THERMALLY ROBUST ILLUMINATION PROBE TIP
First Claim
1. A thermally robust illumination probe comprising:
- a plastic optical fiber;
a high temperature distal part; and
a housing;
wherein the plastic optical fiber is optically coupled to the high temperature distal part for transmitting light through the high temperature distal part, wherein the plastic optical fiber is bonded to the high temperature distal part together inside the housing, and wherein the high temperature distal part is a glass optical fiber or a high temperature plastic rod.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In embodiments of the invention, a plastic optical fiber is bonded to a high temperature distal part to form a thermally robust illumination probe. The distal part is short in length, is made of a high temperature material(s), has a proper shape for guiding light in a desired application, and may be coated with a reflective coating to ensure that the light rays trapped within the part do not escape when the side of the part is in contact with high refractive index or absorptive materials. The distal part may be made of high temperature material(s) such as high temperature plastic rods, glass optical fibers, and so on. The distal end may be tapered or sculpted to a desired configuration. The plastic optical fiber and the high temperature distal part may be joined, using an optical adhesive, inside a steel cannula, a plastic hub, an optical connector, etc.
40 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A thermally robust illumination probe comprising:
-
a plastic optical fiber; a high temperature distal part; and a housing;
wherein the plastic optical fiber is optically coupled to the high temperature distal part for transmitting light through the high temperature distal part, wherein the plastic optical fiber is bonded to the high temperature distal part together inside the housing, and wherein the high temperature distal part is a glass optical fiber or a high temperature plastic rod. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification