Sensor

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a temperature sensor comprising: a first sleeve; at least part of the first optical fiber is located in the first sleeve; the first end part of the second optical fiber is positioned in the first sleeve and is opposite to the first optical fiber; the second end part of the second optical fiber is positioned in the second sleeve and is arranged opposite to the reflecting component inserted into the second sleeve; the first temperature sensing cavity is defined by the first end part of the first optical fiber and the first end part of the second optical fiber; and the second temperature sensing cavity is defined and formed by the second end part of the second optical fiber and the reflecting component. The temperature sensor may measure temperatures at a plurality of locations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a sensor. Background Art

[0002] Optical fiber temperature sensors have the advantages of small size, light weight, high sensitivity, large dynamic response range, and anti-electromagnetic interference. Temperature information can be accurately demodulated and calculated by optical methods, and they can be used in various application fields such as aviation, petroleum, biology, and medicine. At present, there is a demand for sensors that measure the temperature at multiple positions in each field. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a sensor that can measure the temperature at multiple positions.

[0004] The above object is achieved by the sensor described below.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a sensor, including: a first sleeve; a first optical fiber, at least a part of which is located in the first sleeve; a second optical fiber, a first end of the second optical fiber is located in the first sleeve and is disposed opposite to the first optical fiber; a second end of the second optical fiber is located in a second sleeve and is disposed opposite to a reflection member inserted into the second sleeve; a first temperature sensing cavity formed by defining between the first optical fiber and the first end of the second optical fiber; a second temperature sensing cavity formed by defining between the second end of the second optical fiber and the reflection member.

[0006] In one embodiment, the distance between the first temperature sensing cavity and the second temperature sensing cavity is 5 mm - 150 mm.

[0007] In one embodiment, the length of the first sleeve or the second sleeve is 5 mm - 30 mm.

[0008] In one embodiment, the material of the first sleeve or the second sleeve is selected from one of the following: metal, ceramic, or glass.

[0009] In one embodiment, the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber are quartz optical fibers without sleeves.

[0010] In one embodiment, the material of the first sleeve or the second sleeve is selected from one of the following: ceramic or glass.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first optical fiber or the second optical fiber is an optical fiber sleeved with a ceramic sleeve or a glass sleeve.

[0012] In one embodiment, the material of the first sleeve or the second sleeve is metal.

[0013] In one embodiment, the cavity length of the first temperature sensing cavity or the second temperature sensing cavity is 10 μm - 30 μm.

[0014] In one embodiment, the reflection member is a quartz optical fiber, and the first end of the reflection member is located in the second sleeve; further included is: a second reflection member disposed opposite to the second end of the reflection member; a third temperature sensing cavity defined by the second end of the reflection member and the second reflection member, and located in the second sleeve or a third sleeve spaced apart from the second sleeve.

[0015] The present disclosure provides a pressure guide wire including the sensor according to any one of the above.

[0016] In one embodiment, the pressure guide wire includes: a guide wire body, the guide wire body including a tube wall and an inner cavity extending therethrough; the sensor is disposed in the inner cavity, and sensing holes are provided on the tube wall at positions where the first temperature sensing cavity and the second temperature sensing cavity are located. Description of the Drawings

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be briefly introduced below. Among them, the drawings are only used to show some embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than limiting all embodiments of the present disclosure thereto. In the drawings: Figure 1 Shows a schematic structural diagram of a sensor according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 Shows a schematic structural diagram of a sensor according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 Shows a schematic structural diagram of a guide wire according to the present disclosure.

