Shunt barrier in pulse oximeter sensor

• US 7,373,190 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hannula, Don, Fein, Michael E., Mannheimer, Paul D., Delonzor, Russ
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur; Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhanu; Etsub D
• Application Number:
  US11/529,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20070027379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 600/309, 600/310, 600/322, 600/323, 600/344
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/146 for optical coupling
• 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 comprising an emitter and a detector disposed on a substrate layer with a thinned portion between the emitter and the detector. A partially transparent covering layer covers the substrate layer and comprises a corresponding thinned portion. The thinned portions attenuate light shunted via the substrate layer and the partially transparent covering layer from the emitter to the detector, and may be configured such that less than 10% of the light detectable by the detector is shunted light.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a substrate layer;

a light emitter coupled to the substrate layer;

a light detector coupled to the substrate layer;

a second layer coupled directly to the substrate layer over the light emitter; and

a third layer coupled directly to the substrate layer over the light detector, wherein a portion of the second layer and a portion of the third layer overlap between the light emitter and the light detector.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the overlap of the second layer and the third layer forms a shunt barrier configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector.

3. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the overlap of the second layer and the third layer forms a shunt barrier configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 10% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light.

4. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the overlap of the second layer and the third layer forms a shunt barrier configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 1% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light.

5. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the second layer is disposed over a light-emitting side of the light emitter.

6. The sensor of claim 4, wherein the second layer comprises a window configured to allow transmission of light from the light emitter into a patient.

7. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the second layer is a transparent layer.

8. The sensor of claim 1, wherein one side of the second layer comprises an adhesive for adhering the sensor to a tissue location of a patient.

9. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the third layer is disposed over a light-detecting side of the light detector.

10. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the portion of the second layer overlaps the portion of the third layer.

11. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the second layer terminates before reaching the detector, and wherein the third layer terminates before reaching the emitter.

12. The sensor of claim 1, comprising a radiation blocking layer disposed between the overlapping portions of the second layer and the third layer.

13. The sensor of claim 12, wherein the radiation blocking layer comprises a colored adhesive.

14. A sensor substrate comprising:

a base layer, wherein one end of the base layer comprises a location for a light emitter, and another end of the base layer comprises a location for a light detector;

a second layer coupled directly to the base layer over the location for the light emitter; and

a third layer coupled directly to the base layer over the location for the light detector, wherein a portion of the second layer and a portion of the third layer overlap between the location for the light emitter and the location for the light detector.

15. The sensor substrate of claim 14, wherein the portion of the second layer overlaps the portion of the third layer.

16. The sensor substrate of claim 14, wherein the portion of the second layer comprises one end of the second layer, and wherein the portion of the third layer comprises one end of the third layer.

17. The sensor substrate of claim 14, comprising a radiation blocking layer disposed between the overlapping portions of the second layer and the third layer.

18. The sensor substrate of claim 17, wherein the radiation blocking layer comprises a colored adhesive.

19. A method of manufacturing a sensor comprising:

providing a light detector coupled to a substrate layer and a light emitter coupled to the substrate layer;

providing a second layer coupled directly to the substrate layer over the light emitter; and

providing a third layer coupled directly to the substrate layer over the light detector, wherein a portion of the second layer and a portion of the third layer overlap between the light emitter and the light detector.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the portion of the second layer overlaps the portion of the third layer.

21. The method of claim 19, comprising providing a radiation blocking layer disposed between the overlapping portions of the second layer and the third layer.

22. The method of claim 19, comprising providing a colored adhesive disposed between the overlapping portions of the second layer and the third layer.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the overlap of the second layer and the third layer forms a shunt barrier configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 10% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the overlap of the second layer and the third layer forms a shunt barrier configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 1% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light.

25. A method of remanufacturing a sensor comprising:

providing a sensor comprising a substrate, a light emitter coupled to the substrate, and a light detector coupled to the substrate;

coupling a first layer directly to the substrate over the light emitter; and

coupling a second layer directly to the substrate over the light detector, wherein a portion of the first layer and a portion of the second layer overlap between the light emitter and the light detector.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the overlap of the first layer and the second layer forms a shunt barrier configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 10% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the overlap of the first layer and the second layer forms a shunt barrier configured to attenuate light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 1% of light detectable by the light detector is shunted light.

28. A method of operating a sensor comprising:

emitting light at a patient with a light emitter coupled directly to a first layer; and

detecting light from the patient with a light detector coupled directly to a second layer, wherein a portion of the first layer and a portion of the second layer between the light emitter and the light detector overlap to form a shunt barrier, wherein the shunt barrier attenuates light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the shunt barrier attenuates light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 10% of the light detected by the detector is shunted light.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the shunt barrier attenuates light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector such that less than 1% of the light detected by the detector is shunted light.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein a radiation blocking layer attenuates light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector, the radiation blocking layer disposed between the overlapping portions of the first layer and the second layer.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein a colored adhesive attenuates light shunted from the light emitter to the light detector, a colored adhesive disposed between the overlapping portions of the first layer and the second layer.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the portion of the first layer overlaps the portion of the second layer.

34. The method of claim 28 wherein emitting light at a patient comprises emitting light through a transparent portion of the first layer.

35. The method of claim 28 wherein emitting light at a patient comprises emitting light through an opening in the first layer.