Optical element for measuring information of living body and device for measuring information of living body using the optical element

• US 7,391,516 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2005
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Uchida, Shinji, Shioi, Masahiko, Oshima, Kiyoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Lauchman; L. G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Underwood; Jarreas C
• Application Number:
  US10/547,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20060183982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310, 600/323, 356 39- 42, 356/439
• US Class Current: 356/432
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/146 for optical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8535 presenting a cut
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/01 Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8507 Probe photometers, i.e. with optical measuring part dipped into fluid sample
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/064 Stray light conditioning

Abstract

The present invention provides an optical element for measuring information of living body for noninvasively measuring a body fluid component in a test sample of living body with high accuracy, stability, and ease. The optical element includes a light incident surface, a contact surface contacting living body and having a groove to protrude living body and a light emission surface, in which a light incident from the light incident surface is applied to living body, and the light absorbed and scattered by living body is received and emitted from the light emission surface, a light transmittance controlling means is formed from the bottom part of the valley part of the groove, on at least a part of a wall surface of the light incident surface side and/or on a wall surface of the light emission surface side of the groove.

Claims

1. An optical element for optically measuring information of living body, comprising:

a light incident surface, a contact surface contacting said living body and having a groove to protrude said living body, and

a light emission surface,

wherein said groove comprises;

a first wall surface,

a second wall surface, and

a valley part sandwiched between said first and second wall,

wherein, said optical element applies light entered into said optical element from said light incident surface to the portion of the living tissue protruded by said groove through said first wall surface, and

receives light that is absorbed and scattered by the protruded portion of the said living body by said groove through said second wall surface and allows the light to exit said optical element from said light emission surface;

wherein a light transmittance controlling means is provided at said groove, and said light transmittance controlling means is formed, from a bottom part of said valley part of said groove, to at least a portion of said first wall surface and/or said second wall surface.

2. The optical element for measuring information of living body in accordance with claim 1, wherein said light transmittance controlling means is further provided on a part except for said groove, said light incident surface, and said light emission surface.

3. The optical element for measuring infonnation of living body in accordance with claim 1, wherein said light transmittance controlling means is provided on a peak part of said groove.

4. The optical element for measuring information of living body in accordance with claim 1, wherein said light transmittance controlling means is made of a light absorbing material.

5. The optical element for measuring information of living body in accordance with claim 1, wherein said light transmittance controlling means is made of a light scattering material.

6. The optical element for measuring information of living body in accordance with claim 1, wherein said light transmittance controlling means is made of a light reflecting material.

7. The optical element for measuring information of living body in accordance with any of claims 4 to 6, wherein said light transmittance controlling means is composed of a single-layered film.

8. The optical element for measuring information of living body in accordance with any of claims 4 to 6, wherein said light transmittance controlling means is composed of a multiple-layered film.

9. An apparatus for measuring information of living body, comprising:

a light source, the optical element in accordance with claim 1, a photodetector for detecting a light emitted from said optical element, and a processor for processing information obtained from said photodetector.