US 12,455,413 B2
Fiber-optic light guide with deformed ends
Bernd Schultheis, Schwabenheim (DE); Martin Cramer, Wiesbaden (DE); Jonas Grimm, Bad Schwalbach (DE); Fabian Brey, Frankfurt am Main (DE); Jonas Knaus, Mainz (DE); Lothar Willmes, Oestrich-Winkel (DE); and Sergei Kraus, Pfungstadt (DE)
Assigned to SCHOTT AG, Mainz (DE)
Filed by SCHOTT AG, Mainz (DE)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/180,317.
Prior Publication US 2024/0302586 A1, Sep. 12, 2024
Int. Cl. G02B 6/04 (2006.01); G02B 23/26 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/04 (2013.01) [G02B 23/26 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fiber-optic light guide, comprising:
a plurality of optical fibers defining a flexible fiber bundle, the flexible fiber bundle having a first diameter and a length along a longitudinal axis;
an enveloping material enclosing the plurality of optical fibers at one end of the flexible fiber bundle and over at least a part of the length to define a rigid portion,
wherein the enveloping material has a thickness in a range from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm,
wherein the plurality of optical fibers in the rigid portion are fused with one another, and
wherein the flexible fiber bundle has a modified or formed cross-sectional geometry in a region of the enveloping material.