Patent · US Expired

Multiport illuminator mechanical design for macro-fibers

US5708737A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
16References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 13, 1996
Grant dateJan 13, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 13, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S385/901
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The inventive system, which is used in transmitting illumination from a central source to a variety of remote locations, efficiently couples the light originating from an arc lamp, or similar source, into a multiplicity of flexible macroscopic fibers. The combination of the several elements of the inventive system results in a very efficient transfer of the energy of the light source to the fibers. A first module houses the arc lamp, and a second module generally houses the optics for coupling light to the flexible macroscopic fibers. The second module is thermally insulated from the first module, to thereby prevent high temperatures from leaking from the first module into the second module.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.