Mounting device for optical waveguides

Abstract

In the use of optical waveguides, temperature changes due to processes such as steam sterilization can cause damage to the optical waveguide after a few cycles, rendering it unusable.SOLUTION: The mounting device for an optical waveguide comprises a sleeve having an end face and at least one fiber bundle, wherein the fiber bundle is fused on its circumference at least partially or in sections with a glass tube over the entire circumference. The fiber bundle has a common end face with the glass tube and forms a tapered region towards the common end face. The common end face has a rigid portion fused with the glass tube, and the common end face is configured as a ground surface. The fiber bundle is integrally fixed in or on the fixing part at least partially or selectively in the sleeve by means of an adhesive in the glass tube and the tapering region. Here, the common end face of the fiber bundle with the glass tube has an offset with respect to the fixing of the sleeve by means of the adhesive.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a mounting device for an optical waveguide, which includes a sleeve having an end face and at least one fiber bundle, wherein the fiber bundle is at least partially or selectively fused to a glass tube over the entire circumference on its peripheral surface. The fiber bundle has a common end face with the glass tube. In this case, the fiber bundle forms a tapered region towards the common end face with the glass tube, and the common end face has a fused rigid portion. The common end face is configured or can be configured as a ground surface and / or a polished surface. Further, the fiber bundle is at least partially or selectively fixed or can be fixed in a material-bonding manner within or to the sleeve, within or to the fixing portion of the sleeve, in the tapered region with the glass tube using an adhesive.

[0002] This type of optical waveguide having a fiber bundle fused to a glass tube is described in the specification of the German Patent Invention No. 3620368 of the applicant. In the same specification, a fiber optic waveguide having an end face region composed of one end of an optical fiber bundle and a glass tube portion adhered to this end is shown, and in this case, the end face is polished. In the same specification, both the glass tube portion and the optical fiber bundle are made of heat-resistant glass, and the glass tube portion is assumed to be adhered to the optical fiber bundle in a molten state over a defined length such that the gaps generated between individual optical fibers and / or between the optical fiber and the tube portion are at least partially filled by the material of the glass tube portion and / or the material of the optical fiber jacket.

[0003] The method for manufacturing this type of optical waveguide is also referred to as GTF (Glass Tube Fusion). These optical waveguides are then attached to a metal sleeve or continuously processed into a light guiding cable and are mainly used for medical applications.

[0004] Both German Patent No. 19703515 and German Patent No. 10013482 describe fiber bundles having fused glass tube sections. In both cases, the specifications assume that the glass tubes will be removed again for further attachment of the fiber bundles within the sleeve. For this purpose, complex methods that may lead to damage to the optical waveguide are also used.

[0005] However, it has been shown that when this type of fiber bundle, which is fused to a glass tube, is attached using adhesive within a mounting sleeve, usually made of stainless steel, it can lead to internal stress in the fiber composite, which can then cause cracking. This is particularly relevant in the use of this type of optical waveguide in medical technology, where these waveguides require preparation by heating processes, such as steam sterilization, for further use after initial use. Here, large temperature changes occur, and these large temperature changes can subsequently damage the optical waveguide, rendering it unusable after only a few cycles of this kind.

[0006] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016011356 describes a flexible optical waveguide having at least one fused fiber optic end fixed to an end portion to avoid damage to the fused fiber optic end, wherein a buffer layer is present between the fused fiber optic end and the end portion. The buffer layer should compensate for the difference between thermal expansion and contraction between the fused fiber optic end and the end portion to avoid damage to the fused fiber optic end, such as that which may occur during multiple passes through an autoclave. This buffer layer can be manufactured, for example, by wrapping the fused glass fiber end with PTFE tape, screw sealant tape, etc.

[0007] This is the approach that initially seems possible, especially to avoid stress. However, this approach has the drawback that this type of buffer layer cannot guarantee a compact body. Due to the minute microscopic gaps, bacteria can colonize these gaps, and these bacteria themselves cannot be completely removed by autoclaving, which increases the risk of contamination. This can lead to serious complications for patients, especially in medical technology environments.

