BLOOD OXYGENATION AND PULSE RATE MONITORING APPARATUS

• US 3,628,525 A
• Filed: 06/19/1969
• Issued: 12/21/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warner Lambert Limited (Pfizer Inc.)
• Original Assignee: David S. Ostrowski, Michael L. Polanyi
• Inventors: Polanyi, Michael L., Ostrowski, David S.
• Application Number:
  US04/834,735
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• US Class Current: 600/334
• 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 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1491 Heated applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 Ear lobe

Abstract

An ear oximeter functioning as a transducer for monitoring blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate comprising an ear clamp having a pair of opposed jaws between which body tissue may be clamped for transillumination by light emitted from one jaw into the clamped tissue. Thermostatically controlled heating means arterializes the transilluminated tissue and light emitter from the tissue is monitored by a photoelectric light-intensity meter for indication of percent oxygen in blood within the arterialized tissue.

Claims

1. An oximeter device comprising:

a main supporting member;

a pair of parallel clamping jaws extending laterally from said member, said jaws being movable at least one toward the other along said member for clamping a section of body tissue between their corresponding terminal ends;

light-emitting means in a first of said jaws of said pair adjacent its terminal end and a light-receiving platen adjacent the terminal of the second of said jaws between which said section of body tissue is adapted to be received for said clamping thereof and is adapted to be transilluminated by light emitted from said emitting means;

an electrical heating element adjacent said platen for heating same;

a thermistor in said platen;

temperature control means in electrical circuit with said heating element and thermistor, said control means being responsive to variations in electrical resistance of said thermistor for maintaining the temperature of said platen and said section of tissue substantially constant during said transillumination of the tissue;

means adjacent said terminal end of said jaw for receiving light transmitted through said tissue and;

light intensity measuring means operatively associated with said light-receiving means for measuring the intensity of light received thereby.

2. An oximeter device according to claim 1 wherein said light-emitting means comprises one end of an elongated bundle of light-conducting fibers having a source of light adjacent its opposite end.

3. An oximeter device according to claim 1 wherein said light-emitting means comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

4. An oximeter device according to claim 1 wherein said thermistor in said platen is positioned adjacent the surface thereof against which said tissue is adapted to be clamped.

5. An oximeter device according to claim 1 wherein said movable jaw is biased toward the other jaw of said pair thereof by spring means whereby said tissue may be clamped nonsubjectively.

6. An oximeter device according to claim 5 including means for releasably fixing said jaws against separation from a clamped relationship with said section of body tissue.

7. An oximeter device according to claim 6 further including an inflatable transparent membrane extending over said light-emitting means and means through which an inflating medium may be directed into said membrane to distend same.

8. An oximeter device according to claim 1 wherein said light-receiving means comprises one end of an elongated bundle of light-conducting fibers and said light-intensity measuring means includes a photoelectric transducer system.

9. An oximeter device according to claim 1 wherein said light-receiving means comprises at least one photoelectric detectoR for converting light received thereby into electrical energy and said light-intensity measuring means includes electrical energy measuring and intensity indicating means electrically connected to said detector.

10. An oximeter device according to claim 2 wherein portions of said light-conducting fibers adjacent said one end of said bundle are spaced a preselected radial distance away from the principal axis of the bundle.

11. An oximeter device according to claim 10 wherein said portions of said light-conducting fibers are disposed annularly about said principal axis of said bundle.

12. An oximeter device according to claim 8 wherein portions of said light-conducting fibers adjacent said one end of said bundle are spaced a preselected radial distance away from the principal axis of the bundle.

13. An oximeter device according to claim 13 wherein said portions of said light-conducting fibers are disposed annularly about said principal axis of said bundle.