Patent ID: 7024088
Filing Date: 2006-04-04
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A color-coded fiberoptic illumination system comprising: a multiple port fiberoptic illuminator including a rotatable turret having a circumferential surface facing radially outwardly from said turret for revolving about the rotational axis of said turret as said turret rotates and a plurality of light-transmitting ports that extend through said turret interiorly of said circumferential surface, each port having a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the rotational axis of said turret, said turret being rotated to position a selected one of said ports in operative alignment with a light source of said illuminator; a like plurality of fiberoptic cables, each cable being selectively engagable exclusively with a single respective port, each cable including a cable body and an end fitting that is releasably engagable with the respective port; a plurality of first color indicators, each having a distinct color that is different from the color of each other first color indicator, each said first color indicator carried by said circumferential surface of said turret adjacent to and exteriorly of an associated illuminator port and directed radially outwardly from said circumferential surface at a substantially perpendicular angle to the longitudinal axis of said associated port and being associated with that port exclusively to identify the associated port and distinguish that port from the other ports of the illuminator; and a like plurality of second color indicators, each having a distinct color that is different from the color of each other second color indicator and that matches the color of a single one of said first color indicators, each second color indicator for being carried by at least one of the cable body and end fitting of the respective fiberoptic cable engagable with the port identified by the matching color of said first color indicators, whereby a selected cable's second color indicator is color matched with a single one of the first color indicators to identify the respective illuminator port that is operably engagable by that cable.