Patent ID: 7537735
Filing Date: 2009-05-26
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An aspirator system comprising: an aspirator body member having a fluid passageway extending therein and a first and second optical conductor configured to receive and/or transmit light therethrough; drive mechanism coupled to the aspirator body member and configured to move the aspirator body member between an advanced position and a retracted position; an aspirator tip coupled to the aspirator body member at an end of the fluid passageway and having a fluid passageway therein extending from the end of the fluid passageway of the aspirator body member when coupled to the aspirator body member, the aspirator tip being coupled to the first and second optical conductors and comprising an optically transmissive material and being configured to conduct light from the first optical conductor to an outer surface of the aspirator tip and to conduct reflected light from the outer surface thereof to the second optical conductor, wherein the aspirator tip comprises a longitudinally extending, generally cylindrical member having a tapered tip on a longitudinal end thereof displaced from the aspirator body member; a controller operatively coupled to the aspirator tip that is configured to detect contact of the aspirator tip with a fluid based on a changed level of light received from the aspirator tip through at least one of the first and second optical conductors responsive to a change of an index of refraction at the outer surface of the aspirator tip when the outer surface of the aspirator tip contacts the fluid and to determine a level of the fluid based on a position of the aspirator body member when contact of the aspirator tip with the fluid is detected; a light source optically coupled to the first optical conductor; and a light detector circuit optically coupled to the second optical conductor that outputs a detected light level signal, wherein the controller is configured to detect contact of the aspirator tip with a fluid based on the detected light level signal, wherein the fluid passageway of the aspirator tip includes at least one internal diameter change discontinuity and/or the aspirator tip has at least one external diameter change discontinuity thereon and wherein the detected light level signal changes when the at least one external diameter change discontinuity and/or the at least one internal diameter change discontinuity contacts the fluid.