Geometry of a Transcutaneous Sensor

• US 20130237852A1
• Filed: 03/09/2013
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ivWatch, LLC
• Original Assignee: ivWatch, LLC
• Inventors: Warren, Gary P., Alley, Matthew S., Anchell, Scott J., Naramore, William J., Bonnema, Garret T.
• Application Number:
  US13/792,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20130237852A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0242 for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0082 adapted for particular medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0507 using microwaves or terahertz waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/443 Evaluating skin constituents, e.g. elastin, melanin, water
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16836 by sensing tissue properties at the infusion site, e.g. for detecting infiltration detecting tissue temperature for diagnostic purposes A61M39/0247
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/04 for assembling or disassembling parts
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 25/00 Auxiliary treatment of workpieces, before or during machining operations, to facilitate the action of the tool or the attainment of a desired final condition of the work, e.g. relief of internal stress
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49764 with testing or indicating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49771 Quantitative measuring or gauging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49888 Subsequently coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4989 with spreading of cable strands
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53052 including position sensor

Abstract

A transcutaneous electromagnetic signal sensor includes an emitter and a collector. The emitter includes an emitter end face configured to emit a first electromagnetic radiation signal that enters Animalia tissue. The collector includes a detector end face configured to collect a second electromagnetic radiation signal that exits the Animalia tissue. The second electromagnetic radiation signal includes a portion of the first electromagnetic radiation signal that is at least one of reflected, scattered and redirected from the Animalia tissue. The second electromagnetic radiation signal monitors anatomical changes over time in the Animalia tissue.

Claims

1. A sensor to aid in diagnosing at least one of infiltration and extravasation in Animalia tissue, the sensor comprising:

a housing including a surface configured to confront an epidermis of the Animalia tissue;

a first waveguide being configured to transmit a first light signal, the first waveguide being at least partially disposed in the housing and having an emitter end face configured to emit the first light signal that enters the Animalia tissue; and

a second waveguide being configured to transmit a second light signal, the second light signal including a portion of the first light signal that is at least one of reflected, scattered and redirected from the Animalia tissue, the second waveguide being at least partially disposed in the housing and having a detector end face configured to collect the second light signal that exits the Animalia tissue;

wherein the detector end face extends in a first narrow band along a first straight line, and the emitter end face is spaced a distance perpendicular to the first straight line.

2. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the emitter end face extends in a second narrow band along a second straight line.

3. The sensor of claim 2 wherein the second straight line is parallel to the first straight line.

4. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the detector end face extends a length along the first straight line, and a ratio of the length to the distance is between approximately 4:

3 and approximately 1;

1.

5. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the first waveguide guides the first light signal along a first path intersecting the emitter end face at a first angle, and the second waveguide guides the second light signal along a second path intersecting the detector end face at a second angle.

6. The sensor of claim 5 wherein the first and second angles are approximately 90 degrees.

7. The sensor of claim 5 wherein the first angle is between approximately 50 degrees and approximately 70 degrees, and the second angle is between approximately 85 degrees and approximately 95 degrees.

8. The sensor of claim 1 wherein wavelengths of the first and second light signals are between approximately 600 nanometers and approximately 1,800 nanometers.

9. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the first and second light signals are centered about approximately 940 nanometers.

10. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises:

a first portion having a surface configured to confront an epidermis of the Animalia tissue; and

a second portion being coupled with the first portion to generally define an internal volume.

11. The sensor of claim 10, comprising a filler disposed in the internal volume and generally cincturing portions of the first and second waveguides disposed in the internal volume.

12. The sensor of claim 11 wherein the filler comprises epoxy.

13. The sensor of claim 11 wherein the filler comprises a light absorbing material.

14. The sensor of claim 1, comprising a substantially smooth superficies including the surface and the emitter and detector end faces.

15. The sensor of claim 14 wherein the superficies is generally convex.

16. The sensor of claim 1 wherein (i) the first waveguide includes a plurality of emission optical fibers, and the emitter end face includes an aggregation of individual end faces of the emission optical fibers;

and (ii) the second waveguide includes a plurality of detection optical fibers, and the detector end face includes an aggregation of individual end faces of the detection optical fibers.

17. The sensor of claim 16 wherein the housing comprises a substantially smooth superficies including the surface and the aggregations of individual emitter and detector end faces.

18. The sensor of claim 16 wherein the individual emitter end faces are clustered about a center point spaced the distance perpendicular to the first straight line.

19. The sensor of claim 1 wherein each individual point of the emitter end face is disposed a minimum distance not less than 3 millimeters from each individual point of the detector end face, and each individual point of the emitter end face is disposed a maximum distance not more than 5 millimeters from each individual point of the detector end face.

20. The sensor of claim 1 wherein each individual point of the emitter end face is disposed approximately 4 millimeters from each individual point of the detector end face.