Device for detecting three-dimensional shapes of elongated flexible body
US6868195B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 19, 2004 |
| Grant date | Mar 15, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 19, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/02057
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
For detecting three-dimensional shapes of an elongated flexible body, a sensor cable to be placed in a passage or channel which is formed axially and coextensively within the elongated flexible body. The sensor cable has two pairs of fiber Bragg grating strands within a tubular carrier casing. A signal light beam containing Bragg wavelength bands is projected from a light source to input same to refractive index change portions in the fiber Bragg grating strands. Reflection diffraction light signals from the refractive index change portions are received by a signal processor to measure the degree of strain at each one of the respective refractive index change portions by comparing wavelengths of the reflection diffraction light signals with reference wavelength.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.