Patent US5752923A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0392897A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0392897A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Three-parameter optical fiber sensor and system
Assignee: Luxtron Corp
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Filing: 1990-04-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-04-04
Abstract
Abstract A single sensor is provided as part of a fiberoptic probe to measure up to three parameters, namely pressure (or force or displacement), temperature, and heat flow or fluid velocity. A solid elastomeric optical element is formed at the end of an optical fiber transmission medium, and adjacent light reflective and temperature dependent materials are formed on the resulting convex surface of the optical element. The amount of light reflected is proportional to the force or pressure against the element. The temperature dependent material is preferably a luminescent material. Over the luminescent material is formed a layer of material that is absorptive of infrared radiation, thereby allowing a determination of characteristics of heat or fluid flow by measuring the rate at which heat is carried away from the infrared heated layer. The sensor can be formed at the end of a single optical fiber, thereby having extensive applications where a very small sensor is required. One such application is a medical or clinical one, where the sensor is mounted in a catheter for providing pressure, flow and temperature of the blood in a blood vessel.
Inventors
- 👤 Mei H. Sun
- 👤 Kenneth A. Wickersheim
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:28
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01L; G01L19/00; G01L19/0092; A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/02; A61B5/021; A61B5/0215; A61B5/02154; A61B5/026; A61B5/0261; E; E02; E02F; E02F9/00; E02F9/20; E02F9/22; E02F9/2278; E02F9/2292; G01D; G01D5/00; G01D5/26; G01D5/268; G01K; G01K11/00; G01K11/32; G01K11/3206; G01K11/3213; G01L9/00; G01L9/0041; G01L9/0076; G01L9/0077; G01P; G01P5/00; G01P5/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
A measuring system, comprising: a length of an optical fiber transmission medium having first and second ends, a sensor carried by first end of said medium, said sensor including a quantity of substantially optically transparent elastomeric material having a non-planar surface extending away from said one medium end and characterized by changing its curvature in response to being compressed by force directed against it, and a flexible layer of optically reflecting marerial attached to at least a portion of said non-planar surface in a position that is in optical communication with said medium through its said one end, means provided at said second end of said medium for transmitting optical radiation along the length of said medium against said reflective layer, whereby at least some of said optical radiation is reflected by said layer back along said medium to its said first end, and means provided at said second end of said medium for detecting a level of said reflected radiation, thereby measuring a displacement of said reflective layer, whereby the force or pressure applied to said sensor may be determined.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
181 words
A measuring system, comprising: a length of an optical fiber transmission medium having first and second ends, a sensor carried by first end of said medium, said sensor including a quantity of substantially optically transparent elastomeric material having a non-planar surface extending away from said one medium end and characterized by changing its curvature in response to being compressed by force directed against it, and a flexible layer of optically reflecting marerial attached to at least a portion of said non-planar surface in a position that is in optical communication with said medium through its said one end, means provided at said second end of said medium for transmitting optical radiation along the length of said medium against said reflective layer, whereby at least some of said optical radiation is reflected by said layer back along said medium to its said first end, and means provided at said second end of said medium for detecting a level of said reflected radiation, thereby measuring a displacement of said reflective layer, whereby the force or pressure applied to said sensor may be determined.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The system according to claim 1 wherein said detecting means additionally comprises: means provided at said second end of said medium for detecting the level of optical radiation from said radiation transmitting means that enters said medium at said second end, and means provided at said second end of said medium for comparing the level of said reflected radiation with the level of radiation being transmitted along said medium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system according to claim 1 wherein the non-planar surface of said quantity of elastomeric material of said sensor includes a convex shape, and wherein said elastomeric material is solid and attached to said first end of said medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system according to claim 3 wherein said medium consists of a single optical fiber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
91 words
The system according to claim 4 wherein the reflective material is generally circular in shape and positioned substantially symmetrically about a longitudinal axis of said single optical fiber in a manner to occupy only a portion of the field of view of said fiber through its said second end, and wherein a quantity of material characterized by changing a detectable optical characteristic in response to a changing parameter other than displacement, force or pressure is positioned as part of said sensor in another non-overlapping portion of said fiber field of view.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system according to claim 5 wherein said changing parameter is temperature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system according to claim 6 wherein said quantity of material includes a luminescent material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
104 words
