Shunt barrier in pulse oximeter sensor

• US 20070027378A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Don Hannula, Michael Fein, Paul Mannheimer, Russ Delonzor
• Original Assignee: Don Hannula, Michael Fein, Paul Mannheimer, Russ Delonzor
• Inventors: Mannheimer, Paul, Hannula, Don, Fein, Michael, DeLonzor, Russ
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/344
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/146 for optical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips

Abstract

A pulse oximeter sensor comprising an emitter and a detector disposed on a substrate layer with a thinned portion between the emitter and the detector. A partially transparent covering layer covers the substrate layer and comprises a corresponding thinned portion. The thinned portions attenuate light shunted via the substrate layer and the partially transparent covering layer from the emitter to the detector, and may be configured such that less than 10% of the light detectable by the detector is shunted light.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a substrate layer;

a light emitter coupled to the substrate layer;

a light detector coupled to the substrate layer; and

a layer coupled to the substrate layer over the light emitter and the light detector, wherein a portion of the layer between the light emitter and the light detector is substantially opaque to selected wavelengths of light from the light emitter.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the layer is configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 10% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light.

3. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the layer is configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 1% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light.

4. The sensor of claim 1, wherein one side of the layer comprises an adhesive for adhering the sensor to a tissue location on the patient.

5. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the layer comprises a first opening for the light emitter and a second opening for the light detector.

6. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the layer comprises a first window for the light emitter and a second window for the light detector.

7. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the selected wavelengths of light are in the range of from 650 nm to 905 nm.

8. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the portion is substantially opaque to red light and to infrared light.

9. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the substantially opaque portion of the layer at least partially encloses the light emitter.

10. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the substantially opaque portion of the layer extends across the layer in a direction substantially perpendicular to a line between the light emitter and the light detector.

11. A sensor substrate comprising:

a base layer, wherein one end of the base layer comprises a location for a light emitter, and another end of the base layer comprises a location for a light detector; and

a layer coupled to the base layer over the location for the light emitter and the location for the light detector, wherein a portion of the layer between the location for the light emitter and the location for the light detector is substantially opaque to selected wavelengths of light from the light emitter.

12. The sensor substrate of claim 11, wherein one side of the layer comprises an adhesive for adhering the sensor to a tissue location on the patient.

13. The sensor substrate of claim 11, wherein the location for the light emitter comprises a first opening in the layer, and the location for the light detector comprises a second opening in the layer.

14. The sensor substrate of claim 11, wherein the partially opaque layer is substantially opaque to red light and to infrared light.

15. The sensor substrate of claim 11, wherein the substantially opaque portion of the layer at least partially encloses the location for the light emitter and the location for the light detector.

16. The sensor substrate of claim 11, wherein the substantially opaque portion of the layer extends across the layer in a direction substantially perpendicular to a line between the location for the light emitter and the location for the light detector.

17. A method of manufacturing a sensor comprising:

providing a light detector and a light emitter coupled to a substrate layer; and

providing a layer coupled to the substrate layer over the light emitter and the light detector, wherein a portion of the layer between the light emitter and the light detector is substantially opaque to selected wavelengths of light from the light emitter.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the layer comprises providing an adhesive on a first side of the layer for adhering to a tissue location on a patient.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the layer is substantially opaque to red light and to infrared light.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the layer is configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 10% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the layer is configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 1% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light.

22. A method of remanufacturing a sensor comprising:

providing a sensor comprising a substrate, a light emitter coupled to the substrate, and a light detector coupled to the substrate; and

coupling a layer to the sensor over the light emitter and the light detector, wherein a portion of the layer between the fight emitter and the light detector is substantially opaque to selected wavelengths of light from the light emitter.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the layer is configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 10% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light shunted via the layer.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the layer is configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 1% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light shunted via the layer.

25. A method of operating a sensor comprising:

emitting light at a patient with a light emitter coupled to a layer; and

detecting light from the patient with a light detector coupled to the layer, wherein a portion of the layer between the light emitter and the light detector is substantially opaque to selected wavelengths of light, wherein the substantially opaque portion attenuates light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the substantially opaque portion of the layer is configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 10% of the light detected by the detector is shunted light.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the substantially opaque portion of the layer is configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 1% of the light detected by the detector is shunted light.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the light emitter and the light detector are mounted on a substrate layer, wherein the layer is coupled to the substrate layer over the light emitter and the light detector.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein emitting light at the patient comprises emitting light through an opening in the layer.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein emitting light at the patient comprises emitting light through a transparent portion of the layer.