[0008] A further approach to avoid cracking during or due to temperature changes lies in the use of permanently elastic adhesives. However, it is shown here that this type of adhesive often does not possess the sustained stability required for, for example, hundreds of autoclave cycles, which is often necessary. Over time, the chemical bonds in the adhesive break down, causing such adhesives to decompose or almost liquefy as the number of processing cycles increases, rendering the optical waveguide unusable.

[0009] Problems of the invention Therefore, the object of the present invention is to avoid the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide an optical waveguide or mounting device that enables the mounting of such an optical waveguide, which is robust, has long-term stability, and is resistant to temperature changes for continuous use, particularly in medical technology environments.

[0010] Brief description of the invention The problem of the present invention is already solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous configurations and variations are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0011] According to the present invention, the mounting device has an offset between the common end face of the fiber bundle and the glass tube and the adhesive fixing portion of the sleeve, thereby the common end face is positioned or can be positioned offset from the adhesive fixing portion. The common end face of the glass tube fusion portion, which is particularly prone to cracking, here forms a protrusion or a specific portion protrudes beyond the sleeve end face with a predetermined width, so that the fixing portion is isolated from the sensitive area of ​​the common end face by the adhesive, thereby making it possible to avoid or at least reduce stress on the common end face of the fiber bundle and glass tube induced by the adhesive or the bonded portion.

[0012] In other words, a mounting device for an optical waveguide is provided, comprising a sleeve having an end face and at least one fiber bundle, wherein the fiber bundle is surrounded on its circumferential surface by a glass tube and fused at least partially or partially over its entire circumference, and the fiber bundle has or forms a common end face with the glass tube. Furthermore, the fiber bundle forms a tapered region toward the common end face with the glass tube, and the common end face has a rigid portion fused with the glass tube. The common end face is configured or can be configured as a ground and / or polished surface. Furthermore, the fiber bundle is fixed, or can be fixed, at least partially or partially within the sleeve or within the sleeve, or within or to a fixing portion of the sleeve, using an adhesive in the tapered region with respect to the glass tube. That is, the material bond is formed in particular within or to the fixing portion, but may continue within or to the sleeve, on the side opposite to the end face, i.e., behind the fixing portion, within the sleeve. The common end face of the fiber bundle is further offset with respect to the fixing portion of the sleeve, thereby the common end face of the fiber bundle and the glass tube is positioned or can be positioned offset from the fixing portion, and the fixing portion and the common end face are separated from each other or can be separated.

[0013] In spirit of the present invention, the mounting device includes, in particular, a sleeve to which a fiber bundle can be attached or bonded using an adhesive to a glass tube to which the fiber bundle is fused. This type of fused fiber bundle may be located at the distal end of the optical waveguide, at the proximal end of the optical waveguide, or at both ends of the optical waveguide. The mounting device can also be understood as a device that enables attachment, connection, positioning, or assignment to or with further equipment, assemblies, or components. These may be light sources, camera modules, or endoscopic handpieces in a medical technology environment, or light sources, camera modules, or endoscopic handpieces in other application areas.

[0014] This type of optical waveguide includes at least several optical fibers as optical guide elements, and these optical fibers thus form a fiber bundle. The fiber bundle may also be integrated with or surrounded by a sheath, at least partially or excerptably, thereby forming a sheathed optical waveguide cable. In the region of the sleeve or ferrule, the sheath may be removed, and only the optical guide elements can be fixed within the sleeve materially and / or shape-coupled, and possibly by friction. They may also be fixed within the sleeve together with the sheath. The optical guide elements or optical optical fibers are here preferably glass-based fibers (glass optical fiber - GOF (glass optical fiber)) and are usually configured as a so-called core-clad system.

[0015] In an advantageous configuration of a mounting device for optical waveguides, the offset between the common end face of the fiber bundle and glass tube and the sleeve end face is in the range of 0.1 mm to 2 mm, preferably 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm. Such an offset or offset dimension between the common end face of the fiber bundle and glass tube and the adhesive surrounding the fiber bundle in the fixing portion has been shown to be advantageous. This is partly due to the fact that the self-supporting protrusion should not be too large in terms of its mechanical stability. Basically, offset dimensions larger than the maximum value of 2 mm are conceivable, but this is not very meaningful as it also increases the mechanical sensitivity of such configurations. However, on the other hand, a predetermined minimum distance between the fusion zone, i.e., the region where the fiber bundle and glass tube are fused, particularly in the area of ​​the common end face or its vicinity, and the adhesive edge or the bonded portion of the fiber bundle and glass tube within the sleeve, is necessary to ensure a sufficiently large isolation of mechanical stress into the fusion zone, for example, due to differences in thermal expansion, i.e., differences in thermal expansion between the adhesive and the sleeve relative to the glass. In other words, the introduction of mechanical stress to the common end face is avoided, or at least reduced or minimized, thereby allowing the optical waveguide to withstand multiple thermal loads without damage, such as cracking, delamination, or interlaminar delamination. This type of load occurs regularly, for example, in medical environments during processes that are regularly required therein, particularly by heating process steps during sterilization, such as during autoclaving, after use or before new use of the optical waveguide.

