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US 2019/0167072 A1Published application
Micro-endoscope and method of making same
AssigneeClear Image Technology, LLC
InventorsStefan Troller, Urban Schnell, Matthias Pfister, Michel Saint-Ghislain
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A micro-endoscope and method of making the same includes a mounting housing, a camera module received within the mounting housing, and an encapsulation material interposed between the camera module and the mounting housing for fixedly mounting the camera module within the mounting housing and/or inhibiting the passage of light between the camera module and the mounting housing. The micro-endoscope further includes a light guide having the mounting housing received therein.
Claims19
An endoscope, comprising:
- a camera module, with a camera that receives an image;
- a scope shaft, having a front portion, where the camera is mounted to receive the image from the front portion of the scope shaft;
- a light guide, having a light receiving end receiving light, and the light guide guiding the light along the light guide, the light guide emitting the light at a light transmitting end at the front portion of the scope shaft, the light emitted at the light transmitting end illuminating an area of the image at the front portion,
- the light guide having a first part adjacent the light receiving end, that has a hollow and tapered interior section, where the hollow part of the tapered interior section narrows in size in a direction away from the camera to define a conical chamber inside the light guide,
- and the light guide terminating at the front portion emitting the light.
2 more elements
An endoscope comprising:
- an endoscope tube;
- a camera, located in the endoscope tube and having an optical portion extending to image an imaging area at a first end of the endoscope tube;
- a light guide, having a first end which receives light, and having a second end which is exposed to illuminate the imaging area at the first end of the endoscope tube, lighting an area on the first end of the endoscope tube, where the second end of the light guide surrounds the camera and forms a hollow cylindrical area surrounding the camera;
- the first end of the light guide which receives the light being a filled, non-hollow, cylindrical area,
- the light guide having a conical section adjacent the first end, wherein the conical section of the light guide is hollow, and a diameter of the hollow section of the light guide increases towards the second end, to form the conical section, where the conical section leads to a constant diameter section, which forms the hollow cylindrical area that has a constant diameter,
- wherein the camera is located within the hollow cylindrical area which has the constant diameter.
3 more elements
A method of imaging using an endoscope, comprising:
- receiving an image into a camera portion of a scope shaft of an endoscope, the scope shaft, having a front portion, where the camera receives the image from the front portion of the scope shaft;
- guiding illuminating light for the camera on a light guide, having a light receiving end receiving light, and the light guide guiding the light along the light guide, the light guide emitting the light at a light transmitting end at the front portion of the scope shaft, the light emitted at the light transmitting end illuminating an area of the image at the front portion,
- guiding the light through the light guide through a first part adjacent the light receiving end, that has a hollow and tapered interior section, where the hollow part of the tapered interior section narrows in size in a direction away from the camera to define a conical chamber inside the light guide,
- the light exiting the light guide at the front portion emitting the light.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.