Ear sensor assembly

• US 7,263,396 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
• Original Assignee: CardioDigital Ltd.
• Inventors: Sun, Ming, Chen, Yunquan, Denny, Christopher Grant, Li, Luya, Sethi, Rakesh Kumar, Phillips, Scott Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur; Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERHANU, ETSUB D
• Application Number:
  US10/900,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20050033131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 600/322, 600/323, 600/340, 600/344
• US Class Current: 600/340
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 Ear lobe

Abstract

A sensor assembly for monitoring physiological characteristics interfaces to a subject'"'"'s ear. The sensor assembly has a projection that projects into the subject'"'"'s concha. The projection may have a notch to accommodate the subject'"'"'s anti-tragus. A clip connected to the projection holds a sensor against the subject'"'"'s lobule. The sensor may comprise a pulse-oximetry-type sensor.

Claims

1. An ear sensor assembly comprising:

a projection insertable into the concha of a subject'"'"'s ear;

a clip connected to the projection, the clip comprising a first part biased toward a second part; and

a sensor on the first part of the clip,

wherein one end of the second part is connected to the first part, a second end of the second part is movable toward and away from the first part, the projection projects from the first part; and

wherein the projection is penetrated by an aperture and comprises a portion of a ring and the portion of a ring has a radius in the range of 3.5mm to 6mm and a thickness in the range of 1.5mm to 3mm.

2. An ear sensor assembly according to claim 1 wherein a sensor is on the second part of the clip.

3. An ear sensor assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first and second parts of the clip are hingedly connected to one another.

4. An ear sensor assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first and second parts of the clip are coupled together by a resilient member, and the resilient member biases the second end of the second member toward the first member.

5. An ear sensor assembly according to claim 1 wherein the projection comprises a half-ring.

6. An ear sensor assembly according to claim 1 wherein the projection has a surface characterized by a high coefficient of friction with human skin.

7. An ear sensor assembly according to claim 1 comprising a removable cover on the projection.

8. An ear sensor assembly according to claim 7 wherein the removable cover comprises an elastomeric material.

9. An ear sensor assembly according to claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a first component on the first part of the clip and a second component on the second part of the clip.

10. An ear sensor assembly according to claim 9 wherein one of the first and second components emits radiation and another one of the first and second components receives the radiation.