[0018] 1 - First sleeve 2 - Second sleeve 3 - First optical fiber 4 - Second optical fiber 41 - First end of the second optical fiber 42 - Second end of the second optical fiber 5 - Reflection member 6 - First temperature sensing cavity 7 - Second temperature sensing cavity 8 - Bonding portion 9 - Third optical fiber 91 - First end of the third optical fiber 92 - Second end of the third optical fiber 10 - Third sleeve 11 - Third temperature sensing cavity 13 - Tube wall 14 - Inner cavity 15 - Proximal end of the guide wire body 16 - Distal end of the guide wire body 31 - First sensing hole 21 - Second sensing hole Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0019] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the technical solutions of the present disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of specific embodiments of the present disclosure. The same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same components. It should be noted that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the described embodiments of the present disclosure without creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meanings understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. The "first", "second" and similar terms used in the specification and claims of the present patent application do not denote any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms such as "a" or "one" do not necessarily denote a quantity limitation. The terms such as "comprising", "including" or "having" mean that the elements or objects appearing before the term cover the elements or objects listed after the term and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. The terms such as "connected" or "communicated" are not limited to the physical or mechanical connections or communications shown in the drawings, but may include equivalent connections or communications thereto, whether direct or indirect. The terms such as "upper", "lower", "left" and "right" are only used to represent relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the object being described changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0021] A sensor, comprising: a first sleeve 1; a first optical fiber 3, at least a part of which is located in the first sleeve 1; a second optical fiber 4, a first end portion 41 of the second optical fiber being located in the first sleeve 1 and disposed opposite to the first optical fiber 3; a second end portion 42 of the second optical fiber being located in a second sleeve 2 and disposed opposite to a reflection member 5 inserted into the second sleeve 2; a first temperature sensing cavity 6, formed and defined by the first optical fiber 3 and the first end portion 41 of the second optical fiber and located between the first optical fiber 3 and the first end portion 41 of the second optical fiber; a second temperature sensing cavity 7, formed and defined by the second end portion 42 of the second optical fiber and the reflection member 5 and located between the second end portion 42 of the second optical fiber and the reflection member 5.

[0022] The distance between the first optical fiber 1 and the first end portion 41 of the second optical fiber is the cavity length of the first temperature sensing cavity 6, and the distance between the second end portion 42 of the second optical fiber and the reflection member 5 is the cavity length of the second temperature sensing cavity 7. The first temperature sensing cavity 6 and the second temperature sensing cavity 7 can measure the temperatures at different positions without interfering with each other. When the temperature changes, the corresponding temperature sensing cavities at the positions will expand and contract thermally, thereby causing a change in the cavity length of the temperature sensing cavity. The change amount of the cavity length is demodulated through the interference principle, thereby realizing the measurement of the temperature.

[0023] The first optical fiber 3 is adapted to irradiate the second optical fiber 4 and collect at least a part of the light reflected from the first end portion 41 of the second optical fiber, and is adapted to irradiate the reflection member 5 and collect at least a part of the light reflected from the reflection member 5.

[0024] The light emitted from the first optical fiber 3 generates a partial reflection signal at the first end portion 41 of the second optical fiber 4 after passing through the first temperature sensing cavity 6, and is superimposed with a part of the incident light at the end of the first optical fiber 3 to form a first part of the modulated light carrying the optical path difference of the first temperature sensing cavity 6; a part of the light generates a reflection signal at the second end portion 42 of the second optical fiber, and a part of the light is reflected back to the second end portion 42 of the second optical fiber after passing through the second temperature sensing cavity 7 and being reflected by the reflection member 5 and superimposed, forming a second part of the modulated light carrying the optical path difference of the second temperature sensing cavity 7. Thus, the modulated light returned by the first optical fiber 3 carries the optical path difference information corresponding to the cavity length of the first temperature sensing cavity 6 and the cavity length of the second temperature sensing cavity 7.

[0025] The sensor of the present disclosure has the following beneficial effects: on the one hand, the temperatures at two positions can be measured simultaneously, and the two temperature sensors do not affect each other. The accuracies of the two temperature sensing cavities can be adjusted respectively by selecting the length and material of the sleeve, and the demodulation of the two temperature sensing cavities can be realized in the same optical path, reducing the demodulation cost; on the other hand, the flow rate and flow volume of the liquid can also be measured according to the temperature changes at the two positions. According to the time difference of the temperature changes of the first temperature sensing cavity 6 and the second temperature sensing cavity 7, and the distance between the first temperature sensing cavity 6 and the second temperature sensing cavity 7, the flow rate and flow volume of the fluid can be measured.

[0026] The first optical fiber 3 and the second optical fiber 4 in the sensor of the present disclosure can be single-mode optical fibers, multi-mode optical fibers, or optical fibers coated with coatings such as polyimide and epoxy resin, or optical fibers sleeved with ceramic sleeves or glass sleeves.

[0027] The measurement accuracy of the first temperature sensing cavity 6 is related to the sensitivity coefficient. The sensitivity coefficient of the first temperature sensing cavity is as follows: Sensitivity coefficient = (A1 - B1) * L11 + (A1 - C1) * L12 Wherein, A1 is the thermal expansion coefficient of the first sleeve 1, B1 is the thermal expansion coefficient of the first optical fiber 3, C1 is the thermal expansion coefficient of the second optical fiber 4, L11 is the length of the first optical fiber 3 inserted into the first sleeve 1, and L12 is the length of the first end 41 of the second optical fiber inserted into the first sleeve 1.

