Analyte system and method for determining hemoglobin parameters in whole blood
Inventors
Cafferty, Michael S. • Cionek, Scott P.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10345146-B2
Publication Date
2019-07-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
An optical component group for use in a spectrometer module of a system for measuring whole-blood hemoglobin parameters or whole-blood bilirubin parameters. The optical component group includes a light dispersing element and an achromatic lens assembly disposed between the light dispersing element and a light entrance port of the spectrometer module where the achromatic lens assembly is thermo-compensating permitting thermal expansion and contraction of the achromatic lens assembly in a linear direction where the linear directions is also transverse to a light beam from the light entrance port through the achromatic lens assembly and to the light dispersing element and back through the achromatic lens assembly.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an optical component group for use in a spectrometer module of a system for measuring whole-blood hemoglobin parameters or whole-blood bilirubin parameters. The optical component group includes a light dispersing element and an achromatic lens assembly disposed between the light dispersing element and a light entrance port of the spectrometer module. The light beam travels through the achromatic lens assembly to the light dispersing element, and then back through the achromatic lens assembly.
A key aspect is that the achromatic lens assembly is thermo-compensating by permitting thermal expansion and contraction of the achromatic lens assembly in a linear direction. The linear direction is transverse to a light beam from the light entrance port through the achromatic lens assembly and to the light dispersing element, and back through the achromatic lens assembly. The thermo-compensation is implemented using a lens mount with a fixed mount end and an unfixed mount end that permits the lens assembly motion toward or away from the fixed mount end.
The lens mount includes a lens mount slot and a fastener extending through the lens mount slot, where the lens mount slot permits thermal expansion of the lens mount in the linear direction along the lens mount slot. The optical component group is configured so the beam position on a light-array detector is maintained despite temperature-induced prism refraction shifts.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes two independent claims, each defining an optical component group for a spectrometer module that measures whole-blood hemoglobin parameters or whole-blood bilirubin parameters. Across the independent claims, there are inventive features centered on a prism/grating optical path with an achromatic lens assembly and a thermo-compensating lens mount that allows thermal expansion and contraction in a linear direction transverse to the beam path, including specific fixed/unfixed mount geometry and a slot/fastener arrangement.
Optical component group for whole-blood hemoglobin or whole-blood bilirubin spectrometry
An optical component group for use in a spectrometer module of a system for measuring whole-blood hemoglobin parameters or whole-blood bilirubin parameters, the optical component group comprising a light dispersing element and an achromatic lens assembly disposed between the light dispersing element and a light entrance port.
Thermo-compensating achromatic lens assembly with transverse linear expansion direction
Wherein the achromatic lens assembly has a fixed mount end, and a lens mount with a lens mount slot which is thermo-compensating by permitting thermal expansion and contraction of the achromatic lens assembly in a linear direction along the lens mount slot toward or away from the fixed mount end, wherein the linear direction is also transverse to a light beam from the light entrance port, and wherein the light beam travels through the achromatic lens assembly, to the light dispersing element, and then back through the achromatic lens assembly.
Fixed and unfixed lens mount ends permitting thermal expansion along a slot
Wherein the achromatic lens assembly is thermo-compensating permitting thermal expansion and contraction of the achromatic lens assembly in a linear direction transverse to a light beam through the achromatic lens assembly and to the light dispersing element and back through the achromatic lens assembly, wherein the achromatic lens assembly includes a lens mount having a fixed mount end fixedly connected to one of a spectrometer base or a baseplate and an unfixed mount end that permits thermal expansion and contraction of the lens mount in the linear direction toward or away from the fixed mount end, wherein the unfixed mount end has a lens mount slot and a fastener that extends through the lens mount slot wherein the lens mount slot permits thermal expansion of the lens mount in the linear direction along the lens mount slot toward or away from the fixed mount end.
Both independent claims converge on an optical component group that places an achromatic lens assembly between the light dispersing element and the spectrometer light entrance port and makes that lens assembly thermo-compensating using a fixed/unfixed mount arrangement with a lens mount slot and a fastener, with thermal expansion/contraction occurring in a linear direction transverse to the beam path.
Stated Advantages
Maintaining the beam position on a light-array detector despite temperature-induced prism refraction shifts.
Documented Applications
A system for measuring whole-blood hemoglobin parameters and/or whole-blood bilirubin parameters using a spectrometer module with the described optical component group and related spectral analysis mapping of whole-blood spectra.
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