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US 9,678,275 B1Granted
Efficient coupling of infrared radiation to renal calculi
AssigneeInnovaQuartz LLC
InventorStephen E. Griffin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Herein are disclosed protected optical fiber terminations for use in the treatment of renal and biliary calculi. The protected optical fiber termination including a ferrule affixed to the optical fiber that provides the termination of the optical fiber with protection from contact with saline and/or biological fluids. The optical fiber termination can include open or closed ferrules. The open ferrules providing a means for maintaining a bubble, e.g., a Moses bubble on the termination; the closed ferrules providing a calumniated focus on the renal or biliary calculi.
Claims17
A optical fiber output termination comprising:
- an optical fiber having
- a core composed of fused silica or doped fused silica, a cladding disposed about the core, a first polymer coating disposed about the cladding, and a second polymer coating disposed about the first polymer coating,
- an output terminus, and
- a stripped terminus coincident with the output terminus, the stripped terminus including the core, cladding, and the first polymer coating, a stripped terminus length, and an outside diameter;
- and
- a ferrule affixed to the stripped terminus, having a length longer than the stripped terminus length, and a borehole, the borehole having a first bore with an inside diameter substantially similar to the outside diameter of the stripped terminus, where an output face carried on the output terminus is within the bore of the ferrule, the output face positioned at a fiber setback relative to a terminus of the ferrule at a distance where the highest angle of emitted radiation does not impinge upon the ferrule borehole;
- wherein the
- fiber
-
-
- setback
- <
- 0.5
-
- (
- first
-
-
- bore
-
-
- diameter
- -
- fiber
-
-
- cladding
-
-
- diameter
- )
- tan
-
- (
- fiber
-
-
- Output
-
-
- Angle
- )
- ;
- fiber
-
-
- Output
-
-
- Angle
- =
- arcsin
-
- (
- fiber
-
-
- Numerical
-
-
- Aperture
- )
- ;
- fiber
-
-
- Numerical
-
-
- Aperture
- =
- (
- core
-
-
- R
-
-
- I
- )
- 2
- -
- (
- cladding
-
-
- R
-
-
- I
- )
- 2
- ;
- wherein RI is refractive index.
91 more elements
A optical fiber output termination comprising:
- an optical fiber having a silica core, a cladding disposed about the core, a first polymer coating disposed about the cladding, and a second polymer coating disposed about the first polymer coating, the second polymer coating having an outside diameter, an output terminus, and a hydrophilic-stripped terminus coincident with the output terminus, the hydrophilic-stripped terminus including the core and cladding, a hydrophilic-stripped terminus length, and an outside diameter;
- a ferrule affixed to the stripped terminus, having a length longer than the hydrophilic-stripped terminus length, and a borehole, where an output face carried on the output terminus is within the borehole of the ferrule, the output face positioned at a fiber setback relative to a terminus of the ferrule at a distance where the highest angle of emitted radiation does not impinge upon the ferrule borehole, the borehole having a first bore and a second bore, the first bore having an inside diameter substantially similar to the outside diameter of the hydrophilic-stripped terminus, the second bore having an inside diameter substantially similar to the outside diameter of the second polymer coating;
- and
- a moisture-sensitive, gas-generating charge that is in fluidic communication with the output terminus of the fiber, carried between the ferrule and the optical fiber;
- wherein the
- fiber
-
-
- setback
- <
- 0.5
-
- (
- first
-
-
- bore
-
-
- diameter
- -
- fiber
-
-
- cladding
-
-
- diameter
- )
- tan
-
- (
- fiber
-
-
- Output
-
-
- Angle
- )
- ;
- fiber
-
-
- Output
-
-
- Angle
- =
- arcsin
-
- (
- fiber
-
-
- Numerical
-
-
- Aperture
- )
- ;
- fiber
-
-
- Numerical
-
-
- Aperture
- =
- (
- core
-
-
- R
-
-
- I
- )
- 2
- -
- (
- cladding
-
-
- R
-
-
- I
- )
- 2
- ;
- and wherein RI is refractive index.
89 more elements
A optical fiber output termination comprising:
- an optical fiber having a silica core, a cladding disposed about the core, a first polymer coating disposed about the cladding, and a second polymer coating disposed about the first polymer coating, the second polymer coating having an outside diameter, an output terminus, and a stripped terminus coincident with the output terminus, the stripped terminus including the core and cladding, a stripped terminus length, and an outside diameter;
- a ferrule consisting of sapphire, affixed to the stripped terminus, having a length longer than the stripped terminus length, and a borehole, where an output face carried on the output terminus is within the borehole of the ferrule, the output face positioned at a fiber setback relative to a terminus of the ferrule, the ferrule carrying a lens having a flat input surface adjacent to the borehole and a convex or flat output surface;
- wherein the fiber output face and the ferrule lens provide a beam path that culminates at a position immediately distal to the ferrule lens;
- wherein the
- fiber
-
-
- setback
- <
- 0.5
-
- (
- first
-
-
- bore
-
-
- diameter
- -
- fiber
-
-
- cladding
-
-
- diameter
- )
- tan
-
- (
- fiber
-
-
- Output
-
-
- Angle
- )
- ;
- fiber
-
-
- Output
-
-
- Angle
- =
- arcsin
-
- (
- fiber
-
-
- Numerical
-
-
- Aperture
- )
- ;
- fiber
-
-
- Numerical
-
-
- Aperture
- =
- (
- core
-
-
- R
-
-
- I
- )
- 2
- -
- (
- cladding
-
-
- R
-
-
- I
- )
- 2
- ;
- and wherein RI is refractive index.
88 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.