RADIATION RESISTANT SPECTROMETER INTERFACE

• US 20110102791A1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Johnson, Robert A., Schmitz, Roger W., Scheele, Bryan J., Kasel, Dustin L., Maher, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,482,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/326
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0218 using optical fibers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0264 Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/027 Control of working procedures of a spectrometer; Failure detection; Bandwidth calculation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0275 making use of sensor-related data, e.g. for identification of sensor parts or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0291 Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for measuring tissue oxygen saturation are disclosed. An illustrative spectrometer for interfacing an optical sensor with a display unit includes a number of measurement radiation sources, a number of radiation source fibers each optically coupled to one of the measurement radiation sources, a reflected radiation fiber optically coupled to the optical sensor, a measurement radiation output fiber including an image fiber, and a radiation mixing bar intermediate the radiation source fibers and the measurement radiation output fiber.

Claims

1. A spectrometer for interfacing an optical sensor with a display unit, the spectrometer comprising:

a plurality of measurement radiation sources;

a plurality of radiation source fibers, each radiation source fiber optically coupled to one of the plurality of measurement radiation sources;

a reflected radiation fiber optically coupled to the optical sensor;

a measurement radiation output fiber comprised of an image fiber; and

a radiation mixing bar intermediate the plurality of radiation source fibers and the measurement radiation output fiber.

2. The spectrometer of claim 1, further including a reference radiation fiber having an input end optically coupled to the radiation mixing bar and an output end optically coupled to an attenuator, the attenuator comprising a scattering media and an aperture.

3. The spectrometer of claim 2, wherein:

the scattering media has input and output ends separated by at least one side surface; and

the scattering media is frictionally mounted within an opening such that at least a portion of the side surface is separated from the opening by an air gap.

4. The spectrometer of claim 3, wherein the opening is sized and shaped to provide at least three contact areas and at least three air gaps along the side surface of the scattering media.

5. The spectrometer of claim 2, further including:

a fiber holder having at least one fiber aperture, the fiber aperture having a plurality of grooves;

wherein at least one of the reflected radiation fiber, the reference radiation fiber and the measurement radiation output fiber bundle centrally located and adhesively secured within the fiber aperture.

6. The spectrometer of claim 5, further including:

a reflected radiation photo diode;

a reference radiation photo diode;

a processor board for controlling the measurement radiation sources and converting reflected radiation and reference radiation signals into electrical signals;

the processor board having side edges separated by proximal and distal end edges;

the reflected radiation and reference radiation photo diodes mounted on the proximal end edge of the processor board;

a plurality of contact sockets electrically connected to the processor board, each contact socket having a distal end protruding through an opening in the fiber holder; and

a seal boot intermediate the opening and the distal ends of the contact sockets.

7. The spectrometer of claim 1, wherein the radiation mixing bar is optically coupled to at least one of the plurality of radiation source fibers and the measurement radiation output fiber via a film coupler.

8. The spectrometer of claim 7, further including a shim surrounding at least a portion of the film coupler.

9. The spectrometer of claim 1, further including a radiation mixing housing, the radiation mixing bar centrally located within the radiation mixing housing;

wherein a space between the radiation mixing bar and radiation mixing housing is filled with a layer of bubble-filled epoxy.

10. The spectrometer of claim 9, wherein the radiation mixing bar has a square-shaped cross section.

11. The spectrometer of claim 1, wherein the radiation source fibers are image fibers.

12. The spectrometer of claim 1, further including an optical cable between the optical sensor and the spectrometer, the optical cable having at least one optical fiber and a radiation shielding covering over the optical fiber.

13. The spectrometer of claim 12, wherein the radiation shielding covering comprises a tungsten-filled thermoplastic.

14. A spectrometer for interfacing an optical sensor with a display unit, the spectrometer comprising:

a plurality of measurement radiation sources;

a plurality of a radiation source fibers;

a plurality of source optics coupling each source fiber to one of the plurality of measurement radiation sources;

a measurement radiation output fiber;

a reference radiation fiber;

a reflected radiation fiber optically coupled to the optical sensor;

a radiation mixing bar;

the radiation source fibers being optically coupled to an input end of the mixing bar;

the measurement and reference radiation fibers being optically coupled to an output end of the mixing bar; and

the radiation source fibers, source optics, measurement radiation fiber, reference radiation fiber, reflected radiation fiber and mixer bar mounted within a plurality of serially located housings;

the housing being supported and aligned by a plurality of pins.

15. A spectrometer for interfacing an optical sensor with a display unit, the spectrometer comprising:

a plurality of radiation sources;

a plurality of radiation source fibers optically coupled to the radiation sources;

a radiation mixing bar optically coupling the radiation source fibers to measurement radiation and reference radiation fibers;

photo diodes for receiving reference radiation from the radiation sources and reflected radiation from the optical sensor; and

a processor board for controlling the radiation sources and processing signals received from the photo diodes;

the radiation sources, radiation source fibers, radiation mixing bar, photo diodes and processor board being substantially entirely contained within a conductive housing.

16. The spectrometer of claim 15, further including an optical cable between the optical sensor and the spectrometer, the optical cable having at least one optical fiber and a radiation shielding covering over the optical fiber.

17. The spectrometer of claim 16, wherein the radiation shielding covering comprises a tungsten-filled thermoplastic.

18. The spectrometer of claim 15, further including a fiber holder for supporting the measurement radiation and reference radiation fibers, the fiber holder being electrically coupled to the conductive housing.

19. The spectrometer of claim 18, wherein the fiber holder is electrically coupled to the conductive housing by a conductive gasket.

20. The spectrometer of claim 19, wherein the conductive gasket is a length of conductor-filled elastomer joined at the ends with a conductive pin.