Optical detector with an overmolded faraday shield

• US 8,071,935 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Besko, David P., Peters, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US12/165,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20090323267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 250/239, 361/816, 361/818, 361/820, 257/434, 257/659, 257/790
• US Class Current: 250/239
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/182 Electrical shielding, e.g. using a Faraday cage
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material

Abstract

Embodiments described herein may include devices and methods of manufacturing devices for sensing and monitoring physiological parameters of a patient. Specifically, certain embodiments disclose the use of conductive and nonconductive overmold materials to protect the device, increase reliability, increase comfort, and increase accuracy of the parameters measured.

Claims

1. A photoelectric sensor assembly, comprising:

an emitter adapted to transmit one or more wavelengths of light;

a photodetector adapted to receive the one or more wavelengths of light emitted by the emitter; and

a sensor body configured to receive the emitter and the photodetector, wherein a nonconductive overmold is disposed over the photodetector but not the emitter and the sensor body and a conductive overmold is disposed about all or part of the nonconductive layer.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductive overmold is adapted to shield at least a portion of the photodetector from electromagnetic and static fields.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the nonconductive overmold comprises a transparent material.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the nonconductive overmold comprises a neoprene, a silicone, a plastic, an epoxy, or a polyurethane, or any combination thereof.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductive overmold comprises a substantially opaque material.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductive overmold comprises a silicone, a neoprene, a nylon, a plastic, an epoxy, or a polyurethane and one or more conductive additives, or a combination thereof.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the nonconductive overmold comprises a protrusion that includes an outer surface that is substantially flush with the outer surface of the conductive overmold, wherein the protrusion is located above an active face of the electronic device.

16. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the photodetector comprises a unitary assembly removable from the sensor body for reuse in an alternate sensor body.

8. An assembly, comprising:

an emitter adapted to transmit one or more wavelengths of light;

a photodetector adapted to receive the one or more wavelengths of light emitted by the emitter;

a sensor body configured to receive the emitter and the photodetector; and

wherein a generally transparent nonconductive overmold is disposed over the photodetector but not the emitter and the sensor body, a conductive overmold is disposed about a portion of the transparent nonconductive overmold, and a second nonconductive overmold is disposed over the sensor body.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the transparent nonconductive overmold comprises a neoprene, a silicone, an epoxy, a plastic, or a polyurethane, or a combination thereof.

10. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the transparent nonconductive overmold comprises a protrusion that comprises an outer surface that is substantially flush with an outer surface of the conductive overmold.

11. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the conductive overmold comprises a medical grade silicone, a neoprene, a nylon, an epoxy, or a polyurethane and one or more conductive additives, or a combination thereof.

12. A method of manufacturing a photoelectric sensor assembly, comprising:

providing an emitter adapted to transmit one or more wavelengths of light;

providing a photodetector adapted to receive the one or more wavelengths of light; and

providing a sensor body configured to receive the emitter and the photodetector, wherein a nonconductive overmold is provided over the photodetector but not the emitter and the sensor body and a conductive overmold is provided about all or part of the nonconductive layer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the nonconductive material comprises a neoprene, a silicone, a plastic, or a polyurethane, or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor body comprises a clip-style sensor assembly body or a bandage style sensor body.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the conductive material comprises a medical grade a silicone, a neoprene, a plastic, an epoxy, or a polyurethane and a conductive additive, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the photodetector comprises a unitary assembly removable from the sensor body for reuse in an alternate sensor body.