Universal pulse oximeter probe

Abstract: The universal pulse oximeter probe of the present invention utilizes an inexpensive sensor connector (5,6) configuration to enable the cable section (B) of the probe to be used numerous times. The sensor connector is mechanically simple and electrically reliable to interconnect the sensor elements (16,18,20,34) with the cable (4) that connects the pulse oximeter system (2) to the sensor elements. This sensor connector enables the user to obtain significant benefits due to the fact that the expensive cable segment of the probe is a separable element from the housing that contains the sensor elements. In particular, the cable segment of the probe consists of a connector (3) that is compatible with the pulse oximeter system and which functions to interconnect the pulse oximeter system with a plurality of conductors, the far end of which are terminated in the sensor connector of the present invention. The probe housing (7) contains a mating element to this sensor connector, the sensor elements and a means of mechanically affixing the sensor elements to the subject. Thus, the cable end of the probe is reusable numerous times and the disposable part of the probe only consists of the housing with the sensors. Furthermore, the housing containing the sensors is electrically configured to be generic to all pulse oximeter systems. In this regard, the active elements and passive elements contained therein are directly connected to the sensor connector without interconnection amongst themselves. Jumper leads are provided within the cable half of the sensor connector to electrically interconnect these elements in a manner that is appropriate for the associated pulse oximeter system.

Description: This invention relates to medical monitoring equipment and, in particular, to an inexpensive sensor apparatus, containing sensor elements, that interfaces with a plurality of different measurement systems, e.g. pulse oximeters. It is a problem in the field of monitoring equipment in biomedical technology to produce a sensor apparatus, including sensor elements, that are inexpensive, simple to use, accurate in their measurements and yet disposable. In the field of pulse oximetry, the pulse oximeter instrument is connected to a subject via a disposable sensor apparatus or probe, which is connectorized to be detachable from the pulse oximeter instrument. The probe includes a sensor circuit that consists of a pair of light emitting diodes and a photodetector that are incorporated into a housing that can be applied to the subject in order to measure the oxygenation of the subject's blood. EP-A-104772 describes probe apparatus for use with an optical oximeter which includes a connector for connecting with the oximeter and housing means for attachment to a patient. The housing means includes means (Velcro) for removably attaching the probe to a patient, sensor elements with conductors and housing connector means. Present pulse oximeter probes use a connectorized long cable, hard-wired at one end to the light emitting diodes and light detector. The housing can be of many configurations due to the fact that the pulse oximeter instrument is used with adult subjects, children and infants. Each of these classes of subjects may require a different means of attaching the active sensor elements to a blood carrying member of the subject. For example, the sensors can be attached to the subject's finger, ear, foot or septum, each of which applications requires a different housing for the sensors. Another complicating factor is that each pulse oximeter instrument utilises a different connector configuration and possibly a different sensor element wiring configuration in the probe. It is obvious that a hospital must stock a large diversity of pulse oximeter probes, each of which is a disposable element. The proliferation of probe types produces an inventory problem as well as increased cost to the patient, since a significant segment of the manufacturing costs of the probe is the connector and associated wiring that interconnects the sensor elements to the pulse oximeter instrument. The manufacturers of pulse oximeter probes also do not have the economies of scale of making a single probe but instead must manufacture numerous different incompatible probes. According to the present invention, a sensor apparatus is provided as defined in the accompanying claims for measuring a physiological characteristic of a subject for a measurement system. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor elements comprise: at least two light sources for applying two beams of light of different wavelengths to said subject, light detector means for producing said signals indicative of a light intensity of said two beams of light received from said subject, and wherein said first plurality of electrical conductors are connected to said light sources said light detector means and said housing connector means for exchanging said electrical signals therebetween. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Figure 1 illustrates, in block diagram form, the overall architecture of the pulse oximeter probe of the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the sensor connector; Figures 3 and 4 illustrate isometric views of the top and bottom of the cap of the cable half of the sensor connector, respectively; Figures 5 and 6 illustrate isometric views of the top and bottom of the base of the cable half of the sensor connector, respectively; Figure 7 illustrates additional details of the housing half of the sensor connector; Figures 8 and 9 illustrate details of the lead frame and housing construction; Figures 10 and 11 are circuit diagrams illustrative of two of the circuit interconnections used in pulse oximeter probes; Figure 12 illustrates additional details of the lead frame and connector configuration; Figure 13 illustrates a schematic diagram of the electrical interconnection of the conductors of the housing; and Figure 14 illustrates an isometric view of additional details of the cable half of the sensor connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 illustrates in block diagram form the overall system architecture of a sensor apparatus in the form of a universal pulse oximeter probe 1 of the present invention. A pulse oximeter instrument 2 is a well known device used extensively in critical care areas or hospitals to monitor a subject's arterial percentage oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) and pulse rate (PR). The pulse oximeter instrument 2 performs these measurements by recording the absorption of light in perfused tissue at two or more wavelengths of light. The pulse oximeter instrument 2 compares the time variant and time invariant portions of the light absorption signal at the two wavelengths of light and uses this data in a well known empirical relationship to compute both the pulse rate and arterial percentage oxygen saturation. In order to perform the measurements on the subject, the pulse oximeter system includes a probe 1 which is releasably attached to the subject 8. In a typical application, the probe 1 is releasably affixed to a subject's finger 8 or other arterial rich member of the body. The methods of releasably attaching the probe to the subject are well known in this technology and consist of mechanical clips, adhesively backed webs, and Velcro webs of numerous configurations and dimensions. The probe 1 therefore includes at the distal end thereof a housing 7 that carries the sensor elements 9, 10 and the means of a releasably attaching the probe to the subject. A typical configuration of sensor elements 9, 10 includes first and second light sources 9, each of which generates a beam of light centered about a predefined wavelength. The wavelengths of these two light sources differ and are selected to detect the desired characteristics of the arterial blood as is well know in the art. The two light sources 9 are placed in the housing 7 in a manner to project the beams of light generated into the arterial tissue 8 in order to illuminate this tissue. The housing furthermore includes a light detector 10 which is positioned to measure the amount of light transmitted through the arterial tissue 8 of the subject. Typically, the two light sources 9 are activated in sequence in order that a single wavelength of light illuminates the arterial bed at a time in order to enable the single light detector 10 to measure the absorption of that wavelength of light by the arterial tissue 8. The light sources 9 are driven by pulse signals produced by the pulse oximeter instrument 2 and applied thereto via a probe connector 3 which serves to mechanically and electrically interconnect the probe 1 with the pulse oximeter instrument 2. A cable 4 containing a plurality of conductors is used to hard wire the light sources 9 and light detector 10 to the probe connector 3 which plugs into the pulse oximeter instrument 2. The various pulse oximeter instruments 2 electrically interconnect the light sources 9, and light detector 10 in a variety of ways in order to perform the required measurements. In the prior art, each probe 1 is manufactured to be specific to a single model of pulse oximeter instrument 2 and also must be manufactured to be application specific as a function of the body part 8 to which it is attached and the nature of the subject: adult, child, infant. Therefore, the variability of subject is complicated further by the additional variable of pulse oximeter specific wiring required. These factors all contribute to the cost of the pulse oximeter probes since the probes are disposable and the greater the number of models required, the greater the cost to manufacture since there is a reduction in commonality of usage. Furthermore, the cable 4 and connector 3 end of the probe represents a significant manufacturing cost that is absorbed by the subject in the single use of the probe 1. UNIVERSAL PULSE OXIMETER PROBE ARCHITECTURE In order to reduce the cost of probes in pulse oximeter systems, the universal probe 1 of the