Patent US3765699A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5411024A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5411024A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Fetal pulse oximetry sensor

Assignee: Corometrics Medical Systems Inc
•
Filing: 1993-12-15
•
Granted: 1995-05-02
•
Expires: 2013-12-15
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A fetal pulse oximetry sensor device containing a pulse oximetry sensor is disclosed. The device also includes a spiral for fetal attachment. One or both of the light emitting portion and light detecting portion of the pulse oximetry sensor is spring biased to be moveable with respect to the body of the device. Alternatively, the light emitting portion and light detecting portion may be mounted within the housing of the device, with the housing being spring biased towards the fetal skin. In this manner, the pulse oximetry sensor is maintained in intimate contact with the fetal tissue. This provides for accurate oximetry measurements since the errors due to the detection of unattenuated or non-absorbed light passing directly from the light emitter to the light detector, are significantly reduced. The fetal attachment spiral may also include a fetal EKG electrode, in which case the device may be used as both a fetal pulse oximeter and a fetal heart rate monitor.

Inventors

  • 👤 Simon W. H. Thomas
  • 👤 William R. Pruehsner

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 05:28
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/145; A61B5/1455; A61B5/1464; A61B5/14542; A61B5/24; A61B5/25; A61B5/279; A61B5/28; A61B5/283; A61B5/288; A61B5/43; A61B5/4306; A61B5/4343; A61B5/4362; A61B5/68; A61B5/6846; A61B5/6879; A61B5/6882; A61B2503/00; A61B2503/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 61 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device, comprising: a holder having distal and proximal ends; attaching means on said holder for attaching said device to a fetus; a pulse oximetry sensor including light emitting means and light detecting means; and means supporting at least one of said light emitting means and light detecting means for distal and proximal movement relative to said holder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 61 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device, comprising: a holder having distal and proximal ends; attaching means on said holder for attaching said device to a fetus; a pulse oximetry sensor including light emitting means and light detecting means; and means supporting at least one of said light emitting means and light detecting means for distal and proximal movement relative to said holder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device according to claim 1, further comprising means for biasing the supporting means distally with respect to said holder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 36 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device according to claim 2, further comprising means for preventing rotation of said supporting means with respect to said holder and stop means for limiting the distal movement of said supporting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 101 words
A fetal electrode product comprising: a holder having distal and proximal ends; attaching means on said holder for attaching said electrode product to a fetus; a piston mounted within a bore in the distal end of the holder, the piston having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being adjacent to the attaching means; a pulse oximetry sensor including light emitting means and light detecting means, wherein at least one of said light emitting means and light detecting means is mounted on the piston; and means supporting said piston for distal and proximal movement relative to said holder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 101 words
A fetal electrode product comprising: a holder having distal and proximal ends; attaching means on said holder for attaching said electrode product to a fetus; a piston mounted within a bore in the distal end of the holder, the piston having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being adjacent to the attaching means; a pulse oximetry sensor including light emitting means and light detecting means, wherein at least one of said light emitting means and light detecting means is mounted on the piston; and means supporting said piston for distal and proximal movement relative to said holder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 38 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 4, wherein the support means comprises spring means to bias the piston toward the distal end of the holder to maintain the pulse oximetry sensor in intimate contact with fetal tissue.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 61 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 5, wherein the light emitting means sensor comprises: a red LED which emits red light into the fetal tissue; an infrared LED which emits infrared light into the fetal tissue; and said light detecting means comprising a photodetector which detects the red light and the infrared light which has passed through the fetal tissue.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 42 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 6, wherein the pulse oximetry sensor further comprises a light blocker positioned between the photodetector and the red and infrared LEDs, the light blocker being of a material opaque to red light and infrared light.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 16 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 7, wherein the light blocker comprises a metallic material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 44 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 7, wherein the pulse oximetry sensor further comprises a light transparent material placed over the red and infrared LEDs and the photodetector, the light transparent material having a height less than a height of the light blocker.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 9, wherein the light transparent material comprises a clear epoxy resin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 29 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 6, further comprising electrical leads connected to said LEDs and photodetector, said electrical leads passing through said piston, spring and annular seat.