Force sensing in a distal region of an instrument including single-core or multi-core optical fiber

US10876831B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC. · US

Inventors

• Dawn K. Gifford · Blacksburg, US
• Federico Barbagli · San Francisco, US
• Samuel Chang · San Jose, US
• Anoop B. Kowshik · San Jose, US
• Oliver J. Wagner · Mountain View, US
• Michael D. Paris · San Francisco, US
• Mark E. Froggatt · Blacksburg, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 9, 2019
• Grant date: Dec 29, 2020
• Expiry date: Jul 9, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B23/26
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical force sensor along with an optical processing apparatus and method are disclosed. The optical force sensor includes an optical fiber, a core included in the optical fiber, an instrument including the optical fiber, the instrument having a distal region, and a tubular structure encasing an end of the optical fiber and secured to the first conduit at the distal region of the instrument. When an optical interferometric system is coupled to the optical fiber, it processes reflected light from a portion of the core included within the tubular structure that does not include Bragg gratings to produce a measurement of a force present at the distal region of the instrument.