JP2940940B2 - Laser light transmission device and medical laser device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser light transmission device that guides a laser light emitted from a laser light source to a laser light emitting device such as a laser probe through an optical fiber.

2. Description of the Related Art In a laser processing apparatus used for processing industrial products, or a laser scalpel in the medical field, a laser beam emitted from a laser light source is guided to a laser beam emitting apparatus such as a laser probe. Irradiates the object to be processed or the affected part with laser light to perform desired processing or surgery. In this case, a laser light transmission device using an optical fiber is used to transmit the laser light from the laser light source to the laser light emission device.

This laser light transmission device generally includes an incident connector portion that introduces laser light from a laser light source into an optical fiber, and an emission connector portion that transmits the laser light introduced into the optical fiber to a laser probe or the like. It is configured.

By the way, when the laser processing device or the laser knife or the like is used for processing or means, the laser light emitting device such as the emission connector portion or the laser probe is heated, so that it may be necessary to cool it.

For this reason, conventionally, as the laser light transmission device,
The optical fiber is housed in a tube, and a cooling gas is introduced into the tube from the vicinity of the incident connector, guided to the vicinity of the output connector, and the cooling gas is supplied to the output connector or a laser probe. It is known to cool by spraying.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when the conventional laser light transmission device described above transmits, for example, erbium laser light that has recently been used, the transmission efficiency becomes insufficient, or It has been found that the output connector portion is not sufficiently cooled, and that the vicinity of the input connector portion is heated, possibly causing damage to the optical fiber.

This is because the wavelength of the erbium laser light is 2.94 μm and is near the absorption peak of water, and therefore, depending on the humidity during use, the air adhered to the end face of the optical fiber in the output connector section or the input connector section. This is because the erbium laser light is absorbed by the moisture therein, thereby lowering the transmission efficiency or generating heat.

The present invention has been made under the above-mentioned background,
A laser light transmission device and a laser light transmission device capable of preventing a decrease in transmission efficiency due to the presence of moisture in the atmosphere in a transmission path and sufficiently cooling an input connector portion and an output connector portion. It is an object of the present invention to provide a medical laser device using the same.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has solved the above-mentioned problems by adopting the following configuration.

A first invention has an optical fiber that receives laser light emitted from a laser light source from an incident end face, transmits the laser light, and emits the light from the emission end face, and a member that covers a periphery of the optical fiber. The surrounding member has at least a space where the input end face and the output end face of the optical fiber are in contact with each other, and a dry gas flows into this space, and the dry gas contacts at least the input end face and the output end face of the optical fiber and flows therethrough. A laser light transmission device characterized by having a flow passage that passes through the laser light transmission device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the flow path includes a dry gas inlet for allowing the dry gas to flow into the space, and the dry gas after the dry gas comes into contact with at least the incident end face and the output end face of the optical fiber and circulates. A laser light transmission device according to a first invention, comprising a dry gas discharge port for discharging gas to the outside.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the member that covers the periphery of the optical fiber is a member that constitutes a connector for mounting and fixing the optical fiber on the incident end face side of the optical fiber. A laser light transmission device according to a second or third aspect of the invention.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a portion of the member covering the periphery of the optical fiber, which opposes the optical fiber output end face, changes the beam diameter of laser light emitted from the output end face of the optical fiber and emits the laser light to the outside. A laser light transmission device according to any one of the first to third inventions, comprising a member having a structure.

A fifth invention is the laser light transmission device according to the fourth invention, wherein the member having the optical structure is detachably configured by a connector.

A sixth invention is the laser light transmission device according to any one of the first to fifth inventions, wherein the optical fiber is any one of a fluoride optical fiber and a sapphire fiber.

A seventh invention is the laser light transmission device according to any one of the first to sixth inventions, wherein the laser light source is an erbium laser.

An eighth invention is a medical laser device comprising: a laser light source; and a laser light transmission device that transmits a laser beam emitted from the laser light source and irradiates the laser light to a treatment site. 6. A medical laser device using the laser light transmission device according to any one of the inventions 6 to 6.

