Disposable oximetry sensor

• US 6,745,061 B1
• Filed: 08/21/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datex-Ohmeda Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Datex-Ohmeda Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Hicks, Christopher, Prince, Norma M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US10/225,940
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310, 600/322, 600/323, 600/340, 600/344
• US Class Current: 600/344
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor

Abstract

The invention is directed to a disposable oximetry sensor having an integrally formed connector. In one aspect, the sensor includes a clear flexible substrate on which a light emitter and/or light detector (collectively active component(s)) are mounted to allow those components to emit/detect light though the clear substrate and a second patient-side surface of that substrate. The clear substrate will generally contain one or more electrically conductive traces, preferably formed through a printing process, for interconnection to the active components. In this regard, the clear substrate acts as the electrical connector and lens structure for the active components reducing the overall part count for the sensor'"'"'s assembly. Additional materials/layers may be added to the sensor including an adhesive layer, a compressible material layer, a light blocking layer, and/or a heat sink for thermal management. Generally, any additional layers/materials applied the patient-side of the clear substrate will be substantially transparent to allow light curing of adhesives utilized to connect components to the sensor though the patient-side surface of the sensor during production.

Claims

1. A flexible pulse oximetry sensor, said sensor comprising:

a substantially clear flexible substrate having first and second surfaces;

at least one of;

a light emitter mounted on said first surface of said clear substrate for emitting light through said substrate and said second surface; and

a light detector mounted on said first surface of said clear substrate for detecting light through said second surface and said substrate and providing a signal indicative of said detected light; and

a substantially clear adhesive for at least partially attaching by way of direct interconnection said at least one of said light emitter and said light detector to said clear substrate.

2. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a substantially clear adhesive on said second surface for securing said sensor to a patient'"'"'s tissue.

3. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 2, further comprising:

a substantially clear release liner for covering said adhesive, wherein said release liner may be selectively removed prior to application of said sensor to a patient'"'"'s tissue.

4. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 1, wherein said clear adhesive encapsulates said at least one of said light emitter and said light detector.

5. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 1, wherein said clear adhesive is light curable.

6. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a substantially clear interconnecting layer interconnected to at least a portion of said second surface of said clear substrate;

an at least partially transparent compressible layer disposed between at least a portion of said interconnecting layer and said clear substrate; and

a substantially clear adhesive on at least a portion of said second surface for securing said sensor to a patient'"'"'s tissue.

7. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 6, wherein said compressible layer has a transparency index of at least 0.4.

8. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 6, wherein said compressible layer contains at least a first aperture for each said light emitter and said light detector, wherein each said aperture is aligned with each said light emitter and light detector to allow light to pass through said aperture free from interference.

9. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 8, wherein said interconnecting layer, said aperture and said clear substrate form an air pocket.

10. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 9, wherein said air pocket is air tight.

11. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 1, wherein said sensor contains at least one light emitter, further comprising:

a thermal element being adapted to transfer thermal energy away from said at least one light emitter.

12. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 1, wherein said clear flexible substrate further comprises a lens integrally formed within said substrate to focus light relative to said at least one of light emitter and light detector.

13. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 1, wherein said substantially clear flexible substrate at least partially forms a connector adapted to connect said pulse oximetry sensor to a monitor.

14. A flexible pulse oximetry sensor, said sensor comprising:

a substantially clear flexible substrate having a first surface with at least one electrically conductive trace formed thereon; and

at least one of;

a light emitter mounted on said first surface of said clear substrate and electrically interconnected to at least one said trace, said light emitter for emitting light through said substrate and a second surface of said substrate; and

a light detector mounted on said first surface of said clear substrate and electrically interconnected to at least one said trace, said light detector for detecting light through said second surface and said substrate and providing a signal indicative of said detected light.

15. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 14, further comprising:

a substantially clear adhesive on said second surface for securing said sensor to a patient'"'"'s tissue.

16. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 15, wherein said at least one electrically conductive trace is formed from a conductive ink deposited onto said clear substrate.

17. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 16, wherein said conductive ink is deposited on said first surface using a printing process.

18. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 15, wherein said at least one electrically conductive trace is formed from a metallic foil stamped onto said clear substrate.

19. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 14, wherein said substantially clear flexible substrate at least partially forms a connector adapted to connect said pulse oximetry sensor to a monitor.

20. A flexible pulse oximetry sensor, said sensor comprising:

a substantially clear flexible substrate having at least one electrically conductive trace formed on a first surface;

at least a first light emitter electrically interconnected to at least one said electrically conductive trace on said flexible substrate, said light emitter for emitting light through said substrate relative to a patient'"'"'s tissue; and

a thermal element being adapted to transfer thermal energy away from said at least one light emitter when said light emitter is emitting light; and

an adhesive on said second surface of said flexible substrate for securing said sensor to a patient'"'"'s tissue.

21. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 20, wherein said at least one electrically conductive trace is formed from a conductive ink printed on said flexible substrate.

22. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 20, wherein said thermal element comprises a thermally conductive material at least partially covering said first surface.

23. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 22, wherein said thermally conductive material is electrically isolated from said at least one electrically conductive trace.

24. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 20, wherein said substantially clear flexible substrate at least partially forms a connector adapted to connect said pulse oximetry sensor to a monitor.

25. A flexible pulse oximetry sensor, said sensor comprising:

a substantially clear flexible substrate having first and second surfaces; and

at least one of;

a light emitter mounted on said first surface of said clear substrate for emitting light through said substrate and said second surface; and

a light detector mounted on said first surface of said clear substrate for detecting light through said second surface and said substrate and providing a signal indicative of said detected light; and

an insulative layer in a face to face relationship with at least a portion of said second surface for creating a temperature differential between a patient'"'"'s tissue and said second surface opposite said at least one emitter and detector.

26. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 25, further comprising:

a substantially clear interconnecting layer interconnected to at least a portion of said insulative layer; and

an adhesive on the bottom surface of said interconnecting layer for attaching said sensor to a patient'"'"'s tissue.

27. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 26, wherein said insulative layer contains at least a first aperture for each said light emitter and each said light detector, wherein said aperture is aligned with said light emitter and said light detector to allow-light to pass through said aperture free from interference.

28. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 27, wherein said clear substrate second surface, said aperture and said interconnecting layer are adapted to create an air pocket between said substrate and a patient'"'"'s tissue.

29. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 28, wherein said air pocket is substantially sealed.

30. The pulse oximetry sensor of claim 25, wherein said substantially clear flexible substrate at least partially forms a connector adapted to connect said pulse oximetry sensor to a monitor.

31. A flexible pulse oximetry sensor, said sensor comprising:

a first flexible substrate having a first surface with at least a first electrically conductive trace thereon,

a second flexible substrate having a first surface having at least a first electrically conductive trace thereon, wherein said first substrate first surface and second substrate first surface are in a face to face relationship and wherein one of said substrates is substantially clear,

at least one of;

a light emitter mounted on the first surface of one of said first and second substrates, wherein said light emitter is electrically interconnected to at least one trace on said first substrate and at least one trace on said second substrate and wherein said light emitter emits light through said substantially clear substrate; and

a light detector mounted on the first surface of one of said first and second substrates, wherein said light detector is electrically interconnected to at least one trace on said first substrate and at least one trace on said second substrate and wherein said light detector detects light though said substantially clear substrate; and

an adhesive on a second surface of one of said first and second substrates for securing said sensor to a patient'"'"'s tissue.

32. The sensor of claim 31, wherein said first substrate traces and second substrate traces are electrically isolated.

33. The sensor of claim 31, wherein at least one of said light emitter and light detector is mounted to said clear substrate allowing light to be one of emitted through said clear substrate and detected through said clear substrate.

34. The sensor of claim 31, wherein the other of said first and second substrates is substantially opaque.