[0016] In a further advantageous configuration of the present invention, an adhesive gap dimension of 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm is partially or partially formed or can be formed in the fixing portion between the glass tube and the sleeve as an adhesive gap dimension for the adhesive. An excessively large adhesive gap dimension may promote excessive eccentricity of the fiber bundle within the sleeve or adversely affect the positional tolerance of the fiber bundle within the sleeve. This may be a disadvantage in operating conditions, particularly during input or output optical coupling or positioning of the optical waveguide with any further assemblies connected to it. An excessively small adhesive gap dimension may lead to insufficient adhesive wetting of surfaces in certain areas, potentially creating voids, which can also be a disadvantage during processing and use. Such voids may become filled with media, bacteria, or contaminants, which is unacceptable when used medically inside or on the body surface. Furthermore, processing with chemical components may lead to further damage to the bonded area, ultimately resulting in failure of the optical waveguide.

[0017] In a further equally preferred variant of the mounting device for optical waveguides, the sleeve is configured to have, or can have, a fixing portion positioned or positioned offset from the sleeve end face, and to have or be able to have a rim formed thereon, thereby forming an annular groove in the region of the common end face between the rim and the glass tube when mounted, where the sleeve end face and the common end face of the fiber bundle and glass tube form a plane. This makes it possible to achieve overall lateral mechanical protection of the self-supporting glass tube fused fiber bundle. It should be noted here that, basically, the rim of the sleeve can also protrude beyond the common end face of the fiber bundle and glass tube. However, this may not contribute to the manufacturing process in some cases, because the optical waveguide or its end face is usually subjected to grinding and polishing steps on the fiber bundle mounted or bonded within the sleeve, removing any protrusions of the collar.

[0018] As mentioned at the outset, from the viewpoint of avoiding excessively narrow gaps that promote bacterial growth, the width of the groove between the rim of the mounting sleeve and the glass tube (groove width) is at least 0.3 mm, preferably at least 0.5 mm. This ensures that a sufficiently large access opening or access surface is provided and guaranteed in sterilization methods used in medical environments, such as steam sterilization or autoclave, or plasma sterilization methods (e.g., the Sterrad™ method), thereby achieving a sufficiently high reduction of bacteria, for example, several times, or a log-level reduction of, for example, six times. Depending on the possible, acceptable, or required overall geometric configuration of the optical waveguide or mounting device, the groove width can be in the range of up to a few tenths of a millimeter, in any case greater than 0.3 mm, or up to a few millimeters, for example, 0.3 mm to 3 mm, preferably 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm, particularly with respect to their width or diameter across their axes.

[0019] In advantageous configurations of mounting devices for optical waveguides, the sleeve may be made of stainless steel (e.g., material 1.4301 or 1.4305), plastic, or a combination of both material classes in a sleeve composed of multiple parts, for example. For plastic configurations, in medical technology environments, plastics based on materials such as PPSU (polyphenylsulfone) or PEEK (polyether ether ketone) have proven particularly effective. These are characterized by sufficiently good thermal stability on the one hand, and particularly high mechanical rigidity on the other.

[0020] Besides stainless steel, other metallic materials such as nickel silver and brass can also be considered. However, stainless steel is preferred, especially in medical technology environments, from the viewpoint of corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. Basically, the following selection criteria for the material are advantageous. On the one hand, the material should have enough mechanical stability to be clamped to a clamping device for the final grinding and polishing processes. On the other hand, the material should not have a tendency to "smear," that is, preferably be more brittle and / or be filled with fillers such as glass fibers (glass fiber-filled plastic) or other materials such as ceramic or glass. In addition, these fillers can adhere well to the fiber bundle of the optical waveguide.

[0021] In advantageous configurations of mounting devices for optical waveguides, the adhesive includes, or consists of, highly crosslinked brittle and rigid epoxy adhesives. These are used to ensure sufficiently good reprocessability. Here, often 100 to 1000 processing cycles, especially autoclave cycles, are required. Important adhesive properties for this type of brittle and rigid, highly crosslinked adhesive include, here, the highest possible tensile shear strength, the highest possible glass transition temperature (which is also an indicator of the degree of crosslinking, like high hardness or amplified hardness), the lowest possible coefficient of thermal expansion, the lowest possible modulus of elasticity, and a relatively low Poisson's ratio or shear modulus, but these are usually not available in datasheets. Often, only the modulus of elasticity is shown.

[0022] Typical and suitable adhesives for this purpose, in their crosslinked, cured, or treated state, usually have a Shore hardness of 75–95 on the Shore D scale, and typically a glass transition temperature above 95°C. The tensile shear strength is typically 13.5 N / mm². 2This exceeds a value of approximately 2000 psi or more. Shore hardness correlates with elastic modulus and shear strength. However, usually, the precise curing conditions of the adhesive and, in some cases, the filler are more decisive factors. In particular, high degrees of crosslinking can be achieved by prolonged temperature control and / or high-temperature treatment. Depending on the chemical composition of the adhesive, complex crosslinking, which can be performed in multiple stages, is also possible. For example, pre-crosslinking using ultraviolet light followed by thermal crosslinking can lead to a high degree of crosslinking.

[0023] It should be noted here that these are fundamentally conflicting objectives. On the one hand, a particularly stable adhesive is required that can withstand hundreds of processing cycles, especially during autoclaving, and plasma sterilization requires correspondingly high chemical bonding stability. On the other hand, these adhesives induce stress, which then leads to stress cracks in the glass tube-fiber composite during curing, but this can be avoided or at least significantly reduced by the configuration of the present invention, as described above.

[0024] In its modified form, a particularly advantageous use of the mounting device described above is envisioned for use in optical waveguides and / or optical waveguide cables that can be treated multiple times using sterilization methods after each use in a medical technology environment or medical technology or medical application. In particular, in optical waveguides or optical waveguide cables, this approach according to the present invention can be advantageously used as a connection between a light source and an endoscope, or for connection to such an assembly, and / or in optical waveguides incorporated within an endoscope. Applications in industrial environments where high temperature or high temperature fluctuations play a particularly important role can also be considered, such as in the fields of energy technology and aerospace.

[0025] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0026] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing a conventional mounting device. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram showing the mounting device according to the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic diagram showing a modified form of the mounting device having a sleeve forming a rim. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram showing a further modified form of the modified form shown in FIG. 3.

[0027] FIG. 1 schematically shows a mounting device for an optical waveguide 1 according to the prior art. This optical waveguide 1 consists of a fiber bundle 2 whose peripheral surface 2.5 is fused to a glass tube 3 according to the GTF method described at the beginning. This fiber bundle 2 has, here, a tapered region 2.4. This tapered region 2.4 results from the increase in the packaging density of the individual fibers as the fusion of the individual fibers themselves with the glass tube 3 progresses until the portion surrounding itself within or in the vicinity of the region of the common end face 2.3 is completely fused or a completely fused portion is formed. Therefore, the fiber bundle 2 having the glass tube 3 has a fused and thus rigid portion 2.2, at least in the vicinity of the surface of its common end face 2.3, where a transition region where the fibers are only partially fused follows, and then this transition region transitions to the non-fused portion 2.1. Then, in this portion, the fibers in the fiber bundle 2 are freely and movably arranged.

[0028] The typical diameter of this type of fused fiber bundle 2 is in the range of 0.5 mm to 10 mm. The length of the tapered region 2.4 or transition region between the unfused portion 2.1 of the fiber bundle 2 and the common end face 2.3 of the fiber bundle 2 and the glass tube 3 is typically between 0.5 mm and 20 mm. The transition region between the unfused portion 2.1 and the fully fused portion 2.2 can typically be between 2 mm and 10 mm. Correspondingly, the diameter of the mounting device is on a similar order and, in any case, larger than the diameter of the fiber bundle used. For example, for a fiber bundle with a diameter of 2 mm, the total diameter of the mounting device can start from at least 3 mm. The minimum possible wall thickness of the sleeve 4 is certainly predetermined here by its material, or the maximum allowable or required total diameter is often determined by the application of the optical waveguide thus mounted.

