CA1207568A - Optical connector for use during photometric analysis - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract An optical connector for connecting photometric analysis equipment which includes a transmitting and receiving light pipe to a material such as flowing blood wherein the blood is not contaminated by the light pipe.
The connector has a flow passage therethrough for connec-tion to the blood flow conduit and a light pipe receiving passage extending at a right angle thereto. At the inter-section of the passages there is provided an image trans-ferring window, and the light pipe is arranged to be snugly received in the pipe receiving passage in abutment with the window. The image transferring properties of the window are such that no optical distortion occurs as light is transmitted from one face to the opposite face thereof. This is accomplished by forming the window of a coherent bundle of optical fibers of very small individual diameters in the order of 0.003 inches or less.

Description

~Z~7S68 1 The present invention relates to devices foroptically

2 connecting photometric analysis equipment to samples

3 of fluid and more particularly relates to apparatus for

4 connecting photometric analysis equipment having receiving and transmitting light pipes to flowing blood in a manner 6 whereby the blood will not be contaminated by the photo-7 metric analysis equipment.
~ Optical geometry is a critical parameter in carry-9 ing out photometric analysis of various substances.
For example, where a population of optical catheters Il are interchangeably used for transmitting light to and 12 receiving reflected light from blood during measurements 13 of oxyhemoglobin saturation (SO2) levels, the establish-14 ment of uniform geometry between the optical apertures of ~che transmitting and receiving fibers in each member ~6 of the optical catheter population permits a univeral 17 calibration to be performed for the entire population 18 of optical catheters. A means for achieving such uniform 19 optical geometry from catheter to catheter is disclosed in Canadian Patent No. 1,0~9,252. Once an initial calibra-21 tion is performed with one of the members of th'e optical 22 catheter population constructed in accordance with Canadian 23 Patent No. 1,089,252, any of the members of the catheter 24 population can be utilized to measure oxyhemoglobin satura-tion by simply standardizing the,light transmissive proper-26 ties of the selected optical catheter. The tip of the 27 selected optical catheter is thereafter inserted into 2~ the blood flow of a patient and the remaining end of 29 the catheter is connected to an oximeter of the type30 disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 3~638,640 issued February 1, ~Z~75~

1 1972 to Shaw; U. S. Patent No. 3,847,483 issued November 12, 2 1974 to Shaw et al., or U. S. Patent No. 4,114,604 3 issued September 19, 1978 to Shaw et al.
4 Where the population of optical catheters are designed for in vivo insertion, suitable surgical procedures 6 are employed to place one selected member of the optical 7 catheter population in the blood stream of a patient.
~ Thereafter, any remaining member of the population of g optical catheters can be used interchangeably with the first selected member as previously indicated. Where Il extracorporeal determinations of oxyhemoglobin saturation 12 levels are required, such as may occur during cardiopulmon-13 ary bypass (CPB) operations, conventional optical catheter 14 techniques are less efficient. Extracorporeal in vitro lS measurements of SO2 can, of course, be obtained by inserting 1~ the tip of a selected optical catheter through appropri-17 ate tubing adaptors into the blood flowing through the 1~ cardiopulmonary bypass system. As is the case when in 19 vivo measurements are involved, sterility, nontoxicity and cleaning considerations demand that catheters employed 21 for in vitro measurements be disposed of after a single 22 use. In contrast to the relatively long-term placement 23 of optical catheters during in vivo SO2 level monitoring, 24 however, this short-term, once only use of optical catheters 2~ to obtain extracorporeal, in vitro SO2 measurements can a6 prove unjustifiably expensive. Accordingly, a reliable 27 and economically practical means for providing an external 2~ optical connection between photometric analyzing equipment 29 and an extracorporeal sample of fluid would be of obvious 3~ a~vantage.

