Shielded optical probe having an electrical connector

• US 20010045532A1
• Filed: 01/25/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1991
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Inventors: Al-Ali, Ammar, Mills, Mike A., Mason, Eugene E., Schulz, Christian E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,541,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/559.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/62 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/26 Pin or blade contacts for sliding co-operation on one side only for modular jack type connectors H01R24/62
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/00 Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure contact members H01R13/02; securing contact members in or to a base or case or insulating of contact members H01R13/40; bases or cases H01R13/46; means for supporting coupling part when not engaged H01R13/60; means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement H01R13/62; means for preventing, inhibiting or avoiding incorrect coupling H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention is a noninvasive optical probe having an electrical connector for connecting the optical probe to a cable connector. According to one embodiment, the electrical connector includes a durable flexible tab suspended between the housing of the optical probe and a protective cover. The electrical connector also advantageously forms, according to various embodiments, a flexible, plugable, lockable, removable, and sealable electrical connection.

Claims

1. An optical probe for irradiating tissue and producing a signal indicative of a physiological parameter of the tissue, the optical probe comprising:

a housing substantially securing a light source and a detector to tissue at a measurement site, thereby allowing the detector to produce a signal indicative of at least one physiological parameter of the tissue; and

a plugable electrical connector forming a releasable connection with a cable connector, wherein the electrical connector includes a plurality of conductive paths electrically communicating with the light source and the detector, and the cable connector electrically communicates with external monitoring equipment.

2. The optical probe of

claim 1

, wherein the electrical connector further comprises a durable tab designed to guide the cable connector into electric communication with the light source and detector.

3. The optical probe of

claim 2

, wherein at least a portion of the conductive paths mount to the durable tab.

4. The optical probe of

claim 2

, wherein the electrical connector further comprises a flexible circuit having the plurality of conductive paths.

5. The optical probe of

claim 2

, wherein the durable tab further comprises a locking mechanism.

6. The optical probe of

claim 1

, wherein the electrical connector further comprises a locking mechanism.

7. The optical probe of

claim 1

, wherein the optical probe further comprises a protective housing at least partially covering the electrical connector.

8. The optical probe of

claim 1

, wherein when the cable connector is engaged to the electrical connector of the optical probe, a protective housing at least partially covers the cable connector.

9. The optical probe of

claim 1

, the optical probe further comprising a sensor life indicator.

10. The optical probe of

claim 1

, the optical probe further comprising a coding resistor.

11. A reusable pulse oximetry sensor for producing a signal indicative of at least one physiological parameter of tissue, the sensor comprising:

an upper housing having

a first circuit element comprising one of a light source and a detector, and

a first wire connected to the first circuit element;

a lower housing having

a second circuit element comprising the other of the light source and the detector, and

a second wire connected the second circuit element;

a hinge-like joint adjustably coupling the upper housing and lower housing; and

an electrical connector having

a tab, and

a flexible circuit mounted on the tab and comprising a plurality of conductive paths,

wherein one of the conductive paths electrically connects to the first wire while another of the conductive paths electrically connects to the second wire, thereby providing a electrical connection from the conductive paths of the electrical connector to the light source and the detector.

12. The sensor of

claim 11

, further comprising a protective housing.

13. The sensor of

claim 12

, wherein the protective housing at least partially covers the electrical connector.

14. The sensor of

claim 12

, wherein the electrical connector is adapted to form a plugable electrical connection with a cable connector electrically communicating through a cable to external monitoring equipment, and wherein the protective housing is adapted to substantially seal the electrical connection against external environment conditions when the cable connector is coupled to the electrical connector.

15. The sensor of

claim 11

, wherein the electrical connector is adapted to form a plugable electrical connection with a cable connector electrically communicating through a cable to external monitoring equipment, and wherein the electrical connector includes a locking mechanism releasably engaging the electrical connection to the cable connector.

16. The sensor of

claim 15

, wherein the locking mechanism comprises locking aperture on the tab.

17. The sensor of

claim 11

, wherein the upper housing includes an upper support surface substantially aligning the first circuit element to a measurement site.

18. The sensor of

claim 17

, wherein the measurement site comprises a portion of a human digit.

19. The sensor of

claim 11

, wherein the lower housing includes a lower support surface substantially aligning the second circuit element to a measurement site.

20. The sensor of

claim 19

, wherein the measurement site comprises a portion of a human digit.

