Light directing and collecting fiber optic probe
First Claim
1. A fiber-optic probe comprising a first optical fiber for delivering light directly into a target zone, a second optical fiber for collecting light from said target zone, a window in one of said first and second optical fibers, said window facing in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said one of said first and second optical fibers, said window being positioned adjacent to one axial end of said one fiber and defining a first side of said target zone, a reflecting surface at said one axial end of said one fiber and extending across said one fiber at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of said one fiber to reflect light passing through said one fiber to pass through or be received from said window directly into or from said target zone and said first and second fibers are interconnected in fixed relationship with said first and second fibers in intimate side by side relationship with said window defining said first side of said target zone and an axial end of the other of said first and second optical fibers defining a second side of said target zone extending from said first side so that said light passes directly to or from said target zone through said axial end of said other fiber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber-optic probe is formed by a pair of optical fibers one of which delivers light to a target zone and the other collects light from a field of view in the target zone. One of these fibers is provided with a window that opens substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fiber and with a transverse surface oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the fiber to reflect light through the window or from the window longitudinally of the axis of this fiber. Two fibers are physically interconnected to position the window on one side of and immediately adjacent to the target zone and the axial end of other fiber to deliver or receive light from another side of the target zone preferably substantially perpendicular to the one side.
28 Citations
25 Claims
- 1. A fiber-optic probe comprising a first optical fiber for delivering light directly into a target zone, a second optical fiber for collecting light from said target zone, a window in one of said first and second optical fibers, said window facing in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said one of said first and second optical fibers, said window being positioned adjacent to one axial end of said one fiber and defining a first side of said target zone, a reflecting surface at said one axial end of said one fiber and extending across said one fiber at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of said one fiber to reflect light passing through said one fiber to pass through or be received from said window directly into or from said target zone and said first and second fibers are interconnected in fixed relationship with said first and second fibers in intimate side by side relationship with said window defining said first side of said target zone and an axial end of the other of said first and second optical fibers defining a second side of said target zone extending from said first side so that said light passes directly to or from said target zone through said axial end of said other fiber.
Specification