Patent ID: 7505801

Claim:
A placement guide used for coupling of an optical probe of an optically based noninvasive glucose concentration analyzer to a sample site of a skin sample, said optical probe comprising at least one optical incident member for delivering incident photons into the sample site and an optical collection member for collecting photons emerging from the sample site, said guide comprising: a mount having a contact surface at one end; an aperture, defined by said mount, which is adapted to receive said optical probe during use, wherein an area defined by said aperture comprises the sample site; and a hydration inducing plug covering said aperture, wherein an outer surface of said hydration inducing plug aligns with said contact surface of said mount, said outer surface adapted to be in proximate contact with the sample site during use; wherein said hydration inducing plug acts as an optical interface between said optical probe and the sample site when said optical probe is coupled into said aperture, and wherein said hydration inducing plug has an aperture formed in its center thereof, wherein upon said optical probe being coupled with said guide, said optical collection member of said optical probe is coupled into said aperture and is adapted to have direct contact with the sample site, while said optical incident member of said optical probe is adapted to maintain direct contact with a surrounding area of said hydration inducing plug.