Transcutaneous blood vessel probe with relocation marker

Claim 1

An external physiological sensor probe comprising: a transducer means responsive to in-vivo physiological signals; a substantially cylindrical housing having a cup member with a cavity therein disposed at one end of said housing and in which said transducer means is mounted, and having an axially aligned stem member of generally smaller diameter than said cup member extending generally away from said cavity and cup member, said cup member further having a limit abutment element radially extending therefrom; a substantially cylindrical marker member slidably engaging at least one of said stem and cup member of said housing for placing location and alignment indicia on said body, said marker member having a complementary portion to said cup member and slidably receiving said cup member therein and a handle portion having a bore therein slidably receiving said stem member therein, said complementary portion having an axial slot therein into which said limit abutment element extends for limiting relative motion of said marker member and said housing, said marker member further including marking elements disposed in said portion complementary to said cup member and axially extending therefrom; a resilient means urging said transducer distally of said marker member so that marking elements are adjacent said transducer means only upon application of a force on said marker member overcoming the resiliency of said resilient means; and a tubular sleeve interposed between said stem member and the bore of said handle portion of said marker member, said sleeve including means to retain said resilient means.