Optical waveguides – Optical fiber bundle
Patent
1999-06-01
2000-12-19
Ullah, Akm E.
Optical waveguides
Optical fiber bundle
600113, G02B 604
Patent
active
061636401
ABSTRACT:
The present invention includes a stereoscopic fiber optic probe sensor. In one aspect of the invention, the fiber stereoscopic optic probe includes a signal fiber bundle having a plurality of first signal fibers, and an illumination fiber bundle having a plurality of second signal fibers. A drawn fiber optic bundle is contiguous with and formed by a predetermined length of the signal fiber bundle and the illumination fiber bundle. The drawn fiber optic bundle comprises portions of the first and second signal fibers. A plurality of fiber tips terminate the drawn fiber optic bundle. Each fiber tip provides one or more surfaces at which the first signal fibers are terminated and one or more surfaces at which the second signal fibers are terminated. In one embodiment, the sensor includes an imaging sensor. The sensor is operatively coupled to an end of the signal fiber bundle opposite the drawn fiber optic bundle. Generally, the imaging sensor is constructed and arranged to receive light reflected into the terminal end of the signal fiber bundle at the fiber tip. In another embodiment, the sensor includes an illumination source operatively coupled to an end of the illumination fiber bundle opposite the drawn fiber optic bundle. The illumination source is constructed and arranged to project light into the end of the illumination fiber bundle for transport through the illumination fiber bundle and the drawn fiber optic bundle to the one or more surfaces at which the second signal fibers are terminated. The imaging sensor may be, for example, a CCD array, CID array or CMOS imaging sensor. Advantageously, the stereoscopic probe provides a large depth of focus and a real, non-inverted, distortion free image. Further features and advantages of the present invention as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like or functionally similar elements or method steps. Additionally, the left-most one or two digits of a reference numeral identifies the drawing in which the reference numeral first appears.
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Ben-Dov Shimshon
Kuperman Igor
Lanzet Igal
Metroptic Technologies, Inc.
Ullah Akm E.
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