A medical dedicated MEMS sensor for multi-pressure measurement mode

Abstract

This invention provides a medical-specific MEMS sensor for multiple pressure measurement modes, comprising a connector housing with a channel within it, a sensing device disposed within the channel, and a first Luer connector and a second Luer connector respectively communicating with the channel at both ends of the connector housing. Each of the first and second Luer connectors is equipped with a switching valve, and pins are embedded within the connector housing. This invention enables flexible switching between multiple pressure measurement modes by controlling the opening and closing of the switching valves, the connection method, and the reference pressure. Direct connection to medical devices via Luer connectors effectively improves the convenience and reliability of the connection, as well as the accuracy of the measurement, enhancing its specialization in the medical field.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a medical-specific MEMS sensor for multiple pressure measurement modes. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, sensor technology has been widely applied in various fields of healthcare. In medical monitoring, a variety of medical pressure sensors have been invented to monitor the working pressure information of the human body or medical devices. For example, invasive or non-invasive blood pressure monitors, intracranial pressure monitoring devices, ventilators, and ECMO machines all utilize pressure sensors to read key pressure parameters.

[0003] Common pressure monitoring modes used in medicine include gauge pressure measurement, differential pressure measurement, and absolute pressure measurement. Different monitoring scenarios often require different pressure measurement modes, and switching between them is frequently necessary. For example, human blood pressure is monitored using gauge pressure measurement; while the status of the membrane lung in an ECMO system relies on differential pressure monitoring between its two ends.

[0004] Existing MEMS pressure sensor structures mainly consist of a sensing chip and a package with a rounded connector. The rounded connector transmits external pressure to the sensing chip for pressure sensing. The type of pressure sensing depends on the type of sensing chip, thus the monitoring mode is relatively fixed. The medical industry uses Luer connectors as a standardized connection method. Therefore, if existing MEMS pressure sensors need to be connected to medical devices or instruments for pressure monitoring, an adapter is required to connect the rounded connector on the MEMS pressure sensor package to the Luer connector on the medical device or instrument. For example, a commonly used plastic catheter connects one end to the rounded connector of the MEMS pressure sensor via an interference fit, and the other end connects to the Luer connector on the medical device or instrument.

[0005] In summary, existing MEMS pressure sensor structures are not compatible with medical devices, have limited pressure measurement modes and flexibility, and may suffer from damage, leakage, and measurement errors after prolonged use. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a medical-specific MEMS sensor for multiple pressure measurement modes, overcoming the drawbacks of traditional medical pressure sensors that can only perform single pressure mode measurements and require additional adapters to connect to medical devices or instruments, thus greatly improving the convenience of connection, reliability, and measurement accuracy.

[0007] This invention provides a medical-specific MEMS sensor for multiple pressure measurement modes, comprising a connector housing, a channel formed inside the connector housing, a sensing device disposed within the channel, a first Luer connector and a second Luer connector respectively disposed at both ends of the connector housing and communicating with the channel, a switching valve respectively disposed on the first Luer connector and the second Luer connector, and pins embedded within the connector housing.

[0008] Furthermore, both the first Luer connector and the second Luer connector are male Luer connectors.

[0009] Furthermore, both the first Luer connector and the second Luer connector are female Luer connectors.

[0010] Furthermore, the first Luer connector is a male Luer connector, and the second Luer connector is a female Luer connector.

[0011] Furthermore, the sensing device includes a sensing chip and an encapsulation layer covering the outside of the sensing chip, and the sensing device is fixed to the inner wall of the channel.

[0012] Furthermore, one end of the pin extends to the outside of the connector housing.

[0013] Furthermore, the pin is electrically connected to the sensing chip at one end located inside the connector housing.

[0014] Furthermore, the connector housing includes a first housing connected to the first Luer connector and a second housing connected to the second Luer connector, the first housing and the second housing being detachably connected.

[0015] Furthermore, the first housing has a plurality of pins on its surface near the second housing, and the second housing has a plurality of slots on its surface near the first housing that correspond to the pins. The first housing and the second housing are connected through the pins and the slots.

[0016] Furthermore, a sealing gasket layer is provided between the first outer shell and the second outer shell.

[0017] This invention connects directly to medical equipment via a Luer connector, replacing the traditional method that requires an adapter. This effectively improves the convenience and reliability of the connection, as well as the accuracy of the measurement. Furthermore, by setting a switching valve and a reference pressure, it can achieve measurement in multiple pressure modes, thus improving the versatility of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a circuit diagram of the signal processing circuit of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0025] In the diagram: 1-Male Luer connector, 2-First switching valve, 3-First housing, 4-Channel, 5-Pin, 6-Upper package, 7-Silicon-based piezoresistive pressure sensor chip, 8-Lower package, 9-Second housing, 10-Pin, 11-Second switching valve, 12-Female Luer connector; Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified. Furthermore, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly; for example, they may refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they may refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they may refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they may refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] Example 1

[0030] like Figures 1-3 As shown:

[0031] A medical-grade MEMS sensor with multiple pressure measurement modes includes a connector housing composed of a first housing 3 and a second housing 9, with a channel 4 inside the connector housing.

[0032] The first outer shell 3 and the second outer shell 9 are detachably connected. The surface of the first outer shell 3 near the second outer shell 9 is provided with four pins 5, and the surface of the second outer shell 9 near the first outer shell 3 is provided with four slots that correspond to and cooperate with the pins 5. The first outer shell 3 and the second outer shell 9 are connected through the pins 5 and the slots.

[0033] A sealing gasket is provided between the first outer shell 3 and the second outer shell 9 to prevent liquid or gas leakage in the channel 4 after the first outer shell 3 and the second outer shell 9 are connected, which would affect the pressure measurement error.

[0034] A sensing device is installed inside channel 4. The sensing device includes a sensing chip and an upper package 6 and a lower package 8 covering the silicon-based piezoresistive pressure sensing chip 7. In this embodiment, the sensing chip is a silicon-based piezoresistive pressure sensing chip 7. The silicon-based piezoresistive pressure sensing chip 7 is packaged inside the connector shell through packaging processes such as surface mount and wire bonding. The sensing device is placed vertically on the inner wall of channel 4 to monitor pressure.

[0035] The second housing 9 has a pin 10 embedded on its side. One end of the pin 10 extends to the outside of the second housing 9. The end of the pin 10 located inside the housing is electrically connected to the silicon-based piezoresistive pressure sensor chip 7. When the sensing device measures the pressure value, it transmits the data to the external signal processing circuit through the pin 10.

[0036] The Luer connector has a rubber ring inside the pipe to further prevent gas or liquid leakage.

[0037] The outer casing is provided with Luer connectors at both ends, which are connected to the channel 4. The Luer connectors include a male Luer connector 1 connected to the first outer casing 3 and a female Luer connector 12 connected to the second outer casing 9. A first switching valve 2 is provided on the male Luer connector 1, and a second switching valve 11 is provided on the female Luer connector 12.

[0038] The male Luer connector 1 is provided with an external thread, and the female Luer connector 12 is provided with an internal thread.

[0039] In actual use, the operator can freely choose to connect the male Luer connector 1 or the female Luer connector 12 according to the type of Luer connector on the medical equipment or instrument, and open the corresponding first switch valve 2 or second switch valve 11 to transmit pressure.

[0040] By setting the opening and closing of the switching valve, the connection method, and the control of the reference pressure, four pressure measurement modes can be switched: gauge pressure mode, absolute pressure mode, relative pressure mode, and differential pressure mode.

[0041] In gauge pressure measurement mode, after the medical equipment or instrument connects to male Luer connector 1 or female Luer connector 12, the corresponding switch valve is opened, while the other switch valve is kept connected to the atmosphere, so that the measured pressure is the gauge pressure value relative to atmospheric pressure.

[0042] In the absolute pressure measurement mode, a vacuum is first drawn through the non-connecting Luer connector and then the switch valve is closed to maintain the vacuum state inside the corresponding housing. After the medical device or instrument connects the male Luer connector 1 or the female Luer connector 12, the corresponding switch valve is opened so that the measured pressure is the absolute pressure value relative to the vacuum.

[0043] In relative pressure measurement mode, pressure is first applied or withdrawn through the non-connecting Luer connector and then the switch valve is closed to maintain the reference pressure inside the corresponding housing. After the medical device or instrument is connected to the male Luer connector 1 or the female Luer connector 12, the corresponding switch valve is opened so that the measured pressure is the relative pressure value.

[0044] In differential pressure mode, the medical device or instrument simultaneously connects the Luer connectors at both ends of the sensor and opens the first switching valve 2 and the second switching valve 11, so that the measured pressure is the differential pressure value between the two ends.

[0045] like Figure 3 As shown, the signal processing circuit of this invention includes four operational amplifiers (such as OP07, OPA227, LM358, etc.) and a filter circuit for voltage regulation, amplification, and filtering; an analog-to-digital converter chip (such as AD9220, AD7192, etc.) and peripheral circuits for analog-to-digital conversion; and a microcontroller (such as STM32, GD32, etc.) and its peripheral circuits for data processing and display.

