Scanning optical fiber, laser irradiation device, and method for manufacturing scanning optical fiber
AssigneeOlympus Corporation
InventorTakumi HAYASHI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scanning optical fiber includes: a fiber core having a proximal region and a distal region; and a cover member formed of a single seamless member and covering at least a portion of the core. The cover member includes a tubular main section that covers at least a portion of the distal region excluding an end portion of the core, a protrusion protruding from a distal end of the main section at only one side of the core in a radial direction and arranged alongside the end portion in the radial direction, and a large diameter section provided at a proximal side relative to the distal end of the main section and folded in a longitudinal direction of the main section into a shape that protrudes radially outward.
Claims16
A scanning optical fiber comprising:
- a fiber core having a proximal region and a distal region;
- and
- a cover member comprising a single seamless member and covering at least a portion of the fiber core,
- wherein the cover member includes
- a tubular main section that covers at least a portion of the distal region excluding an end portion including a distal end of the fiber core,
- a protrusion that protrudes from a distal end of the main section at only one side of the fiber core in a radial direction and that is arranged alongside the end portion in the radial direction, and
- a large diameter section provided at a proximal side relative to the distal end of the main section and folded in a longitudinal direction of the main section into a shape that protrudes radially outward.
A scanning optical fiber comprising:
- a fiber core having a proximal region and a distal region;
- and
- a cover member formed by processing a single tubular member and covering at least a portion of the fiber core,
- wherein the cover member includes
- a protrusion having a first notch extending in a longitudinal direction in a first region including a distal end of the tubular member, the protrusion being formed by causing at least a portion of the first region to deform in a direction in which the first region is away from the fiber core in a radial direction, and
- a large diameter section having a second notch extending in the longitudinal direction in a second region of the tubular member, the second region being located at a proximal side relative to the first region, the large diameter section being formed by compressing the second region in the longitudinal direction and folding the second region into a shape that protrudes radially outward.
A laser irradiation device comprising:
- a laser light source that emits laser light;
- and
- a scanning optical fiber connected to the laser light source,
- wherein the scanning optical fiber includes
- a connector attachable to and detachable from the laser light source,
- a fiber core connected to the connector and having a proximal region and a distal region, and
- a cover member formed of a single seamless member and covering at least a portion of the fiber core, and
- wherein the cover member includes
- a tubular main section that covers at least a portion of the distal region excluding an end portion including a distal end of the fiber core,
- a protrusion that protrudes from a distal end of the main section at only one side of the fiber core in a radial direction and that is arranged alongside the end portion in the radial direction, and
- a large diameter section provided at a proximal side relative to the distal end of the main section and folded in a longitudinal direction of the main section into a shape that protrudes radially outward.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.