Sleeve for a handheld oximetry probe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10722156-B2
Application number	US-201715493121-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2017
Priority date	Apr 20, 2016
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

A sleeve includes a body having a top opening. The body covers a handheld oximeter probe or a portion of the probe. The sleeve has a shape that approximately matches the oximeter probe or portion of the probe, which is covered by the sleeve. The sleeve has a top opening that allows a user to slide the oximeter probe into the sleeve. The sleeve is transparent to radiation emitted and collected by the oximeter probe. The sleeve is formed of a material that prevents patient tissue, fluid, viruses, bacteria, and fungus from contacting the covered portions of the oximeter probe. The sleeve leaves the probe relatively sterile after use so that little or no clearing of the probe is required for a subsequent use, such as when the probe is covered with a new, unused sleeve.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A probe cover for an oximeter device comprising:
a first portion of the probe cover, wherein the first portion comprises a first open end and a first closed end, opposite to the first open end, and the first closed end comprises a display panel;
a second portion of the probe cover, wherein the second portion comprises a second open end and a second closed end, opposite to the second open end, the second closed end comprises an optical sensor panel, and coupling of the first open end to the second open end forms a sealed probe cover enclosure for the oximeter device,
the optical sensor panel is transparent and comprises a thickness of less than about 250 microns,
when in the sealed probe cover enclosure, a display of the oximeter device is visible through the display panel of the probe cover, lighted emitted by a probe tip of the oximeter device is transmitted through the optical sensor panel of the probe cover, and light received at the oximeter device is transmitted through the optical sensor panel of the probe cover,
the sealed probe cover enclosure prevents contaminants from outside of the enclosure from contacting the oximeter device contained within an interior of the enclosure, and
the second portion of the probe cover comprises a barrier at the second closed end, the barrier is coupled to the optical sensor panel, and the barrier prevents contaminants on a tissue being measured from contacting the oximeter device contained within the interior of the enclosure.

2. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the optical sensor panel passes light in a wavelength range from about 650 nanometers to about 900 nanometers without attenuation that would affect an oximeter measurement.

3. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the thickness is less than about 150 microns.

4. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the thickness is less than about 100 microns.

5. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the thickness is less than about 50 microns.

6. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the thickness of the optical sensor panel comprises a uniform thickness.

7. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein a first surface of the optical sensor panel conforms to a surface of a sensor of the probe tip of the oximeter device, and the first surface is configured to be flush against the sensor of the probe tip without any gaps.

8. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the probe cover comprises polycarbonate.

9. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the probe cover comprises a rigid polymer.

10. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the optical sensor panel comprises polycarbonate.

11. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the second portion of the probe cover comprises rigid polymer and the optical sensor panel comprise a flexible polymer, in relation to the rigid polymer.

12. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the second portion of the probe cover comprises flexible polymer and the optical sensor panel comprise a rigid polymer, in relation to the flexible polymer.

13. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the optical sensor panel comprises a disk.

14. The probe cover of claim 13 wherein the second portion of the probe cover conforms to a shape of one or more portions of the oximeter device contained within the interior of the enclosure.

15. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein a first index of refraction of the optical sensor panel differs from a second index of refraction of a sensor of the probe tip of the oximeter device by less than 50 percent.

16. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the coupling of the first open end to the second open end of the probe cover is by way of a fluid seal.

17. The probe cover of claim 16 wherein the optical sensor panel of the probe cover comprises a rigid disk.

18. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the oximeter probe comprises:
a body portion comprising:
a portion comprising a front side surface and a back side surface, coupled together by first and second side surfaces; and
a tip portion comprising:
a front tip surface;
a bottom face surface, coupled to the front tip surface, wherein the bottom face surface extends at a first angle in a first turn direction relative to the front tip surface, and the bottom face surface comprises an opening which will retain a sensor head of the device;
a back side surface coupled to the bottom face surface;
a finger rest surface, coupled to the back side surface, wherein the finger rest surface is a concave surface that extends at a second angle in the first turn direction relative to the back side surface, wherein the first and second angles are different angles; and
a back tip surface, coupled between the finger rest surface and the bottom face surface.

19. The probe cover of claim 1 wherein a first index of refraction of a first material of the optical sensor panel differs from a second index of refraction of a second material of the probe tip of the oximeter device by less than 50 percent.

20. A kit comprising:
an oximeter device comprising:
a body portion comprising:
a rectangular tubular portion comprising a front side surface and a back side surface, coupled together by first and second side surfaces; and
a tip portion comprising:
a first finger rest surface, coupled to the front side surface, wherein the first finger rest surface is a convex surface that extends at a first angle in a first turn direction relative to the front side surface;
a front tip surface, coupled to the first finger rest surface, wherein the front tip surface extends at a second angle in a second turn direction relative to the first finger rest surface;
a bottom face surface, coupled to the front tip 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 an opening which will retain a sensor head of the device;
a second finger rest surface, coupled to the back side surface, wherein the second finger rest surface is a concave surface that extends at a fourth angle in the first turn direction relative to the back side surface; and
a back tip surface, coupled between the second finger rest surface and the bottom face surface, wherein the back tip surface is a convex surface that extends at a fifth angle in the first turn direction relative to the second finger rest surface; and
a probe cover that conforms to a shape of one or more portions of the oximeter device comprising:
an open end into which a probe tip of the oximeter device is inserted in the probe cover, wherein the probe tip comprises an optical sensor, and when the probe tip is fully inserted in the probe cover;
an optical interface portion, wherein the optical interface portion is positioned against the optical sensor or the probe tip of the oximeter device when the probe tip is in the probe cover; and
a barrier coupled to the optical interface portion, wherein the barrier is a barrier for contaminants on a tissue being measured by the oximeter device from contacting the probe tip while allowing optical energy emitted by the optical sensor to pass through the optical interface portion of the probe cover to the tissue and allowing optical energy reflected by the tissue to pass through the optical interface portion of the probe cover to the optical sensor, wherein the optical interface portion comprises a thickness of less than about 250 microns.

21. The kit of claim 20 wherein a first index of refraction of the optical interface portion differs from a second

Assignees

• Vioptix Inc

Inventors

• Lonsinger Mark
• Coleridge Scott
• Bechtel Kate Leeann
• Welch William

Classifications

• A61B2562/0242

  for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue · CPC title

• A61B2560/0431

  Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case · CPC title

• A61B5/7445

  Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units · CPC title

• A61B5/7225

  Details of analogue processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation (input circuits for detecting, measuring, or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals A61B5/30; specific diagnostic methods using bioelectric or biomagnetic signals A61B5/316) · CPC title

• A61B2562/242

  Packaging, i.e. for packaging the sensor or apparatus before use · CPC title