present invention makes use of an inexpensive sensor connector 5, 6 to separate the truly disposable housing 7 and sensor element segment A of the probe 1 from the expensive and reusable cable/connector segment B of the probe 1. By dividing the probe 1 into two section A, B, the cost of the cable/connector segment B of the probe 1 can be amortized over numerous uses, thereby reducing the cost to the subject. Furthermore, the pulse oximeter instrument specific wiring can be implemented in the reusable portion B of the probe 1, to enable the housing segment A of the probe 1 to be of a universal configuration applicable to all pulse oximeter instruments 2 and having only a single degree of freedom: the application to a specific body part or subject class. The universal pulse oximeter probe 1 is illustrated in block diagram form in Figure 1 and Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the sensor connector 5, 6 that is used to segment the universal pulse oximeter probe 1 into two segments A, B. In the illustration of Figure 1, the pulse oximeter instrument 2 is connected via a probe connector 3 to a cable 4 in conventional fashion in order to electrically and mechanically interconnect the probe 1 to the circuitry of the pulse oximeter instrument 2. One end of the cable 4 is connected to a sensor connector 5, 6 which consists of a plurality of elements illustrated in exploded view in Figure 2. The cable half 5 of the sensor connector 5, 6 consists of a base 203, a cap 201, and a spring clip 202 interposed therebetween. The base 203 includes a plurality of holes 231 into which corresponding pins 211 on the cap 201 seat to interlock and position the various pieces of the connector 5. The spring clip 202 is horseshoe shaped and includes a plurality of notches 221 therein which notches 221 mate with the pins 211 of the cap 201 in order to position the spring clip 202 in the proper orientation in the cable half 5 of the sensor connector 5, 6. To mechanically assemble the cable half 5 of the sensor connector 5, 6 the spring clip 202 is positioned on the base 203 and the cap 201 placed on top of the spring clip 202 such that the pins 211 of the cap 201 fit through the notches 221 in the spring clip 202 and the holes 231 in the base 203. The pins 211 are then staked or ultrasonically welded in place in order to form a unitary locked structure. The spring clip 202 is deformable such that, in the extended position, the edges 222 of the spring clip 202 extend beyond the periphery of the cap 201 and the base 203. When the spring clip 202 is compressed by a user applying force to the clip edges 222, the edges 222 are recessed such that they are flush with the periphery of the cap 201 and the base 203. Both the cap 201 and the base 203 include a channel 212, 232 that receives the cable 4 as well as a support 1412 (Figure 14) that positions the conductors of the cable 4 in a spaced apart relationship such that they are parallel to each other, a predetermined distance apart, and electrically insulated from each other. The conductors 244 in the housing end 6 of the sensor connector 5, 6 are similarly supported and spaced apart in order to enable the mechanical alignment of the conductors 244 to provide electrical continuity between the two halves of sensor connector 5, 6 when interconnected. The housing segment 6 of the sensor connector 5, 6 consists of a U-shaped molded plastic piece with the two vertical arms 241 thereof having a lip 242 thereon for engagement of the cable half 5 of the sensor connector 5, 6. Thus, when the two halves of the sensor connector 5, 6 are placed together, the U-shaped arms 241 of the housing half 6 of the sensor connector 5, 6 pass through a corresponding opening 233 in the base 203 of the cable half 5 of the sensor connector 5, 6 and are deformed inwardly toward each other by the force applied by the user to join the two sensor connector halves 5, 6. The plastic is springably deformable such that the two arms 241 of the housing connector 6 flex inwardly until they pass through the base 203 of the cable half 5 of the sensor connector 5, 6 where upon they expand outward with the lip 242 of the arms 241 resting on the top side of the base 203 of the cable half 5 of the sensor connector 5, 6 to form a mechanically secure joining of the two sensor connector halves 5, 6. The spring clip 202 in the cable half 5 of the sensor connector 5, 6 is deformable inwardly by the user applying pressure to the two edges 222 thereof that extend beyond the periphery of the cap 201 and the base 203 of the cable half 5 of the sensor connector 5, 6. The deformation of the spring clip 202 causes the inside edges 223 of the spring clip to engage the arms 241 of the housing half 6 of the sensor connector 5, 6, causing deformation thereof such that the lip 242 of the arms 241 of the housing half 6 of the sensor connector 5, 6 are pressed inward to clear the inner edge of the opening 233 in the base 203 of the cable half 5 of the sensor connector 5, 6, enabling the user to separate the two