JPH04338466A - Optical fiber probe - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent burning loss in the heat generation of an optical fiber by keeping heat of a laser light absorbed by a window or a holder from being transmitted to an end of the optical fiber in an optical fiber probe of a laser irradiator to be used in treatment or the like of a human body. CONSTITUTION:One end of a metal protective tube 2 housing an optical fiber 1 is fixed with an incoming side holding member 6 while the other end thereof is fixed with an outgoing side holding member 4 in an integral manner and the outgoing side holding member 4 is fixed in a holder 7. The outgoing side holding member 4 is formed from a material having an heat insulating effect. The holder 7 is made of a metal material with a large reflection so that neither scattering light nor reflected light causes burning loss and the laser light is hard to be absorbed This allows the cutting of heat of optical members and the holder heated by the laser light thereby preventing burning loss with the suppression of heat generated in the optical fiber.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber probe for a laser irradiation device that guides a laser beam to a target area and is used for treatment of the human body.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, optical fiber probes with excellent operability have been used to guide CO2 laser light in laser scalpels and laser processing machines. Silver chloride, silver bromide, and halides such as KRS-5 are used as materials for the optical fiber. When inserting this optical fiber probe into the body or irradiating the body surface, if there is no cover on the output end side, body fluids will adhere to the end face of the optical fiber and cause it to burn out. Optical members such as windows and lenses that protect the end faces are fixed.

[0003] When an optical fiber is incorporated into a probe, the outer protective tube is often heated by the laser scattered light generated near the end face of the optical fiber, absorbs the heat, and burns out. As shown in Japanese Patent No. 59-38416, a structure is used in which the holding member is separated from the vicinity of the fiber end face to avoid the influence of strong scattered light near the end face.

An example of the conventional optical fiber probe mentioned above will be explained below with reference to FIG.

As shown in the figure, an optical fiber 21 is housed in a protective tube 22 made of metal such as stainless steel, and a holding member 24 is provided at the end of the protective tube 22 to fix an optical member 23 such as a window or lens. There is. Further, the optical fiber 21 and the protection tube 22 are covered with a jacket tube 25 made of, for example, a resin tube.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, when the laser light input is about several W,
Even if it is possible to avoid heat generation due to scattered light near the end face of the optical fiber 21, when passing a laser beam with a high power of several tens of W, the laser beam is absorbed by the optical member 23 or the holding member 24 and heated, causing damage to those parts. The optical fiber 21 becomes a heat source and burns out the optical fiber 21.

[0007] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem, and an object thereof is to provide an optical fiber probe having a structure that does not introduce heat due to scattered light or reflected light to the end of the optical fiber.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an optical fiber that guides a laser beam, a protective tube that houses and protects this optical fiber, and an optical member that covers the output end of the optical fiber and transmits the laser beam. Furthermore, a holding member provided at the tip of the protective tube is formed of a heat insulating material.

[0009]

[Operation] In the present invention, in the above structure, the optical fiber holding member made of a heat insulating material blocks the heat generated by the laser beam from the optical member and the holder, thereby suppressing the heat generation of the optical fiber and preventing burnout.

0010

Embodiment An optical fiber probe according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

As shown in the figure, silver chloride, silver bromide and KRS
A polycrystalline infrared optical fiber 1 consisting of -5 is housed in a protective tube 2 made of metal such as stainless steel, and an input-side holding member 3 such as a collet chuck having a slit is integrally fixed to one end of the protective tube 2. An output-side holding member 4 made of a material having a heat insulating effect, such as ceramic, is integrally fixed to the other end. The optical fiber 1 is housed in the protective tube 2 with only the vicinity of both end faces protruding. The optical fiber 1 and the protection tube 2 are covered with a jacket tube 5 made of resin or the like, and the jacket tube 5 is fixed at one end by a connector 6 and at the other end by a holder 7, which prevents scattered light and reflected light. It is made of a highly reflective metal material that does not burn out and is difficult to absorb laser light. The connector 6 is provided on the laser light input side, and fixes an optical member 8 such as a condensing lens or window made of ZnSe, and fixes the protective tube 2 into which the optical fiber 1 is inserted in a predetermined position with, for example, a screw. The output-side holding member 4 has one end into which the protective tube 2 is inserted and fixed, and the other end has a hole 9 into which the optical fiber 1 is inserted. This emission side holding member 4 is fixed within the holder 7 with, for example, screws. The holder 7 has an optical member 10 such as a condensing lens or window made of ZnSe fixed on the laser light output side.

The optical fiber 1 is housed in a protective tube 2, one end of which is held between the input-side holding member 3 and the other end protruding from a hole 9 of the output-side holding member 4 to be incorporated therein.

In the optical fiber probe configured as described above, the output side holding member 4 is formed of a material having a heat insulating effect, and the holder 7 for fixing the output side holding member 4 is formed of a highly reflective metal material. As a result, the heat generated by the optical member 10 and the holder 7 can be cut off, and the heat generation of the optical fiber can be suppressed and burnout can be prevented.

[0014]

As is clear from the above description of the embodiments, the optical fiber probe of the present invention has a holding member made of a heat insulating material, so that heat due to absorption of laser light by the holder or optical member is not transmitted to the optical fiber. It is possible to suppress the heat generation of the optical fiber and prevent burnout.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber probe in one embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] Partial cross-sectional view of a conventional optical fiber probe

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Optical fiber 2 Protective tube 4 Output side holding member 7 Holder 10 Optical members

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: An optical fiber that guides a laser beam, a protective tube that houses and protects the optical fiber, and an optical member that covers the output end of the optical fiber and transmits the laser beam, and a holding member made of a heat insulating material at the tip of the protective tube. Fiber optic probe installed.