[0029] Next, the GTF fiber bundle is fixed within the sleeve 4 using adhesive 5 in the fixing portion 4.3 area of ​​the sleeve 4, in which case the applied adhesive 5 ideally fills the gaps up to the common end face 2.3 to avoid gaps or holes. The sleeve 4 is ideally made of stainless steel, but as mentioned above, it may be made of fiber-reinforced plastic or filler plastic. The final common end face 2.3 of the fiber bundle 2 is then produced together with the end face of the sleeve 4 by a subsequent grinding and polishing process. As mentioned above, the drawback here is the stress induced within the fused portion 2.2 of the fiber bundle 2, which is already introduced during the curing of the adhesive 5. Further stress is then generated by temperature changes during processing, for example, using steam sterilization. This stress often leads to cracks in the common end face 2.3, which significantly reduces the yield in manufacturing and severely limits the service life or number of processing cycles.

[0030] Figure 2 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the fiber bundle 2 manufactured using the GTF method protrudes beyond the sleeve 4 by an offset dimension 6, thereby ensuring that the adhesive 5 in the adhesive gap or fixing portion 4.3 has sufficient distance to the fused portion 2.2 of the fiber bundle 2. This reduces the introduction of stress during installation or adhesive curing, as well as during use in the processing cycle, thereby significantly reducing the risk of crack formation. In a preferred configuration of the present invention, it has been shown that an offset 6 or offset dimension between the common end face 2.3 of the fiber bundle 2 and the glass tube and the adhesive 5 or fixing portion 4.3 surrounding the fiber bundle 2 is advantageous at least 0.1 mm to 2 mm, with an offset dimension of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm being particularly preferred. Trials have shown that this offset dimension 6 is largely independent of the diameter of the fiber bundle 2 and the glass tube 3. Here, the adhesive or bonded portion should have an adhesive gap dimension of 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm between the inner surface of the glass tube 3 and the sleeve 4.

[0031] A potential drawback of this configuration shown in Figure 2 is that the edges of the common end face 2.3 of the fiber bundle 2, manufactured using the GTF method, are not adequately protected and are exposed. Therefore, Figure 3 schematically shows a further modified form in which the sleeve 4 is configured such that the fixing portion 4.3 is positioned offset 6 minutes from the end face 4.1 and a rim 4.2 is formed, thereby creating an annular groove 7 in the region of the common end face 2.3 between the rim 4.2 and the glass tube 3 when installed, so that the sleeve end face 4.1 and the common end face 2.3 of the fiber bundle 2 and the glass tube 3 form a plane. This makes it possible to mechanically protect the freestanding end of the fiber bundle fused to the glass tube from the side all around its circumference.

[0032] As mentioned at the beginning, in order to avoid excessively narrow gaps that promote the growth of bacteria or the attachment of contaminants, or hinder their reduction, the groove width 7.1 of the groove 7 is at least 0.3 mm, preferably at least 0.5 mm. During installation, care must be taken to ensure that the adhesive 5 does not adhere to or fill this groove 7 between the rim 4.2 and the glass tube 3.

[0033] Optionally, after installation, the common end face 2.3 may be ground and polished, and then the groove 7 may be filled with a permanently elastic and self-flattening casting material 8. This casting material can prevent, for example, particles that are difficult to remove during the processing from accumulating in the groove 7. This type of casting material 8 has particularly high heat resistance and can withstand typical temperature exposures on the order of 135°C to 140°C, especially during steam sterilization, for several hundred cycles depending on the number of uses. Furthermore, this type of casting material has high hydrolysis resistance and chemical resistance. For this reason, silicone casting materials, such as so-called LSR (Liquid Silicon Rubber) casting materials and permanently elastic epoxy casting materials, are particularly suitable.

