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US 6,855,106 B2Granted
Endoscope and camera mount
AssigneeMedivision, Inc.
InventorsKevin May, Alex Vayser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An autoclavable endoscope suitable for attachment to a camera while hot. The structure of the endoscope adapted for attachment to the camera lens adapter presents a flat, co-planar proximal face, substantially devoid of grooves and crevices, and minimizes the space between the scope optics and the camera optics, thereby minimizing the volume of hot air that might be trapped between the endoscope and the camera.
Claims24
An endoscope for use in combination with a video camera having an imaging plane, said endoscope comprising:
- a sealed optical assembly (634) having a proximal end and a distal end;
- an objective lens (206) disposed within the distal end of the optical assembly;
- an ocular lens (646) disposed within the proximal end of the optical assembly;
- a focusing assembly (600) disposed on the proximal end of the sealed optical assembly, said focusing assembly comprising a first barrel (662) longitudinally fixed relative to the optical assembly and a second barrel (660), said second barrel being longitudinally moveable relative to the first barrel;
- an optical window (642) disposed within the proximal end of the sealed optical assembly, said optical window being substantially flat and establishing a substantially planar proximal face on the sealed optical assembly, said planar proximal face lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope;
- a camera mount (650) extending proximally from the second barrel and longitudinally fixed thereto, said camera mount adapted for releasable connection to the video camera, said camera mount having a substantially planar proximal face, said planar proximal face lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope;
- wherein the focusing assembly is operable to translate the second barrel and camera mount longitudinally relative to the sealed optical assembly such that the proximal face of the optical assembly is co-planar with the proximal face of the camera mount, and also to translate the camera mount longitudinally relative to the sealed optical assembly to focus the endoscope image on the imaging plane of the camera.
4 more elements
An endoscope for use in combination with a video camera having an imaging plane, said endoscope comprising:
- a sealed optical assembly (634) having a proximal end and a distal end;
- an objective lens (206) disposed within the distal end of the optical assembly;
- an ocular lens (646) disposed within the proximal end of the optical assembly;
- a focusing assembly (600) disposed on the proximal end of the sealed optical assembly, said focusing assembly comprising an outer barrel (662) longitudinally fixed relative to the optical assembly and an internal extending barrel (660), said internal extending barrel being longitudinally moveable relative to the outer barrel;
- an optical window (642) disposed within the proximal end of the sealed optical assembly, said optical window being substantially flat and establishing a substantially planar proximal face on the sealed optical assembly, said planar proximal face lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope;
- a camera mount (650) extending proximally from the internal extending barrel and longitudinally fixed thereto, said camera mount adapted for releasable connection to the video camera, said camera mount having a substantially planar proximal face, said planar proximal face lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope;
- wherein the focusing assembly is operable to translate the inner extending barrel and camera mount longitudinally relative to the sealed optical assembly such that the proximal face of the optical assembly is co-planar with the proximal face of the camera mount, and also to translate the inner extending barrel and camera mount longitudinally relative to the sealed optical assembly to focus the endoscope image on the imaging plane of the camera.
4 more elements
The endoscope of 13 claim wherein the focusing assembly further comprises:
- a rack and pinion assembly operably connecting the outer barrel and the inner extending barrel, said rack and pinion assembly operable to translate the outer barrel and inner extending barrel relative to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.