Pulse oximeter sensor with widened metal strip

• US 6,694,160 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2001
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Mallinckrodt Incorporated (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Chin, Rodney
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KREMER, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US09/998,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20020038082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 600/309-310, 600/322-324, 600/344, 600/340
• US Class Current: 600/344
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/182 Electrical shielding, e.g. using a Faraday cage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips

Abstract

A pulse oximeter sensor having an opaque, metalized layer to shield from ambient light. The metalized layer surrounds the area of the light detector. In one embodiment, the sensor has a transparent portion, with the opaque, metalized layer covering only the portions around the light detector and other areas, such as a strip extending between the light detector and the emitter. In a preferred embodiment, the opaque, metalized layer is a strip which has a widened portion in the area around the light detector.

Claims

1. A pulse oximeter sensor comprising:

a flexible, transparent substrate;

an opaque layer mounted above said transparent substrate, said opaque layer covering only a portion of said transparent substrate;

a light emitter mounted directly on top of a first side of said opaque layer to emit light away from said opaque layer;

wires mounted on said opaque layer that couple said light emitter to a cable;

a light detector mounted directly on top of said first side of said opaque layer, said opaque layer being a strip extending at least from said emitter to said detector, said strip having a first portion adjacent said detector that is wider than a second portion of said strip adjacent to said emitter; and

a non-transparent layer mounted over said light emitter and said detector, said non-transparent layer having holes over said light emitter and detector,

wherein said wires cross a center line between said light emitter and said light detector.

2. A pulse oximeter sensor comprising:

a flexible, transparent substrate;

an opaque layer mounted above said transparent substrate, said opaque layer covering only a portion of said transparent substrate;

a light emitter mounted directly on top of a first side of said opaque layer to emit light away from said opaque layer;

wires mounted on said opaque layer that couple said light emitter to a cable;

a light detector mounted directly on top said first side of said opaque layer, said opaque layer being a strip extending at least from said emitter to said detector, said strip having a first portion adjacent said detector that is wider than a second portion of said strip adjacent to said emitter;

a non-transparent layer mounted over said light emitter and said detector, said non-transparent layer having holes over said light emitter and detector; and

a second flexible, non-transparent layer mounted between said transparent substrate and said opaque layer.

3. A pulse oximeter sensor comprising:

a flexible, transparent substrate;

an opaque layer mounted above said transparent substrate, said opaque layer covering only a portion of said transparent substrate;

a light emitter mounted directly on top of a first side of said opaque layer to emit light away from said opaque layer;

wires mounted on said opaque layer that couple said light emitter to a cable;

a light detector mounted directly on top of said first side of said opaque layer, said opaque layer being a strip extending at least from said emitter to said detector, said strip having a first portion adjacent said detector that is wider than a second portion of said strip adjacent to said emitter; and

a non-transparent layer mounted over said light emitter and said detector, said non-transparent layer having holes over said light emitter and detector;

wherein said wider portion of said strip has a curved perimeter.

4. A pulse oximeter sensor comprising:

an opaque layer having a first portion that is wider than a second portion of said opaque layer, said first portion having a curved perimeter;

a light emitter mounted on top of a first side of said opaque layer adjacent said second portion of said opaque layer to emit light away from said opaque layer;

a light detector mounted on top of said first side of said opaque layer adjacent said first portion of said opaque layer;

said opaque layer extending at least from said emitter to said detector; and

a non-transparent strip mounted over said light emitter and said detector, said non-transparent strip having holes over said light emitter and detector, said non-transparent strip having a wider portion matching the shape of said first portion of said opaque layer.

5. The pulse oximeter sensor of claim 4 further comprising a cable extending into said sensor, said detector being mounted closer to said cable than said emitter, and further comprising wires from said cable connecting to said emitter, said wires crossing over a line between said emitter and said detector in a region between said emitter and said detector.

6. The pulse oximeter sensor of claim 4 further comprising a second non-transparent layer mounted under said opaque layer having a wider portion matching the shape of said first portion of said opaque layer.

7. The sensor of claim 4 wherein said curved perimeter extends along at least three quarters of an inch on both sides of said strip adjacent said detector, and extends outward at least an eighth of an inch from said strip at a maximum point of extension.

8. A pulse oximeter sensor comprising:

a flexible, transparent substrate;

a first non-transparent layer mounted over said transparent substrate and only covering a portion of said transparent substrate;

an opaque, metalized layer directly mounted on said first non-transparent layer, said metallized layer covering only said first non-transparent layer;

a light emitter mounted on a first side of said metalized layer to emit light away from said metalized layer;

a light detector mounted on said first side of said metalized layer;

wires mounted on said metalized layer that couple said light emitter to a cable, said wires crossing a center line between said light emitter and said light detector; and

a second non-transparent layer mounted over said light emitter and said detector, said second non-transparent layer having holes over said light emitter and detector.

9. The pulse oximeter sensor of claim 8 wherein said metalized layer comprises a strip extending at least from said emitter to said detector, said strip having a wider portion adjacent said detector.

10. The sensor of claim 9 wherein said wider portion of said strip has a curved perimeter.

11. The sensor of claim 10 wherein said curved perimeter extends along at least three quarters of an inch on both sides of said strip adjacent said detector, and extends outward at least an eight of an inch from said strip at a maximum point of extension.

12. The sensor of claim 10 wherein said second non-transparent layer comprises a strip having a wider portion matching said wider portion of said metalized layer.