12~:)7S~;8 I With the apparatus of the present invention a means is 2 provided for readily obtaining a photometric analysis 3 of extracorporeal blood with conventional photometric 4 analysis equipment including a catheter normally intended for insertion into the bloodstream of a patient. Thus, 6 the apparatus includes a tubular member having a flow 7 passage therethrough with the ends of the member being 8 adapted to be connected to the conduit carrying the blood 9 while it is out of the patient's body. The tubular member has a stem attached thereto and extending at an angle Il therefrom which stem has a relatively narrow interior 12 passage that intersects the flow passage. The narrow 13 stem passage serves to receive the end of the light trans-14 mitting and receiving member in close fitting relation-lS ship. A window is positioned at the intersection of 16 the passages with one face exposed to the blood flow 17 in the flow passage and the opposite face exposed to 13 the end of the light transmitting and receiving member~
19 thus insulating the member from the blood to prevent contaminati~n. Since it is critical that the optical 2~ geometry of the transmitting and receiving light pipes 22 remain unaltered with respect to the geometry which is 23 present when the pipes are immersed in the blood flow, 24 the window comprises an image transferring device so that the light pattern received on one face is transmitted 2~ to the other face and vice versa without optical distor-27 tion. Preferably, this device is made up of a bundle 2~ of coherent optical fibers extending between the faces ~9 and having very small individual diameters in the order of 0.003 inches or less.

12~75~8 I It will thus be seen that the optical connector 2 of the present invention permits a conventional catheter 3 type input to photometric anal~sis equipment to be repeatedly ~ used in making photometric analysis of blood without contaminating the blood and without requiring any recalibra-6 tions due to optical distortion introduced by the connector., 7 The invention will now be described in qreater 8 detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in 9 which:
Figure l is a schematic illustration of an optical 11 connector having a chamber for holding a sample of material 12 to be photometrically analyzed and an optical window 13 means for passing radiant energy between the chamber 14 and the exter,ior of the optical connector;
lS . Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view taken on line 16 lA-lA of Figure 2B of a light pipe suitable for use with 17 the optical connector of the present invention;
18 Figure 2B is a top view of the light pipe of Figure 19 2A;
Figure 3 schematically illustrates an optical 21 connector constructed in accordance with the present 22 invention, which ,optical connector employs an optical 23 window comprising a bundle of individual optical fibers 24 Figure 4 is a schematic illustratin of another 2S embodiment of an optical connector which emPloys an optical 26 window comprising a thin transparent substance;
27 Figure 5 is yet another embodiment of an optical 28 connector including a lens element for focusing radiant 29 energy between the tip of the optical connector light 3~ guide and the optical window in the optical interfacing ~ZI~)7Sf~;8 .
I strUcture;
2 Figures 6A-6D illustrate the optical connector 3 configuration of Figure 3 in detail and the apparatus 4 which is used to connect it to the photometric analysis S equipment; and 6 Figure 7 illustrates a reference sheath which.
7 provides a reference standard for the optical connector ~ of Figures 6A-6D.
9 As previously indicated, the optical connector of the present invention is designed to optically inter-11 face a sample of material, particularly flowing blood, 12 with photometric analysis equipment for the purpose of 13 performing photometric analysis. The optical connector 14 schematically. illustrated in Figure 1 thus comprises IS an optical interfacing structure 100 having a chamber 16 102 formed therein to receive the sample of material 17 104 bei.ng analyzed by photometric analysis equipment 18 106. During photometric analysis, radiant energy is 19 directed toward the sample of material and at least partially reflected therefrom in a manner which provides an indication 21 of the properties of the material. To this end, photo-22 metric analysis equipment 106 includes a source 108 of 23 radiant energy and a radiant energy detector 110. Because 24 changes in the geometry existing between the optical 2~ apertures of the radiant energy source and detector relative 26 to the material undergoing analysis will affect the accuracy 27 of the results o~ the analysis, direct or immediate physical 2~ contact between the optical apertures of the radiant 29 energy source and detector and the sample of material should ideally be made. Such is the case, for example, s~

1 where the sample of material is a fluid sample contained 2 in a cuvette and the walls of the cuvette act as the 3 optical apertures of the source and detector. Such is ~ also the case where optical catheters are placed in the bloodstream of a patient during in vivo photometric analysis, 6 bringing the optical apertures at the tip of the catheter 7 directly into contact with the blood. If the photometric ~ analysis is being conducted in vivo, however, the aforemen-g tioned considerations of sterility and non-toxicity render ~o some sort of separation between the optical apertures 1l of the source and detector and the sample of material 12 highly advantageous. Accordingly, the optical interac-13 ing structure 100 of the present invention is provided 14 with an optical window means 112 through which radiant lS energy can pass. When the radiant energy source 10~
16 and detector 110 are brought into abutment with the outer 17 surface 114 of optical window means 112, optical communica-18 tion with the sample of material 104 received in chamber 19 102 of optical interfacing structure 100 is achieved but physical contact between the sample and the source 21 and detector is prevented.
22 The accurac~ of the photometric analysis subse-23 quently performed is enhanced ~y designing optical window 24 means 112 to optically replicate or simulate the radiant energy-sample interface which would occur if the source 2~ and detector were in fact in direct physical contact 27 with the sample. That is, optical window means 112 is 28 designed to transfer images between the sample-window 29 interface at the inner surface 116 of optical window means 112 and the outer surface 114 thereof with minimal c 6-~Z~75~

1 distortion. Upon reaching the outer surface 114, radlant 2 energy leaving source 108 appears to immediately enter the 3 sample of material 104 in chamber 102, whereas radiant 4 energy reflected Erom the sample of material appears ~ immediately to enter detector 110 upon reaching inner 6 surface 116. In this manner, the optical relationships 7 which would exist if the optical apertures of the source 8 and detector were actually immersed in the sample of 9 material are reproduced to increase the accuracy of the photometric analysis while sterile and non-toxic condi-~1 tions are maintained by the presence of optical window 12 means 112 between the sample of material and the photo-l3 metric analysis equipment. One type of optical window l4 means suitabl,e for accomplishing the desired image transfer is the image conduit available from American Optical 16 Company, which image conduit consists of a coherent bundle 17 of optical fibers having individual diameters of 0.003 l8 inches or less.
I9 The ability to optically transfer minimally-distorted images from the interior of optical interfacing 2I structure 100 to the optical interfacing structure exterior 22 enables the constr~ction of a population of optical inter-23 facing structures having uniform optical geometries. As 24 long as the optical properties of the optical window means 2~ employed in each optical interfacing structure of the 26 population are kept constant throughout the population, and 27 as long as the optical apertures of the radiant energy 2~ source 108 and the detector 110 are brought into abutment 29 with the outer surfaces of the optical window means, a uniform geometry between the optical apertures of the _7_ 12~7S~8 I source and detector and the samples of material held in the 2 chambers 102 of the optical interfcing structures can be 3 maintained throughout the population of optical inter-4 facing structures. Hence, even though periodic restandard-~ ization of the photometric analysis equipment 106 may be 6 necessary, the various members of the population of optical 7 interfacing structures can be used interchangeably with one ~ another for holding samples of material during photometric 9 analysis without having to perform relatively long and complicated recalibrations of the photometric analysis Il equipment following each substitution of one optical 12 interfacing structure for another.
l3 Although optimum results are obtained by position-14 ing the radiant energy source 108 and detector 110 of photometric analysis equipment 106 in abutting contact with 16 the optical window means 112 of optical interfacing ~7 structure 100, it is often impractical to utilize photo-l8 metric analysis equipment in this configuration during 19 actual photometric analysis. If large numbers of photo-metric analysis measurements are required, for example, 2I such as may occur in a hospital setting where a number of 22 patients are simultaneously connected to cardiopulmonary 2~ by-pass systems, the photometric analysis equipment must be 2~ portable and the various optical components involved must 2~ have a quick connect/disconnect capability. Consequently, 2~ an intermediate optical communicator, e.g., a light pipe is 27 provided which can be affi~ed at one end to tne portable 2~ photometric analysis equipment and quickly attached at the 29 other end to a waiting optical interfacing structure.

