Norma Mika Prince
Engineers at Navajo Ct, Lyons, CO

6745061, Jun 1, 2004

Aug 21, 2002

10/225940

Christopher Hicks - Boulder CO
Norma M. Prince - Lyons CO

Datex-Ohmeda, Inc. - Madison WI

A61B 500

600344, 600323

The invention is directed to a disposable oximetry sensor having an integrally formed connector. In one aspect, the sensor includes a clear flexible substrate on which a light emitter and/or light detector (collectively active component(s)) are mounted to allow those components to emit/detect light though the clear substrate and a second patient-side surface of that substrate. The clear substrate will generally contain one or more electrically conductive traces, preferably formed through a printing process, for interconnection to the active components. In this regard, the clear substrate acts as the electrical connector and lens structure for the active components reducing the overall part count for the sensors assembly. Additional materials/layers may be added to the sensor including an adhesive layer, a compressible material layer, a light blocking layer, and/or a heat sink for thermal management. Generally, any additional layers/materials applied the patient-side of the clear substrate will be substantially transparent to allow light curing of adhesives utilized to connect components to the sensor though the patient-side surface of the sensor during production.