LOW-NOISE OPTICAL PROBES FOR REDUCING AMBIENT NOISE

• US 20090143657A1
• Filed: 01/27/2009
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1991
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Tobler, Esmaiel Kiani-Azarbayjany, Eugene E. Mason, Mike A. Mills, Mohamed K. Diab, Thomas J. Gerhardt
• Original Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Tobler, David R., Gerhardt, Thomas J., Diab, Mohamed, Kiani-Azarbayjany, Esmaiel, Mills, Mike A., Mason, Eugene E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,670,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/344
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An optical probe, which is particularly suited to reduce noise in measurements taken on an easily compressible material, such as a finger, a toe, a forehead, an earlobe, or a lip, measures characteristics of the material. A neonatal and adult disposable embodiment of the probe include adhesive coated surfaces to securely affix the probe onto the patient. In addition, the surface of the probe is specially constructed to reduce the effect of ambient noise.

Claims

1. A disposable optical probe comprising:

electronic elements including a plurality of conductors, at least one emitter and a detector, wherein at least some of the conductors electrically communicate with the at least one emitter and others of the conductors electrically communicate with the detector and wherein the detector is capable of detecting light attenuated by body tissue at a measurement site; and

disposable flexible tape adhesively positioning said electronic elements with respect to the body tissue so as to materially reduce the effect of light noise on the detector, wherein the disposable flexible tape is capable of removably attaching said optical probe to the measurement site.

2. The disposable optical probe according to claim 1, comprising a cover.

3. The disposable optical probe according to claim 2, wherein the cover is opaque.

4. The disposable optical probe according to claim 2, wherein said cover comprises an opaque tape.

5. The disposable optical probe according to claim 2, wherein the cover comprises a metallic material and wherein the cover reduces an effect of electromagnetic interference noise on the detector.

6. The disposable optical probe according to claim 1, wherein said measurement site comprises body tissue of one of an adult patient, a pediatric patient, an infant patient, and a neonatal patient.

7. The disposable optical probe according to claim 6, wherein the tissue comprises one of a nose, a forehead, a digit, a heel, an foot, and an ear.

8. The disposable optical probe according to claim 2, comprising a face stock adapted to assist holding said cover in place.

9. The disposable optical probe according to claim 8, wherein said cover has a flange portion and said face stock covers said flange portion.

10. The disposable optical probe according to claim 1, wherein said disposable flexible tape comprises a base material transparent to an emitter wavelength.