Probe for optical sensor

• US 5,058,587 A
• Filed: 08/22/1989
• Issued: 10/22/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Inventors: Kohno, Hiromasa, Nudeshima, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pontius, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US07/396,901
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 250/573, 250/574, 250/576, 604/4, 128/632, 128/633, 128/635
• US Class Current: 600/328
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14557 specially adapted to extracorporeal circuits

Abstract

An optical sensor probe for emitting light into blood and detecting light reflected by the blood, having one end of a first light transmitting member brought into contact with blood flowing through a conduit, and capable of emitting light into the blood in the conduit by introducing the light into the first light transmitting member from the other end thereof. Part of the light emitted into the blood by the first light transmitting member and reflected by the blood is introduced into the second light transmitting member from one end of the same in contact with the blood and is transmitted to a light detecting device. The end of the second light transmitting member is disposed in a side wall of the conduit at a predetermined distance from the end of the first light transmitting member in contact with the blood.

Claims

1. An optical sensor probe for emitting light into blood and for transmitting reflected light thereby obtained to an optical sensor, said optical sensor probe comprising:

a conduit through which blood flows;

a first optical fiber having its one end adapted to be in contact with blood and connected to a side wall of said conduit so as to be flush with the inner surface of the side wall in said conduit, said first optical fiber having means for being supplied at its other end with light and emitting the light into the blood from said one end;

a second optical fiber having its one end disposed so as to be flush with the inner surface of the side wall of said conduit at a predetermined distance from said one end of said first optical fiber in the direction in which the blood flows through said conduit, said second optical fiber receiving at its said one end reflected part of the light emitted into the blood by said first optical fiber, and transmitting the received reflected light to said optical sensor;

a cable accommodating said first and second optical fibers; and

connection means for connecting said cable to a side surface of said conduit.

2. An optical sensor probe according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined distance is within a range of 1.5 mm to 3.0 mm.

3. An optical sensor probe according to claim 1, wherein said connection means includes an O-ring for preventing leakage of the blood, and a limiting member for limiting bending of the cable.

4. An optical sensor probe for emitting light into blood and for transmitting reflected light thereby obtained to an optical sensor, said optical sensor probe comprising:

a conduit through which blood flows;

a first optical fiber having a light emitting portion through which light transmitted from a light source is introduced into said conduit, said light emitting portion being adapted to be in contact with blood and connected so as to be flush with an inner surface of a side wall in said conduit;

a second optical fiber having a light receiving portion to which is introduced part of light reflected by said blood, said light receiving portion being adapted to be in contact with blood and connected so as to be flush with the inner surface of the side wall of said conduit at a predetermined distance from said light emitting portion of said first optical fiber in the direction in which the blood flows through said conduit, said second optical fiber also having means for transmitting the light received by said light receiving portion to said optical sensor;

a cable accommodating said first and second optical fibers;

connection means for connecting said cable to said conduit; and

a limiting member for limiting said cable from being bent at the connecting point of said cable and said conduit.

5. An optical sensor probe according to claim 4, wherein said predetermined distance is within a range of 1.5 mm to 3.0 mm.

6. An optical sensor probe according to claim 4, wherein said connection means includes an O-ring for preventing leakage of the blood.