Disposable components for reusable physiological sensor

A method of using a clip-type noninvasive physiological sensor, the method comprising:

• providing a clip-type noninvasive physiological sensor configured to be placed on a finger of a patient and obtain measurements of physiological parameters of the patient, the clip-type noninvasive physiological sensor including:
• an upper housing configured to house at least one of a light emitter or a light detector, the emitter configured to emit light into tissue of the finger of the patient and the detector configured to receive the emitted light after attenuation by the tissue of the finger of the patient;
• a lower housing configured to house at least one other of the light emitter and the light detector;
• and
• a hinge element hingedly coupling the upper housing and the lower housing and configured such that upper housing and lower housing define a space capable of receiving the finger of the patient;
• an upper contact pad coupled to an interior surface of the upper housing;
• and
• a lower contact pad coupled to an interior surface of the lower housing;
• providing a disposable sensor cartridge configured to be mateable with the clip-type noninvasive physiological sensor by insertion into the space of the clip-type noninvasive physiological sensor capable of receiving the finger of the patient, the disposable sensor cartridge mateable with the clip-type noninvasive physiological sensor in a single orientation, the disposable sensor cartridge including:
• a first portion comprising:
• a first curved interior surface which conforms to a shape of a finger of a patient;
• a first curved exterior surface which conforms to a shape of the upper contact pad of the sensor, the upper contact pad of the sensor being curved to conform to the tissue of the finger of the patient when the sensor is used without the disposable sensor cartridge;
• and
• a first aperture extending from the first curved interior surface to the first curved exterior surface and having a size substantially similar to a size of a fingernail of the patient to facilitate alignment of the first aperture with respect to a nail bed of the patient, the first aperture substantially visible from a viewpoint above the first aperture without obstruction to permit a view of substantially all of the nail bed of the patient through the first aperture when the sensor cartridge is attached to the finger of the patient;
• a second portion, the first portion and the second portion coupled to one another and defining a space between the first and second portions capable of receiving the finger, the second portion comprising:
• a second curved interior surface which conforms to the shape of the finger of the patient;
• a second curved exterior surface which conforms to a shape of the lower contact pad of the sensor, the lower contact pad of the sensor being curved to conform to the tissue of the finger of the patient when the sensor is used without the disposable sensor cartridge;
• and
• a second aperture extending from the second curved interior surface to the second curved exterior surface;
• and
• an information element capable of electrical communication with the clip-type noninvasive physiological sensor when the cartridge is inserted into the sensor, the information element configured to provide compatibility information associated with the cartridge to the sensor,
• wherein the single orientation is configured to align the emitter with one of the first or second apertures, and align the detector with one other of the first or second apertures;
• attaching the disposable sensor cartridge to the finger of the patient such that the finger is disposed within the space between the first and second portions, wherein the first portion is in contact with the a first region of the finger of the patient while the cartridge is in contact with the finger and the second portion is in contact with a second region of the finger while the cartridge is in contact with the finger;
• aligning the nail bed with the first aperture;
• and
• mating the disposable sensor cartridge with the clip-type noninvasive physiological sensor such that the sensor cartridge is disposed within the space of the sensor, the first aperture is aligned with one of the emitter or the detector of the clip-type noninvasive physiological sensor, and the information element is in electrical communication with a portion of the sensor.