Optical fiber image sensor

Claim 2

A surgical device used in procedures in which said device is inserted into body tissue, said device comprising: a source of illumination light, a single first light transmission path and a second light transmission path, said first light transmission path defining therein a longitudinal space which completely surrounds the outer periphery of said second light transmission path, said second light transmission path extending in said space of said first light transmission path such that light transmission is possible both from one end of said first light transmission path to the other end thereof and from one end of said second light transmission path to the other and thereof; one end of both said first and second light transmission paths existing at a site under optical scrutiny; said first light transmission path including a transparent plastic tube for transmitting illumination light to said site to be illuminated, and said second light transmission path including a light receiving optical fiber inserted into said illumination light transmitting transparent plastic tube.

Claim 3

The device according to claim 1, wherein said light receiving optical fiber is an image fiber.

Claim 4

The device according to claim 2 wherein a light absorbing layer is applied to said image fiber.

Claim 5

The device according to claim 3, wherein a light absorbing layer is provided on an outer periphery of said image fiber.

Claim 6

The device according to claim 1, wherein said illumination light transmitting transparent plastic tube is made of material selected from the group consisting of polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate and polystyrene.

Claim 7

The device according to claim 1, wherein a fluid passageway is formed between said image fiber and said illumination light transmitting transparent plastic tube.

Claim 8

The device according to claim 1, wherein a transparent layer having a refractive index lower than that of said light transparent plastic tube is applied to the surface of said light transparent plastic tube.

Claim 9

The device according to claim 7, wherein a clad layer having a refractive index lower than that of said light transparent plastic tube is applied to the surface of said transparent layer.

Claim 10

The device according to claim 8, wherein said clad layer is made of fluororesin.

Claim 11

The device according to claim 1, wherein a clad layer is applied to the surface of said light transparent plastic tube.

Claim 12

The device according to claim 10, wherein said clad layer is made of fluororesin.

Claim 13

The device according to claim 1, wherein said second light transmission path includes an optical lens at its forward end for introducing light into said second light transmission path.

Claim 14

The device according to claim 12, further comprising a cylindrical sleeve, wherein said optical lens is inserted into and surrounded by said cylindrical sleeve, and said optical lens is coupled to said second light transmission path through said cylindrical sleeve to thereby form a sub-assembly, said sub-assembly being located at a forward end of said light transparent plastic tube.

Claim 15

The device according to claim 1, further including optical means for introducing light, emitted from a light source, into an end portion of said first light transmission path.

Claim 16

The device according to claim 14, said optical means including a concave mirror set at a predetermined angle.

Claim 17

The device according to claim 15, wherein said concave mirror has a radial slot.

Claim 18

The device according to claim 1, wherein said first path includes a light guide disposed at the periphery of a compound fiber defining a light guiding ring-like path, a light source provided in the vicinity of an end surface of said light guiding ring-like path, and a first concave mirror for reflecting light from said light source and for concentrating the reflected light onto said end surface of said light guiding ring-like path.

Claim 19

The device according to claim 17, in which a second concave mirror is provided at the side opposite said first concave mirror, for reflecting light from said light source back to said light source.

Claim 20

The device according to claim 17, in which an image fiber forms an inner portion of said compound fiber.

Claim 21

The device according to claim 17, in which a fluid passageway is continuously provided within said light guiding ring-like path.

Claim 22

The optical fiber sensor according to claim 17, in which said first concave mirror includes, as its reflection surface, an ellipsoidal- surface of revolution with a center of said light source and a center of said end surface of said light guiding ring-like path as its focuses.

Claim 23

The device according to claim 1, further including a branch portion structure, said respective transmission lines branching out from said branch portion, at which branch portion an end surface of said illumination light transmission line closely contacts a molded end surface of an optical fiber for leading illumination light from a light source.

Claim 24

The device according to claim 22, wherein a transparent body of plastics including PMMA, polystyrene, polycarbonate, is employed as said illumination light transmission line.

Claim 25

The device according to claim 22, wherein an image fiber is employed as said information line.

Claim 26

The device according to claim 1, said second path comprising an image fiber disposed within said single longitudinal space which totally encircles said image fiber and having a high transmission factor with respect to incident rays, said fiber sensor having an emitting and an incident end which are made thin and thick respectively.

Claim 27

The device according to claim 1, wherein said light receiving optical fiber is formed integrally with said illumination light transmitting transparent plastic tube.

Claim 28

The device according to claim 1, wherein a fluid passageway is formed axially of and within said first light transmission path.

Claim 29

The device according to claim 1, further including a branch portion wherein said first path is branched from said second path.

Claim 30

The device according to claim 28, including a light source guide input, said first path including a polished mirror surface for contacting said guide input.

