Systems and methods for cleaning an optical fibre

• US 7,503,701 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dornier MedTech Systems GmbH
• Original Assignee: Dornier MedTech Systems GmbH
• Inventors: Hiereth, Werner, Durian, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi; Hemang
• Application Number:
  US11/406,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20070014521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/55, 385/85, 385/88, 385/134
• US Class Current: 385/53
• 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 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3855 characterised by the method of anchoring or fixing the fibre within the ferrule G02B6/3854 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3857 Crimping, i.e. involving plastic deformation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3861 Adhesive bonding adhesives in general C09J

Abstract

The invention relates to an optical fibre with a connector piece that has a recess, such as a bore hole, for instance, for accommodating the optical fibre, wherein a fluid channel (18, 14) is provided that begins at the end of the recess and through which a fluid can pass. The invention furthermore relates to an optical fibre with a plug with a gripping piece that has two end openings, wherein the fibre enters into the gripping piece in one end opening and the light of the fibre or the fibre can exit from the gripping piece through the other end opening, wherein the end openings (15, 16) of the gripping piece (2) are interconnected in a way allowing throughflow.

Claims

1. An optical fiber system, comprising:

an optical fiber;

a connector coupled to the optical fiber, the connector comprising

a first bore within which at least a portion of the optical fiber is disposed,

a first opening adjacent to the first bore,

a second opening adjacent to the first bore, and

a fluid channel connecting the first opening and the second opening, the fluid channel defining a path by which at least one of a fluid and a gas enters through the first opening, contacts at least a portion of the optical fiber, and exits through the second opening; and

a tubular member surrounding at least a portion of the connector and at least a portion of the optical fiber, the tubular member comprising

a first end comprising a third opening,

a second end comprising a fourth opening, and

a body connecting the first end and the second end, the body defining a second bore within which at least a portion of the connector is disposed, the body comprising a wall disposed within the second bore, the wall connecting the tubular member and the connector and defining at least one fifth opening that allows flow of at least one of a fluid and a gas through the tubular member, between the first end and the second end, substantially around the connector.

2. The optical fiber system of claim 1, wherein the second opening extends along a length of a side of the connector.

3. The optical fiber system of claim 2, wherein the first opening is disposed on an end of the connector.

4. The optical fiber system of claim 1, wherein the connector is crimped to the optical fiber.

5. The optical fiber system of claim 1, wherein the connector is glued to the optical fiber.

6. The optical fiber system of claim 5, wherein at least one exterior side of the glue is covered with an elastic sealing material.

7. The optical fiber system of claim 6, wherein the elastic sealing material comprises at least one of silicone and elastic glue.

8. The optical fiber system of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a sixth opening adjacent to the first bore, the fluid channel connecting the first opening, the second opening, and the sixth opening,

wherein the path defined by the fluid channel allows the at least one of the fluid and the gas to exit through both the second opening and the sixth opening.

9. The optical fiber system of claim 8, wherein the second opening extends along a length of a first side of the connector and the sixth opening extends along a length of a second side of the connector, the first side being disposed opposite the second side.

10. The optical fiber system of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber extends through opposing ends of the connector.

11. The optical fiber system of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber extends through the third opening and the fourth opening.

12. The optical fiber assembly of claim 1, wherein each opening defined by the wall of the tubular member is defined by an indentation in the wall.