[0034] Figure 4 shows a modified form of the configuration shown in Figure 3, which also has an arbitrarily selected casting material 8. The cone-shaped GTF fusion section differs from the fusion sections shown in Figures 1 to 3 in the following way: the diameter ratio between the unfused fiber bundle, i.e., the unfused portion 2.1, and the fused portion 2.2 is larger than that of the other fusion sections due to an additional manufacturing step. Therefore, the end face 2.3 in Figure 4 has a smaller or reduced diameter than the modified forms in Figures 1 to 3.

[0035] The sleeve 4 may also have further portions having partially or partially reduced wall thickness, for example, particularly in the end face region, and / or further portions having additional clamping or locking elements (not shown herein). These additional portions also make it at least easier or possible to attach this type of prefabricated optical waveguide to a light source, camera module, or, for example, an endoscope handpiece. To facilitate the insertion or screwing of the fiber bundle 2 into the glass tube 3 before so-called GTF fusion, the glass tube 3 may have a collar 3.1 on the screwing side. This collar 3.1 may be configured as a round collar as shown, or as a conical portion (not shown). [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 1 Optical waveguide 2 fiber bundles 2.1 Non-fused area 2.2 Fusion area 2.3 Common end face 2.4 Tapered section 2.5 Peripheral surface 3 glass tubes 3.1 Color 4 sleeves 4.1 Sleeve end face 4.2 rim 4.3 Fixed part 5. Adhesive 6 Offset 7 grooves 7.1 Groove width 8 Casting material

Claims

1. Mounting device for optical waveguide (1), said mounting device is The device includes a sleeve (4) having a sleeve end face (4.1) and at least one fiber bundle (2), The fiber bundle (2) is fused to the glass tube (3) at least partially or partially over its entire circumference on its circumferential surface (2.5), and the fiber bundle (2) has a common end face (2.3) with the glass tube (3). The fiber bundle (2), together with the glass tube (3), forms a tapered region (2.4) toward the common end face (2.3). The common end face (2.3) has a rigid portion (2.2) that is fused to the glass tube (3), The common end face (2.3) is configured as a ground surface and / or a polished surface. The fiber bundle (2) is at least partially or partially fixed to the sleeve (4) or to the fixing portion (4.3) of the sleeve (4) using adhesive (5) in the glass tube (3) and the tapered region (2.4), by material bonding. The end face of the sleeve (4) and the common end face (2.3) form a flat surface, or the end face of the sleeve (4) protrudes beyond the common end face (2.3), The common end face (2.3) of the fiber bundle (2) with respect to the glass tube (3) is offset (6) with respect to the fixing portion (4.3) of the sleeve (4) by the adhesive (5), thereby the common end face (2.3) is positioned spaced apart from the fixing portion (4.3) by the adhesive (5) with an offset (6), and the fixing portion (4.3) and the common end face (2.3) are separated from each other, in a mounting device for an optical waveguide (1).

2. The mounting device for an optical waveguide (1) according to claim 1, wherein the offset (6) between the common end face (2.3) of the fiber bundle (2) and the glass tube (3) and the sleeve end face (4.1) is in the range of 0.1 mm to 2 mm.

3. Mounting device for optical waveguide (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a distance of 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm is partially or partially formed on the inside of the fixing portion (4.3) between the glass tube (3) and the sleeve (4) as an adhesive gap dimension for the adhesive (5).

4. Mounting device for optical waveguide (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve (4) has a fixing portion (4.3) positioned at an offset (6) from the sleeve end face (4.1), and a rim (4.2) is formed thereon, thereby forming an annular groove (7) in the region of the common end face (2.3) between the rim (4.2) and the glass tube (3) when mounted, and the sleeve end face (4.1) and the common end face (2.3) of the fiber bundle (2) and the glass tube (3) form a plane.

5. The mounting device for an optical waveguide (1) according to claim 4, wherein the groove (7) has a groove width (7.1) of at least 0.3 mm.

6. The mounting device for an optical waveguide (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve (4) includes stainless steel, plastic, or a combination of both, or consists of stainless steel, plastic, or a combination of both.

7. The mounting device for an optical waveguide (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the adhesive (5) includes or consists of an epoxy adhesive.

8. Use of the mounting device according to claim 1 or 2 for an optical waveguide (1) and / or optical waveguide cable that can be subjected to multiple treatments using a sterilization method in a medical technology environment.

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