13. A pulse oximeter sensor comprising:

a flexible, transparent substrate;

an opaque layer mounted on a first side of said transparent substrate, said opaque layer covering only a portion of said transparent substrate;

a light emitter mounted directly on top of a first side of said opaque layer to emit light away from said opaque layer;

a light detector mounted directly on top of said first side of said opaque layer;

a non-transparent layer mounted over said light emitter and said detector, said non-transparent layer having holes over said light emitter and detector, and

an adhesive layer disposed on said non-transparent layer and a portion of said transparent layer not covered by said opaque layer and said non-transparent layer, wherein said opaque layer comprises a strip extending at least from said emitter to said detector, said strip having a wider portion adjacent to said detector than adjacent to said emitter, and said wider portion of said strip has a curved perimeter.

14. The sensor of claim 13 wherein said curved perimeter extends along at least three quarters of an inch on both sides of said strip adjacent said detector, and extends outward at least an eighth of an inch from said strip at a maximum point of extension.

15. The sensor of claim 13 wherein said non-transparent layer comprises a strip having a wider portion matching said wider portion of said opaque layer.

16. A pulse oximeter sensor comprising:

a flexile, transparent substrate;

an opaque layer mounted on a first side of said transparent substrate, said opaque layer covering only a portion of said transparent substrate;

a light emitter mounted directly an top of a first side of said opaque layer to emit light away from said opaque layer;

a light detector mounted directly on top of said first side of said opaque layer, said opaque layer being a strip extending at least from said emitter to said detector, said strip having a first portion adjacent said detector that is wider than a second portion of said strip adjacent to said emitter;

a non-transparent layer mounted over said light emitter and said detector, said non-transparent layer having holes over said light emitter and detector;

an adhesive layer disposed on said non-transparent layer and a portion of said transparent layer not covered by said opaque layer and said non-transparent layer;

a cable extending into said sensor, said detector being mounted closer to said cable than said emitter, and

wires from said cable connecting to said emitter, said wires crossing over a line between said emitter and said detector in a region between said emitter and said detector.

17. A pulse oximeter sensor comprising:

a flexible, transparent substrate;

a first flexible, non-transparent layer mounted on said transparent substrate;

an opaque layer mounted on a first side of said first non-transparent layer, said opaque layer covering only a portion of said transparent substrate;

a light emitter directly mounted on top of a first side of said opaque layer to emit light away from said opaque layer;

a light detector directly mounted on top of said first side of said opaque layer, said opaque layer being a strip extending at least from said emitter to said detector, said strip having a first portion adjacent said detector that is wider than a second portion of said strip adjacent to said emitter, said first portion of said strip having a curved perimeter;

a second non-transparent layer mounted over said light emitter and said detector, said second non-transparent layer having holes over said light emitter and detector; and

an adhesive layer disposed on said second non-transparent layer and a portion of said transparent layer not covered by said opaque layer and said first non-transparent layer.

18. The sensor of claim 17 wherein said curved perimeter extends along at least three quarters inch on both sides of said strip adjacent said detector, and extends outward at least an eight of an inch from said strip at a maximum point of extension.

19. The sensor of claim 17 further comprising a cable extending into said sensor, said detector being mounted closer to said cable than said emitter, and further comprising wires from said cable connecting to said emitter, said wires crossing over a line between said emitter and said detector in a region between said emitter and said detector.

20. The sensor of claim 17, further comprising a Faraday shield at least partially surrounding said detector, said Faraday shield being connected to said opaque layer.

21. A pulse oximeter sensor comprising:

an opaque layer having a first portion that is wider than a second portion of said opaque layer, said first portion having a curved perimeter;

a light emitter directly mounted on top of a first side of said opaque layer adjacent said second portion to emit light away from said opaque layer;

a light detector directly mounted on top of said first side of said opaque layer adjacent said first portion of said opaque layer;

said opaque layer extending at least from said emitter to said detector,

a non-transparent strip mounted over said light emitter and said detector, said non-transparent strip having holes over said light emitter and detector, said non-transparent strip having a wider portion matching the shape of said first portion of said opaque layer;

an adhesive layer disposed on said non-transparent strip;

a cable extending into said sensor, said detector being mounted closer to said cable than said emitter; and

wires from said cable connecting to said emitter, said wires crossing over a line between said emitter and said detector in a region between said emitter and said detector.

22. A pulse oximeter sensor comprising:

a flexible, transparent substrate;

a first non-transparent layer mounted over said transparent substrate and only covering a portion of said transparent substrates;

an opaque layer directly mounted on said first non-transparent layer, said opaque layer covering only said first non-transparent layer;

a light emitter mounted on a first side of said opaque layer to emit light any from said opaque layer;

a light detector mounted on said first side of said opaque layer;

a second non-transparent layer mounted over said light emitter and said detector, said second non-transparent layer having holes over said light emitter and detector; and

an adhesive layer disposed on said second non-transparent layer and a portion of said transparent layer not covered by said opaque layer and said second non-transparent layer, wherein said opaque layer comprises a strip extending at least from said emitter to said detector, said strip having a wider portion adjacent said detector than adjacent said emitter.

23. A pulse oximeter sensor comprising:

a flexible, transparent substrate;

a first flexible, non-transparent layer mounted on said transparent substrate and covering only a portion of said transparent substrate;

an opaque layer mounted directly on said first non-transparent layer;

a light emitter mounted on a first side of said opaque layer to emit light away from said opaque layer;

a light detector mounted on said first side of said opaque layer, said opaque layer being a strip extending at least from said emitter to said detector, said strip having a wider portion adjacent said detector than adjacent said emitter said wider portion of said strip having a curved perimeter;

a second non-transparent layer mounted over said light emitter and said detector, said second non-transparent layer having holes over said light emitter and detector; and

an adhesive layer disposed on said second non-transparent layer and a portion of said transparent layer not covered by said opaque layer and said first non-transparent layer.