It is an object of the present invention to accurately maintain a positional relationship between a lens held in a holding member and an optical fiber without requiring any complicated operation. The invention includes a holder (11), at one end of which a housing section (11c) that houses a ball lens (12) is formed and at the other end of which an insertion hole (11a) for inserting an optical fiber (13) is formed, and a magnet (14) provided outside in a direction crossing a housing direction of the ball lens at the one end of the holder, in which the magnet generates an attracting force for aligning a center of the ball lens with a center of an optical element provided in a coupling target.

An optical coupler for mounting at a distal end of an optical imaging device includes a visualization section and an attachment section. At least one surface of the visualization section has a roughness that does not interfere with a video capture system of an optical imaging device. The optical coupler is sized and dimensioned for introduction into a region of the patient's heart for viewing a procedure, such as a heart valve repair or replacement procedure.

An inter-lens adjusting method includes: fitting a plurality of fitting portions to a plurality of fitted portions, wherein each of the plurality of fitting portions is provided on the side of a first lens for collimating light emitted from a light emitting device and includes at least one of a convex portion and a concave portion and each of the plurality of fitted portions is provided on the side of a second lens for aggregating the light collimated by the first lens and has a shape to be fitted to a corresponding one of the plurality of fitting portions; and adjusting a position between the first lens and the second lens such that the light emitted from the light emitting device is aggregated into an optical fiber ferrule via the first lens and the second lens.

An optical fiber includes a core configured to transmit laser light and a cladding that surrounds the core. In some implementations, an outer surface region of the cladding is tapered or comprises a plurality of notches. The outer surface region of the cladding is configured to cause an aiming beam that falls incident upon the outer surface region of the cladding at a first incidence angle to fall incident upon an outer surface region of the core at a second incidence angle to allow the aiming beam to couple into the core.

An optical connection component includes: an input end that separates each of light beams output from an output end surface of a multi-core fiber toward single-core fibers, and enlarges each beam diameter of the light beams; and an output end that allows the light beams from the input end to be parallel to an axial direction of the multi-core fiber. The optical connection component guides the light beams output from the output end surface, inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axial direction, to the single-core fibers, wherein the light beams output from the output end surface propagate in a direction inclined with respect to the axial direction.

A coupled optic system configured for collimation of light. The coupled optic system includes an optic system. The optic system includes a shelf. The shelf includes one or more optic alignment surfaces. The optic system includes one or more interface lenses coupled to the shelf. The coupled optic system includes an optical connector. The optical connector includes one or more connector lenses. The optical connector includes one or more connector alignment surfaces.

Systems and methods are providing for endoscopically visualizing tissue within a patient. In one aspect, an endoscope comprises an elongate shaft having a distal end and a proximal end and a visualization section at the distal end of the shaft. The visualization section includes a proximal surface and an outer surface spaced apart from the proximal surface. At least one of the proximal surface or the outer surface of the visualization section has an average surface roughness less than about 50 nanometers RMS. The endoscope allows improved remote visualization while not interfering with the autofocus feature of a video capture system and not causing increased light reflectance and glare due to improved surface finish.

Lens-based optical connector assemblies and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a lens-based connector assembly includes a glass-based optical substrate includes at least one optical element within the optical substrate, and at least one alignment feature positioned at an edge of the glass-based optical substrate, wherein the at least one alignment feature is located within 0.4 μm of a predetermined position with respect to the at least one optical element along an x-direction and a y-direction. The lens-based connector assembly further includes a connector element including a recess having an interior surface, The interior surface has at least one connector alignment feature. The glass-based optical substrate is disposed within the recess such that the at least one alignment feature of the glass-based optical substrate engages the at least one connector alignment feature.

An expanded beam fibre optic connector and a cable management system for an expanded beam fibre optic connector. The expanded beam fibre optic connector comprises an insert comprising one or more cylindrical insert bores each having an insert bore diameter along a length of the insert bore, and a sleeve and a lens disposed in each insert bore. The single diameter insert bore simplifies alignment between the sleeve(s) and the lens(es). The cable management system comprises an inner housing and an outer housing, an insert configured to hold a termination of one or more optical fibres of an optical fibre cable, and an inner crimp configured to grip an outer jacket of the optical fibre cable. The inner crimp and the inner housing comprise engagement surfaces configured to engage with one another and thereby prevent rotation of the inner housing relative to the optical fibre cable to prevent twisting.

A lens including a lens body and a support. The lens body includes at least one lens portion and at least one holding hole for holding at least one optical fiber. A central axis of the or each holding hole is positioned on a phantom line extending through an optical axis of the or a corresponding lens portion. The support includes a support body fixed to the lens body. With a first portion of the or each optical fiber securely received in the or a corresponding holding hole, a bottom face of the or each holding hole abuts an end face of the first portion of the or a corresponding optical fiber, a peripheral face of the or each holding hole partly abuts an outer peripheral face of the first portion of the or a corresponding optical fiber, and the support body supports a second portion of the or each optical fiber.