Optical waveguide with flexible tip
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United States of America Patent
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-
Dec 7, 1993
Grant Date -
N/A
app pub date -
Sep 1, 1992
filing date -
Sep 1, 1992
priority date (Note) -
Expired
status (Latency Note)
Importance
Abstract
A flexible tip for a medical catheter suitable for the transmission of light and dimensioned to pass through extremely small tubular members is described. The flexible tip, preferably made of optically transparent silicone elastomer, is affixed to the terminal end of a conventional optical fiber. In a preferred embodiment, the flexible tip comprises a central silicone core surrounded by a cladding having an index of refraction less than that of the core, permitting internal reflection. The flexible tip is provided with an outer jacket which serves two purposes: a) it provides structural integrity for the tip, and b) it reinforces the union between the flexible tip and the optical fiber to which it is abutted. The tip enables the delivery of a comparable amount of light as a large glass fiber of equal core diameter but possesses much greater flexibility. The tip has the flexibility to be able to enter tortuous tubular members while retaining the light transmitting capabilities of relatively inflexible glass optical waveguides of the same diameter.
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