Fiber optic coupler
US4946238A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 3, 1989 |
| Grant date | Aug 7, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 3, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B6/022
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fiber optic coupler connecting a scintillator which receives the X-ray energy and converts the X-ray energy into visible light photons and a self-scanning photodiode array which converts the visible light photons into electrical signals, the self-scanning photodiode array being smaller in length than the scintillator means. The fiber optic coupler comprises a light receiving end wall adjacent to the scintillator, a light discharging end wall adjacent to the self-scanning photodiode array, a pair of substantially parallel sidewalls that are oriented generally perpendicular to the light discharging end wall, an array of optic fibers oriented generally perpendicularly to the light discharging end wall and extending from the light receiving end wall to the light discharging end wall. The light receiving end wall is greater in length than the light discharging end wall and at least some of the fibers in the array are different in length from other fibers in the array. Therefore, light entering the light receiving end wall is transported efficiently to the light discharging end wall and the image introduced into the fibers in the array at the light receiving end wall will be reduced as…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.