Sughrue, Mion, Zinn, Macpeak & Seas
Composite optical fiber and imaging catheter and method for producing the same
 A composite optical fiber for use with a sensor includes an imaging optical fiber which receives information-carrying light that is reflected from a target, and a transparent material that includes the imaging optical fiber in its interior and which transmits an illuminating light from a light source to the target. The light-receiving optical fiber is an integral part of the transparent material, and it has an increased cross-sectional area for transmitting the illuminating light with respect to its overall outside diameter. The optical fiber can be produced by the extrusion technique without arranging a multiplicity of light-transmitting fibers and encasing them within a heat-shrinkable tube. 
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
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B29L B29K B29C G02B A61B A61B B29C B29C A61B B29C B29C A61B A61B B29C
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Kenichi Kimizo Koichi
Yoshida Ono Tsuno