halves of the sensor connector 5, 6. This sensor connector 5, 6 is a simple configuration that requires little manufacturing and yet provides a fairly secure mechanical interconnection of the cable B and housing A segments of the probe 1. Housing Sensor Wiring Figure 12 illustrates the electrical and mechanical interconnection of light sources 16, 18 and light detector means 20, 34 in the housing 7. An integrated lead frame 12 is used to provide electrical interconnection, mechanical orientation of components, and a means for attachment of light source/detector means 16, 18, 20 to perfused tissue. In a preferred embodiment, the lead frame 12 is made from 0.1mm to 0.3mm thick steel or copper sheet and eight leads 13-1 to 13-8 are formed in the lead frame 12 by stamping or chemical machining. A plastic sensor connector half 6 is placed near one end of the lead frame 12 and is formed by insert molding, or attached to lead frame 12 by heat staking, ultrasonic welding or adhesive bonding. Red and infrared light emitting diodes 16, 18 ("LEDs"), a photodiode 20 and any other elements 34 (if any) are attached directly to the leads of lead frame 12. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment is made with silver filled epoxy and electrical connectors are made with gold ball or wedge bonding. Light emitting diodes 16, 18 and photodiode 20 are subsequently encapsulated in plastic lenses 22 by transfer molding or casting. The assembly is subsequently sealed in an envelope of thin, transparent plastic film (not shown) to provide electrical insulation. The insulating film may or may not be coated with pressure sensitive adhesive and it may or may not have opaque sections between transparent windows. The electrical connector formed by the lead frame 12 and connector half 6 mates with a connector half 5 on the cable segment B of the probe 1. The device to which the pulse oximetry sensor 1 of the present invention is connected is a pulse oximeter instrument 2, such as those manufactured by Ohmeda Inc of Louisville, Colorado under the designation 3740. In one preferred embodiment, the lead frame 12 is fabricated from 0.127mm (.005 inch) thick copper alloy C194 with 0.00127mm (.00005 inch) thick nickel plating overall and with 0.0019mm (.000075 inch) thick selective gold plating on wire bonding pads only. The lead frame 12 may also be plated with gold, silver or palladium. A suitable red light emitting diode 16 is that sold by Showa Denko of San Mateo, California as part number ARH-35. This LED has a typical light output of 9 candellas at a wavelength of 655 nanometers. A suitable infrared light emitting diode 18 is that manufactured by Showa Denko of San Mateo, California under part number IR-35, which has a typical light output of 0.9 milliwatts at a wavelength of 940 nanometers. A suitable silicon photodiode 20 can be obtained from Silicon Detector Corporation of Camarillo, California, which sells the photodiode as part number 150-3842. This photodiode 20 has a typical response of 0.5 amp/watt and a wavelength of 900 nanometers. The photodiode has an active area of 14.224mm X 14.224mm (0.56 inches X 0.56 inches). The lead frame 12 provides means for electrical connection and mechanical orientation of the light sources 16, 18 and the photodetector 20 and eliminates the need for additional substrate components. The metal lead frame 12 can be formed, plated or polished as appropriate to optimize light emission or detection. The lead frame 12 also provides a mechanism for holding the photoactive components while a precision lens 22 is molded to encapsulate them. The design of such precision lenses is well known in the art as described in Optoelectronics/Fiber-Optics Applications Manual which is prepared by the application engineering staff of Hewlett-Packard Optoelectronics Division and is published by McGraw-Hill Book Company and the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. In a preferred embodiment, the precision lens 22 is molded out of a transparent, electrically insulating epoxy manufactured by Ablestick Laboratories of Gardena, California under the designation Ablebond® 342-3, which enables the lens 22 to increase the amount of light coupled into and out of the perfused tissue. The lens 22 may also be tinted to provide additional shielding from ambient light. The lead frame 12 deforms plastically as it is bent to conform to the subject's tissue, such as a finger tip 8, so that it accurately retains its shape after it is applied to the finger tip 8. The material and thickness of the lead frame 12 can be chosen to optimize this behavior. The probe 1 can be further retained in place on the finger tip 8 by pressure sensitive adhesives or bandages so that it does not tend to spring open. The low mass and thin construction of the integrated lead frame 12 act to diminish the sensor's (16, 18, 20) susceptibility to motion induced artifact, thereby enabling the lead frame 12 to be used with a wide variety of probe designs. The integrated lead frame probe 1 described above for