Apparatus for controlling at least one of at least two sections of at least one fiber

• US 7,418,169 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vakoc, Benjamin J., Bouma, Brett Eugene, Tearney, Guillermo J., Shishkov, Milen
• Primary Examiner(s): HEALY, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US11/670,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20070274650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 385/25, 385/114, 385/115, 385/116, 385/117, 385/118, 385/119, 385/120, 385/11, 385/33, 385/123, 385/36
• US Class Current: 385/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00172 with means for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2211 Plurality of fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2272 with reflective or refractive surfaces for deflecting the beam A61B2018/2261, A61B2018/2266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling at least one of at least two sections of at least one fiber can be provided. The apparatus can include an arrangement which may be provided between the first and second sections of a particular continuous fiber of the fibers. A particular one of the first and second sections may be provided in a particular orientation that is perpendicular to an extension of the particular fiber. The arrangement is capable of controlling the particular fiber such that the particular one of the sections is capable of being rotated for at least 360° with respect to the particular orientation. The arrangement can include a further arrangement that is capable of at least partially wrapping the particular fiber around the second arrangement, and controlling the particular fiber such that the particular one of the sections is capable of being rotated with respect to the particular orientation during a transmission of the electro-magnetic radiation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling at least one of at least two sections of at least one fiber, comprising:

an arrangement which is provided between first and second sections of a particular continuous fiber of the fibers, wherein a particular one of the first and second sections is provided in a particular orientation that is perpendicular to an extension of the particular fiber, and wherein the arrangement is capable of controlling the particular fiber such that the particular one of the sections is capable of being rotated for at least 360°

with respect to the particular orientation.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular one of the sections is capable of being rotated for at least 1800°

with respect to the particular orientation.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular one of the sections is capable of being rotated for at least 3600°

with respect to the particular orientation.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one fiber includes a plurality of fibers,

the arrangement is provided between the first and second sections of each of the particular continuous fiber and a further continuous fiber of the fibers,

a first particular one of the first and second sections of the particular fiber and a second particular one of the first and second sections of the further fiber are provided in particular orientations that are perpendicular to extensions of the respective particular and further fibers, and

the arrangement is capable of controlling the particular and further fibers such that the first and second particular ones of the sections are rotated for at least 360°

with respect to the respective particular orientations.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first and second particular ones of the sections are capable of being rotated simultaneously.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement includes a further arrangement, and wherein the arrangement is being capable of at least partially wrapping the particular fiber around the further arrangement.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the further arrangement is a cylindrical arrangement.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the further arrangement is provided within a structure which is configured to limit the wrapping of the particular fiber around the further arrangement.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the further arrangement is positioned near a structure such that at least one of the further arrangement or the structure is capable of rotating with respect to one another so as to wrap the particular fiber around the further arrangement.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular fiber is at least one of a polarization maintaining fiber, a single mode fiber, a multi-mode fiber, a fiber ribbon or a fiber bundle.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement includes a further arrangement being capable of at least partially wrapping the particular fiber around the second arrangement, and controlling the particular fiber such that the particular one of the sections is capable of being rotated with respect to the particular orientation during a transmission of the electro-magnetic radiation.

23. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular continuous fiber extends continuously through the first section, the arrangement and the second section.

24. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular section is being rotated about a cylindrical axis of the particular continuous fiber within the particular section.

12. An apparatus for transmitting an electro-magnetic radiation between at least two sections of at least one fiber, comprising:

a first arrangement which is provided between first and second sections of a particular continuous fiber of the fibers, wherein a particular one of the first and second sections is provided in a particular orientation that is perpendicular to an extension of the particular fiber, the first arrangement including a second arrangement, being capable of at least partially wrapping the particular fiber around the second arrangement, and controlling the particular fiber such that the particular one of the sections is rotated with respect to the particular orientation during a transmission of the electro-magnetic radiation.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first arrangement is capable of controlling the particular fiber such that the particular one of the sections is capable of being rotated for at least 360°

with respect to the particular orientation.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the particular one of the sections is capable of being rotated for at least 1800°

with respect to the particular orientation.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the particular one of the sections is capable of being rotated for at least 3600°

with respect to the particular orientation.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the at least one fiber includes a plurality of fibers,

the arrangement is provided between the first and second sections of each of the particular continuous fiber and a further continuous fiber of the fibers,

a first particular one of the first and second sections of the particular fiber and a second particular one of the first and second sections of the further fiber are provided in particular orientations that are perpendicular to extensions of the respective particular and further fibers, and

the arrangement is capable of controlling the particular and further fibers such that the first and second particular ones of the sections are rotated for at least 360°

with respect to the respective particular orientations.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first and second particular ones of the sections are capable of being rotated simultaneously.

18. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first arrangement includes a third arrangement, and wherein the arrangement is being capable of at least partially wrapping the particular fiber around the third arrangement.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the third arrangement is a cylindrical arrangement.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the third arrangement is provided within a structure which is configured to limit the wrapping of the particular fiber around the second arrangement.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the third arrangement is positioned near a structure such that at least one of the further arrangement or the structure is capable of rotating with respect to one another so as to wrap the particular fiber around the further arrangement.

22. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the particular fiber is at least one of a polarization maintaining fiber, a single mode fiber, a multi-mode fiber, a fiber ribbon or a fiber bundle.