Breathable physiological sensor

• US 9,002,192 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gonopolskiy, Oleg, Anderson, Arik
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): REISNER, NOAM S
• Application Number:
  US14/088,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20140081119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 300/310
• US Class Current: 396/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches

Abstract

A sensor includes a sensor pad that allows air and moisture to diffuse from a patient'"'"'s skin. A light source is disposed on the sensor pad is configured to generate near-infrared light. A light detector disposed on the sensor pad is configured to detect near-infrared light generated by the light source.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a sensor pad having a bottom surface configured to be applied to a patient and a top surface opposite said bottom surface, wherein at least a portion of said sensor pad is formed from a breathable material in a configuration such that air and moisture diffuse laterally from said sensor pad at a rate greater than any diffusion of air and moisture through said top surface;

a light source disposed on the sensor pad and configured to generate near-infrared light; and

a light detector disposed on the sensor pad and configured to detect near-infrared light generated by the light source.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein said sensor pad comprises a top layer and a bottom layer.

3. The sensor of claim 2, wherein said top layer is coupled to said bottom layer by an adhesive.

4. The sensor of claim 3, wherein said adhesive is breathable.

5. The sensor of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of said bottom layer is formed from said breathable material.

6. The sensor of claim 5, wherein said top layer is not breathable.

7. The sensor of claim 1, wherein said breathable material is a foam material.

8. The sensor of claim 1, wherein said breathable material is an open cell material.

9. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising a breathable adhesive applied to said bottom surface and configured to adhere said sensor pad to the patient.

10. The sensor of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the open cell breathable material is approximately 1.0 mm-2.0 mm.

11. The sensor of claim 1, wherein said breathable material is an open cell material having a thickness and a cell size configured relative to each other to laterally diffuse air and moisture from the patient'"'"'s skin at a rate that is equivalent to at least a lateral diffusion rate achieved by a polyurethane open cell foam with a cell size of 0.2-0.5 mm and a thickness of 1-2 mm.

12. A sensor comprising:

a sensor pad at least partially formed from an open cell breathable material having a thickness and a cell size configured relative to each other to laterally diffuse air and moisture from a patient'"'"'s skin at a rate that is equivalent to at least a lateral diffusion rate achieved by a polyurethane open cell foam with a cell size of 0.2-0.5 mm and a thickness of 1-2 mm;

a light source disposed on the sensor pad and configured to generate near-infrared light; and

a light detector disposed on the sensor pad and configured to detect near-infrared light generated by the light source.

13. The sensor of claim 12, wherein said sensor pad comprises a top layer and a bottom layer, said bottom layer being configured to be coupled to a patient.

14. The sensor of claim 13, wherein at least said bottom layer comprises said open cell breathable material.