Spectroscopic apparatus with fiber optics and related method

A spectroscopic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) a light source supported by the housing;
• (c) a sample optical detector supported by the housing;
• (d) a fiber-optic channel selecting instrument supported by the housing, the instrument comprising:
• (i) an optical input selection device defining a first adjustable optical path, the first optical path running between a first input end and a first output end, the first input end optically communicating with the light source, and the first output end rotatable to a plurality of first index positions defined along a first circular path;
• (ii) an optical output selection device defining a second adjustable optical path, the second optical path running between a second input end and a second output end, the second output end optically communicating with the sample optical detector, and the second input end rotatable to a plurality of second index positions defined along a second circular path;
• and
• (iii) a controller element communicating with the optical input selection device and the optical output selection device for selectively aligning the first optical path with the first index positions and the second optical path with the second index positions;
• (e) a plurality of optical source lines corresponding to the plurality of first index positions and selectively communicating with the first optical path;
• and
• (f) a plurality of optical return lines corresponding to the plurality of second index positions and selectively communicating with the second optical path.

A spectroscopic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) a light source supported by the housing;
• (c) a sample optical detector supported by the housing;
• (d) a fiber-optic channel selecting instrument supported by the housing, the instrument comprising a rotary element rotatable about a central axis, and an internal optical fiber having an internal optical fiber input end and an internal optical fiber output end, the internal optical fiber input end disposed collinearly with the central axis and optically communicating with the light source, and the internal optical fiber output end disposed at a radially offset distance from the central axis;
• (e) a plurality of optical source lines having respective source line input ends, each source line input end selectively optically alignable with the internal optical fiber output end;
• (f) a mounting component supported by the housing;
• and
• (g) a plurality of optical return lines having respective return line output ends, each return line output end fixedly supported by the mounting component and optically aligned with the sample optical detector.

A method for acquiring data from samples, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a plurality of samples respectively disposed at a plurality of test sites;
• (b) providing a plurality of optical source lines, wherein each source line communicates with a corresponding one of the test sites;
• (c) providing a plurality of optical return lines, wherein each return line communicates with a corresponding one of the test sites;
• (d) providing a spectroscopic apparatus comprising a sample optical detector;
• (e) selecting a test site and the source line and return line corresponding to the selected test site by rotating a fiber-optic channel selecting apparatus to a position at which the selected source line communicates with a light source;
• and
• (f) sending an optical signal of a first intensity through the selected source line to the selected test site to expose the sample disposed at the selected test site, whereby an optical signal of a second intensity is emitted from the selected test site, travels through the selected return line, and is received by the sample optical detector.