Ear clip for medical monitoring device

Abstract

A hinge pin joint for facilitating precise separation of the jaws of a spring clip, comprising: a base cylinder with a threaded bore; supports extending laterally out from said base cylinder; pin supports having means for pivoting; and stabilizing wings extending from the pin supports. In one embodiment, the means for pivoting includes pins that are integral with the pin supports and which extend out laterally from the pin support. An alternate embodiment comprises aligned openings in the pin supports into which pins may be inserted. At least one stopper may be disposed on at least one of the pin supports for supporting the upper shell. The stabilizing wings are configured as plates that are semi-rigidly secured in guide structures within the lower shell.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A clip comprising:
 an upper shell   and a lower shell, coupled together around   a hinge pin, the upper and lower shells having
 a pair of jaws on a first side of the hinge pin, and 
 handles for squeezing together to separate the jaws on a second side of the hinge pin; 
   a biasing spring to oppose the squeezing together of the handles and to urge the jaws together;   at least one stop to prevent the jaws from closing completely and to keep the jaws in parallel alignment when no force is applied to handles to overcome the biasing force of the spring;   and an adjustment mechanism to adjust the separation of the jaws.   
     
     
         2 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises an adjustment screw,
 a washer clip,   and an insert;   said adjustment screw comprising a screw head and a threaded shank, the shank being pushed through a clearance hole in the lower shell, the adjustment screw being held in place around the lower shell by the washer clip, and   the insert for fitting into a recess in the upper shell, said hinge pin being attached to said insert;   said insert comprising a central block with a tapped hole therein, radial arms extending from the central block, and stabilizing wings integrally cast with the central block and radial arms, the stabilizing wings at an angle to the radial arms; said stabilizing wings for engaging the upper shell in accurate alignment with the lower shell;   wherein the tapped hole is for receiving the adjustment screw such that the tapped hole and adjustment screw enables adjustment of the separation between the jaws of the upper shell and the lower shell when biasing effect of the biasing spring is not opposed by a squeezing pressure on handles.   
     
     
         3 . The clip of  claim 1 , for clipping onto an ear lobe. 
     
     
         4 . The clip of  claim 3 , further comprising blood parameter sensors mounted in said jaws. 
     
     
         5 . The clip of  claim 2 , wherein the stabilizing wings are plates that have an axis that is parallel to an axis of the screw. 
     
     
         6 . The clip of  claim 5 , wherein the stabilizing wings converge slightly towards an axis that is mutually perpendicular to the axes of the hinge pin and the axis of the adjustment screw. 
     
     
         7 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge pin is integral to the insert. 
     
     
         8 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge pin engages holes in said insert and holes in said upper shell to connect said upper shell to said insert. 
     
     
         9 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the stop is a part of the insert. 
     
     
         10 . The clip of  claim 1  wherein the stop is part of the lower shell. 
     
     
         11 . The clip according to  claim 1  wherein said biasing spring is a helical spring and ends of said biasing spring bear against the back of the pin supports and middle section of said spring bears against an inner surface of said upper shell to urge jaws together. 
     
     
         12 . The clip according to  claim 1  wherein said biasing spring is wrapped around said hinge pin. 
     
     
         13 . An adjustment mechanism for a clip comprising two shells, for adjusting a separation between jaws of said clip when biased towards each other by a spring, the adjustment mechanism comprising a screw threaded through and locked to one shell and an insert attached to a second shell having a threaded bore for engaging said screw. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustment mechanism of  claim 13  wherein the insert comprises stabilizing wings that are parallel to said bore and separated from the bore by radial arms, and where the stabilizing wings are restrained by corresponding socket slots in said shell. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustment mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the screw is locked to one shell with a washer clip that slides onto and springingly engages shank of said screw. 
     
     
         16 . A clip comprising:
 an upper shell   and a lower shell, coupled together around   a hinge pin, the upper and lower shells having   a pair of jaws on a first side of the hinge pin, and   handles for squeezing together to separate the jaws on a second side of the hinge pin;   a biasing spring to oppose the squeezing together of the handles and to urge the jaws together;   an insert for fitting into a recess in the upper shell, said hinge pin being attached to said insert, said insert comprising a central block with a tapped hole therein, radial arms extending from the central block, and stabilizing wings integrally cast with the central block and radial arms, the stabilizing wings at an angle to the radial arms; said stabilizing wings for engaging the upper shell in accurate alignment with the lower shell, wherein the tapped hole is for receiving the adjustment screw such that the tapped hole and adjustment screw enables adjustment of the separation between the jaws of the upper shell and the lower shell when biasing effect of the biasing spring is not opposed by a squeezing pressure on handles.   
     
     
         17 . An adjustment mechanism for a clip comprising two shells and jaws biased towards each other by a spring, the adjustment mechanism comprising a screw threaded through and locked to one shell and an insert attached to a second shell comprising a threaded bore for engaging said screw,
 stabilizing wings that are parallel to said bore and separated from the bore by radial arms, and where the stabilizing wings are restrained by corresponding socket slots in said shell.