Claims
- 1. A pulse oximetry system comprising:
a reusable optical probe comprising:
a first housing having a light source capable of producing light of at least first and second wavelengths for transmission through body tissue carrying pulsing blood, a second housing having a light-sensitive detector capable of detecting said light of at least first and second wavelengths, and a first connector coupled to said light source and said light-sensitive detector, wherein said first connector forms a part of said first housing or said second housing; and a second connector for transmission of electrical signals between said reusable optical probe and a patient monitoring apparatus, wherein said first connector and said second connector are configured to releasably form a plugable electrical connection with one another.
- 2. The pulse oximetry system of claim 1, wherein said first and second housings are coupled together at a hinge-like joint.
- 3. The pulse oximetry system of claim 2, wherein said first and second housings comprise an injection moldable thermoplastic material.
- 4. The pulse oximetry system of claim 1, wherein said first connector comprises a durable tab having a flexible circuit mounted thereon.
- 5. The pulse oximetry system of claim 4, wherein said flexible circuit comprises a plurality of conductive paths comprising silver or copper.
- 6. The pulse oximetry system of claim 1, wherein said first connector comprises a locking mechanism configured to releasably secure a temporary connection between said first connector and said second connector.
- 7. The pulse oximetry system of claim 6, wherein said first connector comprises a durable tab and said locking mechanism comprises an aperture in said durable tab.
- 8. The pulse oximetry system of claim 6, wherein said locking mechanism comprises a protective housing configured to form a friction fit relationship between said first connector and said second connector.
- 9. The pulse oximetry system of claim 1, wherein said reusable optical probe comprises a protective housing at least partially covering said first connector.
- 10. The pulse oximetry system of claim 9, wherein said protective housing at least partially covers said second connector when a temporary connection is made between said first connector and said second connector.
- 11. The pulse oximetry system of claim 10, wherein said protective housing is configured to substantially seal a temporary connection between said first connector and said second connector against external environmental conditions.
- 12. The pulse oximetry system of claim 1, wherein said reusable optical probe comprises a sensor life indicator.
- 13. The pulse oximetry system of claim 1, wherein said reusable optical probe comprises a coding resistor.
- 14. The pulse oximetry system of claim 1, wherein said electrical signals are transmitted between said reusable optical probe and said patient monitoring apparatus via a wire.
- 15. The pulse oximetry system of claim 1, wherein said electrical signals are transmitted between said reusable optical probe and said patient monitoring apparatus via a wireless communication path.
- 16. A cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor comprising:
a light source capable of producing light of at least first and second wavelengths for transmission through body tissue carrying pulsing blood; a light-sensitive detector capable of detecting said light of at least first and second wavelengths; and a first connector having conductive paths in electrical communication with said light source and said light-sensitive detector, wherein said first connector is configured to be releasably coupled to a second connector which enables electrical signals to be transmitted between said cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor and patient monitoring equipment.
- 17. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 16, further comprising an upper housing and a lower housing coupled together at a hinge-like joint.
- 18. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 17, wherein said upper and lower housings comprise an injection moldable thermoplastic material.
- 19. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 16, wherein said first connector comprises a durable tab having a flexible circuit mounted thereon.
- 20. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 19, wherein said flexible circuit comprises a plurality of conductive paths comprising silver or copper.
- 21. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 16, wherein said first connector comprises a locking mechanism configured to releasably secure a temporary connection between said first connector and said second connector.
- 22. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 21, wherein said first connector comprises a durable tab and said locking mechanism comprises an aperture in said durable tab.
- 23. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 21, wherein said locking mechanism comprises a protective housing configured to form a friction fit relationship between said first connector and said second connector.
- 24. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 16, further comprising a protective housing at least partially covering said first connector.
- 25. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 24, wherein said protective housing at least partially covers said second connector when a temporary connection is made between said first connector and said second connector.
- 26. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 25, wherein said protective housing is configured to substantially seal a temporary connection between said first connector and said second connector against external environmental conditions.
- 27. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 16, further comprising a sensor life indicator.
- 28. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 16, further comprising a coding resistor.
- 29. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 16, wherein said electrical signals are transmitted between said cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor and said patient monitoring equipment via a wire.
- 30. The cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor of claim 16, wherein said electrical signals are transmitted between said cableless reusable pulse oximetry sensor and said patient monitoring equipment via a wireless communication path.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 122 to the following patent applications, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/770,757, filed Jan. 25, 2001, entitled “SHIELDED OPTICAL PROBE HAVING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR,” which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/420,544, filed Oct. 19, 1999, entitled “SHIELDED OPTICAL PROBE AND METHOD.” The present application is also continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/094,202, filed Jun. 9, 1998, entitled “LOW-NOISE OPTICAL PROBES,” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,523, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/543,789, filed Oct. 16, 1995, entitled “LOW-NOISE OPTICAL PROBES,” now U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,757, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/333,132, filed Nov. 1, 1994, entitled “LOW-NOISE OPTICAL PROBE,” now U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,818, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/672,890, filed Mar. 21, 1991, entitled “LOW NOISE OPTICAL PROBE,” now abandoned. Further, the present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/404,060, filed Sep. 23, 1999, entitled “PULSE OXIMETRY SENSOR ADAPTER,” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,228, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/021,957, filed Feb. 11, 1998, entitled “PULSE OXIMETRY SENSOR ADAPTER,” now U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,855. In addition, the present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/708,251, filed Nov. 7, 2000, entitled “PATIENT CABLE CONNECTOR,” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,213, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/318,563, filed May 26, 1999, entitled “PATIENT CABLE CONNECTOR,” now abandoned, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/838,392, filed Apr. 9, 1997, entitled “PATIENT CABLE CONNECTOR,” now U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,925, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/543,297, filed Oct. 16, 1995, entitled “PATIENT CABLE CONNECTOR,” now U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,440.
Continuations (6)
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Jan 2001 |
US |
Child |
10404961 |
Mar 2003 |
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Parent |
08543789 |
Oct 1995 |
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09094202 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
Parent |
09021957 |
Feb 1998 |
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Child |
09404060 |
Sep 1999 |
US |
Parent |
09318563 |
May 1999 |
US |
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09708251 |
Nov 2000 |
US |
Parent |
08838392 |
Apr 1997 |
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09318563 |
May 1999 |
US |
Parent |
08543297 |
Oct 1995 |
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08838392 |
Apr 1997 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (6)
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10404961 |
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08333132 |
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08543789 |
Oct 1995 |
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07672890 |
Mar 1991 |
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08333132 |
Nov 1994 |
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09404060 |
Sep 1999 |
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10404961 |
Mar 2003 |
US |
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09708251 |
Nov 2000 |
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10404961 |
Mar 2003 |
US |