[0028] The sensitivity coefficient of the first temperature sensing cavity 6 is proportional to the length of the first sleeve 1. The longer the length of the first sleeve, the greater the sensitivity coefficient of the first temperature sensing cavity 6, and thus the higher the measurement accuracy of the first temperature sensing cavity 6. The length range of the first sleeve 1 is preferably 5 mm - 30 mm.

[0029] The sensitivity coefficient of the first temperature sensing cavity 6 is proportional to the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the first sleeve and the optical fiber. The greater the difference in thermal expansion coefficients, the greater the sensitivity coefficient and the higher the measurement accuracy. Therefore, the difference in thermal expansion coefficients and the length of the first sleeve can be selected according to the accuracy requirements, and thus the corresponding materials and the length of the first sleeve can be selected.

[0030] The calculation method of the sensitivity coefficient of the second temperature sensing cavity is the same as that of the first temperature sensing cavity. The sensitivity coefficient of the second temperature sensing cavity is as follows: Sensitivity coefficient = (A2 - B2) * L21 + (A2 - C2) * L22 Wherein, A2 is the thermal expansion coefficient of the second sleeve 2, B2 is the thermal expansion coefficient of the second optical fiber 4, C2 is the thermal expansion coefficient of the reflecting member 5, L21 is the length of the second end 42 of the second optical fiber inserted into the second sleeve 2, and L22 is the length of the reflecting member 5 inserted into the second sleeve 2.

[0031] The first temperature sensing cavity and the second temperature sensing cavity can respectively determine the sensitivity coefficient according to their respective accuracy requirements, and thus select the corresponding materials and the length of the sleeve.

[0032] In one embodiment, the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber are selected as single-mode or multi-mode optical fibers without sleeves, which has the following beneficial effects: the friction between the optical fiber and the first sleeve is small, which will not hinder the thermal expansion and contraction of the sleeve, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the optical fiber is very low, and the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the first sleeve and the optical fiber is large. Therefore, the sensitivity coefficient of the first temperature sensing cavity can be improved, and further the measurement accuracy of the first temperature sensing cavity can be improved. The material of the first sleeve can be selected as ceramic or glass. Such a sensor can resist electromagnetic interference because it does not contain metal, and can improve the accuracy and stability of the sensor when used in medical devices.

[0033] The diameters of the first optical fiber 3 and the second optical fiber 4 can be, for example, 0.1 mm - 0.2 mm. The inner diameters of the first sleeve 1 and the second sleeve 2 are slightly larger than the outer diameters of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber.

[0034] The distance between the first temperature sensing cavity and the second temperature sensing cavity is not limited and is determined according to the distance between two or more positions of the temperature to be measured.

[0035] The end faces of the two ends of the first sleeve 1 can be fixedly connected to the outer surface of the first optical fiber 3 and the outer surface of the first end 41 of the second optical fiber respectively through the bonding part 8. The end of the first sleeve 1 and the outer surfaces of the first optical fiber 3 and the first end 41 of the second optical fiber can be connected by an adhesive or by laser welding, and the bonding part 8 can be an adhesive or a solder. Optionally, the bonding part 8 fixedly connects the end face of the end of the second sleeve 2 to the outer surface of the second end 42 of the second optical fiber or the outer surface of the reflecting member; alternatively, the reflecting member 5 is completely inserted into the second sleeve 2, and the bonding part 8 fixedly connects the inner surface of the end of the second sleeve 2 to the end face of the reflecting member.

[0036] In one embodiment, the sensor may also be provided with a plurality of serially connected temperature sensing cavities. Such as Figure 2 As shown, the sensor includes: a first sleeve 1; a first optical fiber 3, at least a part of which is located in the first sleeve 1; a second optical fiber 4, the first end 41 of the second optical fiber is located in the first sleeve 1 and is arranged opposite to the first optical fiber 3; the second end 42 of the second optical fiber is located in the second sleeve 2; a third optical fiber, the first end 91 of the third optical fiber is inserted into the second sleeve 2 and is arranged opposite to the second end 42 of the second optical fiber, and the second end 92 of the third optical fiber is inserted into the third sleeve 10 and is arranged opposite to the reflecting member 5 inserted into the third sleeve 10; a first temperature sensing cavity 6, defined and formed between the first optical fiber 3 and the first end 41 of the second optical fiber and located between the first optical fiber 3 and the first end 41 of the second optical fiber; a second temperature sensing cavity 7, defined and formed between the second end 42 of the second optical fiber and the first end 91 of the third optical fiber and located between the second end 42 of the second optical fiber and the first end 91 of the third optical fiber; a third temperature sensing cavity 11, defined and formed between the second end 92 of the third optical fiber and the reflecting member 5 and located between the second end 92 of the third optical fiber and the reflecting member 5.

