Endoscope assembly with a polarizing filter
AssigneeAvantis Medical Systems, Inc.
InventorsLex Bayer, Rupesh Desai, Alex Niel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An endoscope includes an imaging device, a first polarizing filter disposed in front of the imaging device, a light source, and a second polarizing filter disposed in front of the light source. The planes of polarization of the first and second polarizing filters are at a substantially 90° angle.
Claims58
An endoscope assembly, comprising:
- an imaging device;
- a light source;
- and
- a polarizing filter disposed in front of the light source.
An endoscope assembly, comprising:
- an imaging device;
- a light source;
- and
- a polarizing filter disposed in front of the imaging device.
An endoscope assembly, comprising:
- an imaging device;
- a light source;
- and
- a polarizing filter disposed in front of both the imaging device and the light source.
An endoscope assembly, comprising:
- an imaging device;
- a first polarizing filter disposed in front of the imaging device, wherein the first polarizing filter has a plane of polarization;
- a light source;
- and
- a second polarizing filter disposed in front of the light source, wherein the second polarizing filter has a plane of polarization, and wherein the plane of polarization of the first polarizing filter is at a substantially 90° angle from the plane of polarization of the second polarizing filter.
An endoscope assembly, comprising:
- an insertion tube having a channel;
- an imaging assembly, wherein a portion of the imaging assembly is rotatably disposed inside the channel of the insertion tube;
- and
- a locking mechanism that rotationally locks the insertion tube and imaging assembly.
An major-minor endoscope comprising:
- a major endoscope having a first light source positioned proximate to one end and having a first imaging device positioned proximate to the one end, the major endoscope further including a channel along its length;
- a minor endoscope adapted for insertion into and through the channel of the major endoscope, the minor endoscope including an elongated body, a second light source positioned proximate to one end and having a second imaging device positioned proximate to the one end;
- a first polarizer positioned to polarize the light from the light source of one of the endoscopes;
- and
- a second polarizer positioned to polarize light received by the imaging device of the other endoscope.
An endoscope for use with an independently positionable polarized light source, the endoscope comprising:
- an elongated body having a first imaging device positioned proximate to one end;
- and a first polarizer positioned to polarize light received by the imaging device.
A pair of polarized endoscopes adapted for cooperative use within the human body, wherein each endoscope comprises an elongated body, an imaging device positioned proximate to one end, and a light source positioned proximate to the one end;
- wherein a polarizer is positioned to polarize the light from the light source of one of the endoscopes and a second polarizer is positioned to polarize the light received by the imaging device of the other endoscope.
A pair of endoscopes as in 57 further comprising a third polarizer positioned to polarize the light from the light source of the other endoscope and a fourth polarizer is positioned to polarize the light received by the imaging device of the one endoscope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.