FLUORESCENCE SENSOR

• US 20170007163A1
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Inventors: TAKAHASHI, Masayuki, SATO, Hiroya, ARITA, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 10,398,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0238 Optical sensor arrangements for performing transmission measurements on body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0242 for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1495 Calibrating or testing of in-vivo probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6484 Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/772 Tip coated light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7723 Swelling part, also for adsorption sensor, i.e. without chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7786 Fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/7703 using reagent-clad optical fibres or optical waveguides using measurement of total internal reflection or attenuated total reflection G01N21/552; optical fibres or waveguides per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8507 Probe photometers, i.e. with optical measuring part dipped into fluid sample
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/08 Optical fibres; light guides

Abstract

A light guide unit of a fluorescence sensor is disclosed, which includes at least an optical-waveguide film in which one or more optical waveguides are formed. Each of these films includes a plurality of optical channels that output excitation light (E) or input fluorescence (F). All the optical channels are covered with a fluorescence unit.

Claims

1. A fluorescence sensor comprising:

a fluorescence unit that generates fluorescence in an amount correlating with concentration of analytes by receiving excitation light;

a measurement optical system that emits the excitation light and detects the fluorescence from the fluorescence unit;

a sensor body in which the measurement optical system is embedded;

a light guide unit that is optically connected to the sensor body and bi-directionally guides light between the measurement optical system and the fluorescence unit;

wherein the light guide unit includes at least an optical-waveguide film on which one or more optical waveguides are formed;

the optical-waveguide film includes a plurality of optical channels that output the excitation light or input the fluorescence; and

each of the plurality of optical channels is covered with the fluorescence unit.

2. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 1, wherein the light guide unit includes the optical-waveguide film on which the optical waveguides are formed;

an exposure space formed on the optical-waveguide film and used to expose end surfaces of the optical waveguides to an outside; and

each of the plurality of optical channels is covered with the fluorescence unit inserted in the exposure space.

3. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 2, wherein a number of second channels that are the optical channels through which the fluorescence is input is larger than a number of first channels that are the optical channels through which the excitation light is output.

4. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 3, wherein the number of the first channels is one and the number of the second channels is two or more.

5. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 4, wherein the two or more second channels are at different distances from the first channel.

6. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 3, wherein end surfaces of the second channels are perpendicular to an end surface of the first channel.

7. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 1, wherein the light guide unit includes a film-layered unit in which two or more optical-waveguide films are layered and the one or more optical waveguides are formed on the two or more optical-waveguide films;

an exposure space used to expose the end surfaces of the optical waveguides to an outside is formed on the film-layered unit; and

each of the optical channels is covered with the fluorescence unit inserted in the exposure space.

8. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 1, wherein the light guide unit includes a first optical-waveguide film and a second optical-waveguide film, the optical waveguide including a plurality of end units formed on each of the first optical-waveguide film and the second optical-waveguide film;

the first optical-waveguide film includes a plurality of first mirrors placed on the end units and configured to reflect the excitation light passing along the optical waveguide to the optical channels;

the second optical-waveguide film includes a plurality of second mirrors placed on the end units and configured to reflect the fluorescence from the optical channels to the optical waveguide; and

each of the optical channels is covered with the fluorescence unit held between the first optical-waveguide film and the second optical-waveguide film.

9. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 8, wherein positions of the first mirror and the second mirror facing each other are deviated from each other in a range in which relative positional difference or angular difference between the first mirror and the second mirror does not exceed a threshold.

10. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 8, wherein the light guide unit includes an optical filter existing between the first mirror and the second mirror facing each other and having filter characteristics of allowing the fluorescence in a relatively large amount to pass through the optical filter and allowing the excitation light in a relatively small amount to pass through the optical filter.

11. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 1, wherein the fluorescence unit includes fluorescent hydrogel.

12. A fluorescence sensor comprising:

a fluorescence unit that generates fluorescence in an amount correlating with concentration of analytes by receiving excitation light;

a measurement optical system that emits the excitation light and detects the fluorescence from the fluorescence unit;

a sensor body in which the measurement optical system is embedded;

a light guide unit that is optically connected to the sensor body and bi-directionally guides light between the measurement optical system and the fluorescence unit, the light guide unit including at least an optical-waveguide film on which one or more optical waveguides are formed, the optical-waveguide film includes a plurality of optical channels that output the excitation light or input the fluorescence and wherein each of the plurality of optical channels are covered with the fluorescence unit; and

a puncture needle having a needle tip, the puncture needle fixed on a surface of the body of sensor.

13. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 12, comprising:

a disk-shaped measurement chip installed on the sensor body, and wherein the puncture needle is fixed to a surface of the disk-shaped measurement chip.

14. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 12, wherein the needle tip is configured to be inserted into a living body, which allows installation of the fluorescence sensor on the living body without another device.

15. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 12, wherein the light guide unit includes the optical-waveguide film on which the optical waveguides are formed;

an exposure space formed on the optical-waveguide film and used to expose end surfaces of the optical waveguides to an outside; and

each of the plurality of optical channels is covered with the fluorescence unit inserted in the exposure space.

16. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 15, wherein a number of second channels that are the optical channels through which the fluorescence is input is larger than a number of first channels that are the optical channels through which the excitation light is output.

17. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 16, wherein the number of the first channels is one and the number of the second channels is two or more.

18. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 12, wherein the light guide unit includes a film-layered unit in which two or more optical-waveguide films are layered and the one or more optical waveguides are formed on the two or more optical-waveguide films;

an exposure space used to expose the end surfaces of the optical waveguides to an outside is formed on the film-layered unit; and

each of the optical channels is covered with the fluorescence unit inserted in the exposure space.

19. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 12, wherein the light guide unit includes a first optical-waveguide film and a second optical-waveguide film, the optical waveguide including a plurality of end units formed on each of the first optical-waveguide film and the second optical-waveguide film;

the first optical-waveguide film includes a plurality of first mirrors placed on the end units and configured to reflect the excitation light passing along the optical waveguide to the optical channels;

the second optical-waveguide film includes a plurality of second mirrors placed on the end units and configured to reflect the fluorescence from the optical channels to the optical waveguide; and

each of the optical channels is covered with the fluorescence unit held between the first optical-waveguide film and the second optical-waveguide film.

20. The fluorescence sensor according to claim 19, wherein positions of the first mirror and the second mirror facing each other are deviated from each other in a range in which relative positional difference or angular difference between the first mirror and the second mirror does not exceed a threshold.