use in conjunction with pulse oximeter instruments 2 lends itself to manufacture by conventional semiconductor packaging techniques. As such, the integrated lead frame probe 1 can be fabricated by highly automated equipment at low cost. The manufacturing cost is further reduced by eliminating intermediate substrates and interconnections. The lead frames 12 are generally manufactured as a panel of lead frames 12 which must then be separated. The lead frames 12 can then be supplied as a single unit or in a panel of many elements. When a panel is supplied subsequent process steps can be performed on several parts simultaneously, thereby reducing the costs of the finished probe. In addition, the external frame of the panel can include features which permit automatic parts handling for additional efficiency. After the lead frame 12 is assembled, it is mounted in a particular type of probe 1 which can take on a variety of shapes for use with body parts such as hands, feet, fingers, toes, ears, etc. Referring to Figures 8 and 9, a butterfly sensor is shown which is designed for use around the tip of a finger or toe. In this embodiment, an opaque piece of tape 46 is cut into a butterfly shape. A second opaque piece of tape 48, with two openings 50 cut out to allow for the lenses 22 to pass through the openings 50, is then placed over the top surface of the lead frame 12. A transparent tape layer 52 is then placed over the top of each of the lenses 22 that protrude through the opaque tape 48. SENSOR INTERCONNECTION The sensors shown in Figures 1 - 9 can include various number of conductors. In the embodiment shown in Figure 13, eight leads are shown, while other embodiments include only six or seven leads. Referring to Figure 10, a schematic diagram for a seven lead version is shown in which two leads 100 are connected to the other elements 34, two leads 100 are connected to the photodiode 20 and the other three leads 100 are connected to the two LEDs 16, 18. In the six lead 100 embodiment shown in Figure 11, two leads 100 are also connected to the other elements 34 and another two leads 100 are connected to the photodiode 20. The difference in the Figure 11 embodiment is that only two leads 100 are connected to the two LEDs 16, 18. The selection of the particular lead configuration depends on the pulse oximeter system 2 that is being used with the probe 1. A significant concern in the sensor connector system described above is the mechanical stability and electrically conductivity of the sensor connector 5, 6. In order to provide mechanical stability, the pin and socket form of connector design is used in order to precisely align the two halves of the sensor connector 5, 6. The pin 6 and socket 5 mechanical configuration are a matter of design choice and the opening 233 in the base 203 of the cable half 5 of the sensor connector is a key stone shape to receive a corresponding shaped pin from the housing half 6 of the sensor connector. It is obvious that other geometric orientations of the elements are possible and the shapes in the preferred embodiment are simply illustrative of the concept of the invention. ANISOTROPICALLY CONDUCTIVE ELASTOMER MATERIAL In order to provide electrical conductivity between the conductors of the two halves of the sensor connector 5, 6, it is important that good physical contact be made between these corresponding conductors. With the simple mechanical configuration illustrated herein, sufficient contact force between the sensor connector halves 5, 6 may not be reliably obtained. Therefore, as shown in Figure 14, a supplementary element 11 is provided in order to ensure good electrical connectivity between the two sensor connector halves 5, 6 in spite of possible mechanical deformations or misalignments between the two halves of the sensor connector 5, 6. In particular, an element 11 is included in the base 203 of the cable half 5 of the sensor connector on top of the conductors attached to the support 12 contained therein. The rectangular element 11 consists of anisotropically conducting elastomer which provides electrical conductivity only in the thickness dimension thereof. This conductive elastomer 11 is of the material group referred to as elastomeric conductive polymer interconnection (ECPI) materials. ECPIs make electrical connection between opposing contact areas using conductive columns which are regularly distributed within a sheet of silicon rubber and are separated by a spacing of 0.178mm (seven mils) or less. These materials are suitable for interconnecting high density, fine pitch pad grid arrays and are capable of accommodating tolerance variations resulting from plating thicknesses, conductor misalignment and nonplanarities between opposing contact areas. The ECPI materials can be deformed up to 40% of their uncompressed thickness without compromising their electrical properties. These ECPI materials are commercially available through AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany Road, Whippany, New Jersey 80540. The ECPI elastomer