Medical optical connector system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10299661-B2
Application number	US-201615571542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 3, 2015
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

The present invention relates to a medical optical connector for reversibly connecting two associated optical fibers (12, 14) for use in medical interventions, comprising a fiber carrying unit (16, 18) for inserting an end portion of at least one of the associated optical fibers (12, 14), and an optical arrangement (20) for interacting with a light beam from one of the associated optical fibers (12, 14) and conducting the light beam to the other one of the associated optical fibers (12, 14) in a connected state of the medical optical connector, the optical arrangement (20) comprising at least two gradient index elements (22a, 22b) and an additional optical element (23, 25) arranged between the at least two gradient index elements, wherein the additional optical element provides for a sterility barrier between the associated fibers (12, 14).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A medical optical connector for reversibly connecting two associated optical fibers for use in medical interventions, comprising:
a fiber carrying unit configured to receive an end portion of at least one of the associated optical fibers, and
an optical arrangement for interacting with a light beam from one of the associated optical fibers and conducting the light beam to the other one of the associated optical fibers in a connected state of the medical optical connector, the optical arrangement comprising two gradient index elements and an additional optical element arranged between the two gradient index elements and in direct contact with each of the two gradient index elements,
wherein the additional optical element is replaceable,
wherein the medical optical connector includes a sterility barrier between the associated optical fibers, and
wherein the sterility barrier includes the additional optical element.

2. The medical optical connector of claim 1 , wherein the sterility barrier further includes one of the gradient index elements.

3. The medical optical connector of claim 1 , wherein a total pitch of the two gradient index elements is one.

4. The medical optical connector of claim 1 , wherein the two gradient index elements have different pitches than each other.

5. The medical optical connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two gradient index elements comprises one of a gradient index lens and a gradient index fiber.

6. The medical optical connector of claim 1 , wherein the two gradient index elements have different outer diameters.

7. The medical optical connector of claim 6 , wherein a first one of the gradient index elements that has a smallest outer diameter is configured for integration in an interventional medical device, in which an end portion of a first one of the two associated optical fibers is insertable.

8. The medical optical connector of claim 7 , wherein a second one of the gradient index elements that has a largest outer diameter is received by the fiber carrying unit, in which an end portion of a second one of the two associated optical fibers is insertable.

9. The medical optical connector of claim 6 , wherein one of the two gradient index elements has an outer diameter equal to or smaller than an outer diameter of the interventional device.

10. The medical optical connector of claim 1 , wherein the additional optical element comprises one of a glass plate, a membrane layer, and a prism.

11. The medical optical connector of claim 1 , further comprising a connector sleeve for connecting an optical element of the optical arrangement with the fiber carrying unit.

12. An optical system for optically coupling to an interventional medical device, wherein the optical system comprises:
two optical fibers;
a medical optical connector for reversibly connecting the two optical fibers, wherein the medical optical connector includes:
a ferrule having disposed therein an end portion of a first one of the optical fibers,
a flexible device, comprising one of a guide wire, a sheath and a catheter, wherein the flexible device has disposed therein an end portion of a second one of the optical fibers, and
an optical arrangement for interacting with a light beam from one of the optical fibers and conducting the light beam to the other one of the associated optical fibers in a connected state of the medical optical connector, the optical arrangement comprising two gradient index elements and an additional optical element disposed between the two gradient index elements,

wherein a first one of the gradient index elements is disposed external to the ferrule and also external to the flexible device,
wherein a second one of the gradient index elements is disposed inside the flexible device,
wherein the additional optical element is disposed external to the ferrule and also external to the flexible device, and is replaceable,
wherein the medical optical connector includes a sterility barrier between the two optical fibers, and
wherein the sterility barrier includes the additional optical element.

13. The optical system of claim 12 , wherein the additional optical element is in direct contact with each of the two gradient index elements.

14. The optical system of claim 12 , wherein the sterility barrier further includes the first one of the gradient index elements.

15. The optical system of claim 12 , further comprising a mating sleeve, wherein an end portion of the ferrule and an end portion of the first one of the gradient index elements are each disposed inside the mating sleeve adjacent to each other.

16. The optical system of claim 12 , wherein a total pitch of the two gradient index elements is one.

17. The optical system of claim 12 , wherein the flexible device comprises a catheter.

18. The optical system of claim 12 , wherein the flexible device comprises a guide wire.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Van Putten Eibert Gerjan
• Schleipen Johannes Joseph Hubertina Barbara
• Van Der Mark Martinus Bernardus

Classifications

• A61B1/00126 Primary

  optical, e.g. for light supply cables · CPC title

• A61B90/37

  Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation · CPC title

• G02B6/32 Primary

  having lens focusing means {positioned between opposed fibre ends (with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262)} · CPC title

• A61B1/00117

  Optical cables in or with an endoscope · CPC title

• A61B17/00234

  for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence) · CPC title