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.
1. An optical probe formed from disposable and reusable portions, the optical probe configured to receive one or more emitter drive signals and output 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 flexible circuit positioning 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; and
a disposable portion including a face tape layer and a base tape layer having an adhesive side configured to secure the optical probe to a measurement site on the body tissue, the face and the base tape layers combining to removably attach to one another and sandwich a majority of the flexible circuit of the reusable portion between the face and the base tape layers.
2. The optical probe of claim 1 , wherein the reusable portion comprises an information element.
3. The optical probe of claim 1 , further comprising a detector housing including an optical cavity having the detector recessed therein.
4. The optical probe of claim 1 , wherein the base tape layer and the face tape layer adhesively sandwich the majority of the flexible circuit of the reusable portion between the face and the base tape layers and wherein the base tape layer includes an aperture through which light is transmitted.
5. The optical probe of claim 1 , wherein the reusable portion is configured to receive sterilization procedures before reattachment to a new disposable portion after said disposable portion is discarded.
6. The optical probe of claim 1 , wherein the flexible circuit is configured to removably combine with the disposable portion through mechanical mating of the reusable and disposable portions.