WO1997016099A1 - Dispositif de surveillance optique multicanal a montage reglable de miroir - Google Patents

Dispositif de surveillance optique multicanal a montage reglable de miroir Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1997016099A1
WO1997016099A1 PCT/US1996/017248 US9617248W WO9716099A1 WO 1997016099 A1 WO1997016099 A1 WO 1997016099A1 US 9617248 W US9617248 W US 9617248W WO 9716099 A1 WO9716099 A1 WO 9716099A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
plane
mirror
movable
adjustment mechanism
adjustable
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1996/017248
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
G. Scott Duckett
Original Assignee
Akzo Nobel N.V.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Akzo Nobel N.V. filed Critical Akzo Nobel N.V.
Priority to AU75241/96A priority Critical patent/AU7524196A/en
Publication of WO1997016099A1 publication Critical patent/WO1997016099A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B7/00—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements
    • G02B7/18—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for prisms; for mirrors
    • G02B7/182—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for prisms; for mirrors for mirrors
    • G02B7/1822—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for prisms; for mirrors for mirrors comprising means for aligning the optical axis
    • G02B7/1824—Manual alignment
    • G02B7/1825—Manual alignment made by screws, e.g. for laser mirrors

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an optical monitoring system for chemical reactions fcr use in performing, for example, analyses of hemostasis, thrombosis and infectious diseases. More particularly, the present invention relates to an adjustable mirror mount, as well as an adjustable mirror mount for aligning and adjusting beams of light within a multichannel optical monitoring system.
  • sample volume containers with bar code information on the side identifying the sample and the test to be performed by the analyzer are loaded into a temperature controlled compartment, which also stores reagents and other additives under temperature control.
  • the samples are automatically dispensed into reaction wells of cuvettes, and reagents and possibly other additive are automatically combined with the test samples according to the programmed test read from the bar code on the sample container.
  • the reaction wells now containing a reaction volume composed of a test sample and additives are transported to an optical analyzer which monitors changes in optical characteristics of the reaction volume, which changes are processed and evaluated according to the particular test being performed.
  • a multichannel optical monitoring system for an automated analyzer is disclosed in U.S. Patent 5,002,392, to Swope et al.
  • a multichannel optical monitoring system which monitors the spectral transmission of a plurality of samples.
  • a plurality of light beams are generated where a plurality of optical monitoring stations are arranged one after the other along a pathway, with each station having an optical path formed by one of the light beams transverse to the pathway and along which optical characteristics are monitored.
  • a means for driving the plurality of reaction wells is provided so that the reaction wells can be moved along the pathway from station to station so that respective reaction wells are positioned periodically in each optical path for transmitting a respective one of the light beams. Also disclosed in U.S.
  • Patent 5,002,392 is a diffraction means arranged for diffracting the beams transmitted by respective reactions volumes, focussing means following the diffraction means, at least one array of photodetectors positioned for receiving the beams diffracted by the diffraction means for producing electrical signals representing the spectral content of the diffracted beams, and shutter means disposed in the optical pathways formed by the light beams for sequentially passing the light beams toward the diffraction means. Also disclosed is an electronic means for detecting the electrical signals ol the at least one array.
  • the subject matter of U.S. Patent 5,002,392 is incorporated herein by reference.
  • each component of the automated analyzer is made as compact as feasibly possible, including the optical monitoring system. It is therefore desirable to provide a system of mirrors for folding light beams so as to minimize the volume of space required by the optical system.
  • aligning and adjusting the mirrors becomes difficult. Therefore, a mount for the mirrors which is stable and adjustable in minute degrees even when the optical system is made compact, would be desirable.
  • a mirror mount having an adjustment screw for moving a spring loaded slide which is embedded in one of a plurality of mirror mount plates.
  • the slide has a ramp surface on which a pin mounted to a mating mirror mount plate rests.
  • the adjustment screw is turned, the slide is moved under the pin which thereby changes the relative distance between two plates.
  • Such motion causes the flexure hinge to bend slightly which in turn creates a pressure which holds the pin against the slide.
  • the slide is captivated by the adjustment screw, the spring, the plate and the pin.
  • the amount of sensitivity is determined by the angle of the ramp surface and the distance between the pin and the flexure plate.
  • the range of adjustability is determined by the stroke of the slide.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic showing of the optical monitoring system according to one embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 2 is a front elevational view of a rotating shutter that may be used in an embodiment of the optical system illustrated in Figure 1.
  • Figure 3 is a side elevational view of one of the rotating cam elements in the shutter illustrated in Figure 2.
  • Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the cam illustrated in Figure 3.
  • Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the optical monitoring system according to a second embodiment of the invention and which illustrates the mirror mounts of the present invention.
  • Figure 6 is an illustration of a one axis mirror mount.
  • Figure 7 is an illustration of a two axis mirror mount.
  • FIGS 8 and 9 are close up views of the adjustment mechanisms for the mirror mount of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 there is shown a schematic of an optical monitoring system according to the invention.
  • a broad band spectral light source 1 such as a tungsten-halogen lamp or a Xenon lamp, which may include a diffuser (not shown) , projects light toward a slit forming device 3 (hereinafter referred to as slit 3) which passes a beam 4 having the pattern of a slit.
  • a short focal length collimator 5 follows the slit and is used to project the slit shaped beam 4 to infinity, thereby forming a slowly diverging beam 6.
  • Slit 3 may be formed, for example, of a stainless steel substrate 0.013 mm thick having an air slit width of 100 ⁇ m and length of 5.0 mm.
  • Collimator 5 may be an Edmund Scientific Co. Achromat No. J32,319, which has a focal length of 35 mm, diameter of 25 mm, center thickness of 13.50 mm and which is antireflection coated with 1/4 wavelength MgF 2 .
  • beam 6 may be folded a number of times as shown by mirrors 9, 10 and 11. Prior to reaching reaction wells 7, beam 6 is intercepted by a mask having a plurality of openings 15 for dividing beam 6 into a plurality of separate beams 16, corresponding to the number of reaction wells 7 to be monitored.
  • the divided beams 16 are sized and spaced so that each beam passes through the desired portion of just one of the reaction wells 7.
  • Reaction wells 7 may be filled with a reaction volume to be optically monitored by a sample handling system as described, for example, in the aforementioned U.S. Patent 5,236,666, to Hulette et al.
  • reaction wells are to be simultaneously optically monitored, although, for ease of illustration FIG. 1 shows only 8 openings 15 in mask 13 creating 8 beams for monitoring 8 reaction wells. Obviously, the number of reaction wells to be monitored could vary depending on particular design requirements.
  • Mask 13 may be a metal substrate one sixteenth of an inch thick with, in the example being used, 20 openings sized, for example 0.0675 by 0.0715 inches, and spaced 0.2411 inches.
  • a rotating shutter 17 described in greater detail below in connection with FIGS. 2 to 5, for sequentially passing the beams transmitted by the reaction volumes in reaction wells 7.
  • the beams passing through shutter 17 are diffracted by diffraction gratings 19.
  • four diffraction gratings are positioned so that each group of sequentially passed five beams is diffracted by a respective one of the four diffraction gratings 19.
  • Diffraction gratings 19 are preferably high dispersion, high efficiency transmission holographic diffraction gratings having a pitch of 0.8744 ⁇ m.
  • Photodetector arrays 23 are oriented so that the spectrum of the diffracted beams falls across the linearly arranged photodetector elements and the optics of the system are such that a central element of each array 23 is an optical conjugate of slit 3.
  • each photodetector array includes 35 identical photodiodes each covering a spectral range of 390 nm to 690 nm with a spectral resolution of 10 nm.
  • Photodiode arrays of this type are commercially available, for example, from the Hamamatsu Company of Japan under Part No. S 2317-35Q.
  • one or more filters 27 are located, for example between collimator 5 and mirror 9, for balancing the spectral response of the photodiode detectors with the spectral output of light source 1.
  • Photodiode arrays 23 each develop electrical signals corresponding to the spectral distribution falling on the array. Arrays 23 are connected to scanning and recording electronics which sequentially scan the photodiodes for converting the electrical signals to digital signals and storing the digital signals in a computer memory for further processing and evaluation.
  • FIGS. 2 to 4 illustrated preferred embodiment for rotating shutter 17, it being understood that other configurations for shutter 17 are possible within the scope of the invention.
  • rotating shutter 17 comprises a number of cam elements 31 mounted on a shaft 33, driven by a motor 34.
  • FIG. 2 shows 20 cam elements 31, corresponding to the example of 20 optical stations being used in this description.
  • Cam elements 31 are each arranged in the optical monitoring system so that they are aligned in the optical monitoring system so that they are aligned with a respective one of beams 16 passed through windows 15 of mask 13 shown in FIG. 1.
  • Each cam element 31 has a sector removed so that upon rotation of shutter 17 each of the beams 16 is either blocked or passed depending on the rotational position of the respective cam element. Referring to FIGS.
  • cam elements 31 each have the same size sector 35 removed, and differ only in the angular placement of a keyway 37 which engages an axial key (not shown) on shaft 33.
  • the angual placement of keyway 37 relative to cutout 35 on respective cam elements 31 determines the timing sequence in which beams 16 are passed to detector arrays 23.
  • cam elements 31 In one specific implementation of shutter 17 for use in an optical monitoring system of the type shown in FIG. 1 with 20 stations, cam elements 31 have a diameter of 2.52 inches, a width of 0.265 inches, a 210.5° sector removed, and a placement angle A° of the respective keyways as shown in the following table:
  • rotating shutter 17 is provided with a timing disc 39 having a sector removed (not shown) for providing a synchronizing signal for synchronizing the electronic scanning of the arrays.
