# US 2013/0158372 A1 · Medical sensor for use with headband > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0158372 A1 - Document ID: US20130158372A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/328,619 - Filed: 2011-12-16 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16 - Assignees: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC - Inventors: Charles K. Haisley; Andy S. Lin; Friso Schlottau; Sarah Hayman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158372A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/1455: using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters - A61B 5/14552: {Details of sensors specially adapted therefor} - A61B 5/6803: {Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles} - A61B 5/14553: {specially adapted for cerebral tissue} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Medical sensors configured to provide enhanced patient comfort when worn over a period of time are provided. The medical sensors may include a first padding layer and a second padding layer disposed on either side of an emitter and a detector for measuring a physiological parameter of a patient. The medical sensors may also include an island padding layer secured to a patient-facing side of the second padding layer for reducing localized pressure points that may be caused by protrusions of the sensor. Additionally or alternatively, certain edges of the sensors may be rounded and/or stepped to reduce marking on the patient's tissue and to reduce strain and shear forces produced on the patient's tissue. Still further, certain embodiments provide enhanced light transmission between the emitter and detector of the sensors. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A spectrophotometric medical sensor, comprising: a first padding layer; a second padding layer secured to the first padding layer and comprising an emitter well and a detector well; an emitter positioned within the emitter well and configured to transmit one or more wavelengths of light toward a patient's tissue; a detector positioned within the detector well and configured to receive the one or more wavelengths of light transmitted by the emitter to measure a physiological parameter of the patient; and an island padding layer secured to a patient-facing side of the second padding layer and comprising an emitter opening and a detector opening, wherein the emitter and detector openings are distinct from one another and are configured to enable light transmission from and to the emitter and the detector, respectively, and the island padding layer comprises a first outer edge extent that is smaller than a second outer edge extent of the second padding layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The medical sensor of claim 1, wherein the island padding layer and the second padding layer are molded as a single piece. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The medical sensor of claim 1, wherein the island padding layer and the second padding layer are adhesively secured to one another. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The medical sensor of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and island padding layers are opaque with respect to the one or more wavelengths of light transmitted by the emitter and detected by the detector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The medical sensor of claim 1, wherein the first padding layer, the second padding layer, the island padding layer, or any combination thereof, comprise rounded edges. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The medical sensor of claim 1, wherein the second outer edge extent of the second padding layer is larger than a third outer edge extent of the first padding layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The medical sensor of claim 1, comprising an emitter lens and a detector lens disposed over the emitter and detector, respectively, wherein the emitter lens and the detector lens comprise respective patient-facing surfaces that are substantially flush with a patient-facing surface of the island padding layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The medical sensor of claim 1, comprising an emitter lens and a detector lens disposed over the emitter and detector, respectively, wherein the emitter lens and the detector lens comprise respective inner walls and one or more reflective materials disposed on the respective inner walls, wherein the one or more reflective materials are configured to increase light transmission through the emitter lens and the detector lens. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The medical sensor of claim 8, wherein the one or more reflective materials comprise a metalized paint, a foil, a metalized tape, a white paint, or a combination thereof, and the emitter lens and the detector lens comprise pre-formed lenses. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The medical sensor of claim 1, comprising a compressible emitter lens and a compressible detector lens disposed over the emitter and detector, respectively, wherein the compressible emitter lens and the compressible detector lens have respective Shore OO durometer values that are greater than a Shore OO durometer value of the island padding layer and less than approximately 60 on the Shore OO durometer scale. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The medical sensor of claim 10, wherein the compressible emitter lens and the compressible detector lens comprise respective patient-facing surfaces that are substantially flush with or protrude beyond a patient-facing surface of the island padding layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The medical sensor of claim 1, comprising an emitter lens and a detector lens disposed over the emitter and detector, respectively, wherein the respective circumferences of the second emitter opening and the second detector of the island padding layer are at least approximately 5% larger than the respective circumferences of the emitter lens and the detector lens. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The medical sensor of claim 1, comprising an emitter lens and a detector lens disposed over the emitter and detector, respectively, wherein the emitter lens and the detector lens comprise respective patient-facing surfaces that are closer to the first padding layer than a patient-facing surface of the island padding layer, and the respective patient-facing surfaces of the emitter lens and the detector lens are configured to be substantially flush with or protrude beyond the patient-facing surface of the island padding layer when the medical sensor is compressed against the patient. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The medical sensor of claim 1, comprising an adhesive layer secured to the second padding layer and about the island padding layer and configured to secure the medical sensor to the patient, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a patient-contacting surface that is substantially flush with a patient-contacting surface of the island padding layer such that a patient-contacting side of the medical sensor has a substantially flat profile. ### Claim 16 A medical sensor, comprising: a first padding layer comprising a first outer edge extent; a second padding layer secured to the first padding layer and comprising an emitter opening and a detector opening, wherein the second padding layer comprises a second outer edge extent that is greater than the first outer edge extent of the first padding layer; an emitter positioned within the emitter opening and configured to transmit one or more wavelengths of light toward a patient's tissue; and a detector positioned within the detector opening and configured to receive the one or more wavelengths of light transmitted by the emitter to measure a physiological parameter of the patient; wherein the second padding layer is positioned between a patient-contacting surface of the medical sensor and the first padding layer, and an outer edge of the second padding layer is configured to curve in a direction generally away from the patient as the medical sensor is compressed against the patient's tissue. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The medical sensor of claim 16, comprising an island padding layer secured to a patient-facing side of the second padding layer, the island padding layer comprising first and second openings corresponding to the emitter and the detector, respectively, wherein the first and second openings are distinct and the island padding layer has a third outer edge extent that is smaller than the second outer edge extent of the second padding layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The medical sensor of claim 16, wherein the emitter and the detector are positioned in a generally central portion of the medical sensor, and a profile of the medical sensor is tapered such that the medical sensor comprises a thickness that is greater in the central portion and is reduced toward an outer edge of the medical sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The medical sensor of claim 18, wherein the first and second padding layers each have a respective thickness that is greater in the central portion than at their respective outer edges. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The medical sensor of claim 16, wherein the first padding layer comprises an outward-facing surface having a substantially flat profile, and the substantially flat profile is configured to enable the medical sensor to place a substantially even pressure on the patient's tissue as the medical sensor is pressed against the patient. ### Claim 21 A patient monitoring system, comprising: a medical sensor, comprising: a first padding layer; a second padding layer secured to the first padding layer and comprising a emitter well and a detector well; an emitter positioned within the emitter well and configured to transmit one or more wavelengths of light toward a patient's tissue; an emitter lens disposed over the emitter and comprising an emitter lens surface adapted to face the patient's tissue upon placement of the medical sensor on the patient; a detector positioned within the detector well and configured to receive the one or more wavelengths of light transmitted by the emitter to measure a physiological parameter of the patient; a detector lens disposed over the detector and comprising a detector lens surface adapted to face the patient's tissue upon placement of the medical sensor on the patient; and an island padding layer secured to the second padding layer and comprising a second emitter opening and a second detector opening, wherein the second emitter and detector openings are distinct from one another and are configured to enable light transmission from and to the emitter and the detector, respectively, and wherein the island padding layer comprises a first outer edge extent that is smaller than a second outer edge extent of the second padding layer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The patient monitoring system of claim 21, wherein the emitter lens surface and the detector lens surface are substantially flush with one another, a first distance from the emitter to the emitter lens surface is less than a second distance from the detector to the detector lens surface, and the emitter lens and the detector lens are formed around the emitter and the detector, respectively. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The patient monitoring system of claim 21, comprising a sensor cable having a first set of conductors and a second set of conductors coupled to the emitter and the detector, respectively, and the sensor cable comprises a flat portion configured to be placed against the patient's tissue. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The patient monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the sensor cable is rounded on a side positioned opposite the flat portion. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The patient monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the sensor cable comprises a ribbon cable or a flexible circuit cable comprising a polymeric dielectric material, wherein the first and second sets of conductors are disposed on the polymeric dielectric material. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The patient monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the first padding layer comprises an outer surface and the second padding layer comprises a patient-facing surface, and a thickness defined by a distance between the outer surface and the patient-facing surface is greater than a circumference of the sensor cable. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The patient monitoring system of claim 23, comprising a physiological monitor adapted to receive a connector of the sensor cable, wherein the sensor cable is adapted to provide an interface between the physiological monitor and the medical sensor. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The patient monitoring system of claim 27, wherein the physiological monitor comprises a pulse oximetry monitor and the medical sensor comprises a pulse oximetry sensor. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The patient monitoring system of claim 21, comprising a headband associated with the medical sensor, wherein the headband is configured to apply a normal force within a desired range against the medical sensor to enable the medical sensor to accurately measure the physiological parameter of the patient. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The patient monitoring system of claim 29, wherein the emitter lens surface and the detector lens surface are recessed within the island padding layer and are configured to be substantially flush with or protrude beyond the island padding layer and into the patient tissue upon application of the normal force within the desired range using the headband.