimo Corporation)
• Inventors: Abdul-Hafiz, Yassir, Al-Ali, Ammar
• Granted Patent: US 7,377,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00 Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes examination of body cavities or body tracts using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/12; endoscopic instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/04; for surgical purposes A61B17/00; endoscopic surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32; surgical instruments using a laser beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit A61B18/22; Illuminating arrangements therefor for the eyes A61B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/085 combined with means for recording calibration data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/185 Optical shielding, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0295 using plethysmography, i.e. measuring the variations in the volume of a body part as modified by the circulation of blood therethrough, e.g. impedance plethysmography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1495 Calibrating or testing of in-vivo probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6832 : using adhesives A61B5/259 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 : Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 : Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 : using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 : Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 : using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 : Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 : for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/909 : Medical use or attached to human body

Abstract

A sensor interconnect assembly has a circuit substrate. An emitter portion of the substrate is adapted to mount emitters. A detector portion of the substrate is adapted to mount a detector. A cable portion of the substrate is adapted to connect a sensor cable. A first group of conductors are disposed on the substrate electrically interconnecting the emitter portion and the cable portion. A second group of conductors are disposed on the substrate electrically interconnecting the detector portion and the cable portion. A decoupling portion of the substrate disposed proximate the cable portion substantially mechanically isolating the cable portion from both the emitter portion and the detector portion so that sensor cable stiffness is not translated to the emitters or the detector.

Claims

1. A sensor interconnect assembly comprising:

a circuit substrate an emitter portion of the substrate adapted to mount a plurality of emitters;

a detector portion of the substrate adapted to mount a detector;

a cable portion of the substrate adapted to connect a sensor cable;

a first plurality of conductors disposed on the substrate electrically interconnecting the emitter portion and the cable portion;

a second plurality of conductors disposed on the substrate electrically interconnecting the detector portion and the cable portion; and

a decoupling portion of the substrate disposed proximate the cable portion substantially mechanically isolating the cable portion from both the emitter portion and the detector portion so that sensor cable stiffness is not translated to the emitters or the detector.

2. The sensor interconnect assembly according to claim 1 wherein the circuit substrate is a flex circuit.

3. The sensor interconnect assembly according to claim 2 wherein the decoupling portion is a substantially narrowed region of the flex circuit.

4. The sensor interconnect assembly according to claim 3 further comprising a second decoupling portion of the flex circuit disposed between the emitter portion and the detector portion.

5. The sensor interconnect assembly according to claim 4 wherein the second decoupling portion is an elongated, relatively narrow interconnect between the emitter portion and the detector portion.

6. The sensor interconnect assembly according to claim 5 further comprising a shield of the flex circuit extending from the cable portion and adapted to fold over detector wires of the sensor cable after wire attachment to the cable portion.

7. A sensor interconnect method comprising:

providing a circuit substrate having an emitter mount, a detector mount and a cable connector;

electrically connecting sensor cable wires to the cable connector; and

decoupling the sensor cable wires from the emitter mount and the detector mount.

8. The sensor interconnect method according to claim 7 further comprising:

attaching and electrically connecting an emitter substrate to the emitter mount, the emitter substrate having a plurality of emitters.

9. The sensor interconnect method according to claim 8 further comprising:

forming a flexible bend between the emitter mount and the cable connector so as to decouple the emitter mount and the cable connector.

10. The sensor interconnect method according to claim 9 further comprising:

forming a flexible bend between the detector mount and the cable connector so as to decouple the detector mount and the cable connector.

11. The sensor interconnect method according to claim 10 further comprising folding a shield portion of the flex circuit over detector ones of the sensor cable wires.

12. A sensor flex circuit comprising:

an emitter end;

a detector end,

an elongated interconnect between the emitter end and the detector end; and

a cable connector extending from the interconnect,

wherein the emitter end has emitter pads for physically attaching and electrically connecting an emitter assembly.

13. The sensor flex circuit according to claim 12 further comprising mounting ears extending from the emitting end for attaching to a finger clip pad.

14. The sensor flex circuit according to claim 13 wherein the cable connector comprises wings that extend from each side of the interconnect, the wings having a relatively large solder pad area for cable attachment and a narrowed area for mechanically isolating a cable from the remainder of the flex circuit.

15. The sensor flex circuit according to claim 14 further comprising a neck adapted to be bent so as to form a flexible spring within a finger clip,

wherein the flexible spring is adapted to mechanically isolate the cable from the emitter assembly.