Scanning mechanisms for imaging probe

An imaging probe for insertion into bodily lumens and cavities for imaging an interior of said bodily lumens and cavities or imaging exterior surfaces of a body, comprising:

• a) an outer elongate sheath and an imaging conduit located in said outer elongate sheath having a longitudinal axis having distal and proximal end sections and a midsection, an imaging assembly being located in said distal end section of said imaging conduit for directing an energy beam out of said distal end section and receiving reflected energy signals reflected back from interior surfaces of said bodily lumens and cavities or exterior surfaces, said imaging assembly being connected to a first end of said imaging conduit, said imaging conduit extending through the outer elongate sheath and being connectable at a second end thereof to an image processing and display system through the proximal end section;
• b) said imaging conduit and said imaging assembly being connectable to a rotational drive mechanism for imparting rotational motion to said imaging conduit and said imaging assembly, relative to said outer elongate sheath, about said longitudinal axis at an angular velocity, the rotational drive mechanism including adjustment means for varying said angular velocity;
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• c) said outer elongate sheath having a distal end section and a proximal end section and a midsection aligned with said proximal end section, midsection and distal end section of said imaging conduit, and an energy emitting device affixed to said outer elongate sheath at said distal end section thereof for producing said energy beam;
• d) said imaging assembly including a scanning mechanism including a movable reflective member configured to receive said energy beam from said energy emitting device and to deliver said energy beam along a path out of said imaging conduit at a variable angle with respect to said longitudinal axis to give forward or side viewing capability of said imaging assembly, wherein said movable reflective member is mounted in such a way that the variable angle is a function of said angular velocity, said scanning mechanism being configured to receive and deliver said reflected energy signals to said image processing system through said imaging conduit;
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• e) said rotational drive means being connectable to a controller which is connected to said image processing and display system.

An imaging probe for insertion into bodily lumens and cavities for imaging an interior of said bodily lumens and cavities or imaging exterior surfaces of a body, comprising:

• a) an outer elongate sheath, an inner elongate sheath located in said outer elongate sheath having a longitudinal axis having distal and proximal end sections and a midsection, and an imaging conduit located in said inner elongate sheath having a longitudinal axis having distal and proximal end sections and a midsection, an imaging assembly being located in said distal end section of said imaging conduit for directing an energy beam out of said distal end section and receiving reflected energy signals reflected back from interior surfaces of said bodily lumens and cavities or exterior surfaces, said imaging assembly being connected to a first end of said imaging conduit, said imaging conduit extending through the inner elongate sheath and being connectable at a second end thereof to an image processing and display system through the proximal end section;
• b) said imaging conduit containing said imaging assembly being connectable to a first rotational drive mechanism for imparting rotational motion to said imaging conduit and said imaging assembly, relative to said inner elongate sheath, about said longitudinal axis at an angular velocity, the rotational drive mechanism including adjustment means for varying said angular velocity;
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• c) said outer elongate sheath having a distal end section and a proximal end section and a midsection aligned with said proximal end section, midsection and distal end section of said inner elongate sheath, and an energy emitting device affixed to said inner elongate sheath at said distal end section thereof for producing said energy beam;
• b) said inner elongate sheath being connectable to a second rotational mechanism for imparting rotational motion to said inner elongate sheath, for rotating said energy emitting device, relative to said imaging conduit, about said longitudinal axis;
• d) said imaging assembly including a scanning mechanism which includes a movable member configured to receive said energy beam from said energy emitting transducer and to deliver said energy beam along a path out of said elongate hollow shaft at a variable angle with respect to said longitudinal axis to give forward or side viewing capability of said imaging assembly, wherein said movable member is mounted in such a way that the variable angle is a function of said angular velocity, said scanning mechanism being configured to receive and deliver said reflected energy signals to said image processing system through said imaging conduit;
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• e) said rotational drive means being connectable to a controller which is connected to said image processing and display system.

A mechanism for insertion into bodily lumens and cavities that enables the delivery and/or collection of energy to an interior bodily region, comprising:

• a rotary component having a rotary axis, a rotary drive mechanism connected to said rotary component, a tiltable or deflectable component, and a coupling mechanism for coupling said tiltable or deflectable component to said rotary component, an energy emitting device configured and positioned in said rotary component to deliver an energy beam from said tiltable or deflectable component, detection means configured and positioned in said rotary component to detect energy from said tiltable or deflectable component, said coupling mechanism being configured to couple said tiltable or deflectable component to said rotary component in such a way that a change in speed of rotation of the rotary component induces movement of said tiltable or deflectable component resulting in a change of an angle between a surface of the tiltable or deflectable component with respect to the rotary axis, wherein said rotary component is configured to rotate around said rotary axis, when driven by said rotary drive mechanism, that provides an initial degree of freedom with respect to a direction in which the energy beam is delivered to, or collected from, the tiltable or deflectable component, said tiltable or deflectable component providing a second degree of freedom with respect to the direction in which the energy beam is delivered or collected from, whereby the tiltable or deflectable component causes the energy beam to be delivered or collected at a general angle from the rotary axis, whereby the general angle from the rotary axis is determined substantially by the rotation of the rotary component.