BLOOD SAMPLING DEVICE

• US 20130231572A1
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nipro Corporation, The Ritsumeikan Trust (Ritsumei-Kan University Educational Association)
• Original Assignee: Nipro Corporation, The Ritsumeikan Trust (Ritsumei-Kan University Educational Association)
• Inventors: Konishi, Satoshi, Yoshida, Hiroshi, Wada, Takashi, Takeyama, Norihide, Kobayashi, Taizo, Hagiwara, Fumihiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,713,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/473
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0082 adapted for particular medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0095 by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150175 Adjustment of penetration depth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150267 Modular design or construction, i.e. subunits are assembled separately before being joined together or the device comprises interchangeable or detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150748 Having means for aiding positioning of the piercing device at a location where the body is to be pierced means for aiding positioning of devices for bringing media into the body A61M5/427, locating blood vessels A61B5/489
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/153 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of venous or arterial blood, e.g. with syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/72 Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes character recognition, recognising digital ink, document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00; recognition or understanding of postal images G06V30/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/427 Locating point where body is to be pierced, e.g. vein location means using ultrasonic waves, injection site templates

Abstract

The position of blood vessels can be more appropriately specified by means of appropriately selecting, on the basis of the conditions and components utilized, and angle between a light emitting unit optical axis of a near-infrared light emitting unit and a normal light of an irradiated surface, and angle between an optical axis of a light receiving side lens and the normal line of the irradiated surface, and an angle between a light receiving surface of a photo diode array and the light receiving unit optical axis. Thus, the subcutaneous blood vessel depth in the direction of the normal line from the irradiated surface can be specified based on changes in illumination intensity in a photodiode array. Consequently, the position of subcutaneous blood vessels can be easily specified.

Claims

1. A blood vessel position specifying device which specifies a position of a blood vessel present under skin, the blood vessel position specifying device, comprising:

a light projection unit which has a light projection axis having a predetermined angle to a normal line of a predetermined irradiated surface and which projects a near-infrared ray in a direction of an intersection of the light projection axis and the normal line;

a spectral lens which is located at the same side as a side where the light projection unit is located relative to the irradiated surface, which receives a reflected light beam of the near-infrared ray projected by the light projection unit, which disperses the reflected light beam, and which has an optical axis having a predetermined angle to the normal line of the irradiated surface;

a light receiving unit having a light receiving surface which receives the dispersed reflected light beam; and

a blood vessel position calculation unit which calculates a position of the blood vessel based on brightness of the reflected light beam on the light receiving surface,

the intersection of the light projection axis and the optical axis of the spectral lens being located at a side opposite to the side where the light projection unit and the spectral lens are located relative to the irradiated surface.

2. The blood vessel position specifying device according to claim 1, wherein

the light receiving unit disposed in such a manner that the light receiving surface inclines to the optical axis.

3. The blood vessel position specifying device according to claim 1, wherein

the light projection axis of the light projection unit and the optical axis of the spectral lens are present in the same plane.

4. The blood vessel position specifying device according to claim 1, wherein

a plane including the light projection axis of the light projection unit and the normal line of the irradiated surface and a plane including the optical axis of the spectral lens and the normal line of the irradiated surface are disposed at a predetermined angle.

5. The blood vessel position specifying device according to claim 4, wherein

the plane including the light projection axis of the light protection unit and the normal line of the irradiated surface and the plane including the optical axis of the spectral lens and the normal line of the irradiated surface are disposed at 90°

.

6. The blood vessel position specifying device according to claim 1, wherein

the spectral lens is an aspherical lens.

7. A blood sampling device, which samples blood from a blood vessel present under skin, the blood sampling device, comprising:

the blood vessel position specifying device according to claim 1; and

a needle projecting unit having a needle for use in blood sampling and projecting the needle to the calculated blood vessel position.

8. A blood sampling method for sampling blood from a blood vessel present under skin, the blood sampling method, comprising;

projecting a near-infrared ray while defining a direction having a predetermined angle to a normal line direction of a predetermined irradiated surface as a light projection direction;

dispersing a reflected light beam of the near-infrared ray projected by the light projection unit using a spectral lens located at the same side as a side where the light projection unit is located relative to the irradiated surface and having a predetermined angle to the normal line direction of the irradiated surface as an optical axis direction;

receiving the dispersed reflected light beam on a light receiving surface;

calculating a position of the blood vessel based on brightness of the reflected light beam on the light receiving surface; and

projecting a needle for use in blood sampling to the calculated blood vessel position.