Optical fiber structure, illumination unit, endoscope, and a method of manufacturing an optical fiber structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9749593-B2
Application number	US-201414176638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2014
Priority date	Aug 12, 2011
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

An optical fiber structure according to the present application includes a cylindrical resin body, and a plurality of circumferential arrays of optical fiber bare wires disposed within the resin body and extending along a longitudinal direction of the resin body. The resin body includes a linear slit provided at a location intermediate the length of the resin body. The linear slit extends from an outer surface to an inner bore of the resin body and extending substantially parallel to the bare wires.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical fiber structure comprising:
a cylindrical resin body, the resin body comprising:
a plurality of circumferential arrays of optical fiber bare wires which are disposed within the entire resin body and which extend along a longitudinal direction of the resin body; and
a linear slit which extends parallel to the optical fiber bare wires from an intermediate location in a length of the resin body and extends in a radial direction from an outer surface to an inner bore of the resin body;
wherein the resin body comprises a plurality of the slits arranged at regular intervals in a circumferential direction, and elongated portions each sandwiched between two adjacent slits in the resin body, the elongated portions being overlapped such that the resin body has a narrower outer circumference;
wherein the elongated portions comprise a first elongated portion, and second elongated portion, and a third elongated portion, wherein the first elongated portion is disposed between the second elongated portion and the third elongated portion; and
wherein the first elongated portion comprises a first section disposed at an inner surface of the second elongated portion and a second section disposed at an outer surface of the third elongated portion.

2. The optical fiber structure according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the slits are provided in the resin body at opposed positions as viewed from the longitudinal direction of the resin body, and a plurality of elongated portions, each sandwiched between adjacent slits, are deformed to a flat shape as viewed from the longitudinal direction of the resin body.

3. An illumination unit comprising the optical fiber structure according to claim 1 , and a light source arranged at one end of the optical fiber structure.

4. An endoscope comprising the optical fiber structure according to claim 1 , wherein an image transmission unit which transmits an image of a target portion under inspection is disposed in an inner bore of the resin body so as to face an end portion of the optical fiber structure.

5. The endoscope according to claim 4 , wherein the image transmission unit transmits the image captured by an imaging sensor.

6. The endoscope according to claim 4 , wherein the image transmission unit is an image fiber.

7. The endoscope according to claim 4 , wherein the image transmission unit is inserted through the slit provided at the intermediate location along the length of the resin body.

8. An optical fiber structure comprising a ring fiber, the ring fiber comprising:
a cylindrical resin body which comprises a plurality of circumferential arrays of optical fiber bare wires which are disposed within the entire resin body and which extend in a longitudinal direction of the resin body; and
a processed end formed by cutting at least one longitudinal end of the ring fiber along a longitudinal direction of the bare wires and overlapping separated portions in a circumferential direction of the ring fiber so that the processed end is narrower than a cylindrical section of the ring fiber;
wherein the resin body comprises a plurality of the slits arranged at regular intervals in a circumferential direction, and elongated portions each sandwiched between two adjacent slits in the resin body, the elongated portions being overlapped such that the resin body has a narrower outer circumference;
wherein the elongated portions comprise a first elongated portion, and second elongated portion, and a third elongated portion, wherein the first elongated portion is disposed between the second elongated portion and the third elongated portion; and
wherein the first elongated portion comprises a first section disposed at an inner surface of the second elongated portion and a second section disposed at an outer surface of the third elongated portion.

9. The optical fiber structure according to claim 8 , further comprising a fitting, wherein the processed end is inserted into the fitting which tightens the processed end.

10. The optical fiber structure according to claim 8 , wherein the processed end is further formed by twisting the at least one longitudinal end of the ring fiber.

11. The optical fiber structure according to claim 8 , further comprising a light entry projection formed at a tip of the processed end, the light entry projection comprising a curved convex surface comprising a transparent adhesive with a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the bare wires.

12. The optical fiber structure according to claim 8 , wherein the processed end comprises a plurality of discrete portions collected together, the plurality of discrete portions dividedly formed during the cutting of the at least one longitudinal end of the ring fiber.

13. The optical fiber structure according to claim 9 , wherein the fitting comprises a taper hole.

14. A method of manufacturing an optical fiber structure comprising a ring fiber comprising a cylindrical resin body which comprises a plurality of circumferential arrays of optical fiber bare wires which are disposed within the entire resin body and which extend along a longitudinal direction of the resin body,
wherein the resin body comprises a plurality of the slits arranged at regular intervals in a circumferential direction, and elongated portions each sandwiched between two adjacent slits in the resin body, the elongated portions being overlapped such that the resin body has a narrower outer circumference,
wherein the elongated portions comprise a first elongated portion, and second elongated portion, and a third elongated portion, wherein the first elongated portion is disposed between the second elongated portion and the third elongated portion, and
wherein the first elongated portion comprises a first section disposed at an inner surface of the second elongated portion and a second section disposed at an outer surface of the third elongated portion,
the method comprising:
cutting at least one longitudinal end of the ring fiber along a longitudinal direction of the bare wires;
overlapping separated portions, of the at least one longitudinal end, in a circumferential direction of the ring fiber; and
forming a processed end from the at least one longitudinal end such that the processed end is narrower than a cylindrical section of the ring fiber.

15. The method of manufacturing an optical fiber structure according to claim 14 , further comprising inserting the at least one longitudinal end, subjected to the cutting, into a fitting, thereby tightening the at least one longitudinal end.

16. The method of manufacturing an optical fiber structure according to claim 14 , further comprising twisting the at least one longitudinal end, subjected to the cutting.

17. The method of manufacturing an optical fiber structure according to claim 14 , further comprising forming a light entry projection, comprising a curved convex surface at a tip of the processed end, by using transparent adhesive with a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the bare wires.

18. The method of manufacturing an optical fiber structure according to claim 14 , further comprising collecting the separated portions dividedly formed during the cutting.

19. An optical fiber structure comprising a ring fiber, the ring fiber comprising:
a cylindrical resin body which comprises a plurality of circumferential arrays of optical fiber bare wires which are disposed within the entire resin body and which extend in a longitudinal direction of the resin body; and
a plurality of discrete

Assignees

• Fujikura Ltd

Inventors

• Hu Wei-Zhi
• Nakatate Kenichi
• IIKURA Hitoe
• SHIRATANI Hideo

Classifications

• G02B6/0008

  the light being emitted at the end of the fibre · CPC title

• G02B6/4415

  Cables for special applications (G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04N7/18 Primary

  Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast · CPC title

• A61B1/0017

  Details of single optical fibres, e.g. material or cladding · CPC title

• A61B1/07

  using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres · CPC title