Patent ID: 7539362

Claim:
An optical probe comprising a tubular outer envelope, a optical fiber which extends in the longitudinal direction of the outer envelope inside the outer envelopment, a drive means which rotates the optical fiber in the circumferential direction of the outer envelope, a light deflecting element which is integrally held to rotate together with the optical fiber and deflects light emitted from a front end of the optical fiber, a light collecting means which collects light emitted from the front end of the optical fiber and converges it on a body-to-be-scanned disposed externally of the circumference of the outer envelope, a protective member which has a high resistance to wear than the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber, and is fixed to a part of the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber in a position near the front end of the optical fiber, and a bearing portion which is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the probe outer envelope to bear for rotation the optical fiber by way of the protective member.