[0046] Since the output signal of a silicon-based piezoresistive pressure sensor chip is at the mV level, it is not easy to directly acquire and process. Therefore, the signal needs to be amplified to the V level before processing. The chip die selected in this invention has a Wheatstone bridge structure with two output pins, positive and negative. Therefore, in the interface circuit, voltage followers are connected after the two outputs to stabilize the input voltage, constructing a differential amplifier circuit. The signal is amplified by an intermediate operational amplifier. The amplification factor is determined by the ratio of the feedback branch resistance to the input resistance. The amplified signal output is filtered by the next stage of second-order filtering and then passed through the output voltage follower to obtain the analog signal processed by the front-end circuit. The second-order filter circuit consists of resistors and capacitors. By performing a fast Fourier transform on the signal using an oscilloscope, the frequency band where the noise is located can be identified. By modifying the resistance and capacitance values ​​of the second-order filter circuit according to the relationship between the cutoff frequency and the capacitor and resistance, the noise in the corresponding frequency band can be filtered out. Finally, the filtered signal is regulated by the voltage follower before being output.

[0047] To address the issue of the host computer reading sensor readings, an analog-to-digital converter chip is used to convert the analog signal processed at the front end into a digital signal. This digital signal is then sent to the microcontroller via any communication protocol (such as SPI, I2C, etc.). The microcontroller samples and processes the digital signal before sending it to the host computer for display via a communication method (such as USART, UART, USB, RS232, etc.).

[0048] Example 2

[0049] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, both ends of the outer shell are respectively provided with Luer connectors that communicate with the channel 4, and both are male Luer connectors 1. Other than that, the structure is the same as in embodiment 1.

[0050] Example 3

[0051] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, both ends of the outer shell are respectively provided with Luer connectors that communicate with the channel 4, both of which are female Luer connectors 12. Other than that, the structure is the same as in embodiment 1.

[0052] This invention directly connects to medical devices via a Luer connector, replacing the traditional method that requires an adapter. This effectively improves the convenience and reliability of the connection, as well as the accuracy of the measurement, enhancing the specialization of MEMS sensors in the medical field. By setting the opening and closing of the switching valve, the connection method, and the control of the reference pressure, multiple pressure measurement modes and flexible switching between them are achieved. By setting a sealing gasket between the first and second housings and a rubber ring inside the Luer connector, gas or liquid leakage in the channel or Luer connector is prevented, thus avoiding measurement errors.

[0053] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A medical-grade MEMS sensor for multiple pressure measurement modes, characterized in that: The device includes a connector housing with a channel inside. A sensing device is disposed within the channel. A first Luer connector and a second Luer connector, communicating with the channel, are respectively disposed at both ends of the connector housing. Switch valves are respectively disposed on the first and second Luer connectors. Pins are embedded within the connector housing, with one end extending outside the connector housing and the other end of the pin inside the connector housing electrically connected to the sensing chip. The connector housing includes a first housing connected to the first Luer connector and a second housing connected to the second Luer connector. The first and second housings are detachably connected. Multiple pins are disposed on the surface of the first housing near the second housing, and multiple slots corresponding to the pins are disposed on the surface of the second housing near the first housing. The first and second housings are connected via the pins and slots. A sealing gasket layer is disposed between the first and second housings. The sensing device includes a sensing chip and an encapsulation layer covering the sensing chip. The sensing chip is encapsulated in the encapsulation layer using surface mount and wire bonding processes. On the inner wall of the channel; by setting the opening and closing of the switching valve, the connection method, and the control of the reference pressure, four pressure measurement modes can be switched: gauge pressure mode, absolute pressure mode, relative pressure mode, and differential pressure mode; in gauge pressure measurement mode, after the medical device or instrument is connected to the male or female Luer connector, the corresponding switching valve is opened, while the other switching valve is kept connected to the atmosphere, so that the measured pressure is the gauge pressure value relative to atmospheric pressure; in absolute pressure measurement mode, a vacuum is first drawn through the non-connecting Luer connector and then the switching valve is closed to maintain the vacuum state inside the corresponding housing, and the medical device or instrument is connected to the... After connecting the male or female Luer connector, open the corresponding switch valve so that the measured pressure is the absolute pressure value relative to the vacuum. In the relative pressure measurement mode, first draw or pressurize through the non-connecting Luer connector and then close the switch valve to maintain the reference pressure in the corresponding housing. After connecting the male or female Luer connector, open the corresponding switch valve so that the measured pressure is the relative pressure value. In the differential pressure mode, the medical device or instrument simultaneously connects the Luer connectors at both ends of the sensor and opens the first and second switch valves so that the measured pressure is the differential pressure value between the two ends.

2. A medical-grade MEMS sensor for multiple pressure measurement modes according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the first Luer connector and the second Luer connector are male Luer connectors.

3. A medical-grade MEMS sensor for multiple pressure measurement modes according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the first Luer connector and the second Luer connector are female Luer connectors.

4. A medical-grade MEMS sensor for multiple pressure measurement modes according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first Luer connector is a male Luer connector, and the second Luer connector is a female Luer connector.

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