Intraoral jig for optical measurement

• US 6,430,422 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2000
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kurabo Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Kurabo Industries Limited
• Inventors: Kimura, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kremer, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US09/620,379
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 600/309-310, 600/322-324, 600/316, 600/344, 600/364-365, 600/473-478, 356/39-42
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0088 for oral or dental tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1491 Heated applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/682 Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth

Abstract

A jig body of resin is formed with a concave part engaging with an upper backside of teeth and another concave part engaging with a lower backside of teeth, and includes a portion coming into contact with an oral cavity part. An optical fiber bundle for measurement is embedded in the jig body, and a forward-end-surface of the optical fiber bundle is exposed on the portion of the jig body coming into contact with the oral cavity part and flush with the portion. A heater and a temperature sensor for keeping the temperature of the jig body constant as well as a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure for holding the jig body between the upper and lower teeth of a measured person are further embedded in the jig body.

Claims

1. An intraoral jig for optical measurement, comprising:

a jig body having a shape adapted for engaging with upper and lower backsides of teeth and coming into contact with an oral cavity part of a person to be measured, said jig body being prepared exclusively for said person;

a projecting/photoreceiving part embedded in said jig body so that a surface of the projecting/photoreceiving part is flush with a portion coming into contact with said oral cavity part for projecting measuring light to said oral cavity part from said projecting/photoreceiving surface and receiving an output light from said oral cavity part through a measuring light portion on said projecting/photoreceiving surface;

a temperature control mechanism keeping a temperature of said jig body constant or substantially constant; and

a pressure sensor embedded in said jig body for detecting a pressure for holding said jig body between upper and lower teeth of said person, the pressure being held constant or substantially constant and the temperature control mechanism controls the temperature of the jig body constant or substantially constant while the projecting/photoreceiving part projects the measuring light and receives the output light.

2. The intraoral jig for optical measurement according to claim 1, wherein

said projecting/photoreceiving part includes a light guide path guiding said measuring light from a light source as a projecting pat and a light guide path guiding received output light to a detector as a photoreceiving part.

3. The intraoral jig for optical measurement according to claim 1, wherein

said projecting/photoreceiving part includes a light guide path guiding said measuring light from a light source as a projecting part and a photoreceiving element embedded in said projecting/photoreceiving surface as a photoreceiving part.

4. The intraoral jig for optical measurement according to claim 1, wherein

said projecting/photoreceiving part includes a light emitting device embedded in said projecting/photoreceiving surface as a projecting part and a light guide path guiding received output light to a detector as a photoreceiving part.

5. The intraoral jig for optical measurement according to claim 1, wherein

said projecting/photoreceiving part includes a light emitting device embedded in said projecting/photoreceiving surface as a projecting part and a photoreceiving element embedded in said projecting/photoreceiving surface as a photoreceiving part.

6. The intraoral jig for optical measurement according to claim 1, wherein

said temperature kept constant is a temperature around a body temperature of a human body.

7. The intraoral jig for optical measurement according to claim 1, wherein the projecting/photoreceiving part is an optical fiber bundle.

8. The intraoral jig for optical measurement according to claim 1, at least one of the measuring light and the output light is near-infrared light.

9. The intraoral jig for optical measurement according to claim 1, wherein the oral cavity part is a palate of the mouth of the person.

10. The intraoral jig for optical measurement according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control mechanism includes a heater.