Telecentric Optical Sensor with Bent Light Pipe
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated blood analyzers face challenges in acquiring high-quality and consistent imagery for analyte detection due to manufacturing differences in test cartridges and inhomogeneous illumination, leading to inconsistent analyte testing results.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a telecentric imaging system with a bent light pipe conduit that supports total internal reflection, ensuring consistent magnification and focus across test cartridges, combined with a single structure housing the container, lens, and optical detector, and using LEDs of different colors for homogeneous illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional imaging system is used in automated blood analyzers, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and consistency of analyte detection deteriorate due to manufacturing differences and inhomogeneous illumination
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system is segmented into three integrated components housed in a single structure: a container for the biochemical sample, a lens for light focusing, and an optical detector for light detection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system consistency and reducing manufacturing variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The container, lens, and optical detector are merged into a single integrated structure that houses all components in fixed relative positions. This merging eliminates alignment issues between separate components and ensures consistent optical paths across different test cartridges, directly improving measurement precision.
2Illumination intensity
If multiple light sources are used to illuminate the biochemical sample, then the illumination coverage is improved, but the inhomogeneous illumination introduces analytical variations between images
Solution Approach 1:
The light conduit is designed with a bent geometry that creates a non-linear optical path, distributing light from multiple LED sources uniformly across the sample container. This local optimization of light distribution ensures homogeneous illumination intensity across the entire sample area, eliminating analytical variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The light conduit features a bent or curved configuration rather than a straight path. This curvature allows light from multiple LED sources to be distributed more evenly across the sample container, creating homogeneous illumination that improves analytical consistency across different images.
3Measurement precision
If telecentric imaging is implemented to maintain constant magnification, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional optical components
Solution Approach 1:
The telecentric imaging function is achieved by merging the lens and optical detector into a single integrated structure with fixed relative positioning. This integration simplifies the optical system while maintaining constant magnification, as the fixed geometry ensures consistent optical paths without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is segmented into discrete components (lens, optical detector, container) housed in a single structure, with each component optimized for its specific function. This segmentation allows the telecentric imaging to be achieved through precise component placement rather than complex optical designs.
4Measurement precision
If manufacturing differences in test cartridges are reduced to improve consistency, then the measurement precision improves, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container, lens, and optical detector are merged into a single monolithic structure that is manufactured as one piece. This eliminates the need for precise assembly and alignment of separate components, as all optical elements are fixed in their correct positions during the manufacturing process itself, reducing both manufacturing precision requirements and improving image consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented such that the optical components are integrated into the container structure itself, allowing the entire assembly to be manufactured using standard molding techniques with relaxed tolerances, rather than requiring precision assembly of separately manufactured components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures consistent and predictable analyte detection results by maintaining constant magnification and focus, reducing defocusing errors, and providing homogeneous illumination, thereby improving the performance of sample analysis and reducing the need for complex calibration methods.
Implementation Method 1
The light conduit can support total internal reflection of light received from the light source at a first end of the light conduit and can deliver reflected light to the container at a second end of the conduit.
Data Source
AI summary
Technology described in this document can be embodied in a system for detecting analytes in a biochemical sample. The system includes a container configured to contain the biochemical sample. The system also includes a light source, an optical detector, a lens, and an optical aperture. The lens is disposed between the container and the optical detector, and the optical aperture is disposed between the lens and the optical detector. The system further includes a structure configured to house the container, the optical aperture, the lens, and the optical detector.