21. The sensor of

claim 11

, wherein at least one of the upper housing and lower housing includes a finger recess for operating the hinge-like joint.

22. A reusable pulse oximetry sensor for producing a signal indicative of at least one physiological parameter of tissue, the sensor comprising:

an upper housing having a first circuit element comprising one of a light source and a detector;

a lower housing having a second circuit element comprising the other of the light source and the detector;

a hinge-like joint adjustably coupling the upper housing and lower housing; and

an electrical connector having

a tab, and

a flexible circuit mounted on the tab and comprising a plurality of conductive paths,

wherein one of the conductive paths electrically connects to the detector while another of the conductive paths electrically connects to the light source.

23. The sensor of

claim 22

, further comprising a protective housing.

24. The sensor of

claim 23

, wherein the protective housing at least partially covers the electrical connector.

25. The sensor of

claim 23

, wherein the electrical connector is adapted to form a plugable electrical connection with a cable connector electrically communicating through a cable to external monitoring equipment, and wherein the protective housing is adapted to substantially seal the electrical connection against external environment conditions when the cable connector is coupled to the electrical connector.

26. The sensor of

claim 22

, wherein the electrical connector is adapted to form a plugable electrical connection with a cable connector electrically communicating through a cable to external monitoring equipment, and wherein the electrical connector includes a locking mechanism releasably engaging the electrical connection to the cable connector.

27. The sensor of

claim 26

, wherein the locking mechanism comprises locking aperture on the tab.

28. The sensor of

claim 22

, wherein the upper housing includes an upper support surface substantially aligning the first circuit element to a measurement site.

29. The sensor of

claim 28

, wherein the measurement site comprises a portion of a human digit.

30. The sensor of

claim 22

, wherein the lower housing includes a lower support surface substantially aligning the second circuit element to a measurement site.

31. The sensor of

claim 30

, wherein the measurement site comprises a portion of a human digit.

32. The sensor of

claim 22

, wherein at least one of the upper housing and lower housing includes a finger recess for operating the hinge-like joint.

33. The sensor of

claim 22

, wherein the flexible circuit includes layers of silver circuitry.

34. The sensor of

claim 22

, the sensor further comprising a coding resistor.

35. The sensor of

claim 22

, the sensor further comprising a sensor life indicator.

36. An optical probe for non-invasively collecting a signal indicative of a physiological parameter of tissue, the optical probe comprising:

a light source;

a detector;

a connector having a flexible circuit mounted on a durable tab; and

a protective housing at least partially covering the flexible circuit mounted on the durable tab.

37. The optical probe of

claim 36

, further comprising including a locking mechanism adapted to releasably secure the connector to a cable connected to external monitoring equipment.

38. A method of determining a physiological parameter of tissue using a non-invasive optical probe, the method comprising:

positioning a light source of a non-invasive optical probe to irradiate a measurement site with light;

positioning a detector of the probe to detect light which interacts with the measurement site; and

releasably connecting an external monitoring equipment cable to the probe through a flexible circuit mounted on a durable tab having a protective cover;

wherein at least one the conductive paths electrically communicates with the light source and at least one of the conductive paths electrically communicates with the detector.

39. The method of

claim 38

, wherein the releasably connecting includes locking the probe to the cable through a locking mechanism.

40. The method of

claim 38

, further comprising verifying that an indicia signal does not indicate that the optical probe should not be used.

41. The method of

claim 40

, wherein the verification is performed by a sensor life indicator.

42. The method of

claim 38

, further comprising signaling a unique code to external monitoring equipment.

43. The method of

claim 42

, wherein the signaling is performed by a coding resistor.

44. An electrical connector, comprising:

a flexible durable tab configured to guide a cable connector around the tab, thereby engaging the electrical connector to the cable connector;

a flexible circuit mounted on the flexible tab and electrically communicating with electrical contacts of the cable connector;

a locking mechanism releasably locking the electrical connector to the cable connector; and

a protective cover covering at least a portion of the flexible circuit.

45. The electrical connector of

claim 44

, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking aperture on the flexible durable tab.

46. The electrical connector of

claim 44

, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a friction fit relationship with the cable connector.

47. The electrical connector of

claim 44

, wherein the electrical connector is mounted on a non-invasive optical probe.

48. The electrical connector of

claim 44

, wherein the electrical connector is mounted on a cable and the cable connector is mounted on an optical probe.