d7 ~

12~b7S68 ~ Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view and Figure 2B is 2 a top view of one type of light pipe 2 suitable Eor use with 3 the optical connector or interfacing structure of the 4 present invention which receives a sample of material for ~ analysis. Light pipe 2 comprises an optical transmitting 6 fiber 4 for transmitting radiant energy to the sample of 7 material and an optical receiving fiber 6 for receiving ~ radiant energy reflected from the sample. A protective 9 sheath 7 surrounds the two optical fibers 4 and 6.
Although only one optical transmitting fiber 4 and one 11 optical receiving fiber 6 are illustrated in Figure 2A, it 12 is understood that light pipe 2 can function satisfactorily 13 with any number of optical transmitting fibers and any 14 number of opt1cal receiving fibers. One end of light pipe lS 2 is adapted for attachment to photometric analysis equip-16 ment (not shown in Figures 2A and 2B). Representative 17 examples of photometric analysis equipment are disclosed in 18 the aforementioned U. S. Patent Nos. 3,638,640; 3,847,483 19 and 4,114,604. The remaining tip or end ~ of light pipe 2 containing the respective distal ends 9, l0 of optical 21 transmitting and receiving fibers 4, 6 is designed to 22 optically interfaçe with the sample of material being 23 analyzed. If a population of light pipes 2 are utilized to 24 interact with a plurality of optical connectors as des-2~ cribed below, it is necessary that each member of the light 26 pipe population be constructed in uniform fashion to ~ provide a constant optical relationship between the optical 28 transmitting and receiving fibers from light pipe to light 29 pipe. If desired, the light pipes 2 utilized for operation _9_ 12~7568 o I with the optical connectors may be selected from a popu,la-2 tion of light pipes wherein each and every optical trans-3 mitting fiber and each and every optical receiving fiber - 4 associated with the individual members of the light pipe ~ population are constructed and oriented in the manner 6 taught by Canadian Patent No. 1,089,252, the disclosure of 7 which is incorporated herein by reference. Hence, where ~ the population of light pipes consist of single optical 9 transmitting fiber - signal optical receiving fiber light pipes such as light pipe 2, the positional relationship Il between the distal end 9 of optical transmitting fiber 4 ~2 and the distal end 10 of optical receiving fiber 6 for each 13 light pipe, as well as the respective shapes and cross-14 sectional areas of the distal ends 9, 10 are fixed and constant throughout the light pipe population. This ~6 positional relationsh;p may be a co-planar relationship as 7 illustrated in Figure 2B, or it may be some other relative 18 orientation capable of reproduction.
19 Figure 3 illustrates in schematic form an optical connector configuration capable of providing a predeter-21 mined optical geometry at the light pipe-to-sample optical 22 interference, whereby the predetermined optical geometry 23 will remain uniform throughout a plurality of optical 24 connectors constructed in accordance with the present 2S invention. The optical connector configuration of Figure 3 26 is specifically designed for use with fluid samples, and 27 consequently employs an optical interfacing structure 11 2~ including a chamber 12 having an inlet port 13 and an 2~ outlet port 14 for respectively receiving and discharging fluid to be analyzed. An optical window 15 is formed in . ~ .

12075~i8 1 one side of optical interfacing structure 11. Optical 2 window 15 comprises an image conduit which, as indicated 3 above in connection with Figure 1, transfers images between 4 the inner surface 15' of the optical window and the outer surface 15" thereof in order to replicate the optical rela-6 tionships that would have existed between the distal ends 7 9, 10 of light pipe 2 and the fluid sample i chamber 12 had the light pipe 2 been inserted directly into the fluid. As g also indicated above in connection with Figure 1, the outer surface of optical window 15 provides an abutting contact 11 surface 9 within manufacturing tolerances) for the tip 8 of 12 light pipe 2. It can thus be seen that the optical window 13 fluidically isolates light pipe 2 from the fluid in chamber 14 12 while simultaneously permitting the transfer of images without distortion between the fluid and the distal ends 9, 16 10 (not shown in Figure 3) of the optical transmitting and 17 receiving fibers at the tip 8 of the light pipe. If the 18 optical connector of Figure 3 is used in connection with 19 oxyhemoglobin saturation measurements during cardiopulmon-ary by-pass operations, inlet port 13 may be connected to a 21 blood in-flow tube 16 while outlet port ~4 is connected to 22 a blood out-flow t,ube 17.
23 The abutting contact between the tip 8 o~ light pipe 24 2 and the optical window 15 in optical interfacing structure 11 serves two purposes. First, the abutting 26 contact eliminates potential interference with the photo-27 metric analysis due to specular reflection from the 28 surfaces of optical window 15. Second~ and more 29 importantly, the abutting contact establishes a fixed optical relationship between the distal ends 9, 10 o'f the lZ()7568 - -;

