US 4,825,876 AGranted

Encapsulated blood pressure transducer

AssigneeAbbott Laboratories

InventorRobert W. Beard

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Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing a blood pressure transducer suitable for use in a catheter line, for monitoring blood pressure. Two embodiments of the blood pressure transducer (20, 120) are disclosed, both of which include connectors (24) suitable for connection to a catheter line. A flow-through passage (22) extends between the two connectors, in fluid communication with a solid-state pressure transducer chip (36), which is mounted on a chip carrier (34) inside a rectangular-shaped plastic housing (30/130, 32). The chip carrier includes a plurality of formed flat leads (38) connected to the pressure transducer chip, and an extending nib (62) having a passage (66) filled with a silicon gel (64), which couples fluid pressure in the flow-through passage to a pressure sensitive diaphragm (106) on the solid-state pressure transducer chip. Electrical signals are transmitted to and from the pressure transducer chip through a multiconductor lead (40) having a plurality of conductors (42), which make electrical contact with the formed flat leads during assembly of the housing. Use of the preassembled chip carrier and of a solid-state pressure transducer chip which includes its own thermal compensation circuit greatly reduces the assembly cost of the blood pressure transducer.

Claims31

Dependent claims

Apparatus for measuring fluid pressure in a fluid line, comprising:

(a) a pressure transducer comprising a semiconductor circuit on which are disposed a plurality of electrical contacts, and a pressure sensitive surface, said pressure sensitive surface experiencing a strain as a pressure is applied thereto, the strain causing the pressure transducer to produce an output signal, which varies as a function of the pressure, through the plurality of electrical contacts disposed on the semiconductor circuit;
(b) a housing defining a cavity in which the pressure transducer is disposed and including a connector adapted to attach to the fluid line, the housing further including a fluid passage extending through the housing, proximate to the pressure sensitive surface of the pressure transducer and providing communication of fluid pressure between the connector and said pressure sensitive surface;
(c) a plurality of insulated electrical conductors through which electrical signals are conveyed to and from the pressure transducer;
and
(d) an integrally formed chip carrier mounted in the cavity, said pressure transducer being attached to the chip carrier, said chip carrier including:
(i) a fluid interface between the fluid passage and the pressure transducer, said interface including means for transmitting fluid pressure between the fluid passage and the pressure sensitive surface;
(ii) a quick-connect electrical interface between the plurality of electrical conductors and the plurality of electrical contacts on the semiconductor circuit of the pressure transducer;
and,
(iii) means for sealing the pressure transducer within the cavity so that one side of the pressure sensitive surface is exposed to the means for transmitting fluid pressure and so that the opposite side thereof is isolated from the fluid passage and the fluid pressure therein.

6 more elements

In a catheter system, a pressure sensing apparatus adapted to attach to a catheter and operative to produce an electrical signal indicative of the magnitude of fluid pressure in the catheter, said apparatus comprising:

(a) pressure sensing means, including a first and a second surface, for sensing a differential fluid pressure applied between the first surface and the second surface thereof and producing an electrical signal indicative of the magnitude of the fluid pressure, said second surface thereof including contact means for connecting the electrical signal to a plurality of discrete conductors;
(b) housing means for enclosing the pressure sensing means, including:
(i) connector means for providing a sealed connection to a line in fluid communication with the catheter system,
(ii) passage means for conveying a fluid from the connector means to a point within the housing means proximate the first surface of the pressure sensing means, and
(iii) an electrical cable for conveying the electrical signal from the pressure sensing apparatus;
and
(c) carrier means, disposed within the housing means, for:
(i) integrally defining a sealed aperture disposed between the first surface of the pressure sensing means and the passage means, including pressure transmitting means disposed in the aperture for transmitting fluid pressure from the fluid in the passage means to the first surface of the pressure sensing means,
(ii) mounting the pressure sensing means within the housing means in sealed relationship with the fluid passage means, and
(iii) conducting the electrical signal from the plurality of discrete conductors to the electrical cable through a plurality of spring biased leads, which are disposed on the carrier means.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.