Attachment for a concentration measuring apparatus and a concentration measuring system

• US 5,933,226 A
• Filed: 05/22/1997
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamanishi, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Zandra V.
• Application Number:
  US08/861,570
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 356/39, 356/40, 600/310, 600/315, 600/322
• US Class Current: 356/39
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/255 Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems

Abstract

An attachment is designed such that a concentration measuring apparatus is attachable to and detachable from it. Inside the leading end portion of the attachment, leading ends of two light guide members are provided opposite to each other so as to hold a micro cuvette mounted on the attachment. One light guide member guides light from a light source of the concentration measuring apparatus to subject matter in the micro cuvette while the other guides light from the subject matter to light receiving elements of the concentration measuring apparatus. The concentration measuring apparatus calculates a concentration of the subject matter based on respective outputs from the light receiving elements.

Claims

1. A concentration measuring system comprising:

(a) a concentration measuring apparatus comprising

(a-1) a light source for emitting light having a first component of a first wave length and a second component of a second wave length different from the first wave length,

(a-2) a first main light guider having first and second ends, said first main light guider receiving the light from said light source through said first end, guiding the light to said second end and emitting the light toward a subject matter side,

(a-3) a second main light guider having first and second ends, said second main light guider receiving light from the subject matter side through said first end and guiding the light to said second end,

(a-4) first and second light receiving elements for receiving the first and second components of the light from said second end of said second main light guider, respectively, and

(a-5) a calculator for calculating a concentration of the subject matter based on respective outputs from said first and second light receiving elements; and

(b) an attachment comprising

(b-1) a body which removably accommodates said concentration measuring apparatus, said body including a test container reception portion which receives a test container containing the subject matter,

(b-2) a first auxiliary light guider for guiding the light from said second end of said first main light guider to the subject matter in said test container, and

(b-3) a second auxiliary light guider for guiding light from the subject matter in said test container to said first end of said second main light guider.

2. A concentration measuring system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a spacer for defining a space between the subject matter side ends of said first and second main light guiders and the concentration measuring apparatus side ends of said first and second auxiliary light guiders when said concentration measuring apparatus is attached onto said attachment.

3. A concentration measuring system as defined in claim 1, further comprising attachment detector for detecting whether or not said concentration measuring apparatus is attached onto said attachment,

and wherein said calculator has two different calculating programs and calculates a concentration of the subject matter on the basis of one of the calculating programs in response to the result detected by said attachment detector.

4. A concentration measuring system as defined in claim 3, wherein said concentration measuring apparatus is an icterus detector, and wherein the subject matter is bilirubin.

5. A concentration measuring system as defined in claim 4, wherein said test container is a micro cuvette containing blood collected from a human body to be measured.

6. A concentration measuring system comprising:

an icterus detector for irradiating light onto the skin of a human body to-be-measured and indirectly measuring a concentration of the bilirubin pigmented in subcutaneous fat of the human body on the basis of light reflected from the skin; and

an adapter attachment which removably accommodates the icterus detector, said adapter attachment comprising an optical system which guides light from said icterus detector to a test container containing a blood collected from the human body and guides light passed through said test container to said icterus detector when said icterus detector is attached onto said adapter attachment, so that a concentration of the bilirubin in the blood is directly measured by said icterus detector.

7. A concentration measuring system as defined in claim 6, wherein said attachment includes a test container reception portion which receives said test container.

8. A concentration measuring system as defined in claim 7, wherein said test container is a micro cuvette containing blood collected from said human body.

9. A concentration measuring system as defined in claim 6, wherein said icterus detector comprises a controller which changes program for calculating the concentration in response to whether or not said icterus detector is attached to said attachment.

10. A concentration measuring system as defined in claim 9, further comprising attachment detector for detecting whether or not said icterus detector is attached to said attachment,

and wherein said controller changes the program in response to the result detected by said attachment detector.

11. A concentration measuring system as defined in claim 6, further comprising a display device for displaying a measurement result.

12. A concentration measuring system as defined in claim 11, wherein said display device is proved on said icterus detector.

13. An attachment apparatus capable of removably receiving an icterus detector for irradiating light onto the skin of a human body to-be-measured and indirectly measuring a concentration of the bilirubin pigmented in subcutaneous fat of the human body on the basis of the light reflected from the skin, said attachment apparatus comprising:

a body portion adapted for removably receiving said icterus detector; and

an optical system which guides light from said icterus detector to a test container containing a blood collected from the human body and guides light passed through said test container to said icterus detector when said icterus detector is attached onto said attachment, for directly measuring a concentration of the bilirubin in the blood with said icterus detector.

14. An attachment as defined in claim 13, wherein said attachment includes a test container reception portion which receives said test container.

15. An attachment as defined in claim 14, wherein said test container is a micro cuvette containing blood collected from said human body.

16. In a concentration measuring apparatus including a light source, a first light guide member, a second light guide member, a first light receiving element, and a second light receiving element, the measuring apparatus indirectly measuring a concentration of a subject matter within an object based upon respective outputs from the first and light receiving elements, the improvement comprising:

an adapter enabling a direct measurement of the concentration of the subject matter, said adapter including;

a body adapted for removable attachment of the indirect concentration measuring apparatus, said body having a test container reception portion for receiving a test container containing the subject matter;

a first adapter light guide member for guiding light from the light source of the concentration measuring apparatus to the subject matter contained within the test container; and

a second adapter light guide member for guiding light from the subject matter in said test container to the first and second light receiving elements of the concentration measuring apparatus, to thereby directly measure the concentration of the subject matter in said test container.

17. The measuring apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said indirect concentration measuring apparatus is an icterus detector, and wherein the subject matter is bilirubin.

18. The measuring apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said test container is a micro cuvette containing blood collected from a human body to be measured.