A ninth invention is the medical laser device according to the eighth invention, wherein a part of a member having an optical structure of the laser light transmission device is constituted by a laser probe.

[Operation] According to the above-described configuration, since the dry gas is brought into contact with the input end face and the output end face of the optical fiber, there is no possibility that moisture adheres to the end faces of these optical fibers. Therefore,
Since there is no absorption of laser light by moisture, there is no accompanying decrease in transmission efficiency or heat generation. In addition, heat generated by other causes can be effectively cooled by the introduced dry gas.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway sectional view of a laser light transmission device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of one embodiment,
FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of a portion A in FIG. Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to these drawings.

In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes an optical fiber cable, reference numeral 2 denotes an incident connector portion, reference numeral 3 denotes an output connector portion, reference numeral 4 denotes an adapter, reference numeral 41 denotes a gas flow tube, reference numeral 5 denotes an adapter holder,
Reference numeral 6 denotes a lens holder, and reference numeral 7 denotes a base.

The optical fiber cable 1 is a fluoride optical fiber 1a
Is coated with an acrylic resin film 1b (see FIG. 3), which is inserted into a metal tube 1c to obtain mechanical strength. The gap between the acrylic resin film 1b and the inner wall of the metal tube 1c is several tens μm.

The incident connector section 2 includes the optical fiber cable 1.
Is fixed to one end (left end in the figure) of the adapter 4 while holding one end (left end in the figure) of the cable insertion shaft.
2a, a shaft fixing cap 2b and a cable fixing cap 2c. That is, the optical fiber cable 1 is inserted into the cable insertion shaft 2a and the cable fixing cap 2b is inserted.
And the end face of the fluoride optical fiber 1a of the optical fiber cable 1 is exposed from the end face of the cable insertion shaft 2a.

A flange portion 21a is provided at a position near the left end of the cable insertion shaft 2a in the drawing, and a step formed on the right side in the drawing by the flange portion 21a and the shaft fixing cap 2b
A compression coil spring 21b is interposed between the compression coil spring 21b and the inner surface of the compression coil spring 21b. A stopper 22a for the shaft fixing cap is provided at a position near the right end of the cable insertion shaft 2a in the drawing. That is, the shaft fixing cap 2b is provided on the inner surface of the left end portion of the adapter 4 by the incident connector fixing screw portion.
4a to screw the compression coil spring 21b
The cable insertion shaft 2a is pressed against the inner surface of the left end of the adapter 4 by the urging force, thereby fixing the incident connector section 2 to the adapter 4.

The adapter 4 is a substantially bottomed cylindrical body, and the above-described incident connector fixing screw portion 4a is provided on the bottom surface at the left end in the figure. A through hole 4b for inserting the cable insertion shaft 2a of the incident connector portion 2 is formed at the center of the incident connector fixing screw portion 4a, and a through hole is formed near the incident connector fixing screw portion 4a. Two gas flow holes
4c, 4c are provided.

Also, two operation holes 4d, 4d having such a size that the shaft fixing cap 2b of the incident connector portion 2 can be operated from the outside are opposed to the side surface near the left end bottom surface of the adapter 4 so as to face each other. Is provided.

Further, first and second flange portions 4e and 4f are formed at predetermined intervals in a portion of the adapter 4 from the right side in the figure. An adapter fixing cap 4g is fitted between the flanges 4e and 4f.
A compression coil spring 4h is interposed between the first flange 4e and the first flange 4e. The second flange 4f is a stopper for preventing the adapter fixing cap 4g from jumping out due to the action of the compression coil spring 4h.

