Reusable sensor accessory containing a conformable spring activated rubber sleeved clip

• US 5,810,724 A
• Filed: 12/01/1995
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gronvall, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahr, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): YARNELL, BRYAN KEITH
• Application Number:
  US08/566,306
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 128/633, 128/664-7, 24/489, 24/490, 24/499, 24/500, 24/501, 24/504, 600/310, 600/314-316, 600/322-324, 600/326, 600/328, 600/340, 600/344
• US Class Current: 600/323
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips

Abstract

A reusable accessory for a sensor (such as a pulse oximeter or a plethysmograph) that allows close conformance between the sensor heads and the patient tissue to be measured. The accessory thus provides both a key advantage of adherent sensors (i.e. close tissue-sensor conformance) and a key advantage of rigid structure sensors (reusability). The accessory provides a structure for mounting the sensor heads, whereby the sensor heads can pivot about their respective points of attachment to the mounting structure within first and second voids, respectively, thereby allowing the sensors to closely conform to the patient tissue. In one embodiment, the mounting structure includes a spring containing two coils, and two frames surrounding the voids and connected to the coils, each frame having an end shaped to fit a portion of a sensor head and onto which a sensor head is mounted. Another aspect of the present invention, concerns the use of flexible sleeves to cover the sensor heads when mounted on a reusable accessory. The sleeves can be replaced or cleaned between patient applications, thereby reducing the risk of cross contamination between patients, and reduce the amount of shunted light. Yet another aspect of the present invention involves sensory accessories providing light shields that reduce shunting for non-flat site applications and yet do not interfere with sensor-tissue conformance in flat site applications.

Claims

1. A sensor which electrooptically measures characteristics of blood in a patient'"'"'s tissue comprising:

a first sensor head having a light emitter;

a second sensor head having a light detector;

a first support having a mount for removably press-fit mounting said first sensor head;

a second support having a mount for removably press-fit mounting said second sensor head, such that said light emitter is opposite said light detector;

said first and second supports defining first and second voids, respectively, said voids allowing said sensor heads to pivot about said mounts while said sensor is attached to a patient;

means for coupling said first and second supports together and biasing said mounts toward each other;

wherein said first and second supports and said means for coupling and biasing include a spring, the spring comprising;

first and second spring coils; and

first and second spring frames defining the first and second voids, respectively, wherein the first and second spring frames are connected to both the first and second coils, and have an end shaped to fit a portion of the first and second sensor heads, respectively.

2. A sensor which electrooptically measures characteristics of blood in a patient'"'"'s tissue comprising:

a first sensor head having a light emitter;

a second sensor head having a light detector;

a first support having a mount for removably press-fit mounting said first sensor head;

a second support having a mount for removably press-fit mounting said second sensor head, such that said light emitter is opposite said light detector;

said first and second supports defining first and second voids, respectively, said voids allowing said sensor heads to pivot about said mounts while said sensor is attached to a patient;

means for coupling said first and second supports together and biasing said mounts toward each other; and

first and second removable sleeves for protecting the first and second sensor heads, respectively, from contaminants when mounted on said supports;

wherein the sleeves are largely opaque to light transmitted by the sensor, and thereby reduce the amount of light that travels from one of the sensor heads to the other without passing through the patient'"'"'s tissue, said sleeves allowing transmission of light between said emitter and said detector.

3. The sensor of claim 2 wherein said sleeves have an opening over said sensor heads.

4. The sensor of claim 2 wherein said sleeves are substantially transparent over said sensor heads.

5. The sensor of claim 2, wherein the sleeves are made of a flexible material.

6. The sensor of claim 2, wherein the sleeves contain a portion contoured to conform to the patient'"'"'s tissue.