Claim 31

A surgical device used in procedures in which said device is inserted into body tissue, said device comprising; a single first light transmission path and a second light transmission path, said first light transmission path defining therein a longitudinal space which completely surrounds the outer periphery of said second light transmission path, said second light transmission path extending in said space of said first light transmission path such that light transmission is possible both from one end of said first light transmission path to the other end thereof and from one end of said second light transmission path to the other end thereof; one end of both said first and second light transmission paths existing at a site under optical scrutiny; said second path including an image fiber, an image pickup lens being disposed o an axial line of said image fiber for focusing a picture image onto an end surface of said image fiber, and said first path including a light guide disposed substantially coaxially with said image fiber so as to surround said image fiber and said image pickup lens, said image pickup lens and the forward end portion of said image fiber being fixed in a cylindrical rigid sleeve so as to constitute a sub-assembly composed of said image pickup lens, said image fiber and said cylindrical rigid sleeve, and said light guide being made of a single material formed into an integral and substantially cylindrical shape such that said sub-assembly of said image pickup lens, said image fiber and said cylindrical rigid sleeve are inserted into and fixed in said light guide.

Claim 32

A surgical device used in procedures in which said device is inserted into body tissue, said device comprising; a single first light transmission path and a second light transmission path, said first light transmission path defining therein a longitudinal space which completely surrounds the outer periphery of said second light transmission path, said second light transmission path extending in said space of said first light transmission path such that light transmission is possible both from one end of said first light transmission path to the other end thereof and from one end of said second light transmission path to the other end thereof; one end of both said first and second light transmission paths existing at a site under optical scrutiny; said second path including an image fiber, an image pickup lens being disposed o an axial line of said image fiber for focusing a picture image onto an end surface of said image fiber, and said first path including a light guide disposed substantially coaxially with said image fiber so as to surround said image fiber and said image pickup lens, said image pickup lens and the forward end portion of said image fiber being fixed in a cylindrical rigid sleeve so as to constitute a sub-assembly composed of said image pickup lens, said image fiber and said cylindrical rigid sleeve, and said light guide being made of a single material formed into an integral and substantially cylindrical shape such that said sub-assembly of said image pickup lens, said image fiber and said cylindrical rigid sleeve are inserted into and fixed in said light guide.

Claim 33

A surgical device used in procedures in which said device is inserted into body tissue, said device comprising; a single first light transmission path and a second light transmission path, said first light transmission path defining therein a longitudinal space which completely surrounds the outer periphery of said second light transmission path, said second light transmission path extending in said space of said first light transmission path such that light transmission is possible both from one end of said first light transmission path to the other end thereof and from one end of said second light transmission path to the other end thereof; one end of both said first and second light transmission paths existing at a site under optical scrutiny; wherein said second light transmission path branches from said first light transmission path through a hole formed therein passing through a side wall thereof to said longitudinal space.

Claim 34

A surgical device used in procedures in which said device is inserted into body tissue, said device comprising; a single first light transmission path and a second light transmission path, said first light transmission path defining therein a longitudinal space which completely surrounds the outer periphery of said second light transmission path, said second light transmission path extending in said space of said first light transmission path such that light transmission is possible both from one end of said first light transmission path to the other end thereof and from one end of said second light transmission path to the other end thereof; one end of both said first and second light transmission paths existing at a site under optical scrutiny; wherein said second light transmission path branches from said first light transmission path through a hole formed therein passing through a side wall thereof to said longitudinal space.

Claim 35

The device according to claim 31, wherein an image fiber is employed as said second light transmission path.

Claim 36

The device according to claim 31, said first path including a longitudinal hole for guiding a fluid, and a hole passing through said first path from the outside to said longitudinal hole, a tube for supplying fluid being coupled to said longitudinal hole.

Claim 37

The device according to claim 31, wherein said hole formed in said first path is a bore, and said second path passes through said bore.

Claim 38

A surgical device used in procedures in which said device is inserted into body tissue, said device comprising; a source of illumination light, a single first light transmission path and a second light transmission path, said first light transmission path defining therein a longitudinal space which completely surrounds the outer periphery of said second light transmission path, said second light transmission path extending in said space of said first light transmission path such that light transmission is possible both from one end of said first light transmission path to the other end thereof and from one end of said second light transmission path to the other end thereof; one end of both said first and second light transmission paths existing at a site of an object under optical scrutiny; further including a branch portion structure, said first path comprising an illumination light transmission line for transmitting illumination light and said second path comprising an information transmission line for transmitting information light received from an object, said respective transmission lines branching out from said branch portion, at which branch portion an end surface of said illumination light transmission line closely contacts an end surface of an optical fiber bundle for leading illumination light from said source of illumination light.

Claim 39

A surgical device used in procedures in which said device is inserted into body tissue, said device comprising; a source of illumination light, a single first light transmission path and a second light transmission path, said first light transmission path defining therein a longitudinal space which completely surrounds the outer periphery of said second light transmission path, said second light transmission path extending in said space of said first light transmission path such that light transmission is possible both from one end of said first light transmission path to the other end thereof and from one end of said second light transmission path to the other end thereof; one end of both said first and second light transmission paths existing at a site of an object under optical scrutiny; further including a branch portion structure, said first path comprising an illumination light transmission line for transmitting illumination light and said second path comprising an information transmission line for transmitting information light received from an object, said respective transmission lines branching out from said branch portion, at which branch portion an end surface of said illumination light transmission line closely contacts an end surface of an optical fiber bundle for leading illumination light from said source of illumination light.

Claim 40

The device according to claim 35, wherein a transparent body of plastics including PMMA, polystyrene, polycarbonate, is employed as said illumination light transmission line.

Claim 41

The device according to claim 35, wherein an image fiber is employed as said information line.