Optical movement sensor

• US 4,664,129 A
• Filed: 04/09/1986
• Issued: 05/12/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Martens, Gerhard, Helzel, Thomas, Kordts, Jurgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max F.
• Application Number:
  US06/849,917
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 128/721, 128/774, 128/782, 73/800, 250/215, 250/224, 356/32
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0238 Optical sensor arrangements for performing transmission measurements on body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/228 Sensors with optical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses

Abstract

An optical movement sensor for clearly accurately detecting deformations of a human body. The movement sensor consists of a belt with a buckle made up of two parts which are joined together mechanically by a light-transmitting sensor element. Transmitting and a receiving fibre optic light guides are connected to one part of the buckle in such a way that light emitted by the transmitting light guide passes through the sensor element by way of a polarizer and is coupled to the receiving light guide via an analyzer.

Claims

1. An optical movement sensor for detecting deformation of a human body, said sensor comprising:

a belt for placement around the body, said belt having first and second ends;

a buckle having a first part attached to the first end of the belt and a second part attached to the second end of the belt;

a light transmitting sensor element connecting the first and second parts of the buckle to each other;

a transmitting light guide having an end arranged in the first part of the buckle to illuminate the sensor element;

a receiving light guide having an end arranged in the first part of the buckle to receive light from the transmitting light guide after the light passes through the sensing element;

a polarizer arranged in the first part of the buckle between the end of the transmitting light guide and the sensor element; and

an analyzer arranged in the first part of the buckle between the end of the receiving light guide and the sensor element.

2. An optical movement sensor as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the receiving and transmitting light guides are arranged on opposite sides of the sensor element.

3. An optical movement sensor as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that:

the receiving and transmitting light guides are arranged on the same side of the sensor element; and

the sensor further comprises a mirror arranged in the first part of the buckle to receive light which passes through the sensor element from the transmitting light guide, and to reflect said light back through the sensor element to the receiving light guide.

4. An optical movement sensor as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that:

the sensor further comprises a plug, said plug containing the transmitting and receiving light guides and a polarization foil arranged in front of the ends of the light guides; and

the first part of the buckle contains a socket for the plug.

5. An optical movement sensor for detecting deformation of a human body during nuclear spin tomography, said sensor comprising:

a belt for placement around the body, said belt having first and second ends;

a buckle having a first part attached to the first end of the belt and a second part attached to the secone end of the belt;

a light transmitting sensor element connecting the first and second parts of the buckle to each other;

a transmitting light guide having an end arranged in the first part of the buckle to illuminate the sensor element;

a receiving light guide having an end arranged in the first part of the buckle to receive light from the transmitting light guide after the light passes through the sensing element;

a polarizer arranged in the first part of the buckle between the end of the transmitting light guide and the sensor element; and

an analyzer arranged in the first part of the buckle between the end of the receiving light guide and the sensor element;

characterized in that the optical movement sensor is entirely made of nonmetallic materials.

6. An optical movement sensor as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the receiving and transmitting light guides are arranged on opposite sides of the sensor element.

7. An optical movement sensor as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that:

the receiving and transmitting light guides are arranged on the same side of the sensor element; and

the sensor further comprises a mirror arranged in the first part of the buckle to receive light which passes through the sensor element from the transmitting light guide, and to reflect said light back through the sensor element to the receiving light guide.

8. An optical movement sensor as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that:

the sensor further comprises a plug, said plug containing the transmitting and receiving light guides and a polarization foil arranged in front of the ends of the light guides; and

the first part of the buckle contains a socket for the plug.