1 optical transmitting and receiving fibers 4, 6 in light 2 pipe 2 and the fluid in chamber 12 of the optical inter-3 facing structure. During the manufacture of a population 4 of optical interfacing structures 11, the optical proper-ties of the optical windows 15 in the various individual 6 optical interfacing structures are uniformly controlled 7 such that constant image transfer characteristics are 8 achieved. Consequently, whenever the tip 8 of a light pipe 9 2 selected form the population of light pipes disclosed in connection with Figures 2A and 2B is brought into abutting 11 contact with an optical window 15 in any selected member of 12 the population of optical interfacing structures 11, the ~3 original optical geometry existing between the distal ends 14 of the optical transmitting and receiving fibers 4, 6 in lS light pipe 2 and the sample of fluid in chamber 12 is 16 replicated. This ability to replicate optical geometries, 17 i.e., to establish a uniform optical geometry at the li~ht 18 pipe-to-fluid optical interface for the entire population 19 of light pipes relative to the entire population of optical interfacing members, makes possible the interchangeable 21 use of members of the light pipe and optical interfacing 22 structure populati,ons without having to recalibrate the 23 photometric analysis equipment each time a different ]ight 24 pipe and optical interfacing structure combination is involved.
26 Turning to Figure 4, another configuration for an 27 optical connector constructed in accordance with the 2~ present invention is schematically shown. The optical 29 connector configuration of Figure 4 exhibits the same optical geometry as the optical connector configuration of -i2-12~75fi8 I Figure 3, and includes an optical interfacing structur~ 182 having a chamber 19 for holding the sample of fluid to be 3 analyzed. The optical window 15 of Figure 1, however, is 4 replaced with a thin transparent window 20 having a thick-~ ness of 0.005 inches or less. The tip 8 of light pipe 2 is 6 again brought into contact with thin transparent window 20 7 to establish a fixed optical relationship between the distal ends 9, 10 tnot shown in Figure 4) of the optical 9 transmitting and receiving fibers 4, 6 in the light pipe iO and the fluid in chamber 19 of optical interfacing 1I structure 18. In contrast to optical window 15, no special 12 image transfer properties are associated with transparent 13 window 20. Nevertheless, the thickness of transparent 14 window 20 approaches zero thickness and effectively reduces .distortion of radiant energy passing through the apertures 16 of the optical transmitting and receiving fibers b~ mini-17 mizing the distance separating the fluid in chamber 19 from ~8 the distal ends of the optical transmitting and receiving 19 ~ibers. As is the case with optical window 15, then, the light pipe-to-fluid interface that would exist if light ~I pipe 2 were immersed in the fluid sample is optically 22 replicated at the.point of contact between transparent 23 window 20 and the light pipe. It can also be seen that a 2~ population of optical interfacing structures having the configuration disclosed in Figure 4 will all provide 26 substantially uniform optical geometries with respect to 27 the population of light pipes disclosed in Figures 2A and 28 2B, and again the various members of the light pipe and 29 optical interfacing structure populations may be used interchangeably without having to recalibrate for each lZ~;)7568 I individual optical interfacing structure-light pipe 2 combination.
3 Figure 5 schematically depicts yet another optical ~ connector configuration, wherein a lens element 22 is S interposed between light pipe 2 and optical window 24 in 6 optical interfacing structure 25. Optical interfacing 7 structure 25, of course, includes a fluid-receiving chamber ~ 26. Optical window 24 is a transparent type of window such g as transparent window 20 of Figure 4, although the thick-ness of optical window 24 may if desired be greater than1I the thickness of transparent window 20. Lens element 22 is 12 positioned at a fixed distance from optical window 24. A
13 stop means 27 also having a fixed position relative to 14 optical window 24 is then used to hold light pipe 2 in a fixed position relative to both lens element 22 and optical 16 window 24 such that radiant energy leaving the distal end 9 17 of optical transmitting fiber 4 (not shown in ~ig. 5) in 1~ the tip 8 of light pipe 2 is focused on the fluid-optical 19 window interface surface 28. Similarlyr energy reflected back to the fluid-optical window interface surface 28 is 21 focused by lens element 22 on the distal end 10 of optical 22 receiving fiber 6 in the tip of the light pipe.
23 The ability to replicate the dimensions of the 24 optical interfacing structure 25 in Figure 5 for an entire 2S population of optical interfacing structures permits the 26 establishment of a uniform optical geometry between the 27 distal ends o the optical transmitting and receiving 2~ fibers in light pipe 2 and the fluid in chamber 26. The 2~ members of the optical interfacing structure population may therefore be interchangeably employed with members of the lZ(:~7568 I light pipe population of Figures 2A-2B during photometric 2 analysis of the fluid sample, using a uniform calibration 3 obtained from the first such members so employed.
4 Figures 6A through 6D provide a detailed illustra-tion of an optical connector such as that shown in 6 Figure 3. Turning first to Figure 6A, it can be seen that 7 a light pipe 2 selected from the population of light pipes 8 disclosed in Figures 2A and 2B is inserted through a hollow 9 plug 30 having an interior diameter slightly larger than the exterior diameter of the light pipe. Plug 30 is formed Il with a shank portion 31 at one end thereof and a flange 12 portion 32 at the other end thereof. Flange portion 32 13 includes a front face 33 and a back face 34. A suitable 14 adhesive 35 secures the plug to the light pipe such that lS the tip 8 of the light pipe is positioned at a predeter-16 mined distance a from the front face 33 of flange 32.
17 Turning next to Figure 6B, it can be seen that the plug and 18 light pipe arrangement of Figure 6A is inserted into the 19 interior of an optical fitting structure 36 having a hollow body 37. Body 37, which may be fabricated from a durable 21 material, such as plastic or metal, contains two chambers 22 38 and 40 separa~ed by an intervening wall 42. The 23 diameter of chamber 38 corresponds roughly to the outer 24 diameter of the flange portin 32 on plug 30. The diameter of chamber 40 may, if desired, be somewhat larger than the 26 diameter of chamber 38. A rib 43 is formed around the 27 periphery of chamber 40 proximate to the surface 44 of 28 intervening wall 42. A cylindrical passage 45 in interven-29 ing wall 42 has a diameter slightly larger than the exterior diameter of light pipe 2, thus permitting the i2~75-~

