US5016964A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Optical fiber coupler with linear input
Assignee: Spectranetics LLC
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Filing: 1989-10-04
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Granted: 1991-05-21
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Expires: 2009-10-04
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus to couple a laser beam into a plurality of optical fibers is disclosed. The laser beam, having a naturally rectangular cross sectional area, is passed through a cylindrical lens to focus the laser beam into a focal line. The optical fibers are then arranged in a linear configuration at the focal line to accept the laser beam. A second cylindrical lens may be used to control the length of the focal line to match the length of the linearly configured optical fibers. A method for coupling the laser beam into the linearly configured optical fibers is also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael B. Donnelly
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 21:28
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/09; G02B27/0938; G02B27/095; G02B27/0955; G02B27/0966; G02B27/0911; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4204; G02B6/4206; G02B6/4296
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
A laser transmission system, comprising: lens means for focusing a laser beam to a focused line; means for projecting a laser beam through the lens means; a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber having a proximal end, the proximal ends being arranged in linear configuration to accept the focused line.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
50 words
A laser transmission system, comprising: lens means for focusing a laser beam to a focused line; means for projecting a laser beam through the lens means; a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber having a proximal end, the proximal ends being arranged in linear configuration to accept the focused line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the lens means is a cylindrical lens.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system according to claim 2, wherein the cylindrical lens is a plano-convex cylindrical lens having a curved surface facing the projecting means and having a planar surface facing the proximal ends.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the focused line has a focal line length and the linear configuration has an optical fiber length, the focal line length and the optical fiber length being substantially equal
Claim 6
Independent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim wherein the optical fibers each have a distal end, the distal ends being configured in other than a linear configuration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 5, wherein the distal ends are configured in a circular pattern.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
A laser transmission system, comprising: first lens means for focusing a laser beam to a focused line having a focused line length; second lens means for controlling the focused line length; means for projecting a laser beam through the first and second lens means; a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber having a proximal end, the proximal ends being arranged in linear configuration to accept the focused line.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
A laser transmission system, comprising: first lens means for focusing a laser beam to a focused line having a focused line length; second lens means for controlling the focused line length; means for projecting a laser beam through the first and second lens means; a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber having a proximal end, the proximal ends being arranged in linear configuration to accept the focused line.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 7, wherein the first lens means is a first cylindrical lens having an axis of curvature substantially parallel to the optical fiber linear configuration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 8, wherein the second lens means is a second cylindrical lens having an axis of curvature substantially perpendicular to the optical fiber linear configuration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system according to claim 9, wherein the first cylindrical lens has a first focal length and the second lens has a second focal length, the focal length being at least twice the second focal length.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 9, wherein the first and second lenses include an anti-reflection coating.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
A system according to claim 7, wherein: the optical fibers have a core diameter; and the laser beam has a varying width from the first lens means to the focused line, the linear configuration of optical fibers being placed along the laser beam at a location where the width of the laser beam is substantially equal to the core diameter of the optical fibers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 7, wherein the optical fibers are each multimode, step index fibers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 7, wherein the optical fibers include a cladding to core ratio of less than or equal to 1.1.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
47 words
A method of coupling a collimated beam into an optical fiber bundle, including the steps of: focusing a laser beam through a cylindrical lens into a focal line; arranging a plurality of optical fibers into a linear configuration; and launching the focal line into the linear configuration.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
47 words
A method of coupling a collimated beam into an optical fiber bundle, including the steps of: focusing a laser beam through a cylindrical lens into a focal line; arranging a plurality of optical fibers into a linear configuration; and launching the focal line into the linear configuration.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 15, further including the step, after the step of arranging, of adjusting the length of the focal line to substantially equal the length of the linear configuration.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 15, further including the step, after the step of arranging, of placing the optical fibers, having core diameters, at a location where the width of the focal line is substantially equal to the core diameters.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4913142A
Cited
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-05-20 | 1994-11-19 | 1995-05-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-05-20 | 1998-11-19 | 1999-05-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-05-20 | 2002-11-19 | 2003-05-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |