Bi-stable medical sensor and technique for using the same
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bi-stable sensor is provided that includes a frame upon which electrical and optical components may be disposed and a coating, such as an overmold coating, provided about the frame. A resistance-providing component is provided integral with or external to the coated bi-stable sensor such that the bi-stable sensor has two mechanically stable configurations that may be transitioned between by overcoming the resistance provided by the resistance-providing component and/or the by the coating. In one embodiment, the resistance-providing component comprises an elastic band provided about a hinge of the frame, either within or external to the coating. In one embodiment, the sensor may be placed on a patient'"'"'s finger, toe, ear, and so forth to obtain pulse oximetry or other physiological measurements.
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Citations
76 Claims
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1-14. -14. (canceled)
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15. A sensor assembly, comprising:
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a frame;
at least one sensor component attached to the frame; and
a coating provided over the frame and the at least one sensor component to form a sensor assembly having at least two mechanically stable configurations. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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16. A method of manufacturing a sensor, comprising:
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situating an emitter and a detector on a skeletal frame; and
coating the skeletal frame with a coating material to form a sensor assembly having at least two mechanically stable configurations. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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17. A method for acquiring physiological data, comprising:
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emitting two or more wavelengths of light from an emitter of a sensor assembly having at least two mechanically stable configurations;
detecting transmitted or reflected light using a photodetector of the sensor assembly; and
determining a physiological parameter based on the detected light.
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18. A method of manufacturing a bi-stable sensor body, comprising:
coating a skeletal frame with a coating material to form a sensor body having at least two stable configurations. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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19. A sensor body, comprising:
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a frame;
a coating provided over the frame to form a sensor body; and
a resistance-providing component configured to resist transitions between a first stable configuration and a second stable configuration of the sensor body. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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20. A skeletal frame of a sensor, comprising:
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two or more structural support members having one or more spaces between the two or more structural support members, wherein the two or more structural support members are configured to provide support to an overlying coating when present;
a hinge connecting some or all of the two or more structural support members; and
a resistance-providing component disposed generally about the hinge such that the skeletal frame has two or more mechanically stable configurations. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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Specification