Optical sensor for medical device

• US 8,320,984 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kuhn, Jonathan L., Anderson, Thomas A., Cinbis, Can, Jelen, Jeffrey M., Davis, Timothy, Carney, James K.
• Primary Examiner(s): LaBalle, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hancock, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US12/765,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20110190608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 600/316, 396 14- 15
• US Class Current: 600/316
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6846 specially adapted to be brought in contact with an internal body part, i.e. invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36557 controlled by chemical substances in blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3702 Physiological parameters A61N1/365 takes precedence; evoked response A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An optical sensor for a medical device includes a fixed lens spacing between emit and receive modules to achieve target sensor sensitivity, while varying other sensor parameters in order to increase signal amplitude without increasing power demand. The size of at least one of emit and receive module lenses of an optical sensor, and the offset between the opto-electronic component and the respective lens of at least one of emit and receive modules is decreased to increase amplitude of the signal received by the receive module from the emit module.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

a housing; and

an optical sensor connected to the housing and comprising;

an emit module; and

a receive module offset laterally from the emit module,

wherein each of the emit and receive modules comprises a cavity within which an opto-electronic component is arranged and a lens generally defining one end of the cavity offset from the opto-electronic component,

wherein a size of the lens of the emit module is less than a size of the receive module, and

wherein at least one of the emit module or the receive module comprises;

a wall surrounding the opto-electronic component;

a circuit board offset from the lens and to which the opto-electronic component and the wall are connected to define another end of the cavity; and

a ferrule connected to the housing, the wall, and the lens.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the emit module opto-electronic component comprises at least one of a light emitting diode or a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the receive module opto-electronic component comprises at least one of a photoresistor, a light dependent resistor, a photodiode, a phototransistor, a photovoltaic cell, a light emitting diode or a charge-coupled device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the cavity of each of the emit and receive modules is further defined by a wall surrounding the opto-electronic component arranged within the cavity and a circuit board offset from the lens and to which the opto-electronic component is connected, and wherein an inner surface of the wall and a surface of the circuit board to which the opto-electronic component is connected each comprise a reflective material.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the cavity of at least one of the emit module or the receive module is at least partially filled with an index matching material.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the wall mates with an outer surface of the ferrule.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a transparent seal arranged over an outer surface of the lens of at least one of the emit module or the receive module.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the seal comprises a biocompatible polymeric material.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the seal comprises at least one of silicone or polyurethane.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the medical device comprises at least one of a pulse generator or a medical lead.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor comprises at least one of a blood oxygen saturation, a blood glucose level, or a tissue perfusion sensor.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the lens is offset from the opto-electronic component by a distance based on a major dimension of the lens.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the distance the lens is offset from the opto-electronic component is in a range from approximately 0 to approximately 1 times the major dimension of the lens.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the lens comprises a generally disc shaped lens, and wherein the major dimension is a diameter of the disc shaped lens.

15. The device of claim 1 further comprising an opaque member partially covering the lens to form a masked lens edge substantially aligned with a first edge of the opto-electronic component.

16. An optical sensor connected to a housing of a medical device, the sensor comprising:

an emit module; and

a receive module offset laterally from the emit module,

wherein each of the emit and receive modules comprises a cavity within which an opto-electronic component is arranged and a lens generally defining one end of the cavity offset from the opto-electronic component,

wherein a size of the lens of the emit module is less than a size of the lens of the receive module, and

wherein at least one of the emit module or the receive module comprises;

a wall surrounding the opto-electronic component;

a circuit board offset from the lens and to which the opto-electronic component and the wall are connected to define another end of the cavity; and

a ferrule connected to the housing, the wall, and the lens.

17. The sensor of claim 16, wherein the emit module opto-electronic component comprises at least one of a light emitting diode or a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

18. The sensor of claim 16, wherein the receive module opto-electronic component comprises at least one of a photoresistor, a light dependent resistor, a photodiode, a phototransistor, a photovoltaic cell, or a charge-coupled device.

19. The sensor of claim 16, wherein the cavity of each of the emit and receive modules is further defined by a wall surrounding the opto-electronic component arranged within the cavity and a circuit board offset from the lens and to which the opto-electronic component is connected, and wherein an inner surface of the wall and a surface of the circuit board to which the opto-electronic component is connected each comprise a reflective material.

20. The sensor of claim 16, wherein the cavity of at least one of the emit module or the receive module is at least partially filled with an index matching material.

21. The sensor of claim 16, wherein an inner surface of the wall mates with an outer surface of the ferrule.

22. The sensor of claim 16 further comprising a transparent seal arranged over an outer surface of the lens of at least one of the emit module or the receive module.

23. The sensor of claim 22, wherein the seal comprises a biocompatible polymeric material.

24. The sensor of claim 22, wherein the seal comprises at least one of silicone or polyurethane.

25. The sensor of claim 16, wherein the medical device comprises at least one of a pulse generator or a medical lead.

26. The sensor of claim 16 configured to sense at least one of blood oxygen saturation level, blood glucose level, or tissue perfusion sensor.

27. The sensor of claim 16, wherein the lens is offset from the opto-electronic component by a distance based on a major dimension of the lens.

28. The sensor of claim 27, wherein the distance the lens is offset from the opto-electronic component is in a range from approximately 0 to approximately 1 times the major dimension of the lens.

29. The sensor of claim 27, wherein the lens comprises a generally disc shaped lens, and wherein the major dimension is a diameter of the disc shaped lens.

30. A method of constructing an optical sensor connected to a housing of a medical device, the method comprising:

providing an emit module and a receive module offset laterally from the emit module, wherein each of the emit and receive modules comprises a cavity within which an opto-electronic component is arranged and a lens generally defining one end of the cavity offset from the opto-electronic component, and at least one of the emit module or the receive module comprises a wall surrounding the opto-electronic component, a circuit board offset from the lens and to which the opto-electronic component and the wall are connected to define another end of the cavity, and a ferrule connected to the housing, the wall, and the lens; and

selecting a size of the lens of the emit module to be less than a size of the lens of the receive module.