Sensor holder for medical sensor

• US 8,543,181 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kauppi, Jani Mikael, Soosalu, Milvi Kristina, Karma, Heikki Sakari
• Primary Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US12/898,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20110124995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310, 600/322, 600/323, 600/340, 600/344
• US Class Current: 600/344
• 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 sensor holder for a medical sensor. The sensor holder includes a housing surrounding a hollow for a subject appendage, the housing having a first channel for a gas volume following the hollow, a first aperture, a second aperture and a third aperture for a ventilation of the gas volume of the first channel.

Claims

1. A sensor holder for a medical sensor comprising:

a housing;

a hollow defined by said housing and configured to receive a subject appendage;

said housing defining a first channel for a gas volume adjacent said hollow, said housing further defining each of a first aperture, a second aperture and a third aperture in communication with said first channel for a ventilation of the gas volume of said first channel.

2. The sensor holder according to claim 1, wherein said first aperture and second aperture are configured to locate on opposite ends said first channel, said third aperture being therebetween and said first, second and third apertures are configured to allow airflow outside said housing to improve cooling of the appendage when the appendage is in place inside the hollow.

3. The sensor holder according to claim 2, wherein said third aperture between said opposite ends of said first channel is configured to locate on an edge of said first channel which is apart from a border between said hollow and said first channel.

4. The sensor holder according to claim 1, wherein said housing having a proximal end and a distal end comprises a second channel for a gas volume adjacent said hollow, a fourth aperture, a fifth aperture and a sixth aperture for a ventilation of the gas volume of said second channel, said fourth and fifth apertures being on opposite ends of said second channel, said sixth aperture being therebetween.

5. The sensor holder according to claim 4, wherein said first channel and second channel are on different sides of the hollow, typically on opposite sides of said hollow.

6. The sensor holder according to claim 4, wherein said third aperture and sixth aperture are perpendicular to said hollow and a bending direction of the appendage when the appendage is in place inside said hollow.

7. The sensor holder according to claim 5, wherein said first channel is substantially parallel with said second channel and which first and second channels are substantially parallel with the appendage when the appendage is inserted into said hollow.

8. The sensor holder according to claim 4, wherein said sixth aperture between said opposite ends of said second channel is configured to locate on an edge of said second channel which is apart from a border between said hollow and said second channel.

9. The sensor holder according to claim 4, wherein a cross-sectional area of at least one of said third aperture and sixth aperture is at least 32 mm².

10. The sensor holder according to claim 4, wherein an inner width W1 of the housing including a width of the first channel, the second channel and the hollow therebetween at the proximal end of said housing is at least 30.5 mm.

11. The sensor holder according to claim 4, wherein an inner width W2 of the housing including a width of the first channel, the second channel and the hollow therebetween at the distal end of said housing is at least 25 mm.

12. The sensor holder according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises at least one place for a medical sensor.

13. The sensor holder according to claim 1, wherein said sensor comprising at least one emitter and at least one detector is configured to form an integral structure with said sensor holder or said sensor holder is a separate part from said sensor.

14. The sensor holder according to claim 1, wherein an inner height H1 of the hollow at a proximal end of the housing is at least 7.5 mm, and an inner height H2 of the hollow at a distal end of the housing where the medical sensor is placed is at least 7 mm.

15. The sensor holder according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a canal for a cable connectable to said sensor and which canal extends in said housing more than half of a length of said housing forming a strong fixing between said housing and said cable.

16. A sensor holder for a medical sensor comprising:

a housing;

a hollow defined by said housing and configured to receive a subject appendage;

said housing defining a first channel for a gas volume adjacent said hollow, a first aperture, a second aperture and a third aperture in communication with said first channel for a ventilation of the gas volume of said first channel,

wherein said first aperture and second aperture are configured to locate on opposite ends of said first channel, said third aperture being therebetween locating on such an edge of said first channel which is apart from a border between said hollow and said first channel.

17. The sensor holder according to claim 16, wherein a cross-sectional area of said third aperture is at least 32 mm².

18. The sensor holder according to claim 16, wherein said sensor comprising at least one emitter and at least one detector is configured to form an integral structure with said sensor holder.

19. A sensor holder for a medical sensor comprising:

a housing;

a hollow defined by said housing and configured to receive a subject appendage;

said housing defining a first channel for a gas volume adjacent said hollow, and each of a first aperture, a second aperture and a third aperture for a ventilation of the gas volume of said first channel; and

said housing further defining a second channel for a gas volume adjacent said hollow, the first and second channels being on opposite sides of said hollow, said housing further defining each of a fourth aperture, a fifth aperture and a sixth aperture for a ventilation of the gas volume of said second channel.