US 5,309,330 A · Light box

Abstract

The present invention provides a light box for fiber optic illumination cables. The light box includes a light bulb mounted in a disposable bulb holder. The light from the bulb enters a light preparation train including an aperture to produce an initial light beam, a hot mirror to reflect infrared and ultraviolet light, and an optical taper to narrow the light beam to the input diameter of the fiber optic illumination cable. The resulting light beam is passed to the illumination cable via a connector which selectively retains the fiber optic cable. The connector allows the cable to rotate while retained in the connector and includes a receiving tube surrounded by a sliding tube. A void between the tubes contains a plurality of ball retainers which can selectively extend through the wall of the receiving tube to retain the fiber optic cable. Because the connector is spring loaded, the cable is securely retained unless the sliding tube is manually moved into the releasing position by the operator. The light box further includes an electrical connector providing a safety circuit interrupting the power line to the light box when the drawer is removed, as well as a single use hour meter resetting circuit.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A device for providing high intensity light to a fiber optic illumination cable having an outside diameter and a optical fiber portion having an input diameter, said device comprising;

a housing;
a light bulb for providing high intensity light, said bulb being mounted in a disposable bulb holder and said bulb holder being slidably mounted in said housing;
a light preparation train for producing a final light beam from said high intensity light, said final light beam having a final light beam diameter slightly larger than said input diameter of said optical fiber portion of said fiber optic illumination cable, said light preparation train including an aperture, a hot mirror and an optical taper through which said high intensity light passes, said light preparation train being mounted in said housing and defining a light path axis;
and
means mounted in said housing along said light path axis for holding and aligning said optical fiber portion of said fiber optic illumination cable in optical communication with said light preparation train.

2 more elements

A device for providing high intensity light to a fiber optic illumination cable, said cable having an outside diameter, an input diameter defined within said outside diameter, and a proximal end formed to include a circumferential groove, said device comprising;

a light bulb providing high intensity light mounted in a bulb holder;
a light preparation train connected to said bulb holder to allow light produced by said light bulb to enter said light preparation train, said light preparation train producing final light beam from said high intensity light, said final light beam having a final light beam diameter slightly larger than said input diameter of said fiber optic illumination cable, said light preparation train defining a light path axis;
and
a fiber optic cable connector attached to said light preparation train to selectively connect said fiber optic illumination cable to said light preparation train, said connector comprising;
a generally cylindrical receiving tube connected to said light preparation train, said receiving tube defining a longitudinal axis coaxial with said light path axis, said receiving tube being formed with a plurality of openings and having two ends, a body portion, and an inside diameter slightly larger than said outside diameter of said fiber optic illumination cable;
a generally cylindrical sliding tube coaxially surrounding said receiving tube, said sliding tube having a retaining position and a releasing position, said receiving tube and said sliding tube being shaped to leave an annular void therebetween;
a plurality of substantially spherical balls located in said annular void, said balls being forced by said sliding tube to partially extend through said openings to engage said groove when said sliding tube is in said retaining position;
and
a helical spring positioned in said annular void, said spring being compressed between an inwardly extending ridge formed by said sliding tube and an outwardly extending shoulder formed by said receiving tube, said spring urging said sliding tube toward said retaining position.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Light box

Life of this patent

Light box

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23