Device for the transcutaneous electrochemical determination of the partial oxygen pressure in blood

• US 4,252,123 A
• Filed: 02/09/1979
• Issued: 02/24/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell BV (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Kimmich, Hans-Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US06/010,768
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 128/632, 128/635, 204/195 B
• US Class Current: 600/358
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1477 non-invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1491 Heated applicators

Abstract

A device for the transcutaneous electrochemical determination of the partial oxygen pressure in blood, comprising a measuring head which includes at least three measuring cells of the Clark-type, comprising periodically actuated heating elements, the actuation of the heating elements being realized at a phase difference such that always at least one measuring cell provides a reliable measuring value.

Claims

1. An electrochemical device for transcutaneous electrochemical measurement of the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood of humans or animals comprising:

n measuring cells, n being equal to or greater than three, each measuring cell including electrodes, a surface for contacting the skin, and heating element means for heating the surface;

a plurality of measuring circuits, a separate measuring circuit being operatively connected to the electrodes of each cell; and

power supply means for periodic, sequential actuation of the heating element means, each of said heating element means being actuated for a first period of T₁ minutes which is followed by a second period of T₂ minutes during which the heating element means is not actuated, the heating element means being actuated in a sequence so that actuation of each heating element means commences at an instant (T₁ +T₂)/n minutes after the beginning of the actuation of the preceeding heating element means in the sequence.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a measuring head which contains the measuring cells;

a body having low heat conductivity which is mounted within the head and which includes means for mounting the measuring cells;

an additional annular measuring cell which surrounds the n measuring cells and which includes a non-heated surface;

the surfaces of the n measuring cells and of the additional measuring cell being disposed in a plane which is substantially the same plane as a surface of the body.