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 60 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 6 wherein the photodetector is mounted on the distal end of the piston, and the red LED and infrared LED are mounted in a side of the piston and wherein an opening is provided in the holder, such that the red light and infrared light are emitted by said LEDs through said opening.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 44 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 6 wherein the photodetector is mounted on the distal end of the piston, and the red LED and infrared LED are mounted on an arm, the arm being external to the holder and attached to the piston.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 55 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 5, further comprising an annular seat fixed adjacent the proximal end of said holder, said piston having a proximal surface and said annular seat having a distal surface, said spring means being situated between the proximal surface of said piston and a distal surface of said annular seat.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 59 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 4, further comprising a fetal heart rate electrode, the fetal heart rate electrode comprising a spiral fetal electrode attached to the distal end of the holder and a reference electrode attached to the proximal end of the holder, the spiral fetal electrode and the reference electrode being electrically isolated from each other.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 23 words
A fetal electrode product according to claim 15, wherein said reference electrode comprises a ring mounted on the proximal end of said holder.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 83 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device comprising: a holder having attaching means for attaching said device to a fetus; a housing movably mounted relative to said holder and having distal and proximal ends; a pulse oximetry sensor including light emitting means and light detecting means mounted at the distal end of said housing; light blocking means positioned between the light emitting means and the light detecting means; and means for biasing the housing for movement in a distal direction with respect to the holder.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 83 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device comprising: a holder having attaching means for attaching said device to a fetus; a housing movably mounted relative to said holder and having distal and proximal ends; a pulse oximetry sensor including light emitting means and light detecting means mounted at the distal end of said housing; light blocking means positioned between the light emitting means and the light detecting means; and means for biasing the housing for movement in a distal direction with respect to the holder.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 16 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device according to claim 17, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 62 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device according to claim 17, wherein the light emitting means of the pulse oximetry sensor comprises a red LED which emits red light into the fetus and an infrared LED which emits infrared light into the fetus, and the light detecting means comprises a photodetector which detects the red light and the infrared light passing through the fetus.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 30 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device according to claim 17, wherein the pulse oximetry sensor further comprises light transparent material placed over the light emitting means and the light detecting means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 19 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device according to claim 20, wherein the light transparent material comprises a clear epoxy resin.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 154 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device comprising: a holder having attaching means for attaching said device to a fetus; a housing having distal and proximal ends; a pulse oximetry sensor including light emitting means and light detecting means mounted at the distal end of said housing; light blocking means positioned between the light emitting means and the light detecting means; and a spring for biasing the housing in a distal direction with respect to the holder, said holder being positioned within a bore in the housing and having a proximal end, the proximal end of the holder being connected to a rear portion which is larger than the holder, and the spring being positioned externally around the proximal end of holder and restrained by the rear portion, such that the spring acts on a shoulder formed within the bore of the housing to bias the housing in the distal direction with respect to the holder.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 154 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device comprising: a holder having attaching means for attaching said device to a fetus; a housing having distal and proximal ends; a pulse oximetry sensor including light emitting means and light detecting means mounted at the distal end of said housing; light blocking means positioned between the light emitting means and the light detecting means; and a spring for biasing the housing in a distal direction with respect to the holder, said holder being positioned within a bore in the housing and having a proximal end, the proximal end of the holder being connected to a rear portion which is larger than the holder, and the spring being positioned externally around the proximal end of holder and restrained by the rear portion, such that the spring acts on a shoulder formed within the bore of the housing to bias the housing in the distal direction with respect to the holder.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 40 words
A fetal pulse oximetry device according to claim 22 further comprising a fetal heart rate electrode having a fetal electrode and a reference electrode, wherein the attaching means comprises the fetal electrode and the rear portion comprises the reference electrode.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-05-01 1998-10-31 1999-05-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-05-01 2002-10-31 2003-05-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-05-01 2006-10-31 2007-05-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag