Sleeve for a Handheld Oximetry Probe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017303833-A1
Application number	US-201715493121-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 20, 2017
Priority date	Apr 20, 2016
Publication date	Oct 26, 2017
Grant date	—

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:
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; 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 inserted 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, an first index of refraction of the optical interface portion differs from a second index of refraction for the optical sensor by less than 50 percent, the optical interface portion is between a first surface and a second surface, the first surface will be positioned against the optical sensor, and the second surface will be positioned against the tissue, and the first surface and second surfaces are parallel to each other.

2 . The probe cover of claim 1 wherein optical interface portion the 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 optical interface portion comprises a thickness of less than about 150 microns.

4 . The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the optical interface portion comprises a thickness of less than about 100 microns.

5 . The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the optical interface portion comprises a thickness of less than about 50 microns.

6 . The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the thickness of the optical interface portion comprises a uniform thickness.

7 . The probe cover of claim 1 wherein the first surface conforms to a surface of the optical sensor, so the first surface will be flush against the optical sensor 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 interface portion comprises polycarbonate.

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

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

13 . A kit comprising:
an oximeter probe 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 finger, 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 probe 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.

14 . The kit of claim 13 wherein a first index of refraction of the optical interface portion differs from a second index of refraction for the optical sensor by less than 50 percent.

15 . The kit of claim 13 wherein the optical interface portion is between a first surface and a second surface, the first surface will be positioned against the optical sensor, and the second surface will be positioned against the tissue, and the first surface and second surfaces are parallel to each other.

16 . A method comprising:
forming a sleeve comprising: forming an open end of the sleeve into which a probe tip of the oximeter device is insertable in the probe cover, wherein the probe tip comprises an optical sensor; forming 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 inserted in the probe cover; forming 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; forming the optical interface portion having a thickness of less than about 250 microns; allowing an first index of refraction of the optical interface portion to differ from a second index of refraction for the optical sensor by less than 50 percent; forming the optical interface portion to be between a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface will be positioned against the optical sensor and the second surface will be positioned against the tissue; and forming the first surface and second surfaces are parallel to each other.

17 . The method of claim 16 forming the optical interface portion to pass light in a wavelength range from about 650 nanometers to about 900 nanometers without substantial attenuation.

18 . The method of claim 16 wherein the optical

Assignees

• Vioptix Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A61B2560/0214

  of power generation or supply · CPC title

• A61B5/14552 Primary

  Details of sensors specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• A61B5/7235

  Details of waveform analysis (detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle A61B5/349) · CPC title

• A61B5/6887

  mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices · CPC title

• A61B2562/247

  Hygienic covers, i.e. for covering the sensor or apparatus during use · CPC title