Replacement method for a damaged part of a light emitter of a probe
AssigneeFUJIFILM Corporation
InventorKaku Irisawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A photoacoustic probe which prevents foreign substances from entering and of which a portion of a light emitting unit to be easily damaged can be replaced is provided. An acoustic wave detector 24 detects acoustic waves. First and second light guide members 21 and 23, which form the light emitting unit, are arranged in series in a traveling direction of light. A frame body 11 holds the first light guide members 21, the second light guide members 23, and the acoustic wave detector 24. The first light guide members 21, is positioned close to a subject, is undetachably fixed to the frame body 11. Meanwhile, the second light guide members 23, which is positioned close to a light source, is detachably fixed to the frame body 11.
Claims10
A replacement method for a damaged part of a probe, wherein the probe comprises:
- an acoustic wave detector that detects acoustic waves;
- a light emitter that emits light emitted from a light source toward a subject;
- and
- a frame body that holds the acoustic wave detector and the light emitter,
- wherein the light emitter includes a first light guide member and a second light guide plate that are arranged in series in a traveling direction of the light and a light incident surface of the second light guide plate is optically connected to light emitting ends of optical wires which guide the light from the light source to the light incident surface of the second light guide plate,
- the first light guide member positioned on the subject side is undetachably fixed to the frame body, and
- the second light guide plate positioned on the light source side is detachably fixed to the frame body,
- wherein the light emitter has a light diffusion layer between the first light guide member and the second light guide plate,
- the light diffusion layer and a light incident surface of the first light guide member are faced at each other with a gap therebetween, and
- a width of a light incident surface of the first light guide member is greater than a width of a light emitting surface of the second light guide plate, and
- wherein the replacement method comprises:
- removing the optical wires from the second light guide plate,
- pulling out the second light guide plate which is damaged from the frame body,
- inserting a new second light guide plate to the frame body, and
- mounting the removed optical wires on the new second light guide plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.