Miniaturized sensor for physiological pressure measurements
First Claim
1. A miniaturized pressure sensor for physiological pressure measurements in situ, comprising:
- a sleeve of elastic material having a proximate end and a distal end;
a diaphragm formed at the distal end of said sleeve;
a light conductor extending through said sleeve and having a corresponding proximal end and a corresponding distal end for transmitting light from said corresponding proximal end to said corresponding distal end, said corresponding distal end having an end surface;
a light reflecting surface located opposite said corresponding distal end of the light conductor in a fixed position relative to the sleeve for receiving light from said corresponding distal end of the light conductor and to reflect a portion thereof back into the light conductor;
a portion of said corresponding distal end of said light conductor being in contact with the diaphragm to deflect the end surface of the light conductor in response to pressure forces acting on the diaphragm so as to modulate the intensity of the reflected light; and
support means arranged in the distal end of said sleeve to support said corresponding distal end of said light conductor in a cantilever fashion, said light reflecting surface being formed on a surface of said support means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Miniaturized sensor for physiological pressure measurements in situ, including an elastic sleeve (1) with a diaphragm portion through which the hydrostatic pressure is transmitted as a force acting on a light conductor (2) which is supplied with light from an external source and fixed to a support body (3) such that the hydrostatic pressure variations cause elastic, relative positional variations between the end surface (4) of the light conductor (2) and a light-reflecting surface (5) on the support body (3), which in turn gives rise to variations in reflected light intensity transmitted back through the light conductor (2), to serve as a pressure signal.
159 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A miniaturized pressure sensor for physiological pressure measurements in situ, comprising:
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a sleeve of elastic material having a proximate end and a distal end; a diaphragm formed at the distal end of said sleeve; a light conductor extending through said sleeve and having a corresponding proximal end and a corresponding distal end for transmitting light from said corresponding proximal end to said corresponding distal end, said corresponding distal end having an end surface; a light reflecting surface located opposite said corresponding distal end of the light conductor in a fixed position relative to the sleeve for receiving light from said corresponding distal end of the light conductor and to reflect a portion thereof back into the light conductor; a portion of said corresponding distal end of said light conductor being in contact with the diaphragm to deflect the end surface of the light conductor in response to pressure forces acting on the diaphragm so as to modulate the intensity of the reflected light; and support means arranged in the distal end of said sleeve to support said corresponding distal end of said light conductor in a cantilever fashion, said light reflecting surface being formed on a surface of said support means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification