Variable-Pathlength Fiber-Optic Probe for Dissolution Measurement Range
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fiber-optic transmission probes require multiple fixed-pathlength probes or interchangeable tips to cover all desired concentration measurements, leading to inefficiencies and increased complexity.
Innovation Solution
A single fiber-optic transmission probe with a single tip and adjustable pathlengths achieved through various pathlength adjusters, allowing for different optical pathlengths without the need for multiple probes or interchangeable tips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fixed-pathlength probes or interchangeable tips are used to cover all desired concentration measurements, then the measurement range is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The probe incorporates a movable mirror that can be positioned at different locations along the optical path, allowing the effective pathlength to be dynamically adjusted. This dynamic adjustment mechanism enables a single probe to provide multiple fixed pathlength options (e.g., 1mm, 2mm, 5mm, 10mm) without requiring multiple physical probes or interchangeable tips, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement range and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The single probe design integrates multiple pathlength capabilities into one device through the movable mirror mechanism. This universal probe can perform measurements across a wide concentration range by adjusting the mirror position, eliminating the need for multiple specialized probes or tip sets, thus improving adaptability while reducing device complexity
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
Enables flexible and efficient measurement of a wide range of analyte concentrations using a single probe, reducing complexity and cost by eliminating the need for multiple probes or tips.
Implementation Method 1
Since the absorbance measurement is based on Beer's Law, the pathlength of the probe must be in a suitable range to allow measurement of the desired concentrations while staying within the linear absorbance range of the instrument.
Data Source
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AI summary
A fiber-optic transmission probe system for, for example, dissolution testing, includes a single probe (100), a single probe tip (200), and a number of pathlength adjusters (402, 502) of different lengths. The transmission probe system is usable to assemble different probe assemblies having different, desired optical pathlengths, where each probe assembly has either no pathlength adjuster or a different one of the pathlength adjusters. The probe system avoids the prior-art requirements of having either (i) multiple probes of different, fixed optical pathlengths or (ii) a probe with multiple probe tips of different, fixed lengths to achieve the different, desired optical pathlengths.