Reusable Disposable Optical Sensor Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current noninvasive pulse oximetry sensors face challenges in balancing reusability of expensive electronic components with the need for conformability to varying patient measurement sites, often resulting in cumbersome assembly and potential separation of reusable and disposable parts during use.
Innovation Solution
A noninvasive optical sensor design featuring a disposable component with a locking mechanism that engages when the reusable and disposable portions are curved around a measurement site, along with a memory device for quality control and data storage, ensuring secure attachment and easy disassembly, and a flexible circuit for alignment and tension-based locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If reusable sensors are used to save costs, then cost savings are achieved, but the sensors do not readily conform to each patient's measurement site due to limited sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is divided into reusable and disposable portions, allowing the reusable housing to be cost-effective while the disposable portion provides adaptability to different measurement sites through available sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable portion is nested within or attached to the reusable housing, combining the cost savings of reusability with the adaptability of disposable components in a integrated structure
2Adaptability or versatility
If disposable sensors are used to achieve superior conformance to measurement area, then conformance is improved, but the sensors are generally more costly due to limited use of expensive sensor components
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is segmented into expensive reusable electronic components housed in a reusable portion, and cheaper disposable portions that provide conformance, allowing cost-effective reuse of expensive components while maintaining measurement site adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the sensor have different qualities - the reusable housing contains the expensive electronic components for cost savings, while the disposable portion provides the necessary conformance and is discarded after single use
3Loss of substance
If reusable detector portion couples to disposable emitter portion to reuse expensive electronic components, then cost savings are achieved, but other components are still discarded
Solution Approach 1:
The reusable detector portion and disposable emitter portion are merged into a single integrated disposable assembly where both portions are attached together and discarded as one unit, simplifying the assembly process while maintaining cost savings from reusing the housing
4Loss of substance
If reusable Y type sensor with disposable tape is used to make electronics reusable, then cost savings are achieved, but the multiple wires tend to be somewhat difficult to properly attach
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple wire connections and attachment functions are merged into a single pre-assembled disposable portion that attaches to the reusable housing through one simple connection mechanism, eliminating the need for separate wire attachments and simplifying the overall assembly process
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a noninvasive optical sensor having a reusable portion and a disposable portion and being capable of outputting a signal indicative of light attenuated by body tissue usable to determine one or more physiological characteristics of the body tissue, the optical sensor comprising a reusable component including at least one energy emitter and a detector capable of detecting energy attenuated by body tissue and capable of outputting a signal usable to determine one or more physiological characteristics of the body tissue, the at least one energy emitter being housed in one of a first casing and a second casing and the detector being housed in other of the first casing and the second casing, wherein the first and second casings are connected by a flexible connector and a disposable component including a first clip mechanically matable with the first casing and a second clip mechanically matable with the second casing, wherein the first clip includes a front stop such that the first casing is configured to mate with the first clip by vertically aligning a tip of the first casing and snapping the tip of the first casing below the front stop such that the first casing and first clip are substantially immobile when assembled together, and wherein the second clip and second casing mate in a vertically and horizontally open manner.