material provides a number of advantages for this particular sensor connector. The elastomer 11 only requires light pressure to guarantee interconnection between the two surfaces thereof and provides a mechanical cushioning against shock. The elastomer material can also withstand a significant amount of transverse deformation without impacting on the conductivity thereof. Therefore, the elastomer 11 insures good electrical interconnection between the conductors of the two connector halves 5, 6 without requiring a significant contact pressure thereon. The elastomer 11 also provides electrical isolation between adjacent conductors in the two connector halves 5, 6. Furthermore, any mechanical misalignment of the sensor connector halves 5, 6 and corresponding conductors is automatically compensated for by the use of the elastomer material. As was noted above, the electrical configuration the sensor 16, 18, 20 and other elements 34 within the housing 7 is a function of the pulse oximeter instrument 2 to which the probe 1 is connected. In order to provide a generic housing segment 7 of the probe 1, the leads 100 of the various devices 16, 18, 20, 34 contained therein are directly connected to corresponding conductors in the housing half 6 of the sensor connector without interconnection therebetween as shown in Figure 13. Thus, two leads of lead frame 12 interconnect the light detector 2- while four leads interconnect the pair of light sources 16, 18 as illustrated in Figure 13. Furthermore, the final two leads of lead frame 12 interconnect the optional other elements 34 such that the resultant circuit configuration is that illustrated in Figure 12. The eight leads therefore provide electrical access to each terminal of every device contained within the housing 7. The resultant housing 7 is therefore generic to all pulse oximeter instruments 2 since there is no electrical interconnection of the elements 16, 18, 20, 34 contained therein and the cable segment B of the probe is used to provide the electrical interconnection to satisfy the requirements of the corresponding pulse oximeter instrument 2. The cable segment B of the probe 1 therefore physically and electrically interconnects the conductors of the cable 4 to the pulse oximeter instrument 2 as well as electrically interconnects the various conductors from the housing 7 to wire the sensor 16, 18, 20 and other 34 elements contained therein to electrically mate with the corresponding pulse oximeter instrument 2. This circuit interconnection is accomplished by a first plurality of conductors 1301 which appear in the housing half 6 of sensor connector. The cable half 5 of the sensor connector contains a like plurality of conductors 1302. The support 1412 contained within the cable half 5 of the sensor connector includes the electrical interconnection element 1305. Thus, the first plurality of conductors 1301 found in the housing half 6 of the sensor connector and the second plurality of conductors 1302 found in the cable half 5 of the sensor connector are of a like number of conductors such that each conductor in a first half of sensor connector 5, 6 has a one to one correspondence to a conductor in the second half of the sensor connector 5, 6. The pulse oximeter instrument 2 requires a third plurality of conductors 1303 which are less in number than the conductors found in the sensor connector 5, 6. The reduction in the number of conductors is therefore accomplished by the support element 1412 by electrically interconnecting 1305 the second plurality of conductors found in the cable half 5 of the sensor connector with the third plurality of conductors found in the cable 4 itself and corresponding in the connector 3 that interfaces the probe 1 with the pulse oximeter instrument 2. The support element 1412 can contain printed circuit wiring or a hardwired cross connect field in order to accomplish the circuit interconnection required to customise the interconnection of the elements contained within housing 7 to the specific electrical interconnection required by the pulse oximeter instrument 2. Therefore, the use of the inexpensive sensor connector 5, 6 with its anisotropically conducting elastomer provides a means for converting the expensive probes of the prior art into an inexpensive probe system 1 that comprises a reusable cable segment B and an inexpensive disposable universal housing segment A that can be used with all pulse oximeter instruments 2 due to the electrical programming capability of the cable segment B of the probe 1. The use of this inexpensive yet efficient sensor connector arrangement enables the creation of universal housing configurations which are physically and electrically customized to the pulse oximeter instrument of choice by means of a cable segment of the probe which provides a probe connector specific to the desired pulse oximeter instrument as well as the electrical interconnection of the sensor elements necessary for the universal housing to be compatible with the particular pulse oximeter instrument.