The gas flow pipe 41 is made of fluororesin, has an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the adapter 4, and one end, that is, the left end in the figure, is inserted into the adapter and fixed by the gas flow pipe fixing cap 41a. You. A cable fixing bracket 31 is inserted and fixed to the other end of the gas flow pipe 41, that is, the right end in the drawing. This cable fixing bracket
The optical fiber cable 1 is inserted into and fixed to a cable fixing hole 31 formed along the center axis of the optical fiber 31, and a probe fixing screw portion provided to protrude rightward in the drawing.
A probe fixing cap 33 for fixing the laser probe 32 is screwed and fixed to 31a. The cable fixing bracket 31 is formed with a gas flow hole 31b for flowing gas along the axial direction, and the probe fixing cap 33 is provided with a gas discharge hole 33a for discharging gas to the outside. I have. Further, in this embodiment, the cable fixing bracket 31 is used.
In the portion where the gas flow hole 31b is formed, a through hole 31c communicating with the outside is provided, and another dry gas can be introduced from this through hole 31c as necessary, or a cleaning fluid can be inserted. It has become. In addition, this through hole 31c is
Usually, it is sealed by the plug member 31d. Further, an optical fiber 1a protrudes and is exposed from a distal end portion of the optical fiber cable 1 fixed by the cable fixing fitting 31, and an end surface of the optical fiber 1a is spaced apart from an end surface of the laser probe by a predetermined gap. They are opposed to each other.

The adapter holder 5 has a first protruding portion 5b formed by relatively protruding a part of the plate-like base 5a to the left in the drawing, and a second protruding portion by slightly protruding to the right in the drawing. An adapter accommodating hole 5d for accommodating the adapter 4 is provided in these projecting portions by forming a portion 5c. In this case, an adapter fixing screw groove 51c is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the second projecting portion 5c, and a circular groove 51b is formed along the circular opening, and the first flange of the adapter 4 is formed in the circular groove 51c. The part 4e is not fitted. Then, a part of the circular groove 51c is cut out from the circular groove 51c toward the outer periphery to form a position notch 51d, while the positioning protrusion 4i is formed in the first flange 4e of the adapter 4.
The positioning projection 4i is engaged with the positioning notch 51d so that the positioning of the adapter 4 is performed.

In addition, a laser light introducing through-hole 5e is provided at the bottom of the adapter housing hole 5d, that is, at the left end in the figure, and sapphire or the like is provided so as to hermetically close the through-hole 5e from the outer surface. Is fixed to the left end of the first protrusion 5b by a window fixing cap 53.

Further, a dry gas inlet 54 for introducing a dry gas into the adapter housing hole 5d is provided on a side surface near the left end of the first protrusion 5b in the drawing.

In this case, the adapter 4 is inserted into the adapter storage hole 5d, and the positioning protrusion 4i of the first flange 4e is positioned so as to engage with the positioning notch 51d of the second protrusion 5c. When fixed with the adapter fixing cap, the dry gas inlet 54 faces the operation hole 4d of the adapter 4.

Therefore, when a dry gas is introduced from the dry gas inlet 54 as shown by an arrow a in FIG. 1, the dry gas is supplied to the adapter 4 through the operation hole 4d of the adapter 4.
The optical fiber which is introduced into the inside and partially reaches the gap between the window 52 and the left end of the adapter 4 through the gas flow hole 4c of the adapter 4 and is exposed in the gap
1a while contacting the other end with the adapter 4
The optical fiber that travels to the right in the drawing, passes through the gas flow pipe 41, passes through the cylinder flow hole 31b of the cable fixing bracket 31, reaches the probe fixing cap 33, and is exposed in the probe cap 33 Touch the end of 1a, then
It is discharged from the gas discharge hole 33a of the probe fixing cap 33.

In addition, as this dry gas, dry air that has passed through a dustproof filter, a drier, a sterile filter, and the like is used.

Erbium laser light r emitted from an erbium laser light source (not shown) is condensed by a condenser lens 62 mounted in a lens holding cylinder 61 held by a lens holder 6 and passes through the window 52 through the optical fiber. Introduced into cable 1. Then, the introduced laser light is transmitted to the laser probe 32 through the optical fiber cable 1, emitted from the laser probe 32 to the outside, and used for an operation or the like. The lens holder 6
By adjusting the knobs 63 and 64 of the condenser lens 62,
The laser beam from the laser light source can be introduced into the optical fiber cable in an optimal state.

The adapter holder 5 and the lens holder 6 are fixed to the base 7 while maintaining a predetermined positional relationship.