The system according to claim 1 wherein the reflective material layer of said sensor includes a solid area positioned to occupy only a portion of the field of view of said medium through its said second end, and wherein a quantity of material characterized by changing a detectable optical characteristic in response to a changing parameter other than displacement, force or pressure is positioned as part of said sensor in another non-overlapping portion of said field of view, and further wherein said system additionally comprises means provided at said second end of said medium for detecting said optical characteristic simultaneously with detecting said displacement.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The system according to claim 8 wherein said parameter is temperature.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system according to claim 8 wherein said optical radiation transmitting means includes means for restricting said radiation to a first wavelength range, and further wherein said optical characteristic detecting means includes means communicating with said other parameter quantity of material over said medium in a wavelength range substantially non-overlapping with said first wavelength range.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system according to claim 8 wherein said quantity of material includes a luminescent material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system according to claim 8 wherein the non-planar surface of said quantity of elastomeric material of said sensor includes a convex shape, and wherein said elastomeric material is solid and attached to said first end of said medium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
74 words
The system according to claim 9 wherein said other material is further characterized by being substantially transparent to radiation in the infrared range, which additionally comprises a layer of infrared radiation absorbing material carried by said quantity of material on a side thereof removed from said elastomeric material, and further wherein said system additionally comprises means provided at said second end of said medium for directing infrared radiation to said sensor along said medium.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system according to claim 1 which additionally comprises means connected to said reflected radiation detecting means for measuring the pressure against said sensor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system according to claim 1 wherein said sensor additionally includes means forming a sealed volume around said elastomeric and reflective materials for causing said elastomeric material to be compressed an amount proportional to a differential pressure between that of said volume and that of its surroundings.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
98 words
The system according to claim 1 wherein said sensor reflective material includes luminescent material characterized by emitting temperature proportional radiation in a first wavelength range when excited by radiation in a second substantially non-overlapping wavelength range, and further wherein said radiation transmitting means is characterized by transmitting radiation within said second wavelength range but not said first wavelength range, said system additionally comprising means provided at said second end of said medium for detecting a level of said luminescent material emitted radiation, whereby temperature may be measured by said sensor simultaneously with a measurement of force or pressure.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
275 words
A system for optically measuring at least first and second parameters, comprising: a length of an optical fiber transmission medium having first and second ends, a sensor carried by said first end of said medium, said sensor including: a quantity of a solid, substantially optically transparent elastomeric material having a convex surface extending away from said one medium end and characterized by changing its curvature in response to being compressed an amount proportional to force directed against it, a flexible layer of optical radiation reflective material attached to a first portion of said convex surface that is in optical communication with said medium through its said one end, whereby the shape of said layer provides an indication of said first parameter, thereby leaving a second portion of said convex surface in optical communication with said medium through its said one end surrounding said reflective material, and means positioned on at least a portion of said second area for providing an optical indication of said second parameter, means provided at said second end of said medium for transmitting optical radiation along the length of said medium to said reflective layer, whereby an amount of said optical radiation proportional to said first parameter is reflected by said layer back along said medium to its said first end, means provided at said second end of said medium for detecting a level of said reflected radiation, thereby providing an optical signal proportional to said first parameter, and means provided at said second end of said medium for optically communicating with said second parameter optical indication means in a manner to provide an optical signal proportional to said second parameter.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
275 words
A system for optically measuring at least first and second parameters, comprising: a length of an optical fiber transmission medium having first and second ends, a sensor carried by said first end of said medium, said sensor including: a quantity of a solid, substantially optically transparent elastomeric material having a convex surface extending away from said one medium end and characterized by changing its curvature in response to being compressed an amount proportional to force directed against it, a flexible layer of optical radiation reflective material attached to a first portion of said convex surface that is in optical communication with said medium through its said one end, whereby the shape of said layer provides an indication of said first parameter, thereby leaving a second portion of said convex surface in optical communication with said medium through its said one end surrounding said reflective material, and means positioned on at least a portion of said second area for providing an optical indication of said second parameter, means provided at said second end of said medium for transmitting optical radiation along the length of said medium to said reflective layer, whereby an amount of said optical radiation proportional to said first parameter is reflected by said layer back along said medium to its said first end, means provided at said second end of said medium for detecting a level of said reflected radiation, thereby providing an optical signal proportional to said first parameter, and means provided at said second end of said medium for optically communicating with said second parameter optical indication means in a manner to provide an optical signal proportional to said second parameter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
74 words
The system according to claim 17 wherein said second parameter is temperature, said sensor includes means positioned in thermal communication with said second parameter optical indication means for absorbing infrared radiation, and additionally comprising means provided at said second end of said medium for transmitting infrared radiation along said medium to said sensor, thereby being absorbed by said infrared radiation absorbing means, whereby the measurement of said temperature is proportional to a third parameter.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
77 words
The system according to claim 18 wherein said optical radiation transmitting means is characterized by transmitting said optical radiation within a first defined wavelength range, and said second parameter optical communication means is characterized by communicating over said optical fiber medium with said second parameter optical indication means within a second wavelength range that does not overlap said first defined wavelength range, neither of said first or second wavelength ranges overlapping with that of said infrared radiation.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
62 words
The system according to claim 17 wherein said optical radiation transmitting means is characterized by transmitting said optical radiation within a first defined wavelength range, and said second parameter optical communication means is characterized by communicating over said optical fiber medium with said second parameter optical indication means within a second wavelength range that does not overlap said first defined wavelength range.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
104 words
A sensor carried by an end of at least one optical fiber, said sensor comprising: a quantity of substantially optically transparent elastomeric material having a non-planar surface extending away from said one medium end and characterized by changing its curvature in response to being compressed by force directed against it, and a flexible layer of optical radiation reflective material attached to at least a portion of said non planar surface in a position that is in optical communication with said medium through its said one end, whereby an optically detectable shape of the reflective material changes as a force is applied to said sensor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
104 words
A sensor carried by an end of at least one optical fiber, said sensor comprising: a quantity of substantially optically transparent elastomeric material having a non-planar surface extending away from said one medium end and characterized by changing its curvature in response to being compressed by force directed against it, and a flexible layer of optical radiation reflective material attached to at least a portion of said non planar surface in a position that is in optical communication with said medium through its said one end, whereby an optically detectable shape of the reflective material changes as a force is applied to said sensor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
The sensor according to claim 21 wherein the non-planar surface of said quantity of elastomeric material of said sensor includes a convex shape, and wherein said elastomeric material is solid and attached to said at least one optical fiber end.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
68 words
The sensor according to claim 21 wherein the reflective material layer includes a solid area positioned to occupy only a portion of the field of view of said optical fiber through its said end, and wherein a quantity of material characterized by exhibiting a detectable optical change as a function of temperature is positioned as part of said sensor in another non-overlapping portion of said field of view.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system according to claim 23 wherein said sensor additionally comprises a layer of infrared radiation absorbing material positioned in thermal contact with said temperature detecting material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system according to claim 21 wherein said sensor additionally comprises means forming a sealed volume around said elastomeric and reflective materials for causing said elastomeric material to be compressed by an amount proportional to a differential pressure between that of said volume and that of its surroundings.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
156 words
A three parameter sensor carried by an end of a single optical fiber having a central longitudinal axis, said sensor comprising: a substantially transparent elastomeric optical element attached to said fiber end and having a convex shaped surface extending away from said fiber end but being in optical communication therewith, a continuous flexible layer of optical radiation reflective material attached to a portion of said surface, whereby an optically detectable shape of the reflective material changes as a force is applied to compress said elastomeric element, thereby to sense a first parameter, a layer of material characterized by exhibiting a detectable optical change as a function of temperature attached to at least a portion of said surface adjacent said reflective material, thereby to sense a second parameter, and a layer of infrared radiation absorbing material positioned over at least said temperature detecting material layer and in thermal contact therewith, thereby allowing determination of a third parameter.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
156 words
A three parameter sensor carried by an end of a single optical fiber having a central longitudinal axis, said sensor comprising: a substantially transparent elastomeric optical element attached to said fiber end and having a convex shaped surface extending away from said fiber end but being in optical communication therewith, a continuous flexible layer of optical radiation reflective material attached to a portion of said surface, whereby an optically detectable shape of the reflective material changes as a force is applied to compress said elastomeric element, thereby to sense a first parameter, a layer of material characterized by exhibiting a detectable optical change as a function of temperature attached to at least a portion of said surface adjacent said reflective material, thereby to sense a second parameter, and a layer of infrared radiation absorbing material positioned over at least said temperature detecting material layer and in thermal contact therewith, thereby allowing determination of a third parameter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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