Universal pulse oximeter probe
First Claim
1. A sensor apparatus for measuring a physiological characteristic of a subject for a measurement system that has a connector for electrically connecting to a sensor to exchange signals therebetween, comprising:
- housing means including;
means for removably attaching said sensor to said subject,means, having a first plurality of electrical conductors, for generating electrical signals indicative of said measured physiological charactertistic of said subject,housing connector means connected to said first plurality of electrical conductors;
means for interconnecting said housing means to said measurement system connector, including;
system connector means, releasably attachable to said measurement system a connector, for exchanging electrical signals therebetween,cable connector means, releasably attachable to said housing connector means, for exchanging electrical signals therebetween,means, connected to said system connector means and said cable connector means, for transmitting said generated electrical signals from said cable connector means to said system connector means, including means for programmably interconnecting said first plurality of electrical conductors to said measurement system connector.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The universal pulse oximeter probe [of the present invention] utilizes an inexpensive sensor connector configuration to enable the cable section of the probe to be used numerous times. The [sensor connector is mechanically simple and electrically reliable to interconnect the sensor elements with the cable that connects the pulse oximeter system to the sensor elements. This sensor connector enables the user to obtain significant benefits due to the fact that the expensive cable segment of the probe is a separable element from the housing that contains the sensor elements. In particular, the] cable segment of the probe consists of a connector that is compatible with the pulse oximeter system and which functions to interconnect the pulse oximeter system with a plurality of conductors, the far end of which are terminated in the sensor connector [of the present invention]. The probe housing contains a mating element to this sensor connector, the sensor elements and a means of mechanically affixing the sensor elements to the subject. Thus, the cable end of the probe is reusable numerous times and the disposable part of the probe only consists of the housing with the sensors. Furthermore, the housing containing the sensors is electrically configured to be generic to all pulse oximeter system. In this regard, the active elements and passive elements contained therein are directly connected to the sensor connector without interconnection amongst themselves. Jumper leads are provided within the cable half of the sensor connector to electrically interconnect these elements in a manner that is appropriate for the associated pulse oximeter system.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A sensor apparatus for measuring a physiological characteristic of a subject for a measurement system that has a connector for electrically connecting to a sensor to exchange signals therebetween, comprising:
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housing means including; means for removably attaching said sensor to said subject, means, having a first plurality of electrical conductors, for generating electrical signals indicative of said measured physiological charactertistic of said subject, housing connector means connected to said first plurality of electrical conductors; means for interconnecting said housing means to said measurement system connector, including; system connector means, releasably attachable to said measurement system a connector, for exchanging electrical signals therebetween, cable connector means, releasably attachable to said housing connector means, for exchanging electrical signals therebetween, means, connected to said system connector means and said cable connector means, for transmitting said generated electrical signals from said cable connector means to said system connector means, including means for programmably interconnecting said first plurality of electrical conductors to said measurement system connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A sensor apparatus for measuring light absorption of blood perfused flesh of a subject for a pulse oximeter system that has a connector for electrically connecting to a sensor to exchange signals therebetween, comprising:
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housing means including; at least two light sources of different wavelengths for applying two beams of light to said flesh, light detector means for producing said signals indicative of a light intensity of said two beams of light, means for removably attaching said light sources and said light detector means to said subject, a first plurality of electrical conductors connected to said light sources and said light detector means, housing connector means connected to said first plurality of electrical conductors; means for connecting said housing means to said pulse oximeter system connector, including; system connector means, releasably attachable to said pulse oximeter system connector, for exchanging said signals therebetween cable connector means, releasably attachable to said housing connector means, for exchanging said signals therebetween, means, connected to said system connector means and said cable connector means for transmitting said signals from said cable connector means to said system connector means, including means for programmably interconnecting said first plurality of electrical conductors to said pulse oximeter system connector. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A sensor apparatus for measuring a physiological characteristic of a subject for a measurement system that has a connector for electrically connecting to said sensor to exchange signals therebetween, comprising:
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housing means including; means for removably attaching said sensor to said subject, means, having a first plurality of electrical conductors, for generating electrical signals indicative of said measured physiological characteristic, housing connector means connected to said first plurality of electrical conductors; means for connecting said probe means to said measurement system connector, including; system connector means, releasably attachable to said measurement system connector, for exchanging said generated electrical signals therebetween, cable connector means, releasably attachable to said housing connector means, for exchanging said generated electrical signals therebetween, means connected to said system connector means and said cable connector means for transmitting said generated electrical signals from said cable connector means to said system connector means; wherein said cable connector means includes anisotropically conductive elastomer means to provide conductive paths from said first plurality of conductors to said transmitting means when said housing connector means and said cable connector means are physically joined together. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A sensor apparatus for measuring light absorption of blood perfused flesh of a subject for a pulse oximeter system that has a connector for electrically connecting to said sensor to exchange signals therebetween, comprising:
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probe means including; at least two light sources of different wavelengths for applying two beams of light to said flesh, light detector means for producing said signals indicative of a light intensity of said two beams of light received from said subject, means for removably attaching said light sources and said light detector means to said subject, a first plurality of electrical conductors connected to said light sources and said light detector means, housing connector means connected to said first plurality of electrical conductors; means for connecting said probe means to said pulse oximeter system connector, including; system connector means, releasably attachable to said pulse oximeter system connector, for exchanging said generated electrical signals therebetween, cable connector means, releasably attachable to said housing connector means, for exchanging said generated electrical signals therebetween, means, connected to said system connector means and said cable connector means, for transmitting said generated electrical signals from said cable connector means to said system connector means, wherein said housing means includes anisotropically conductive elastomer means to provide conductive paths from said first plurality of conductors to said transmitting means when said housing connector means and said cable connector means are physically joined together. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification