US 11,988,532 B2
Pulser with double-bearing position encoder for non-invasive physiological monitoring
Cristiano Dalvi, Lake Forest, CA (US)
Assigned to Masimo Corporation, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed by Masimo Corporation, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed on May 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/324,474.
Application 17/324,474 is a continuation of application No. 15/847,579, filed on Dec. 19, 2017, granted, now 11,022,466.
Application 15/847,579 is a continuation of application No. 14/334,662, filed on Jul. 17, 2014, granted, now 9,891,079, issued on Feb. 13, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/847,307, filed on Jul. 17, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2021/0381857 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01D 5/347 (2006.01); A61B 5/1455 (2006.01); G01D 11/02 (2006.01)
CPC G01D 5/34738 (2013.01) [A61B 5/1455 (2013.01); G01D 11/02 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for non-invasive physiological monitoring comprising:
an axle disposed within a housing and supported by two bearings, wherein a first bearing of the two bearings is on a first wall of the housing and a second bearing of the two bearings is on a second wall of the housing opposite the first wall; and
wherein rotation of the axle causes generation of an active pulse at a tissue site for analysis by an optical sensor;
an encoder coupled to the axle and comprising at least a first opening, wherein the rotation of the axle further causes rotation of the encoder;
a light source configured to emit light;
an encoder mask comprising a second opening and extending over an edge of the encoder and at least partially along a first side, and a second side of the encoder, wherein the second opening of the encoder mask comprises any one of a plurality of openings on the encoder mask, and wherein the second opening is configured to allow detection of the emitted light during rotation of the encoder after the emitted light passes through the first opening of the encoder; and
a detector configured to detect light emitted by the light source after the light passes through the first opening and the second opening and reflects off a portion of the encoder mask at least one time, wherein the detector is further configured to generate a signal responsive to the detected light, wherein the signal is indicative of at least one of a parameter associated with the active pulse.