Claims: A sensor apparatus for measuring a physiological characteristic of a subject for a measurement system (2) that has a connector (2a) for electrically connecting to said sensor apparatus to exchange signals therebetween, said sensor apparatus comprising: housing means (A) including: means (7) for removably attaching said sensor apparatus to said subject (8), sensor elements (9, 10, 16, 20), having a first plurality of electrical conductors (244, 1301), for generating electrical signals on said first plurality of electrical conductors (1301) indicative of said measured physiological characteristic of said subject (8), housing connector means (6) connected to said first plurality of electrical conductors (1301); and means (B) for interconnecting said housing means (A) to said measurement system connector (2a), characterised in that the interconnecting means (B) includes: system connector means (3), releasably attached to said measurement system connector (2a), for exchanging electrical signals therebetween, cable connector means (5), releasably attached to said housing connector means (6), and containing a second plurality of conductors (1302) for exchanging electrical signals with said first plurality of electrical conductors (1301), cable means (4), connected to said system connector means (3) and said cable connector means (5), for transmitting said generated electrical signals from said cable connector means (5) to said system connector means (3), including means (1304, 1305) for amending the hard-wired circuit interconnection of said first plurality of electrical conductors (1301) in said housing connector means (6) to a hard-wired interconnection of a plurality of electrical conductors (1303) in said measurement system connector (2a) wherein said means for amending the hardwired circuit interconnection comprises a replaceable support element (1412) containing printed circuit wiring or a hard wired cross connect field and adapted for insertion in said cable connector means (5) for changeably interconnecting said first plurality of electrical conductors (1301) and said plurality of electrical conductors (1303) in said measurement system connector (2a) . An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said sensor elements (9,10) comprise: at least two light sources (16, 18) for applying two beams of light of different wavelengths to said subject, light detector means (20) for producing said signals indicative of a light intensity of said two beams of light received from said subject, and wherein said first plurality of electrical conductors (1301) are connected to said light sources (16, 18), said light detector means (20) and said housing connector means (6) for exchanging said electrical signals therebetween. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said removably attaching means (7) comprises: a flexible support structure (46) for securing said light sources (16, 18) and said light detector means (20) in optical contact with said subject (8). An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said cable connector means (5) further comprises: anisotropically conductive elastomer means (11) to provide conductive paths from said first plurality of conductors (1301) to said second plurality of conductors (1302) when said housing connector means (6) and said cable connector means (5) are physically joined together. An apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein said measurement system connector (2a) contains a third plurality of conductors (1303), which are lesser in number than said first plurality of conductors (1301), and said first (1301) and second (1302) plurality of conductors are the same in number and interconnected on a one to one basis by said cable connector means (5), said replaceable support element (1412) comprises: means (1305) for joining at least two of said electrical conductors (1304) in said first plurality of conductors (1301) to one of said electrical conductors in said third plurality of electrical conductors (1303). An apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein said housing connector means (6) and said cable connector means (5) are configured as a pin and socket connector system. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6 wherein said cable connector means (5) includes an opening (233) of predetermined geometric shape to receive a tab element (241) included in said housing connector means (6) when said cable connector means (5) is interconnected with said housing connector means (6). An apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 wherein said cable connector means (5) further includes a user activated spring (202) to release said tab element (241) from said opening (233) when said cable connector means (5) is interconnected with said housing connector means (6).

Inventors: GOLDBERGER DANIEL SOLOMON, TURLEY TIMOTHY ALAN, WEIMER KIRK LEE, GOLDBERGER, DANIEL SOLOMON, TURLEY, TIMOTHY ALAN, WEIMER, KIRK LEE
Applicants: OHMEDA INC, OHMEDA INC.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A61B5
IPC codes: A61B5