Optical connector

• US 7,401,984 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optiscan Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hoya Corporation, Optiscan Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Pattie, Robert Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pak; Sung
• Assistant Examiner(s): Petkovsek; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US10/845,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20050025499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 385/15, 385/24, 385/53, 385/55, 385/70, 385/71, 385 88- 94
• US Class Current: 385/89
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00126 optical, e.g. for light supply cables
• 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 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures

Abstract

An optical connector for use with a light separator, the optical connector including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being optically couplable by first optical transmitter to a first input of the light separator and by second optical transmitter to a second input of the light separator. The first and second portions are detachably couplable to couple the first and second optical transmitter to third and fourth optical transmitters, respectively, provided in or coupled to the second portion. The first and second inputs of the light separator can thereby be optically coupled to a first optical instrument coupled to the third optical transmitter and a second optical instrument coupled to the fourth optical transmitter.

Claims

1. An optical connector for use with a light separator, said optical connector comprising:

a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being optically couplable by first optical transmitter to a first input of said light separator and by second optical transmitter to a second input of said light separator;

wherein said first and second portions are detachably couplable to couple said first and second optical transmitters to respectively third and fourth optical transmitters provided in or coupled to said second portion, and wherein said first, second, third and fourth optical transmitters comprise first, second, third and fourth optical fibers respectively, said fourth optical fiber being multimode and having a greater diameter and many more guided modes than said second optical fiber;

whereby said first and second inputs of said light separator can be optically coupled to a first optical instrument coupled to said third optical transmitter and a second optical instrument coupled to said fourth optical transmitter, and alignment of said second and said fourth optical fibers can be readily effected while achieving low loss.

2. An optical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical instruments respectively comprise a laser source and a light detector, wherein said laser source is optically couplable by the third optical transmitter to said second portion and said light detector is optically couplable by the fourth optical transmitter to said second portion, whereby said first optical transmitter can be coupled via said third optical transmitter to said laser source and said second optical transmitter can be coupled via said fourth optical transmitter to said light detector.

3. An optical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light separator is in the form of an optical coupler.

4. An optical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said first optical transmitter and at least a portion of said second optical transmitter are integral with, or permanently connected during manufacture to, said light separator.

5. An optical connector as claimed in claim 4, further comprising the light separator.

6. An optical connector as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a power monitor optically coupled to said light separator.

7. An optical connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein said power monitor is permanently coupled to said light separator.

8. An optical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical connector is adapted to couple more than two pairs of optical transmitters, each of said first and said second portions being optically couplable by one or more further optical transmitters to one or more respective further inputs of said light separator.

9. An optical scanning system including an optical connector according to claim 1.

10. An endoscope including an optical connector according to claim 1.

11. An endomicroscope including an optical connector according to claim 1.

12. A microscope including an optical connector according to claim 1.

13. An optical apparatus comprising:

a light separator;

a power monitor; and

a first portion of an optical connector that comprises said first portion and a second portion, said first portion being optically couplable by first optical transmitter to a first input of said light separator and by second optical transmitter to a second input of said light separator, said first portion being detachably couplable to said second portion to couple said first and second optical transmitters to respectively third and fourth optical transmitters provided in or coupled to said second portion;

wherein said light separator is optically coupled or couplable to an optical head, said power monitor and said first portion, whereby said apparatus is detachably couplable to said second portion.

14. An optical apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a housing enclosing said light separator and said power monitor, and either supporting said first portion or at least partially enclosing said first portion.

15. An optical apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising said optical head.

16. An optical apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said light separator is permanently coupled to said power monitor.

17. An endoscope comprising an optical apparatus according to claim 13.

18. An endomicroscope comprising an optical apparatus according to claim 13.

19. A microscope comprising an optical apparatus according to claim 13.

20. A method for providing an optical connection comprising:

providing an optical connector comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being optically couplable by a first optical transmitter to a first input of a light separator and by a second optical transmitter to a second input of said light separator; and

coupling said first and second portions in order to couple said first and second optical transmitters to respectively third and fourth optical transmitters provided in or coupled to said second portion;

wherein said first, second, third and fourth optical transmitters comprise first, second, third and fourth optical fibers respectively, said fourth optical fiber being multimode and having a greater diameter and many more guided modes than said second optical fiber;

whereby said first and second inputs of said light separator can be optically coupled to a first optical instrument coupled to said third optical transmitter and a second optical instrument coupled to said fourth optical transmitter, and alignment of said second and said fourth optical fibers can be readily effected while achieving low loss.