Device and a method for evaluating a mechanical property of a material
Inventors
Mclaughlin, Robert Ainsley • Sampson, David Douglas • Kennedy, Brendan Francis • Kennedy, Kelsey Marie
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10228297-B2
Publication Date
2019-03-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present disclosure provides a device for evaluating a mechanical property of a material. The device comprises a sensing layer that has a contact surface for contacting a surface area of the material. The sensing layer has a property or dimension that is pressure sensitive. The device also comprises a detector arranged to detect electromagnetic radiation that propagates through at least the sensing layer. The device is arranged such that, when the contact surface of the sensing layer is in contact with the surface area of the material and a load is applied on at least a portion of the surface area of the material, the detected electromagnetic radiation can be used to determine stress within a portion of the sensing layer, the determined stress being indicative of the mechanical property of the material.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method of evaluating a mechanical property of a material by using a sensing layer positioned at a surface area of the material. The sensing layer has interfaces and a pressure sensitive property or dimension, so that a load applied to both the material and the sensing layer at the surface area deforms the sensing layer.
Electromagnetic radiation is emitted into the sensing layer when the load is applied, and electromagnetic radiation reflected at the interfaces of the sensing layer is received. The method determines a thickness of the deformed sensing layer using the electromagnetic radiation reflected at different ones of the interfaces, and determines strain at a portion of the sensing layer using the received electromagnetic radiation.
The determined strain is indicative of the mechanical property of the material. The invention supports use of the resulting mechanical-property information to determine presence or absence of diseased biological tissue, including optical palpation and compression optical coherence elastography concepts.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim describes one method with five core inventive features: sensing-layer placement, load-induced deformation, interface-based electromagnetic radiation sensing, deformed-thickness determination, and strain determination indicative of the mechanical property. Dependent claims further specify top and bottom interfaces, attachment and positioning of a sensing component with a receiver, manual loading, compression optical coherence elastography, and use of mechanical-property information for diseased biological tissue.
Pressure-sensitive sensing layer positioned on material surface
Positioning a sensing layer at a surface area of the material, the sensing layer having interfaces and a pressure sensitive property or dimension.
Load applied to material and sensing layer to deform sensing layer
Applying a load to both at least a portion of the material and at least a portion of the sensing layer at the surface area so that the sensing layer deforms.
Interface-based electromagnetic radiation sensing of deformed sensing layer
Emitting electromagnetic radiation into the sensing layer and receiving electromagnetic radiation reflected at the interfaces of the sensing layer.
Deformed sensing-layer thickness determined from reflected radiation at interfaces
Determining a thickness of the deformed sensing layer using the electromagnetic radiation reflected at different ones of the interfaces.
Strain determination indicative of mechanical property
Determining strain at a portion of the sensing layer using the received electromagnetic radiation, the strain being indicative of the mechanical property of the material.
Sensing-layer top and bottom interfaces for reflected-radiation thickness determination
The sensing layer includes a top interface and a bottom interface.
Attachment element for controlled positioning of sensing component and electromagnetic receiver
Attaching a sensing component to a member using an attachment element so that the sensing component's movement and positioning are controlled by the member, where the sensing component includes a sensing layer and a receiver for electromagnetic radiation.
Manual load applied through the sensing layer
Applying the load manually through the sensing layer.
Compression optical coherence elastography for strain determination
Determining strain within a material using compression optical coherence elastography.
Mechanical-property information for presence or absence of diseased biological tissue
Using the mechanical-property information to determine whether diseased biological tissue is present or absent.
The coverage centers on a pressure-sensitive sensing layer on a material surface, load-induced deformation, and electromagnetic radiation emission and reception at sensing-layer interfaces to determine deformed thickness and strain. The dependent refinements add interface structure, sensing-component attachment and receiver functionality, manual loading, compression optical coherence elastography, and use of the resulting mechanical-property information to identify diseased biological tissue presence or absence.
Stated Advantages
Determines thickness of the deformed sensing layer using electromagnetic radiation reflected at different ones of the interfaces.
Determines strain at a portion of the sensing layer, with the determined strain being indicative of the mechanical property of the material.
Enables using mechanical-property information to determine whether diseased biological tissue is present or absent.
Documented Applications
Optical palpation to identify presence or absence of diseased biological tissue.
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