JP2002040277A - Sealing cap for hollow waveguide end surface - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sealing cap for hollow waveguide which is manufactured at low cost, is excellent in durability, is innoxious to be used for medical use especially and is not affected by a sterilization atmosphere. SOLUTION: The sealing cap for hollow waveguide is used by being attached to the end surface of the hollow waveguide and consists of a short glass tube whose one end is sealed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cap for sealing a hollow waveguide.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hollow waveguides are attracting attention as transmission lines for infrared lasers such as carbon dioxide lasers and erbium yags, which cannot be transmitted by ordinary glass fibers, and ultraviolet lasers such as excimer lasers, and are being developed. . Hollow waveguides use air or gas as the core, so they have no absorption in the core and are suitable for large optical power transmission. It is applied to industrial fields such as quality.

[0003] When a hollow waveguide is applied to laser treatment, blood or body fluid released from a target to be irradiated with laser, human body tissue removed by laser irradiation, carbon generated by laser irradiation, and the like are formed by a core. If it enters into the inside of the hollow waveguide, the hollow waveguide may be damaged or the characteristics may be degraded. Therefore, it is necessary to seal the end face of the hollow waveguide. Similarly, industrial applications also require sealing of the end faces to protect the hollow waveguide from radiation from the target.

Therefore, conventionally, a method has been adopted in which a window member made of sapphire, quartz, calcium fluoride, or the like is bonded to the end face of the hollow waveguide to protect the end face.

[0005]

However, these materials are expensive, and are difficult to work with precision, so that there is a problem that the cost for sealing the hollow waveguide increases. Also, when a hollow waveguide is used for medical purposes, the adhesive used to fix the sealing material may elute and adversely affect the human body. It was difficult to adapt to the treatments to be performed. In addition, during the disinfection and sterilization treatment using an autoclave, there is a possibility that the adhesive may be peeled off.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, to be able to manufacture at low cost, to have excellent durability,
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sealing cap for a hollow waveguide which is non-toxic and is not affected by an atmosphere of disinfection and sterilization for use in medical applications.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention is used by attaching to the end face of a hollow waveguide.
Provided is a cap for sealing a hollow waveguide, which is constituted by a short glass tube sealed at one end.

The glass tube may function as a lens by appropriately controlling the shape of the sealing surface of the glass tube.

With the method for sealing a hollow waveguide according to the present invention, it is possible to manufacture the hollow waveguide at low cost.
It is possible to provide a sealing cap for a hollow waveguide which has excellent durability and is non-toxic and is not affected by an atmosphere of sterilization and sterilization especially for use in medical applications.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the hollow waveguide sealing cap of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a cap 2 is attached to the end face of the hollow waveguide 1 so that foreign matter does not enter the core 3 of the hollow waveguide from outside.

Since the inner diameter of the cap 2 is almost the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the hollow waveguide 1, the hollow waveguide 1 is simply inserted into the cap 2 and the cap 2 can be removed without using an adhesive. Can be fixed. Therefore, when the cap 2 is damaged or becomes contaminated, it can be easily replaced, and only the cap can be easily disinfected and sterilized.

When a gas is sealed in the core of the hollow waveguide 1 or the inside of the core is evacuated, an adhesive or grease is used to enhance the adhesion between the cap 2 and the hollow waveguide 1. Alternatively, the cap 2 may be fixed.

As an example of a method for manufacturing the sealing cap 2, a method in which one end of a glass tube is softened by heating, sealed by crushing, and then shaped into various shapes is suitable.

The material of the sealing cap 2 is preferably glass which has a high transmittance to a target laser beam, is easily formed into a cap shape, and is low in cost. Uses quartz, borosilicate glass, or chalcogenide glass.

FIG. 2A is a sectional view when the sealing surface of the cap 2 has a biconvex lens shape, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view when the sealing surface has a biconcave lens shape. If the temperature at the time of sealing one end of the cap is controlled, or an external force is applied while the cap is softened, the cap 2 having a lens-shaped sealing surface as shown in FIGS. It is formed.

FIGS. 2C and 2D are cross-sectional views when the sealing surface of the cap 2 is formed in the shape of a meniscus lens. When forming the cap of the present invention, by controlling the pressure in the cap and the pressure of the external atmosphere while the sealing surface is softened, the sealing surface of the cap 2 can be formed into a meniscus lens shape. .

[0017]

In summary, according to the present invention, the following excellent effects are exhibited.

It is excellent in mass productivity and can be produced at low cost. Has excellent durability. Since it can be fixed without using an adhesive, it is possible to prevent adverse effects on the human body due to the dissolution of the adhesive, and there is no damage such as peeling during disinfection and sterilization by an autoclave. Various types of sealing materials can be formed, and sealing materials having various optical functions can be formed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an embodiment in a case where a sealing surface of a cap has a biconvex lens shape. (B) It is sectional drawing which shows an example of embodiment when the sealing surface of a cap is made into the shape of a biconcave lens. (C) It is sectional drawing which shows an example of embodiment when the sealing surface of a cap is made into a meniscus lens shape. (D) It is sectional drawing which shows an example of embodiment when the sealing surface of a cap is made into a meniscus lens shape.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hollow waveguide 2 Cap 3 Hollow waveguide core area

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Yuji Matsuura Tohoku University (72) Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture (72) Inventor, Yukio Abe None) Tohoku University F-term (reference) 2H050 AC64 AC86 AC90

Claims (2)

[Claims] 2. A cap for sealing a hollow waveguide, comprising a short glass tube having one end sealed. 2. The hollow waveguide sealing cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap functions as a lens by appropriately controlling the shape of the sealing surface of the glass tube.