Method and apparatus for coupling a sample probe with a sample site

Abstract

The invention comprises method and apparatus for fluid delivery between a sample probe and a sample. The fluid delivery system includes: a fluid reservoir, a delivery channel, a manifold or plenum, a channel or moat, a groove, and/or a dendritic pathway to deliver a thin and distributed layer of a fluid to a sample probe head and/or to a sample site. The fluid delivery system reduces sampling errors due to mechanical tissue distortion, specular reflectance, probe placement, and/or mechanically induced sample site stress/strain associated with optical sampling of the sample.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A sample probe configured to communicate with a patient monitor to determine one or more physiological conditions of a patient, the sample probe comprising:
 a manifold terminating proximate a probe tip and configured to receive a coupling fluid from a fluid reservoir, the manifold including a fluid redirecting surface configured to dissipate kinetic energy of the coupling fluid as the coupling fluid is received from the fluid reservoir; and   at least one channel extending from the manifold to a surface of the probe tip, the at least one channel configured to distribute the coupling fluid by capillary action from the manifold to the surface of the probe tip, the surface of the probe tip forming a pathway for dispersion of the coupling fluid;   a light transmitter configured to transmit light to a sample site of a patient being monitored; and   a light receiver configured to receive the light for processing by a patient monitor after the light is influenced by the sample site, the received light responsive to one or more physiological conditions of the patient.   
     
     
         22 . The sample probe of  claim 21 , wherein the manifold is configured so that the coupling fluid moves at a greater flow rate in the manifold than in the at least one channel. 
     
     
         23 . The sample probe of  claim 21 , wherein the manifold is configured to at least partially fill with the coupling fluid before the coupling fluid distributes from the at least one channel to the surface of the probe tip. 
     
     
         24 . The sample probe of  claim 21 , wherein the light transmitter is configured to transmit the light to the sample site from the probe tip. 
     
     
         25 . The sample probe of  claim 24 , wherein the light receiver is configured to receive the light at the probe tip. 
     
     
         26 . The sample probe of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one channel is configured to circumferentially distribute the coupling fluid about a center of the probe tip. 
     
     
         27 . The sample probe of  claim 21 , wherein the manifold comprises an annular channel extending around a center of the probe tip, the annular channel configured to circumferentially distribute the coupling fluid about the center of the probe tip. 
     
     
         28 . The sample probe of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one groove in the surface of the probe tip forming part of the pathway for dispersion of the coupling fluid. 
     
     
         29 . The sample probe of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one groove is configured so that the coupling fluid flows by capillary action into the at least one groove. 
     
     
         30 . The sample probe of  claim 21 , wherein the manifold extends parallel to the surface of the probe tip. 
     
     
         31 . A method of operating a sample probe configured to communicate with a patient monitor to determine one or more physiological conditions of a patient, the method comprising:
 delivering a coupling fluid from a fluid reservoir to a manifold within a sample probe, the manifold terminating proximate a sample probe tip of the sample probe and comprising a fluid redirecting surface, the fluid redirecting surface configured to dissipate kinetic energy of the coupling fluid as the coupling fluid is received from the fluid reservoir;   delivering the coupling fluid by capillary action from the manifold to a surface of the sample probe tip through at least one channel extending from the manifold and to the surface of the sample probe tip, the surface of the sample probe tip forming a pathway for dispersion of the coupling fluid;   transmitting light, using the sample probe, to a sample site of a patient being monitored; and   receiving the light, using the sample probe, for processing by a patient monitor after the light is influenced by the sample site, the received light responsive to one or more physiological conditions of the patient.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising moving the coupling fluid at a greater flow rate in the manifold than in the at least one channel. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising at least partially filling the manifold with the coupling fluid before distributing the coupling fluid from the at least one channel to the surface of the sample probe tip. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting the light to the sample site from the sample probe tip. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said receiving comprises receiving the light using the sample probe tip. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising circumferentially distributing the coupling fluid about a center of the sample probe tip via the at least one channel. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising circumferentially distributing the coupling fluid about the center of the sample probe tip via an annular channel extending around a center of the sample probe tip, the at least one channel comprising the annular channel. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising delivering the coupling fluid across the surface of the sample probe tip via at least one groove in the surface of the sample probe tip. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising delivering the coupling fluid by capillary action into the at least one groove. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the manifold extends parallel to the surface of the sample probe tip.