Bi-stable medical sensor and technique for using the same
View Patent ↗A bi-stable sensor is provided that includes a frame upon which electrical and optical components may be disposed and a coating, such as an overmold coating, provided about the frame. A resistance-providing component is provided integral with or external to the coated bi-stable sensor such that the bi-stable sensor has two mechanically stable configurations that may be transitioned between by overcoming the resistance provided by the resistance-providing component and/or the by the coating. In one embodiment, the resistance-providing component comprises an elastic band provided about a hinge of the frame, either within or external to the coating. In one embodiment, the sensor may be placed on a patient's finger, toe, ear, and so forth to obtain pulse oximetry or other physiological measurements.
1. A method of manufacturing a sensor, comprising:
situating an emitter and a detector on a skeletal frame; and
coating the skeletal frame with a coating material to form a sensor assembly having at least two mechanically stable configurations.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of situating comprises situating one or more signal transmission structures.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the skeletal frame is substantially open when coated.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the skeletal frame is substantially closed when coated.
5. The method of claim 1 , comprising attaching a resistance-providing component about a hinge on the skeletal frame prior to coating the skeletal frame.
6. The method of claim 1 , comprising attaching a resistance-providing component about a coated hinge of the sensor assembly.
7. The method of claim 1 , comprising bending the skeletal frame from a relatively open configuration to a relatively closed configuration prior to coating.
8. The method of claim 1 , comprising bending the skeletal frame from a relatively open configuration to a relatively closed configuration subsequent to coating.
9. The method of claim 1 , comprising positioning the skeletal frame within a mold.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein coating the skeletal frame comprises injecting an unset polymeric material into the mold.