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US 11,160,492 B2Granted
Finger inserts for a nailfold imaging device
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorIan Butterworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A finger insert for use with a nailfold imaging device includes a housing to receive the user's finger and an immersion substance (e.g., immersion oil), and a deformable pad that holds the user's finger in place during imaging, as well as prevent bubble formation in the substance. The housing includes a transparent wall to facilitate imaging of the finger. The transparent wall includes multiple angled portions that prevent or reduce contact between the nailfold and the wall, to ensure sufficient blood flow through the nailfold region for imaging.
Claims23
A system, comprising:
- a finger imaging device, including:
- a light source;
- a detector;
- a receptacle including an imaging window, the light source and the detector optically coupled to the imaging window;
- and
- a finger insert, the finger insert being disposable in the receptacle, including:
- a housing defining an opening adapted to receive a finger of a subject, and further defining a landing region adapted to abut against a distal phalange of the finger of the subject when the finger is placed into the finger insert via the opening, to hold a liquid to facilitate imaging of a nailfold of the finger of the subject, wherein at least the distal phalange of the finger is immersed in the liquid when the liquid is present in the finger insert and as the finger is placed into the finger insert via the opening, the housing including a first wall and a second wall, the second wall being optically transparent to facilitate imaging of the nailfold of the finger via the light source and detector, such that at least a section of the second wall is in optical communication with the imaging window when the finger insert is disposed in the receptacle;
- and
- a deformable pad positioned on at least a portion of the first wall, adapted to form an open-pore structure that fills a gap between the first wall and the finger of the user when the finger is inserted into the finger insert, and adapted to reduce trapped air in the liquid when the liquid is present in the finger insert, during insertion and movement of the finger in the finger insert.
6 more elements
A kit, comprising:
- a finger imaging device, including:
- a light source;
- a detector;
- and
- a receptacle including an imaging window, the light source and the detector optically coupled to the imaging window;
- and
- a set of finger inserts, each finger insert of the set of finger inserts including:
- a housing defining an opening adapted to receive a finger of a subject, and further defining a landing region adapted to abut against a distal phalange of the finger of the subject when the finger is placed into the finger insert via the opening, to hold a liquid to facilitate imaging of a nailfold of the finger of the subject, wherein at least the distal phalange of the finger is immersed in the liquid when the liquid is present in the finger insert and as the finger is placed into the finger insert via the opening, the housing including a first wall and a second wall, the second wall being optically transparent to facilitate imaging of the nailfold of the finger;
- and
- a deformable pad positioned on at least a portion of the first wall, adapted to form an open-pore structure that fills a gap between the first wall and the finger of the subject when the finger is inserted into the finger insert, and adapted to reduce trapped air in the liquid when the liquid is present in the finger insert, during insertion and movement of the finger in the finger insert,
- each finger insert of the set of finger inserts being disposable in the receptacle such that at least a section of the second wall of that finger insert is in optical communication with the imaging window when that finger insert is disposed in the receptacle,
- wherein a first finger insert of the set of finger inserts is different from a second finger insert of the set of finger inserts in one or more of:
- a length of the housing along its longitudinal axis;
- and
- an average cross-sectional area of a curved portion of the first wall.
12 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving a finger of a user in a finger insert disposed in a finger imaging device, the finger insert including:
- a housing defining an opening adapted to abut receive a finger of a subject, and further defining a landing region adapted to abut against a distal phalange of the finger of the subject when the finger is placed into the finger insert via the opening, to hold a liquid to facilitate imaging of a nailfold of the finger of the subject, wherein at least the distal phalange of the finger is immersed in the liquid when the liquid is present in the finger insert and as the finger is placed into the finger insert via the opening, the housing including a first wall and a second wall, the second wall being optically transparent to facilitate imaging of the nailfold of the finger, the finger insert being disposed in a receptacle of the imaging device such that at least a section of the second wall of that finger insert is in optical communication with the imaging window when that finger insert is disposed in the receptacle;
- and
- a deformable pad positioned on at least a portion of the first wall, adapted to form an open-pore structure that fills a gap between the first wall and the finger of the user when the finger is inserted into the finger insert, and adapted to reduce trapped air in the liquid when the liquid is present in the finger insert, during insertion and movement of the finger in the finger insert;
- and
- imaging a nailfold portion of the finger via the wall portion of the finger insert using the nailfold imaging device.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.