  • an opto-electronic circuit 40 including an optical transmitter 41 which directs a light beam toward an optical receiver 42. This beam is interrupted by disc 39 except for the time when the sector removed from disc 39 is in the optical path between optical transmitter 41 and optical receiver 42.
  • An electrical synchronization signal developed by optical receiver 42 during reception of the beam from optical transmitter 41 is fed to an electronic scanner.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of the optical monitoring system of the present invention.
  • a light source 1 provides a light beam which passes through collimator 5 which projects the light beam to infinity, thereby forming a slowly diverging beam 6.
  • beam 6 may be folded a number of times by mirrors 9, 10 and 11.
  • a mask 13 Prior to reaching reaction wells 7, beam 6 is intercepted by a mask 13 having a plurality of openings 15 for dividing beam 6 into a plurality of separate beams corresponding to the number of reaction wells 7 to be monitored.
  • FIG. 6 is an illustration of a one axis mirror mount such as the mirror mount holding mirror 11 in FIG. 5.
  • mirror 11 in FIG. 5 could also be mounted on a two axis mirror mount if desired.
  • loaded slide 3 is provided embedded in one of the mirror mount plates 4.
  • Slide 3 has a ramp surface (not shown) on which a pin 6 rests, which pin 6 is mounted to the mating mirror mount plate 7.
  • an adjustment screw (not shown) is turned, the slide 3 is moved along pin 6, which thereby changes the relative distance between mirror mount plate 4 and mirror mount plate 7. This motion causes the flexure hinge 8 to bend slightly which creates a pressure that holds pin 6 against slide 3.
  • the turning of the adjustment screw 1 causes the slide 3 to move along pin 6, which thereby changes the relative distance between plates 4 and 7.
  • this relative movement causes flexure hinge 8 to bend so as to create a pressure holding pin 6 against slide 3.
  • slide 3 is captivated by adjustment screw 1, spring 2, plate 4 and pin 6.
  • the amount of sensitivity of the adjustment is determined by the angle 9 of ramp surface 5 (FIG. 9) and the distance 10 between pin 6 and flexure plate 8 (FIG. 8) .
  • the range of adjustability is determined by the stroke of slide 3. In one particular embodiment of the mirror mount of the present invention, a .25 inch stroke on a 7° ramp is provided.
  • the slide can be adjusted by a screw (e.g., a 4-40UNC-2B screw), and the distance from the pin to the flexure plate can be set at .75 inches.
  • the sensitivity is .22° per screw revolution.
  • the range of adjustment is 2.2°.
  • FIG. 7 a two axis mirror mount is illustrated.
  • the two axis mirror mount utilizes two of the devices set forth above, with the two devices mounted at an angle to each other.
  • the two adjustment mechanisms of a two axis mirror are mounted normally to each other, thereby providing the complement axis of adjustment. It is also possible to gang two devices in the same axis, one to provide a gross adjustment, and one to provide a fine adjustment.
  • four adjustment mechanisms could be provided, a gross adjustment and a fine adjustment for each axis of adjustment.
  • the mirror mount and optical monitoring system incorporating the mirror mount of the present invention is easy to adjust and very stable.
  • a typical method of adjusting a mirror is by use of a very fine threaded set screw mounted on an opposite side of the mirror mount from the hinge plate (such that the screw extends normal to the adjustment plane) .
  • This adjustment position causes problems when incorporated into a compact space, and in particular when incorporated into a compact space with the overall orientation of the optical monitoring system of the present invention.
  • the typical adjustment method causes problems due to the amount of space required to gain access for adjusting the screws to perform the desired adjustments.
  • a significantly increased volume of the overall optical monitoring system is required.
  • the optical monitoring system would need to be partially disassembled to gain access to the adjustment screws, which is undesirable.
  • the ramp angle is one degree, such that the resolution is .033 degrees per revolution, with a range of .33 degrees, which is l/28th of the resolution of the conventional mirror mount adjustment assembly.
  • the resolution and adjustment range are independent because the resolution is dependent on the ramp angle, while the range is dependent on the length of the slide and ramp. Therefore, given any desired angular resolution, and any desired range of adjustment, a mirror mount can be formulated which will achieve the desired characteristics.
  • the optical monitoring system could be significantly reduced in volume and, in addition, mirror adjustments can be performed without disassembly of the device. Also, a high adjustment sensitivity can be achieved as well as a high stability even in a harsh vibration environment such as in an automated analyzer. Furthermore, the amount of time required to align the mirrors in the optical monitoring system is significantly reduced. And, the overall cost of the optical monitoring system is significantly reduced as well due to the compact nature of the design, which compact nature is able to be achieved by the improved mirror mount of the present invention.
  • the adjustment sensitivity of the mirror mount is greatly improved.
  • the mirror mount is stable, even in a harsh environment, and allows for an adjustability in the 1/I000th of a degree range to access of rotation.
  • spring 2 could be omitted in a particular embodiment.
  • slide 3 and screw 1 could be a single unitary mechanism, such as a screw with a tapered end.
  • pin 6 could be made moveable between different ramps having different angled surfaces. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically set forth above.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)

Abstract

Un dispositif réglable permettant d'adapter la position d'un objet (9, 10, 11), un miroir (9, 10, 11) par exemple, comporte une partie de raccordement (4) sur laquelle l'objet (9, 10, 11) doit se raccorder au dispositif réglable ainsi qu'une partie mobile (3) pouvant se déplacer dans une première direction par rapport à la partie de raccordement (4) et possédant une face à angles (5) sur au moins l'un de ses cotés. Le dispositif réglable comporte également une partie faisant butée (6) qui vient buter contre la face à angles (5) de la partie mobile (3) de sorte que, lorsque cette partie mobile (3) se déplace dans une première direction par rapport à la partie de raccordement (4), la face à angles (5) glisse le long de la partie faisant butée (6), ce qui modifie dans une seconde direction la distance existant entre la partie de raccordement (4) et la partie faisant butée (6). Le dispositif réglable peut également comporter un mécanisme de réglage (1) servant à déplacer selon un mouvement de translation la partie mobile (3), ce mécanisme de réglage (1) s'étendant dans un plan parallèle à un plan délimité par la partie de raccordement (4).
PCT/US1996/017248 1995-10-30 1996-10-28 Dispositif de surveillance optique multicanal a montage reglable de miroir WO1997016099A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU75241/96A AU7524196A (en) 1995-10-30 1996-10-28 Multichannel optical monitoring system with adjustable mirror mounts

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US55014495A 1995-10-30 1995-10-30
US08/550,144 1995-10-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1997016099A1 true WO1997016099A1 (fr) 1997-05-09

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
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AU (1) AU7524196A (fr)
WO (1) WO1997016099A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9943077B2 (en) 2009-10-23 2018-04-17 Fenwal, Inc. Methods for storing red blood cell products

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3601476A (en) * 1968-09-16 1971-08-24 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Adjustable optical device
US4573794A (en) * 1983-03-03 1986-03-04 Covey Joel P Analytical instrument optical element support system
US4925288A (en) * 1989-05-23 1990-05-15 Coherent, Inc. Adjustable mirror mount
US5002392A (en) * 1989-12-01 1991-03-26 Akzo N.V. Multichannel optical monitoring system

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3601476A (en) * 1968-09-16 1971-08-24 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Adjustable optical device
US4573794A (en) * 1983-03-03 1986-03-04 Covey Joel P Analytical instrument optical element support system
US4925288A (en) * 1989-05-23 1990-05-15 Coherent, Inc. Adjustable mirror mount
US5002392A (en) * 1989-12-01 1991-03-26 Akzo N.V. Multichannel optical monitoring system

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9943077B2 (en) 2009-10-23 2018-04-17 Fenwal, Inc. Methods for storing red blood cell products

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Publication number Publication date
AU7524196A (en) 1997-05-22

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