Fiber optic probe for measuring reflectance spectrum

Claim 1

A fiber optic probe for measuring a reflectance spectrum, by emitting light onto a surface of a living body and by analyzing reflected light by spectrophotometry, comprising a fiber bundle having a first plurality of illuminating light transmitting optical fibers and a second plurality of light receiving optical fibers for receiving light transmitted by said first plurality of illuminating light transmitting optical fibers and reflected from said living body, said first and second plurality of optical fibers being arranged in parallel to and next to one another; cladding means enclosing all of said first and second optical fibers at least near a probe end of said fiber optic probe, and flat condenser lens means having a first flat surface in contact with end surfaces of said illuminating light transmitting optical fibers and with end surfaces of said light receiving optical fibers, said flat condenser lens means having, opposite said first flat surface, a second flat surface for contacting said living body surface, and wherein said cladding means comprise a heat shrinkable tube having a tube end projecting sufficiently in an axial direction for fixing said flat condenser lens means in a position for cooperation with said illuminating light transmitting optical fibers and with said light receiving optical fibers, said axially projecting tube end forming a radially inwardly constricted rim holding a periphery of said flat condenser lens means in place.