Folding Medical Sensor with Flexible Covering for Cleanability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reusable pulse oximeter sensors are uncomfortable for patients due to inadequate compliance and structural issues, and they are difficult to clean thoroughly, leading to potential measurement errors from environmental light and bio-debris accumulation.
Innovation Solution
A sensor assembly with a frame that moves between open and closed configurations, covered with a coating material, and equipped with a retaining component to secure the sensor in place, ensuring comfort, conformability, and ease of cleaning, while minimizing environmental light interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a reusable pulse oximeter sensor is designed with a multi-part construction to enable reuse, then the sensor can be used repeatedly on different patients, but it becomes difficult to clean thoroughly and may accumulate bio-debris in crevices and cavities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensor components into a single integrated unitary structure, eliminating crevices and cavities where bio-debris could accumulate. The sensor body is formed as one piece with the covering material, creating a smooth surface that is easy to clean while maintaining reuse capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the sensor into separable components including a removable covering material that can be easily detached for cleaning. This segmentation allows thorough cleaning of individual parts without disassembling complex multi-part constructions, addressing the cleaning difficulty while preserving reuse functionality.
2Reliability
If the sensor is made tight and secure to prevent dislodgement during patient motion, then measurement reliability improves, but environmental light can reach the photodetecting elements and introduce error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible covering material that conforms to the patient's body to create a secure fit preventing dislodgement. This flexible shell also acts as a light barrier, blocking environmental light from reaching the photodetecting elements while maintaining the necessary tightness for reliable measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials that combine the securing function with light blocking properties. The covering material is designed to provide both mechanical retention to keep the sensor in place and optical isolation to prevent environmental light interference, achieving both reliability and protection against harmful factors.
3Strength
If the sensor structure includes rigid features for structural integrity, then the sensor maintains its shape, but it becomes uncomfortable for patients due to angles and edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent covers rigid structural features with a flexible covering material that conforms to the patient's body contours. This flexible layer eliminates uncomfortable angles and edges while the underlying rigid structure maintains structural integrity, achieving both comfort and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved and rounded geometric features instead of sharp angles and flat edges in the sensor design. This curvature principle applied to both the rigid structure and flexible covering creates a comfortable fit against the patient's body while maintaining structural strength through optimized geometric forms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a comfortable, conformable, and easily cleanable reusable sensor that maintains accurate physiological measurements by preventing environmental light infiltration and reducing bio-debris accumulation, thus enhancing patient care and measurement reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a covering provided over at least part of the frame
Implementation Method 2
a retaining component configured to hold the frame in the closed configuration when engaged
Implementation Method 3
The pulse oximeter sensor emits light and photoelectrically senses the absorption and/or scattering of the light after passage through the perfused tissue
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor assembly is provided that includes a frame upon which electrical and optical components may be disposed and a covering, such as an overmold coating, provided about the frame. The frame may be moved between an open and a closed configuration, such as during the manufacture of the sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a retaining component configured to hold the sensor in the closed configuration when engaged. 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.