[0037] The present disclosure also provides a guide wire, including: a guide wire body, the guide wire body includes a tube wall 13 and a lumen 14 extending therethrough; the above-mentioned sensor is arranged in the lumen 14, and a sensing hole is arranged on the tube wall at the position where the sensor is located.

[0038] A first temperature sensing cavity 6 and a second temperature sensing cavity 7 of the sensor are sequentially arranged from the proximal end 15 to the distal end 16 of the guide wire body. A first sensing hole 31 and a second sensing hole 21 are respectively arranged on the tube wall 13 of the guide wire body. The first sensing hole 31 is located at the position where the first temperature sensing cavity 6 of the sensor is located, and the second sensing hole 21 is located at the position where the second temperature sensing cavity 7 of the sensor is located. A glue injection hole may also be arranged on the guide wire body to facilitate injecting an adhesive into the inner cavity 14, so as to paste the first optical fiber 3 or the second optical fiber 4 on the tube wall 13, thereby fixing the sensor.

[0039] The guide wire of the present disclosure can be applied to a system for providing flow rate or flow velocity during a surgical heart operation, and the surgical heart operation includes valvuloplasty surgery, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) surgery (sometimes also referred to as transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) surgery), and transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TAMR) surgery. In one embodiment, the distance between the first temperature sensing cavity and the second temperature sensing cavity is 5 mm - 150 mm, and it can be used to be respectively placed upstream and downstream of the valve to measure the flow rate or flow velocity.

[0040] Only some exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described by way of illustration above. Undoubtedly, for those of ordinary skill in the art, the described embodiments can be modified in various different ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the above drawings and description are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sensor, characterized in that, Comprising: A first sleeve; A first optical fiber, at least a part of which is located within the first sleeve; A second optical fiber, a first end of the second optical fiber being located within the first sleeve and being disposed opposite to the first optical fiber; a second end of the second optical fiber being located within a second sleeve and being disposed opposite to a reflection member inserted into the second sleeve; A first temperature sensing cavity, formed and defined by the first optical fiber and the first end of the second optical fiber; A second temperature sensing cavity, formed and defined by the second end of the second optical fiber and the reflection member.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance between the first temperature sensing cavity and the second temperature sensing cavity is 5 mm - 150 mm.

3. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the first sleeve or the second sleeve is 5 mm - 30 mm.

4. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein The material of the first sleeve or the second sleeve is selected from one of the following: metal, ceramic or glass.

5. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein The first optical fiber and the second optical fiber are quartz optical fibers without sleeves.

6. The sensor according to claim 5, characterized in that, The material of the first sleeve or the second sleeve is selected from one of the following: ceramic or glass.

7. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first optical fiber or the second optical fiber is an optical fiber sleeved with a ceramic sleeve or a glass sleeve.

8. The sensor according to claim 7, wherein The material of the first sleeve or the second sleeve is metal.

9. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein The cavity length of the first temperature sensing cavity or the second temperature sensing cavity is 10 μm - 30 μm.

10. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein The reflection member is a quartz optical fiber, a first end of the reflection member being located within the second sleeve; Further comprising: A second reflection member, disposed opposite to a second end of the reflection member; A third temperature sensing cavity, formed and defined by the second end of the reflection member and the second reflection member, and located within the second sleeve or within a third sleeve spaced apart from the second sleeve.

11. A pressure guide wire, characterized in that, Comprising the sensor according to any one of claims 1 - 10.

12. The pressure guide wire according to claim 11, characterized in that, Comprising: A guide wire body, the guide wire body including a tube wall and an inner cavity extending therethrough; The sensor is disposed within the inner cavity, and sensing holes are provided on the tube wall at positions where the first temperature sensing cavity and the second temperature sensing cavity are located.

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