Handheld oximeter with disposable probe tips
An oximeter device has a replaceable probe tip. The probe tip can be removed or detached from the probe unit and discarded. A replacement probe tip can be attached to the probe tip. The replaceable probe tip allows the probe unit to be reused many times, each time with new sterile probe tip.
1 . A method comprising:
enclosing in an elongated first housing a first portion of an oximeter device, wherein a first connection interface is located at a distal end of the elongated first housing, and the first connection interface comprises a protruded portion extending in a distal direction; and
enclosing in an elongated second housing a second portion of the oximeter device, wherein a second connection interface is at a proximal end of the elongated second housing, the second connection interface comprises a recessed portion extending from the proximal end of the elongated second housing in the distal direction, a sensor head is located at a distal end of the elongated second housing, and the protruded portion of the elongated first housing fits into and mates with the recessed portion of the elongated second housing, thereby facilitating removable coupling of the elongated second housing with the elongated first housing to form an exterior structure of the oximeter device,
wherein the exterior structure of the oximeter device comprises
a body portion comprising a front side surface and a back side surface, coupled together by first and second side surfaces,
a tip portion of the oximeter device comprising
a first finger rest surface, coupled to the back side surface, wherein the first finger rest surface is a surface that extends at a first angle in a first turn direction relative to the back side surface,
a back tip surface, coupled between the first finger rest surface and a bottom face surface, wherein the back tip surface is a surface that extends at a second angle in a second turn direction relative to the first finger rest surface, and
the bottom face surface, coupled between the back tip surface and the front side surface, wherein the bottom face surface extends at a third angle in the second turn direction relative to the first finger rest surface, and the bottom face surface comprises the sensor head,
wherein a first line, longitudinally extending along the back side surface of the body portion, does not pass through the tip portion, and
wherein when the oximeter device is gripped by a hand of a user, a webbing between a thumb and another finger of the user rests against the first line that extends along the back side surface.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the elongated first housing comprises a battery and a display.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the oximeter device comprises an optical fiber that couples to source and detector structures of the sensor head.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the oximeter device comprises at least one emitter that couples to at least one source structure of the sensor head.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the oximeter device comprises photodetectors that couple to detector structures of the sensor head.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the oximeter device comprises photodetectors that couple to detector structures of the sensor head.
7 . The method of claim 1 comprising:
forming source and detector structures of the sensor head; and
forming an epoxy layer on the source and detector structures.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second connection interfaces pass optical fibers between the elongated first and second housings.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second connection interfaces pass electrical conductors between the elongated first and second housings.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein a display is at a proximal end of the oximeter device.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first connection interface mates with the second connection interface via a latch.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the tip portion comprises:
a second finger rest surface, coupled between the front side surface and the bottom face surface, wherein the second finger rest surface includes a surface that extends at a fourth angle in the first turn direction relative to the front side surface.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the tip portion comprises:
a front tip surface, coupled to the second finger rest surface, wherein the front tip surface extends at a fifth angle in a third turn direction relative to the first finger rest surface.
14 . The method of claim 12 wherein a first finger position is associated with the first finger rest surface, a second finger position is associated with the second finger rest surface, and a first height of the first finger position above the bottom face surface is less than a second height of the second finger position above the bottom face surface.
15 . The method of claim 1 wherein the body portion comprises a rectangular shape with rounded corners.
16 . The method of claim 12 wherein when the oximeter device is gripped by the hand of the user,
a middle finger of the user rests against the first finger rest surface, and
a thumb of the user rests against the second finger rest surface.
17 . The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor head comprises:
a plurality of sources, arranged along a second line; and
a plurality of detectors, wherein there are an equal number of detectors on either side of the second line, and a position of a detector on a first side of the second line exhibits point symmetry with another detector on a second side of the second line about a selected point on the second line.
18 . The method of claim 1 wherein the exterior structure of the oximeter device comprises a joint line between the elongated first housing and the elongated second housing when mated, and the joint line comprises surfaces of the elongated first housing and the elongated second housing that are flush with each other.