Light transmitting system comprising beam dividing and compositing means

• US 4,383,729 A
• Filed: 10/17/1980
• Issued: 05/17/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kanaya, Motonori, Suzuki, Masane
• Primary Examiner(s): Gensler, Paul L.
• Application Number:
  US06/197,823
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.10, 350/96.18, 350/96.26, 350/167, 350/169, 350/171, 350/173, 350/174
• US Class Current: 385/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/22 the beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit, e.g. an optical fibre; Couplings or hand-pieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2025 with a pilot laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2211 Plurality of fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0608 in the same heat affected zone [HAZ] B23K26/0613, B23K26/0619 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/067 Dividing the beam into multiple beams, e.g. multifocusing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2817 using reflective elements to split or combine optical signals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4296 coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources

Abstract

A laser beam emitted from a laser is divided into a plurality of beams and the divided beams are introduced into respective fiberoptics. Each beam is transmitted through the corresponding fiberoptic and projected from the exit face of the fiberoptic, where the beams are synthesized to form a light spot. The affected part of a patient to be treated is exposed to the light spot.

Claims

1. A light transmitting system for transmitting a laser beam of high energy concentration from a single laser beam source, comprising:

a beam dividing means for dividing a light beam from a laser beam source into a plurality of light beams of equal intensity and emitting the divided light beams in a predetermined arrangement, and

a beam guiding means consisting of a plurality of flexible optical fibers each of a diameter of about 150μ

having a beam entrance end in which one end of the optical fibers is separated into a plurality of ends arranged in an arrangement corresponding to said predetermined arrangement to receive said plurality of light beams respectively, and a beam exit end in which the other end of the optical fibers is bound into a bundle to make the light beams emanating from the optical fibers form a composite light beam.

2. A light transmitting system as defined in claim 1 in which a control means for controlling the amount of light entering each said optical fiber is provided in the optical path of each divided beam.

3. A light transmitting system as defined in claim 1, in which each of said optical fibers has a core having a diameter of about 100μ

.

4. A light transmitting system as defined in claim 1, in which said beam dividing means comprises a plurality of semi-transparent mirror faces arranged in the optical path of the light beam emitted from the light source and inclined with respect thereto.

5. A light transmitting system as defined in claim 1, in which said beam dividing means comprises an optical system for converting the light beam emitted from the laser source into a coherent light bundle having a predetermined diameter, and a plurality of converging optical systems positioned behind said optical system in a plane perpendicular to the coherent light bundle.