, .
I light pipe to pass from chamber 38 through chamber 40 until 2 the surface 46 of intervening wall 42 contacts front 3 surface 33 on the flange portion 32 of plug 30. At this point, the tip 8 of light pipe 2 is spaced a predetermined distance _ from the surface 44 of intervening wall 42. A
6 spring 48 is then mounted in chamber 38 around the shank 7 portion 31 of plug 30 in the space 50 between the outer 8 surface of the shank portion and the surface of chamber 38.
~ Finally, a cap 52 having an interior passageway 54 formed therein is placed over light pipe 2 and bonded to body 37, 1I sealing off chamber 38. Cap 52 has a shank section 56 12 shaped to fit snugly within chamber 38. One end 58 of 13 spring 48 now rests against the back face 34 of flange 14 portion 32, while the other end 60 of spring 48 rests lS against the front face 62 of shank section 56 on cap 52.
16 The dimensions of spring 48 are chosen such that the inser-17 tion of shank section 56 in chamber 38 slightly loads the 18 spring. The spring end 58 resting against the back face 34 19 of flange portion 32 conse~uently urges plug 30 and light pipe 2 in the direction of arrow 64.
21 Figure 6C illustrates the manner of attaching the 22 optical fitting structure 36 of Figures 6A and 6B to an 23 optical interfacing structure 66. Optical interfacing 24 structure 66 is of a type schematically shown in Figure 3, although with suitable modification the optical fitting ~S structure 36 could be used with the optical interfacing 27 structures of Figures 4 and 5. The optical interfacing 2~ structure 66 includes a hollow stem section 68 adapted to 2~ engage optical fitting structure 36 and a hollow base section 70 adapted to receive a sample of fluid undergoing i2C~5~

1 photometric analysis. Stem section 68 is formed with a2 chamber 72 which receives the light pipe 2 projecting from 3 optical fitting structure 36. Chamber 72 may be flared, as 4 indicated at 73, to assist in guiding light pipe 2 into the ~ chamber. The upper portion 74 of stem section 68 has an 6 outer diameter somewhat smaller than the diameter of 7 chamber 40 in optical fitting structure 36. The base ~ section 70 of optical interfacing structure 66 is formed 9 with a hollow chamber 76 having an inlet port 78 connected to an in-flow tube 80 and an outlet port 82 connected to an 11 out-flow tube 84. Inlet tube 80 supplies a sample of fluid 12 to chamber 76 in preparation for performing a photometric ~3 analysis of the fluido The fluid sample is removed from 14 chamber 76 via out-flow tube 84. Where the optical connector of the present invention is employed for SO2 16 monitoring during cardiopulmonary bypass operations, in-17 flow and out-flow tubes 80 and 84 may be part of the CPB
18 bypass system. The longitudinal axes of chambers 72 and 76 1~ are preferably disposed at right angles to one another, although other angular orientations may also be utilized.
21 An optical window 86 having image transfer proper-22 ties identical to those of optical window 15 in Figure 3 23 separates chamber 72 in stem section 68 from chamber 76 in 24 base section 70, fluidically isolating the two chambers while permitting optical communication therebetween. The 26 optical window may pro~ect for a short distance c into a7 chamber 76 if desired, while the inner surface 88 of the 2~ optical window is spaced at a predetermined distance d from 2g the end 90 of stem section 68. In the preferred embodi-ment, this distance d is less than the distance b at which 12~ 568 ,.
1 tip 8 of light pipe 2 is spaced from the surface 44 in2 optical fitting structure 36. When the light pipe 2 3 projecting from optical fitting structure 36 is inserted ~ into the chamber 7~ of optical interfacing structure 66, chamber 40 in the optical fitting structure 36 receives the 6 upper portion 74 of stem section 68. ~t can now be seen 7 that the differences between the distances b and d result ~ in contact between the tip 8 of light pipe 2 and inner g surface 88 of optical window 86 before upper portion 74 is fully received in chamber 40. Continued movement of the 11 optical fitting structure toward the optical interfacing 12 structure 66 thus forces the plug 30 secured to light pipe 13 2 against the bias exerted by spring 48 in chamber 38, 14 whereupon the.spring is further loaded to urge the tip 8 of light pipe 2 firmly against inner surface 8~ of optical 16 window 86. A se~ies of bosses 9~ positioned on the upper 17 portion 74 of stem section 68 slide over the ri~ 43 formed 18 on the interior of chamber 40 to provide positive engage-19 ment between the optical fitting structure 36 and the optical interfacing structure 66 after the upper portion 74 21 of stem section 68 has been fully inserted into chamber 40, 22 as depicted in ~igu,re 6D.
23 Where respective populations of optical fitting 24 structures and optical interfacing structures are manu-factured in accordance with the.present invention, employ-26 ing light pipes selected from a population of light pipes 2~ also manufactured in accordance with the present invention, 2g the aforementioned distances b and d as well as the spring 29 constant of spring A8 are carefully controlled to provide a uniform force for urging the light pipe associated with lZ~J7568 1 each and every optical fitting structure against the 2 optical window of each and every optical interfacing 3 member. In this manner, it is possible to assure a uniform 4 optical geometry between the optical apertures of the light S pipe associated with each optical fitting structure in a 6 first population of optical fitting structures and the 7 sample of fluid received by each optical interfacing struc-8 ture in a second population of optical interfacing struc-9 tures. Such uniform optical geometry in turn permits the various members of the two populations to be used inter-11 changeably without having to recalibrate the photometric 12 analysis equipment every time one member of one of the 13 populations is substituted for another member of that popu-14 lation. For example, if a light pipe associated with a lS given member of a population of optical fitting structures 16 has already been connected to photometric analysis equip-~7 ment and calibrated, that given member of the optical 18 fitting structure population can be moved from one member 19 of the optical interfacing structure populatin to another without reclibrating. Thus, in a hospital setting, a 21 single light pipe/optical fitting structure connected to an 22 oximeter and calib~ated at the beginning of an oximeter 23 monitoring period could be employed with the initial cali-24 bration serving as a universal calibration to obtain oxygen saturation measurements for any of a number of patients 26 respectively connected to cardiopulmonary by-pass tubing ~7 networks, which networks include optical interfacing 28 structures. In analogous fashion, a given member of an 29 optical interfacing structure population can respectively receive the light pipes associated with various members of 12~7S~8 1 the optical fitting structure population and subsequent 2 photometric analysis can be carried out using a universal 3 calibration for each light pipe and optical fitting struc-~ ture so received. Of course, the light transmissive properties unique to each light pipe will necessitate ~ restandardization of the photometric analysis equipment 7 each time a different light pipe is attached to the equip-ment. Nevertheless, by rendering the cumbersome recalibra-9 tion process unnecessary, the optical fitting structure populations and optical interfacing structure populations Il of the present invention can provide a convenient means for 1~ performing a series of measurements during photometric 13 analysis in a minimal amount of time.
14 A reference sheath 94 for performing oximeter stand-lS ardization using the light pipe and optical fitting struc-l6 ture of Figures 6A-6D is shown in Figure 7. The reference 17 sheath 94 includes a holder 96 having a cavity 98 filled 18 with an optical standard 100. Optical standard 100 com-19 prises a mterial having constant reflectance properties as a function of incident radiation wavelength. Light 2~ directed toward optical standard 100 by a radiant energy 22 source is reflected back from the optical standard in a 23 manner such that predetermined ratios between the various 2~ wavelength components of the reflected light exist.
2~ Although any material of known reflectivity can be employed 26 in the present invention, in the preferred embodiment 27 optical standard 100 comprises a solid silicon material 2~ uniformly interspersed with a plurality of scattering 29 particles such as disclosed in Canadian Patent No.
1,099,129. An adaptor 102 projecting from holder 96 is ~2~7S6~

I boncled to the surface of cavity 98 in abutting relation~hip 2 to optical standard 100.. An interior passageway 103 in 3 adaptor 102 has a diameter large enough to receive the 4 light pipe 2 which projects from optical fitting structure S 36. If desired, a flared surface 104 may be formed in 6 passageway 103 at the upper portion 106 of adaptor 102 to 7 assist in guiding light pipe 2 through the adaptor. The outer diameter of the adaptor is slightly smaller than the 9 inner diameter of chamber 40 in the body 37 of optical fitting structure 36. Hence, in a manner similar to that ~1 utilized for connecting optical fitting structure 36 to 12 optical interfacing structure 66, adaptor 102 may be l3 inserted into chamber 40 of the optical fitting structure 14 36 until the tip 8 of light pipe 2 is brought into contact lS with optical standard 100. A series of bosses 108 can be 16 formed on the upper portion 106 of adaptor 102, which 17 bosses slide over the rib 43 formed in chamber 40 to l8 provide for positive engagement between optical fitting 19 structure 36 and reference sheath 94. The tip 8 of light pipe 2 is thus firmly held against optical standard 100.
21 The free end of light pipe 2 is connected to an oximeter 22 and the standardization sequence is performed as disclosed 23 in the aforementioned Canadian Patent No. 1,099,129, When 24 standardization is compl.ete, reference sheath 34 is removed from optical fitting structure 36 and the light pipe with 26 attached optical fitting structure is ready for connection 27 to an optical interfacing structure 66 as disclosed in 23 Figures 6C and 6D. Reference sheath 94 may be discarded~
29 or may be retained for use during subsequent standardiza-30 /~,tion sequences.
,~' .~.

lZa:~75~;8 1 Industrial A~plicability 2 Optical fitting structures and optical interfacing 3 structures of the present invention may be conveniently 4 manufactured in large populations and assembled together with selected light pipes from a population of light pipes to provide a plurality of devices ~or optically connecting 7 photometric analysis equipment to a sample of material 8 undergoing analys.is. The various members of the light 9 pipe, optical fitting structure and optical interfacing structure populations so manufactured can then be used 11 interchangeably with one another. Uniform geometries 12 established at the optical interface between samples of 13 material held by members of the optical interfacing 14 structure pop.ulation and the optical apertures of selected 1S light pipes secured by members of the optical fitting 16 structure population are maintained for all possible 17 combinations of the three populations, thereby eliminating 18 the necessity for photometric recalibration each time a 19 member of one population is substituted for another member 2~ of that population. The light p.ipe, optical fitting 21 structure and optical interfacing structure of the present 22 invention thus have wide applicability in situations where 23 a number of optical measurements must be accurately and 24 rap~dly performed.

Claims (6)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An optical connector comprising a rigid tubular member having a flow passage extending therethrough and including end portions adapted to be connected to fluid conduits for transporting fluid such as blood into and out of said passage, said tubular member having a stem section extending at an angle to said flow passage, said stem section having a relatively narrow passage therein for receiving a light transmitting and receiving pipe in close fitting relationship, and a window positioned at the inter-section of the flow passage and the passage in the stem section, said window having one face exposed to the fluid in said flow passage and the opposite face exposed at the bottom of the stem section passage for receiving the end of said pipe, and said window comprising an image transferring device with a light pattern received on said one face being transmitted to said opposite face and vice versa without optical distortion.

2. An optical connector according to claim 1 wherein said window comprises a coherent bundle of optical fibers extending from said one face to said opposite face.

3. An optical connector according to claim 2 wherein said fibers have individual diameters in the order of 0.003 inches or less.

4. An optical connector according to claim 2 wherein said stem section is cylindrical in shape and includes means on the exterior surface thereof for permit-ting the light transmitting and receiving pipe to be tightly secured within the passage in the stem section and in abutment with said window.

5. An optical connector according to claim 4 wherein said securing means comprises a raised portion on said exterior surface of the stem section adapted to be received in an internal groove on a cylindrical fitting structure carried by said light transmitting and receiving pipe.

6. An optical connector according to claim 1 wherein said stem section passage extends at generally a right angle to the flow passage.