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Optical tomographic imaging system

  • US 8,174,701 B2
  • Filed: 09/28/2008
  • Issued: 05/08/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An optical tomographic imaging system comprising:

  • a main body of system for acquiring an optical tomographic image of an object under measuring;

    an optical probe having a given length and including a first optical fiber rotatably provided for guiding measuring light from said main body of system to said object under measurement and guiding returning light from said object under measurement to said main body of system, a measuring unit disposed at a tip of said first optical fiber for irradiating said object under measurement with said measuring light and acquiring returning light from said object under measurement, and a probe sheath covering the peripheries of said first optical fiber and said measuring unit so as to rotatably hold said first optical fiber and said measuring unit and having at least a region thereof formed of a transparent material transmitting said measuring light from said measuring unit and said returning light from said object under measurement;

    a second optical fiber stationarily provided and connected with said main body of system for guiding said measuring light to said first optical fiber and guiding said returning light guided by said first optical fiber to said main body of system;

    a rotary drive unit provided between said optical probe and said second optical fiber for rotatably connecting said measuring unit and said first optical fiber following said measuring unit in said optical probe to said second optical fiber to transmit said measuring light and said returning light;

    an extra length handling mechanism for winding said optical probe into a circular loop having at least a given minimum diameter on a side closer to said rotary drive unit and holding said probe so wound; and

    attaching and detaching means for attaching and detaching said optical probe at said rotary drive unit or between said rotary drive unit and said extra length handling mechanism,wherein said main body of system acquires said optical tomographic image of said object under measurement using said guided returning light,wherein said extra length handling mechanism winds an extra length of said optical probe according to said object under measurement to set a length extending from said extra length handling mechanism to a tip of said optical probe,wherein said extra length handling mechanism winds said extra length of said optical probe into the circular loop through a center of the circular loop from a direction perpendicular to the circular loop and comprises a restricting guide for winding said optical probe into said circular loop having at least a given minimum diameter,wherein said restricting guide comprises a first central circular tubing section for passing said optical probe and a sectionally semicircular toric shell section that is concentrically provided around said first central circular tubing section and around which said optical probe is wound into the circular loop,wherein said sectionally semicircular toric shell section comprises an inner base rim provided in a direction perpendicular to said first central circular tubing section and integrated with said first central circular tubing section, an outer base rim provided in parallel to said first central circular tubing section, and a toric peripheral surface formed between said inner base rim and said outer base rim, andwherein said optical probe passes through an inside of said first central circular tubing section, extends from one end of said first central circular tubing section in the direction perpendicular to said first central circular tubing section, and is wound on a periphery of said outer base rim of said sectionally semicircular toric shell section to form the circular loop.

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