Patent ID: 9743869
Date: 2017-08-29
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A sensor for detecting the presence and/or concentration of a substance of interest comprising: at least one excitation light source; indicator material positioned and oriented with respect to said excitation light source to receive excitation light emitted from said excitation light source and configured to emit an optical signal when excited by the excitation light source and when contacted by the substance of interest; one or more optical detector elements positioned and oriented with respect to said indicator material to receive at least a portion of the optical signal emitted by the indicator material; and an optical isolation element partially surrounding said at least one excitation light source and said one or more optical detector elements and formed of an optical isolation material configured to substantially prevent the passage of light through the optical isolation material, said optical isolation element being positioned and oriented with respect to said at least one excitation light source, said one or more optical detector elements, and said indicator material and including an opening formed in the optical isolation material so as to permit at least a portion of the light emitted by the excitation light source to exit the optical isolation element and impinge upon the indicator material and to permit at least a portion of the light emitted by the indicator material to enter the optical isolation element and impinge upon said optical detector element.