Fiberoptic cylindrical diffuser
AssigneePioneer Optics Company
InventorsEarl E. Purcell, Jr., Ronald E. Hille
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fiberoptic diffuser has an optical fiber having a light transmitting core, cladding about the core, and a buffer layer about the cladding. The core at the distal end portion of the fiber is exposed and a diffusing sleeve is disposed thereabout. A transparent cylindrical cap is disposed outwardly of the diffusing sleeve and overlies the exposed core, and a reflector is provided in the cap in axial alignment with the distal end of the core to reflect light rays exiting the core. The light rays exiting the core are reflected by the reflector and are refracted by the sleeve to exit through the cap over substantially the entire length of the exposed core.
Claims21
A fiberoptic diffuser comprising:
- (a) an optical fiber having a light transmitting core, cladding about said core, and a buffer layer about said cladding, said fiber having proximal and distal ends with a portion of said fiber adjacent said distal end being free from said cladding and said buffer to expose said core;
- (b) a diffusing sleeve disposed about said exposed distal end portion of said core;
- (c) a transparent cylindrical cap spaced outwardly of said diffusing sleeve and overlying said exposed core, said cap having a mounting portion at one end secured to said buffer layer of said fiber;
- and
- (d) a reflector in said cap in axial alignment with the distal end of said core and configured to reflect light rays exiting said core back into said core and sleeve, whereby light rays passing through said fiber and exiting said distal end of said core are reflected by said reflector and whereby light rays passing into said sleeve are refracted by said sleeve to exit through said cap over substantially the entire length of said cap overlying said exposed distal end of said core.
A fiberoptic diffuser comprising:
- (a) an optical fiber having a light transmitting core, cladding about said core, and a buffer layer about said cladding, said fiber having proximal and distal ends with a portion of said fiber adjacent said distal end being free from said cladding and said buffer to expose said core;
- (b) a diffusing sleeve disposed about said exposed distal end portion of said core;
- (c) a transparent cylindrical cap spaced outwardly of said diffusing sleeve to provide a cavity therebetween and overlying said exposed core, said cap having a mounting portion at one end secured to said buffer layer of said fiber;
- and
- (d) a concave reflector with a specular metal surface in said cap in axial alignment with the distal end of said core to reflect light rays exiting said core back into said core and sleeve, whereby light rays passing through said fiber and exiting said core are reflected by said reflector and whereby light rays passing into said sleeve are refracted by said sleeve to exit through said cap over substantially the entire length of said cap overlying said exposed distal end of said core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.