Probe for near-infrared brain function imaging device and near-infrared brain function imaging device used in cooperation with transcranial magnetic stimulation device

Abstract

The application provides a probe for near-infrared brain function imaging equipment and near-infrared brain function imaging equipment used in cooperation with a transcranial magnetic stimulation device. The probe comprises a shell assembly and a fiber member. The interior of the shell assembly is formed with a receiving cavity, the receiving cavity has a transverse cavity, a curved cavity and a longitudinal cavity communicated in sequence, and the transverse cavity is provided with a fiber inlet and the longitudinal cavity is provided with a fiber outlet. The fiber member has a distal segment arranged in the receiving cavity, the proximal end of the distal segment is arranged at the fiber inlet to introduce near-infrared light, the distal end of the distal segment is arranged at the fiber outlet to emit near-infrared light, and the distal segment is formed with a curved portion arranged in the curved cavity, so that the longitudinal thickness of the probe is not greater than 10 mm, or the longitudinal thickness of the probe is not greater than 6 mm. The probe can reduce the longitudinal thickness of the probe as much as possible, and reduce the interference caused by the thick longitudinal thickness of the probe of the near-infrared brain function imaging equipment when used in combination with other brain action devices.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202422308918.4, filed on September 20, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of near-infrared brain functional imaging technology, and in particular to a probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device and a near-infrared brain functional imaging device used in conjunction with a transcranial magnetic stimulation device. Background Technology

[0003] Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a mature, non-destructive testing technique that uses detectors to detect near-infrared light absorbed by oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxyhemoglobin (HHb), thereby continuously monitoring brain activity. In some specific scenarios, fiber optic cables are used to transmit the near-infrared light emitted by the fNIRS device's light source to a probe mounted on a headgear. When the headgear is worn on the user's head, the probe transmits the near-infrared light to the scalp. Examples of fNIRS applications include MRI and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Besides using fiber optic cables to transmit near-infrared light, in some special scenarios, it is also necessary to minimize the longitudinal thickness of the probe. For example, using an ultra-thin probe can reduce the pressure on the user's head during fNIRS testing in a lying position, such as during MRI scans.

[0004] For example, when fNIRS and TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) devices are used in conjunction, the results from fNIRS can be used to guide the target brain regions for TMS, and the effectiveness of the magnetic stimulation protocol on the target brain regions can also be assessed. To ensure the therapeutic effect of TMS stimulation, doctors typically aim for it to penetrate deep into the brain. However, the magnetic field attenuates as it penetrates the skull and brain tissue. When TMS and fNIRS are used together, the magnetic field is further attenuated by the near-infrared probe before reaching the skull. If the near-infrared probe is thick, for example, about 1.5 cm, the depth of TMS stimulation will be further reduced, decreasing to 1-3 cm, or even less than 1 cm. In this case, TMS stimulation cannot effectively reach the deep brain nuclei. However, mental illnesses such as depression and cognitive degeneration diseases such as Alzheimer's disease are closely related to deep brain nuclei, such as the deep brain tissue related to the reward system and the hippocampus. Therefore, in scenarios where TMS and fNIRS devices work together, the stimulating effect of TMS is greatly reduced due to the near-infrared probe. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned technical problems existing in the prior art, this application provides a probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device and a near-infrared brain functional imaging device used in conjunction with a transcranial magnetic stimulation device. It can minimize the longitudinal thickness of the probe and minimize the interference caused by the thick longitudinal thickness of the probe when the near-infrared brain functional imaging device is used in conjunction with other brain stimulation devices.

[0006] This application provides a probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device, including a housing assembly and an optical fiber component. The housing assembly has an internal receiving cavity, which has a transverse cavity, a curved cavity, and a longitudinal cavity connected in sequence. The transverse cavity has an optical fiber inlet, and the longitudinal cavity has an optical fiber outlet. The optical fiber component has a distal section installed in the receiving cavity. The proximal end of the distal section is located at the optical fiber inlet to introduce near-infrared light, and the distal end of the distal section is located at the optical fiber outlet to emit near-infrared light. The distal section has a curved portion installed in the curved cavity, such that the longitudinal thickness of the probe is no greater than 10 mm, or the longitudinal thickness of the probe is no greater than 6 mm.

[0007] In some embodiments, the included angle between the tangents at both ends of the curved portion is a right angle, or 60 to 120 degrees, or 75 to 105 degrees.

[0008] In some embodiments, the radius of curvature of the bent portion ranges from 3 mm to 7 mm.

[0009] In some embodiments, the curved portion has an inner side and an outer side, and the curved cavity has a curved inner wall opposite to the inner side of the curved portion, the curved inner wall forming a rounded corner structure corresponding to the inner side of the curved portion.

[0010] In some embodiments, the curvature of the rounded corner structure is not greater than the curvature of the curved portion.

[0011] In some embodiments, a gap is formed between the middle portion of the rounded corner structure and the middle portion of the curved portion, and the two sides of the middle portion of the rounded corner structure have contact portions that contact the curved portion.

[0012] In some embodiments, the optical fiber component includes multiple optical fiber bodies, each optical fiber body including a fiber core and a cladding structure sleeved outside the fiber core, and the outer surface of the optical fiber body does not have a coating layer.

[0013] In some embodiments, the housing assembly includes a first housing and a second housing, which cooperate to form the receiving cavity. The first housing has an open side corresponding to the transverse cavity and the curved cavity, and the second housing is detachably connected to the open side of the first housing to cover or expose the transverse cavity and the curved cavity.

[0014] In some embodiments, the receiving cavity contains a first adhesive and a second adhesive, which cooperate to wrap around the distal segment of the optical fiber component. The first adhesive is disposed corresponding to the optical fiber outlet, and the second adhesive is disposed corresponding to the bending cavity and the optical fiber inlet. The first adhesive has a greater curing strength after curing than the second adhesive.

[0015] In some embodiments, the probe further includes a sheath connected to the optical fiber inlet of the housing assembly and fitted over the optical fiber component.

[0016] In some embodiments, the housing assembly has a protrusion or a flat extension at the optical fiber outlet. The protrusion is positioned corresponding to a first type of brain region and is used to part the hair located around the probe. The flat extension is positioned corresponding to a second type of brain region and is used to allow the probe to directly contact the scalp.

[0017] In some embodiments, the probe is used in conjunction with a transcranial magnetic stimulation device or an MRI device.

[0018] This application also provides a near-infrared brain functional imaging device for use in conjunction with a transcranial magnetic stimulation device, including the probe for near-infrared brain functional imaging devices described in any of the above embodiments.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application are as follows: This application, through the sequentially connected transverse cavity, curved cavity and longitudinal cavity inside the housing assembly, with the curved portion of the distal section of the optical fiber component installed in the curved cavity, can minimize the longitudinal thickness of the probe, making the longitudinal thickness of the probe no more than 10mm or no more than 6mm. This can minimize the interference caused by the relatively thick longitudinal thickness of the probe when the near-infrared brain functional imaging device is used in conjunction with other brain stimulation devices. For example, in the scenario where the near-infrared brain functional imaging device and the transcranial magnetic stimulation device are used in conjunction, the above-mentioned probe can bring the transcranial magnetic stimulation device closer to the scalp to apply stimulation, so that the stimulation applied by the transcranial magnetic stimulation device can effectively act on the deep nuclei of the brain. Attached Figure Description

[0020] In drawings that are not necessarily drawn to scale, the same reference numerals may describe similar parts in different views. The drawings generally illustrate various embodiments by way of example rather than limitation and are used, together with the description and claims, to illustrate the disclosed embodiments. Where appropriate, the same reference numerals are used in all drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. Such embodiments are illustrative and not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive embodiments of the apparatus or method.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the probe according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the second housing in the installed state;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the probe according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the second housing in a disassembled state;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the probe according to an embodiment of the present invention. A protrusion is formed at the fiber optic outlet of the housing assembly shown in the figure.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the probe according to an embodiment of the present invention. A flat extension is formed at the fiber optic outlet of the housing assembly shown in the figure.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the housing assembly of the probe according to an embodiment of the present invention. The second housing shown in the figure is in a disassembled state.

[0026] The components indicated by the reference numerals in the figure:

[0027] 1. Housing assembly; 11. Fiber inlet; 12. Fiber outlet; 13. First housing; 14. Second housing; 15. Protrusion; 16. Flat extension; 2. Receiving cavity; 21. Bending cavity; 22. Lateral cavity; 23. Longitudinal cavity; 3. Fiber component; 31. Bending part; 4. Rounded corner structure; 5. Sheath; 6. Contact part. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this application, the application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The embodiments of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples, but these are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0029] The terms "first," "second," and similar words used in this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different parts. Words such as "including" or "contains" mean that the element preceding the word encompasses the element listed after it, and do not exclude the possibility of encompassing other elements as well. Terms such as "above," "below," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, this relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0030] In this application, when a specific device is described as being located between a first device and a second device, an intermediary device may or may not be present between the specific device and the first or second device. When a specific device is described as being connected to other devices, the specific device may be directly connected to the other devices without an intermediary device, or it may not be directly connected to the other devices but may have an intermediary device.

[0031] All terms used in this application (including technical or scientific terms) have the same meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains, unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms defined in general dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and not as having an idealized or highly formalized meaning, unless expressly defined herein.

[0032] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0033] This application provides a probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device. For example... Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the probe includes a housing assembly 1 and an optical fiber component 3. The housing assembly 1 has an internal receiving cavity 2, which has a transverse cavity 22, a curved cavity 21, and a longitudinal cavity 23 connected sequentially. The transverse cavity 22 has an optical fiber inlet 11, and the longitudinal cavity 23 has an optical fiber outlet 12. The optical fiber component 3 has a distal section installed in the receiving cavity 2. The proximal end of the distal section is located at the optical fiber inlet 11 to introduce near-infrared light, and the distal end of the distal section is located at the optical fiber outlet 12 to emit near-infrared light. The distal section has a curved portion 31 installed in the curved cavity 21, ensuring that the longitudinal thickness of the probe is no greater than 10 mm, or no greater than 6 mm. The distal section of the optical fiber component 3 can be understood as a structural segment of the optical fiber component 3 that is away from the operator and close to the head. The distal end of this distal section is positioned corresponding to the optical fiber outlet 12 to conduct near-infrared light to a position close to the head, while the proximal end of the distal section is positioned away from the head relative to its distal end. Figure 3 The optical fiber component 3 shown in the diagram, located within the receiving cavity 2, can be understood as part or all of the distal segment of the optical fiber component 3.

[0034] The longitudinal thickness of the probe mentioned above can be understood as the longitudinal thickness of the probe along the direction perpendicular to the scalp (e.g., Figure 3The dimension in the height direction of the probe shown is the longitudinal thickness of the probe. Specifically, when the probe is used in contact with the scalp, the longitudinal thickness of the probe can be understood as the longitudinal distance between the upper surface of the probe housing assembly 1 and the scalp. In this document, the transverse cavity 22 refers to a cavity extending at least in the transverse direction, which may extend mainly in the transverse direction, but is not necessarily required to be horizontal; the longitudinal cavity 23 refers to a cavity extending at least in the longitudinal direction, which may extend mainly in the longitudinal direction, but is not necessarily required to be vertical.

[0035] The aforementioned housing assembly 1 can be formed as a single piece, or it can comprise multiple housings assembled from them. This application does not impose a specific limitation on this, as long as it facilitates the assembly of the aforementioned optical fiber component 3. The following description will use the example of housing assembly 1 including a first housing 13 and a second housing 14 for specific explanation, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0036] The aforementioned receiving cavity 2 can be understood as a through cavity, with the fiber inlet 11 and the fiber outlet 12 connected. The distal end of the distal section of the fiber component 3 can pass through the fiber inlet 11 into the receiving cavity 2, and then pass through the transverse cavity 22, the bending cavity 21, and the longitudinal cavity 23 in sequence. This allows the fiber component 3 to enter the bending cavity 21 through the relatively straight transverse cavity 22, bend and change the direction of the fiber component 3 through the bending cavity 21, and then pass through the relatively straight longitudinal cavity 23 to the fiber outlet 12. By guiding the direction of the fiber component 3, the problem of the fiber component 3 being affected by excessive bending is ensured.

[0037] The aforementioned bending cavity 21 can be understood as a cavity structure that enables the optical fiber component 3 to bend. Through the bending cavity 21, the optical fiber inlet 11 and the optical fiber outlet 12 can be oriented differently, thereby enabling the optical fiber component 3 to transmit near-infrared light in a direction different from that of the optical fiber inlet 11 after being guided by the receiving cavity 2.

[0038] The fiber optic inlet 11 is located at the end of the transverse cavity 22 away from the bending cavity 21, and the fiber optic outlet 12 is located at the end of the longitudinal cavity 23 away from the bending cavity 21. In some embodiments, a gap is formed between the inner wall surface of the transverse cavity 22 and the outer wall of the fiber optic component 3. This gap allows the fiber optic component 3 to pass smoothly into the transverse cavity 22 while avoiding excessive compression of the fiber optic component 3 and causing damage. In some embodiments, a gap is also formed between the inner wall surface of the longitudinal cavity 23 and the outer wall of the fiber optic component 3 to ensure smooth insertion of the fiber optic component 3 and to avoid damage to the fiber optic component 3.

[0039] In some embodiments, the optical fiber component 3 may be a flexible optical fiber, which has high flexibility and bendability, and can adapt to various complex application environments while maintaining optical performance. Figures 1 to 4The diagram illustrates a bend configuration of the bend 31 that makes the bend more gradual at both the transverse and longitudinal transitions, but this is merely an example. In some embodiments, the bend 31 may not form a bend configuration, but instead form a shorter bend in a smooth manner from the transverse to the longitudinal direction.

[0040] In some embodiments, the bent portion 31 of the optical fiber component 3 may be formed under the action of the bending cavity 21. The bending angle of the bent portion 31 is affected by the material of the bending cavity 21 and the optical fiber component 3 itself. It may be the same as or different from the bending angle of the bending cavity 21. This application does not make specific limitations on this. It is sufficient to effectively bend the optical fiber component 3 while ensuring its service life. The bending angle of the bending cavity 21 can be understood as the angle between the length directions of the two cavities that are respectively connected to both ends of the bending cavity 21, such as the angle between the length direction of the transverse cavity 22 and the length direction of the longitudinal cavity 23 in the following text.

[0041] In some embodiments, the bent portion 31 of the optical fiber component 3 can also be formed by bending. After bending, the bent portion 31 can be formed in the optical fiber component 3, and then the bent portion 31 of the optical fiber component 3 can be installed into the bending cavity 21. In some embodiments, the bending process of the optical fiber component 3 can be performed manually, or it can be performed using an optical fiber bending tool, etc. This application does not specifically limit the specific methods used.

[0042] When the probe of a near-infrared brain functional imaging device is used in conjunction with other brain-stimulating devices, the action surface of the brain-stimulating device is generally located on the side of the probe furthest from the head. That is, the probe is positioned between the head and the action surface of the brain-stimulating device. Through the curved cavity 21 inside the housing assembly 1 and the curved portion 31 of the optical fiber component 3 located within the curved cavity 21, the longitudinal thickness of the probe can be minimized, ensuring that the longitudinal thickness of the probe is no greater than 10 mm or no greater than 6 mm. This effectively reduces the distance between the action surface and the head, thus ensuring the effectiveness of the brain-stimulating device. Here, the brain-stimulating device can be understood as a device that can be used in conjunction with the near-infrared brain functional imaging device, such as a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) device or an MRI device. In the case of a TMS device, the aforementioned action surface can be understood as the surface of the stimulation coil of the TMS device.

[0043] This application utilizes a transverse cavity 22, a curved cavity 21, and a longitudinal cavity 23 sequentially connected within the housing assembly 1. The curved portion 31 of the distal section of the optical fiber component 3 is installed within the curved cavity 21, which minimizes the longitudinal thickness of the probe, ensuring that the longitudinal thickness of the probe is no greater than 10 mm or no greater than 6 mm. This reduces interference caused by the probe's excessive longitudinal thickness when used in conjunction with other brain stimulation devices. For example, in scenarios where near-infrared brain functional imaging devices and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) devices are used together, the aforementioned probe allows the TMS device to be closer to the scalp for stimulation, enabling the stimulation to effectively reach deep brain nuclei.

[0044] For example, a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) device using a figure-eight coil can stimulate the brain to a depth of 2.5cm to 4cm. Even after the stimulation effect of the TMS device is attenuated by the aforementioned probe, the TMS device can still ensure a stimulation depth of about 3cm, so as to ensure that the stimulation effect applied by the TMS device can effectively reach the deep nuclei of the brain.

[0045] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the angle between the tangents at both ends of the bent portion 31 is a right angle, or between 60 and 120 degrees, or between 75 and 105 degrees. (Specifically, this is combined with...) Figure 5 , Figure 5 The included angle A shown is the included angle between the two tangents of the curved part 31.

[0046] By limiting the included angle between the two tangents of the bending portion 31 to a right angle, or 60 to 120 degrees, or 75 to 105 degrees, the backbend and tilt relative to the transverse cavity 22 and longitudinal cavity 23 that occur when the optical fiber component 3 extends into the housing assembly 1 can be significantly reduced. This achieves the goal of protecting the optical fiber component 3 as much as possible while bending it, and facilitates the insertion and installation of the optical fiber component 3 relative to the receiving cavity 2. It should be noted that if the included angle between the two tangents of the bending portion 31 is too small, it will apply excessive bending stress to the optical fiber component 3, leading to breakage or damage to the optical fiber component 3.

[0047] The included angle between the two tangents of the curved portion 31 is preferably any one of 70 degrees, 75 degrees, 80 degrees, 85 degrees, 90 degrees, 95 degrees, 100 degrees, 105 degrees, 110 degrees, and 120 degrees.

[0048] In some embodiments, the radius of curvature of the bend 31 ranges from 3 mm to 7 mm. Preferably, the radius of curvature of the bend 31 of the optical fiber member 3 can range from 3 mm to 5 mm.

[0049] By setting the radius of curvature of the curved portion 31, the longitudinal thickness of the probe can be further reduced, thereby minimizing interference caused by the thick longitudinal thickness of the probe when the near-infrared brain functional imaging device is used in conjunction with other brain-related devices.

[0050] In some embodiments, the radius of curvature of the bent portion 31 of the optical fiber component 3 may be 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, etc. It should be noted that the radius of curvature of the bent portion 31 should not be less than 3 mm, as a radius of curvature of less than 3 mm may pose a risk of breakage to the optical fiber component 3.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the curved portion 31 has an inner side and an outer side, and the curved cavity 21 has a curved inner wall opposite to the inner side of the curved portion 31. The curved inner wall forms a rounded corner structure 4 corresponding to the inner side of the curved portion 31.

[0052] Thus, the rounded corner structure 4 of the curved inner wall can protect the optical fiber component 3 as much as possible and avoid damage to the inner side of the curved part 31 of the optical fiber component 3. This is especially true for cases where the outer surface of the optical fiber body does not have a coating layer. In this case, the optical fiber component 3 is relatively thin, and the rounded corner structure 4 can better protect the optical fiber structure.

[0053] The dimensions of the rounded corner structure 4 can correspond to the dimensions of the inner surface of the bent portion 31, and the two can fit together to support the bent portion 31 through the inner wall of the bend. In some embodiments, a gap can also be formed between the rounded corner structure 4 and the inner surface of the bent portion 31, which can accommodate a solidifiable fluid to facilitate the maintenance of a relatively stable positional relationship between the rounded corner structure 4 and the bent portion 31 through solidification, thereby further protecting the optical fiber component 3.

[0054] In some embodiments, the curvature of the rounded corner structure 4 is not greater than the curvature of the bent portion 31.

[0055] Thus, the rounded corner structure 4 can not only avoid affecting the bending of the optical fiber component 3, but also support the optical fiber component 3, and apply a suitable force to the optical fiber component 3 without applying excessive stress to it.

[0056] The radius of curvature of the rounded corner structure 4 is in the range of 1 mm to 4 mm. Preferably, the radius of curvature of the rounded corner structure 4 is any one of 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm and 4 mm. This application does not specifically limit the size of the rounded corner structure 4, as long as it is not greater than the curvature of the bent portion 31.

[0057] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5As shown, a gap is formed between the middle part of the rounded corner structure 4 and the middle part of the curved part 31, and the two sides of the middle part of the rounded corner structure 4 have contact parts 6 that contact the curved part 31.

[0058] In this way, the gap between the middle part of the rounded corner structure 4 and the middle part of the curved part 31 can fully accommodate the solidifiable fluid, such as the first adhesive and the second adhesive as described below, to improve the positional stability of the optical fiber component 3 in the receiving cavity 2. Furthermore, the contact parts 6 on both sides of the rounded corner structure 4 can stably act on the optical fiber component 3, further ensuring the stability of the optical fiber component 3.

[0059] The gap should not be too large. On the basis of ensuring that the contact part 6 and the bending part 31 are in full contact, it can not only provide stable support for the optical fiber component 3, but also further improve the structural stability of the optical fiber component 3 by filling it with a curable fluid.

[0060] A flexible layer can be formed on the side of the contact portion 6 facing the optical fiber component 3, so that the optical fiber component 3 and the contact portion 6 can make flexible contact, further protecting the optical fiber component 3.

[0061] In some embodiments, the optical fiber component 3 includes multiple optical fiber bodies, each optical fiber body including a fiber core and a cladding structure sleeved outside the fiber core, and the outer surface of the optical fiber body does not have a coating layer.

[0062] Thus, the structure of the optical fiber body allows for a smaller overall size of the optical fiber component 3, thereby reducing the bending resistance of the optical fiber component 3 within the bending cavity 21 and improving the overall flexibility of the optical fiber component 3. Furthermore, the absence of a coating layer on the outer surface of the optical fiber body makes the optical fiber component 3 easier to bend, increasing its flexibility.

[0063] In some embodiments, the radius of the optical fiber body can be in the range of 30 μm to 50 μm, and the core and cladding structures of the optical fiber body have different refractive indices to achieve total internal reflection of light at the interface.

[0064] The fiber component 3 using the above-mentioned multiple fiber bodies can reduce the radius of curvature of the bending part 31 to 3mm to 5mm without breaking or damaging the fiber component 3. In this way, the longitudinal thickness of the probe can even be controlled to no more than 8mm, such as 8mm, 7.5mm, 7mm, 6.5mm, 6mm, etc.

[0065] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the housing assembly 1 includes a first housing 13 and a second housing 14. The first housing 13 and the second housing 14 cooperate to form a receiving cavity 2. The first housing 13 has an open side corresponding to the transverse cavity 22 and the curved cavity 21. The second housing 14 is detachably connected to the open side of the first housing 13 to cover or expose the transverse cavity 22 and the curved cavity 21.

[0066] Thus, the first housing 13 and the second housing 14, which are detachably connected, can be opened or closed. This allows the receiving cavity 2 to be opened via the open side of the first housing 13 so that the optical fiber component 3 can be placed into the housing assembly 1. This enables operations such as bending, inserting, and removing the optical fiber component 3, ensuring that the optical fiber component 3 is protected as much as possible during operation and extending its service life.

[0067] The aforementioned second housing 14 has an installed state where it is mounted on the first housing 13, and also a disassembled state where it is detached from the first housing 13. For example... Figures 1 to 5 As shown, Figures 1 to 4 The second housing 14 shown is in the installed state. Figure 5 The second housing 14 shown is in a disassembled state. When the second housing 14 is in a disassembled state, the optical fiber component 3 can be installed inside the first housing 13, and then the second housing 14 is fastened to the opening of the first housing 13, thereby facilitating the insertion of the optical fiber component 3 into the housing assembly 1.

[0068] like Figure 1 As shown, the longitudinal cavity 23 can be formed by the first housing 13, and the bending cavity 21 and the transverse cavity 22 can be formed by the cooperation of the first housing 13 and the second housing 14. After the second housing 14 is removed from the first housing 13, the bending cavity 21 and the transverse cavity 22 can be exposed to facilitate the operation of the optical fiber component 3.

[0069] In some embodiments, the second housing 14 can be pivotally connected to the first housing 13, and the receiving cavity 2 can be covered or exposed by rotating the second housing 14.

[0070] In some embodiments, the receiving cavity 2 contains a first adhesive and a second adhesive, which are fitted together to wrap around the distal section of the optical fiber component 3. The first adhesive is disposed corresponding to the optical fiber outlet 12, and the second adhesive is disposed corresponding to the bending cavity 21 and the optical fiber inlet 11. The curing strength of the first adhesive after curing is greater than that of the second adhesive after curing.

[0071] Thus, the first and second adhesives can stably and firmly fix the optical fiber component 3 within the receiving cavity 2, ensuring both the structural strength of the optical fiber component 3 and increasing its installation stability, thereby guaranteeing the validity of the data collected by the probe. Furthermore, the curing strength of the first adhesive after curing is greater than that of the second adhesive, enabling the optical fiber component 3 at the optical fiber outlet 12 to be more stably fixed within the receiving cavity 2, preventing instability caused by contact between the optical fiber component 3 at the optical fiber outlet 12 and the probe head.

[0072] The first adhesive and / or the second adhesive described above can be made of a material capable of transforming from a liquid or semi-liquid state to a solid state, such as epoxy resin. When both the first and second adhesives are made of epoxy resin, their compositions can differ, resulting in different cured strengths after curing.

[0073] In some embodiments, after the second housing 14 is detached from the first housing 13 and the optical fiber component 3 is placed in the receiving cavity 2, the first adhesive can be injected into the receiving cavity 2 through the optical fiber outlet 12 and the second adhesive can be injected into the receiving cavity 2 through the optical fiber inlet 11 until the first adhesive and the second adhesive fill the receiving cavity 2 together, so that the first adhesive and the second adhesive can be cured in the receiving cavity 2 and stably wrap the optical fiber component 3, so that the optical fiber component 3 is stably and firmly fixed in the receiving cavity 2.

[0074] In some embodiments, after the first adhesive and the second adhesive are injected into the receiving cavity 2, the second housing 14 can be installed on the first housing 13 to cover the receiving cavity 2 before the first adhesive and the second adhesive are cured, thereby completing the curing process of the first adhesive and the second adhesive in a relatively sealed state.

[0075] In some embodiments, the probe further includes a sheath 5, which is connected to the optical fiber inlet 11 of the housing assembly 1 and is fitted over the optical fiber component 3.

[0076] Thus, by setting the sheath 5, the fiber optic component 3 located outside the housing assembly 1 can be better protected, thereby extending the service life of the fiber optic component 3.

[0077] Optionally, the aforementioned sheath 5 can be detachably connected to the housing assembly 1. In some other optional embodiments, the sheath 5 can be made of a material that can deform when heated, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The sheath 5 can expand when heated and fit over the outside of the housing assembly 1, and shrink after natural cooling, so that the sheath 5 can be tightly fitted over the housing assembly 1, achieving a stable connection between the sheath 5 and the housing assembly 1.

[0078] A gap is formed between the sheath 5 and the optical fiber component 3. This gap allows the optical fiber component 3 to bend and stretch freely within the sheath 5 while protecting it, thereby extending the service life of the optical fiber component 3. Especially during probe use, the portion of the optical fiber component 3 located outside the housing assembly 1 can undergo adaptive deformation as the probe is operated, increasing the flexibility of probe operation.

[0079] In some embodiments, such as Figures 1 to 4 As shown, a protrusion 15 or a flat extension 16 is formed at the optical fiber outlet 12 of the housing assembly 1. The protrusion 15 corresponds to the first type of brain region and is used to part the hair located around the probe. The flat extension 16 corresponds to the second type of brain region and is used to allow the probe to directly contact the scalp. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, Figure 4 The diagram shows a flat extension 16. Figure 5 The image shows a protrusion 15.

[0080] In this way, the protrusion 15 or flat extension 16 formed at the optical fiber outlet 12 can be adapted to different types of brain regions, so as to set the probes in a targeted manner for different types of brain regions, thereby improving the flexibility of probe setting.

[0081] The first type of brain region can be understood as the corresponding brain regions with relatively dense hair, such as the occipital region and the left and right temporal lobes. The second type of brain region can be understood as the corresponding brain regions with relatively sparse hair or hairless regions, such as the frontal region.

[0082] The aforementioned protrusion 15 can be constructed in a tapered shape to facilitate insertion of the protrusion 15 into the hair, thereby separating the hair located around the probe. The diameter of the protrusion 15 can range from 3 mm to 5 mm, and the height can range from 0.4 mm to 1 mm, preferably from 0.6 mm to 0.7 mm. Specifically, the diameter of the protrusion 15 can be any of the following dimensions: 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 4.66 mm, and 5 mm.

[0083] In some embodiments, the overall longitudinal thickness of the probe using the flat extension 16 can be less than the overall longitudinal thickness of the probe using the protrusion 15, so that for brain regions where hair does not need to be parted, the longitudinal thickness of the probe can be minimized as much as possible, thereby reducing the interaction distance between other brain-stimulating devices and the head and improving the effect.

[0084] The side of the flat extension 16 facing the head can be constructed as a plane or an arc surface to enable the flat extension 16 to fit better against the head, thereby ensuring the fit between the probe and the head.

[0085] In some embodiments, the probe is used in conjunction with a transcranial magnetic stimulation device or an MRI device.

[0086] This expands the applicable scenarios for probes used in near-infrared brain functional imaging (NIRS) devices. In scenarios where NIRS devices and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) devices are used in conjunction, the probe allows the TMS device to be closer to the scalp for stimulation, enabling the stimulation to effectively reach deep brain nuclei. In scenarios where NIRS devices and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices are used in conjunction, the probes of any of the above embodiments can reduce the pressure on the user's head during fNIRS testing in a lying position under MRI conditions, thus reducing user discomfort during the combined use of NIRS devices and MRI.

[0087] This application also provides a near-infrared brain functional imaging device for use in conjunction with a transcranial magnetic stimulation device, including a probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device according to any of the above embodiments.

[0088] The near-infrared brain functional imaging device using the above-mentioned probe, in conjunction with a transcranial magnetic stimulation device, can minimize the longitudinal thickness of the probe by using the transverse cavity 22, the curved cavity 21, and the longitudinal cavity 23 sequentially connected inside the housing assembly 1. The curved portion 31 of the distal section of the fiber optic component 3 is installed in the curved cavity 21. This minimizes the longitudinal thickness of the probe, ensuring that the longitudinal thickness of the probe is no more than 10 mm or no more than 6 mm. This reduces interference caused by the probe's excessive longitudinal thickness when used in conjunction with other brain stimulation devices. For example, in scenarios where the near-infrared brain functional imaging device and the transcranial magnetic stimulation device are used in conjunction, the probe allows the transcranial magnetic stimulation device to be closer to the scalp to apply stimulation, enabling the stimulation applied by the transcranial magnetic stimulation device to effectively reach the deep brain nuclei.

[0089] Furthermore, although exemplary embodiments have been described herein, their scope includes any and all embodiments based on this application that have equivalent elements, modifications, omissions, combinations (e.g., schemes involving intersections of various embodiments), adaptations, or alterations. Elements in the claims will be interpreted broadly based on the language used in the claims and are not limited to the examples described in this specification or during the implementation of this application, and such examples will be interpreted as non-exclusive.

[0090] The above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. For example, the above examples (or one or more of them) can be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments may be used by those skilled in the art upon reading the above description. Furthermore, in the above detailed description, various features may be grouped together to simplify the application. This should not be construed as an intention that a disclosed feature not claimed is necessary for any claim. Rather, the subject matter of the application may be less than all the features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims are incorporated herein by reference as examples or embodiments, wherein each claim is an independent, separate embodiment, and these embodiments are contemplated as being combined with each other in various combinations or arrangements. The scope of this application should be determined by reference to the appended claims and the full scope of their equivalents.

[0091] The above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. The scope of protection of this application is defined by the claims. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications or equivalent substitutions to this application within its substance and scope of protection, and such modifications or equivalent substitutions should also be considered to fall within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A probe for near-infrared brain functional imaging equipment, characterized in that, include: The housing assembly has an internal cavity that includes a transverse cavity, a curved cavity, and a longitudinal cavity that are connected in sequence. The transverse cavity has an optical fiber inlet, and the longitudinal cavity has an optical fiber outlet. An optical fiber component having a distal section installed in the receiving cavity, the proximal end of the distal section being located at the optical fiber inlet to introduce near-infrared light, the distal end of the distal section being located at the optical fiber outlet to emit near-infrared light, and the distal section having a bend in the bend cavity such that the longitudinal thickness of the probe is not greater than 10 mm, or the longitudinal thickness of the probe is not greater than 6 mm.

2. The probe for near-infrared brain functional imaging equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The included angle between the tangents at both ends of the curved portion is a right angle, or 60 to 120 degrees, or 75 to 105 degrees.

3. The probe for near-infrared brain functional imaging equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radius of curvature of the curved portion ranges from 3 mm to 7 mm.

4. The probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The curved portion has an inner side and an outer side, and the curved cavity has a curved inner wall opposite to the inner side of the curved portion, the curved inner wall forming a rounded corner structure corresponding to the inner side of the curved portion.

5. The probe for near-infrared brain functional imaging equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The curvature of the rounded corner structure is not greater than the curvature of the curved portion.

6. The probe for near-infrared brain functional imaging equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, A gap is formed between the middle part of the rounded corner structure and the middle part of the curved part, and the two sides of the middle part of the rounded corner structure have contact parts that contact the curved part.

7. The probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The optical fiber component includes multiple optical fiber bodies, each optical fiber body including a fiber core and a cladding structure sleeved outside the fiber core, and the outer surface of the optical fiber body does not have a coating layer.

8. The probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The housing assembly includes a first housing and a second housing, which cooperate to form the receiving cavity. The first housing has an open side corresponding to the transverse cavity and the curved cavity. The second housing is detachably connected to the open side of the first housing to cover or expose the transverse cavity and the curved cavity.

9. The probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The receiving cavity contains a first adhesive and a second adhesive, which are fitted together to wrap around the distal section of the optical fiber component. The first adhesive is positioned corresponding to the optical fiber outlet, and the second adhesive is positioned corresponding to the bending cavity and the optical fiber inlet. The curing strength of the first adhesive after curing is greater than that of the second adhesive after curing.

10. The probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The probe also includes a sheath, which is connected to the optical fiber inlet of the housing assembly and is fitted over the optical fiber component.

11. The probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The housing assembly has a protrusion or a flat extension at the optical fiber outlet. The protrusion is positioned in the first type of brain region and is used to part the hair located around the probe. The flat extension is positioned in the second type of brain region and is used to allow the probe to directly contact the scalp.

12. The probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The probe is intended for use in conjunction with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices.

13. A near-infrared brain functional imaging device used in conjunction with a transcranial magnetic stimulation device, characterized in that, Including a probe for a near-infrared brain functional imaging device as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

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