According to one embodiment described above, the optical fiber cable 1
Since the dry gas flows through the laser light input end and the laser light output end, no moisture adheres to this portion. Therefore, since there is no possibility that the laser beam is absorbed by the moisture, the laser beam can be constantly and efficiently transmitted, and there is no possibility of heat generation due to the absorption by the moisture. However, heat generated by other causes can also be cooled by the flow of the dry gas. In the above-described embodiment, the flow path of the dry gas is formed so that the entire optical fiber cable 1 is immersed in the dry gas. Even if a fiber is used, it is possible to eliminate the possibility that the fiber is affected by moisture.

In the above-described embodiment, the optical fiber cable is attached to the adapter, the adapter is detachably attached to the adapter holder, and the adapter holder is provided with a dry gas inlet. As described above, since the gas inlet is not directly fixed to the optical fiber cable, the operation of exchanging the optical fiber cable with another type or the like is extremely simple, and the operability is extremely excellent.

In the above-described embodiment, an example is described in which the flow path of the dry gas is formed by one flow path, but this is, for example, a gas flow path that guides the dry gas to the end face of the optical fiber in the incident connector section, The gas flow path for guiding the dry gas to the end face of the optical fiber in the output connector may be configured as a separate flow path.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which a fluoride optical fiber is used as the optical fiber has been described. However, for example, a sapphire fiber may be used.

As the dry gas, other than dry air, a dry gas that absorbs little laser light and is chemically stable, such as dry nitrogen or dry carbon dioxide, may be used. The dry gas preferably has a humidity of 20% or less and a temperature of 40 ° C. or less.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, the present invention basically provides a gas flow passage for guiding a dry gas so as to contact the dry gas with at least each end face of the optical fiber. This makes it possible to prevent a decrease in transmission efficiency due to the presence of moisture in the atmosphere at the end face of the optical fiber.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway sectional view of a laser light transmission device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of one embodiment, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of a portion A in FIG. It is. 1 ... optical fiber cable, 2 ... incident connector part, 3
... Outgoing connector part, 4 ... Adapter, 5 ... Adapter holder, 5d ... Adapter accommodation hole, 54 ... Dry gas inlet, 32 ... Laser probe, 41 ... Gas flow tube.

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. An optical fiber that receives laser light emitted from a laser light source from an incident end face, transmits the laser light, and emits the light from the emission end face; and a member that covers the periphery of the optical fiber; Has a space where at least the input end face and the output end face of the optical fiber are in contact with each other, and a dry gas flows into this space, and the dry gas contacts and flows at least with the input end face and the output end face of the optical fiber. A laser light transmission device having a flow passage. 2. A flow path, comprising: a dry gas inlet for introducing the dry gas into the space; and a dry gas after the dry gas comes into contact with at least an input end face and an output end face of the optical fiber. 2. The laser light transmission device according to claim 1, further comprising a dry gas discharge port for discharging the gas to the outside. 3. A member for covering the periphery of the optical fiber is formed on the incident end face side of the optical fiber by a member constituting a connector for mounting and fixing the optical fiber. The laser light transmission device according to claim 1. 4. A portion of the member covering the periphery of the optical fiber, which is opposed to the light emitting end face of the optical fiber, changes the beam diameter of laser light emitted from the light emitting end face of the optical fiber and emits the laser light to the outside. 4. The laser light transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the laser light transmission device is constituted by a member having a structure. 5. The laser light transmission device according to claim 4, wherein the member having the optical structure is configured to be detachable by a connector. 6. The laser light transmission device according to claim 1, wherein said optical fiber is any one of a fluoride optical fiber and a sapphire fiber. 7. The laser light transmission device according to claim 1, wherein said laser light source is an erbium laser. 8. A medical laser device having a laser light source and a laser light transmission device for transmitting a laser beam emitted from the laser light source and irradiating a laser beam to a treatment site, wherein the laser light transmission device is used as the laser light transmission device. A medical laser device using the laser light transmission device according to any one of the above. 9. The medical laser device according to claim 8, wherein a part of a member having an optical structure of said laser light transmission device is constituted by a laser probe.