Resposable pulse oximetry sensor
View Patent ↗A pulse oximeter sensor has both a reusable and a disposable portion. The reusable portion of the sensor preserves the relatively long-lived and costly emitter, detector and connector components. The disposable portion of the sensor is the relatively inexpensive adhesive tape component that is used to secure the sensor to a measurement site, typically a patient's finger or toe. The disposable portion of the sensor is removably attached to the reusable portion in a manner that allows the disposable portion to be readily replaced when the adhesive is expended or the tape becomes soiled or excessively worn. The disposable portion may also contain an information element useful for sensor identification or for security purposes to insure patient safety. A conductive element that allows a pulse oximeter monitor to read the information element is located on the disposable portion in such a way that continuity is broken when the adhesive tape become torn, such as upon removal from the measurement site.
1. An optical probe formed from disposable and reusable portions, the optical probe being capable of receiving one or more emitter drive signals and outputting one or more intensity signals indicative of one or more physiological parameters of body tissue of a patient, the optical probe comprising:
a reusable portion including a plurality of flexible conductors, a light emitter capable of emitting light, and a light detector capable of detecting the light after it has been attenuated by body tissue including blood, wherein ones of the plurality of flexible conductors communicate electrical signals to the emitter and others of the flexible conductors communicate electrical signals from the detector, the reusable portion also including a housing assembly housing the emitter and at least a portion of the flexible conductors along a substantially planar surface, the housing assembly including a detector housing portion extending above the substantially planar surface; and
a disposable portion including a face tape layer and a base tape layer having an adhesive side capable of securing the optical probe to a measurement site on the body tissue, the face and the base tape layers combining to sandwich a majority of the reusable portion between the face and the base tape layers, wherein the face tape layer includes one or more electrical components capable of electrical communication with ones of the plurality of conductors in the reusable portion.
2. The optical probe of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more electrical components comprises a breakable conductor.
3. The optical probe of claim 2 , wherein the breakable conductor includes a purposefully weakened section.
4. The optical probe of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more electrical components comprises an information element.
5. The optical probe of claim 1 , wherein the detector housing portion comprises an optical cavity having the detector recessed therein.
6. The optical probe of claim 1 , wherein the face tape layer includes an aperture through which the detector housing portion extends.
7. A method of forming an optical probe from disposable and reusable portions, the optical probe being capable of receiving one or more emitter drive signals and outputting one or more intensity signals indicative of one or more physiological parameters of body tissue of a patient, the method comprising:
acquiring a reusable portion including a plurality of flexible conductors, a light emitter capable of emitting light, and a light detector capable of detecting the light after it has been attenuated by body tissue including blood, wherein ones of the plurality of flexible conductors communicate electrical signals to the emitter and others of the flexible conductors communicate electrical signals from the detector;
acquiring a disposable portion including a face tape layer and a base tape layer having an adhesive side capable of securing the optical probe to a measurement site on the body tissue, wherein at least one layer of the disposable portion includes one or more electrical components capable of electrical communication with ones of the plurality of flexible conductors in the reusable portion; and
combining the face and the base tape layers to sandwich at least a portion of the reusable portion between the face and the base tape layers, thereby establishing communication between the one or more electrical components and the ones of the plurality of flexible conductors in the reusable portion.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more electrical components provides information about the optical probe over said ones of the plurality of flexible conductors in the reusable portion.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the one or more electrical components comprises an information element.
10. A disposable element of an optical probe, the optical probe being capable of receiving one or more emitter drive signals and outputting one or more intensity signals indicative of one or more physiological parameters of body tissue of a patient, the disposable element comprising:
a face tape layer; and
a base tape layer having an adhesive side capable of securing the optical probe to a measurement site on body tissue, the face and the base tape layers combining to removably sandwich at least a portion of a reusable element between the face and the base tape layers, wherein the reusable element includes a plurality of flexible conductors, a light emitter capable of emitting light, and a light detector capable of detecting the light after it has been attenuated by the body tissue, wherein ones of the plurality of flexible conductors communicate electrical signals to the emitter and others of the flexible conductors communicate electrical signals from the detector,
wherein the face tape layer includes an information element capable of providing information about the optical probe over ones of the plurality of conductors in the reusable element.
11. The disposable element of claim 10 , wherein the information element comprises a resistor.
12. The disposable element of claim 10 , wherein the information element comprises a memory chip.
13. The disposable element of claim 10 , wherein the information element comprises an identification device.
14. The disposable element of claim 10 , wherein the information element comprises a transistor network.
15. The disposable element of claim 10 , wherein the information element comprises an active circuit.