Multi-LED ophthalmic illuminator
AssigneeAlcon Inc.
InventorsMark J. Buczek, Alexander N. Artsyukhovich, John C. Huculak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ophthalmic endoilluminator has a power supply coupled to a light source, a controller, a collimation device, an alignment device, a lens, and an optical fiber. The light source has three light emitting diodes. Each of the three light emitting diodes produces a different color light. The controller controls the operation of the three light emitting diodes. The collimation device collimates the light produced by at least one of the light emitting diodes. The alignment device aligns the light individually produced by the three light emitting diodes into a single light beam. The lens focuses the single light beam. The optical fiber for carries the single light beam.
Claims24
An endoilluminator comprising:
- a light source with at least three light emitting diodes, each of the at least three light emitting diodes producing a different color light;
- a plurality of collimation elements, each collimation element for separately collimating the light produced by a respective one of the light emitting diodes;
- a device for aligning the light individually produced by the at least three light emitting diodes into a single light beam;
- a lens for focusing the single light beam;
- a first optical fiber for carrying the single light beam;
- a second optical fiber for carrying the single light beam;
- and
- an optical coupling device for coupling the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber, wherein the optical coupling device is a ball lens.
An endoilluminator comprising:
- a power supply;
- a light source coupled to the power supply, the light source comprising three light emitting diodes, each of the three light emitting diodes producing a different color light;
- a controller coupled to the power supply, the controller for controlling the operation of the three light emitting diodes;
- a plurality of collimation devices, each of the collimation devices for separately collimating the light produced by a respective one of the light emitting diodes;
- a device for aligning the light individually produced by the three light emitting diodes into a single light beam;
- a lens for focusing the single light beam;
- a first optical fiber for carrying the single light beam;
- a second optical fiber for carrying the single light beam;
- and
- an optical coupling device for coupling the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber, wherein the optical coupling device is a ball lens.
An ophthalmic endoilluminator comprising:
- a power supply;
- a light source coupled to the power supply, the light source comprising three light emitting diodes, each of the three light emitting diodes producing a different color light;
- a controller coupled to the power supply, the controller for controlling the operation of the three light emitting diodes;
- a collimation device for collimating the light produced by at least one of the light emitting diodes;
- a device for aligning the light individually produced by the three light emitting diodes into a single light beam;
- a lens for focusing the single light beam;
- and
- an optical fiber for carrying the single light beam, wherein the controller utilizes an algorithm to control at least one of the light emitting diodes, the algorithm selected from a group consisting of:
- an algorithm for strobing a light emitting diode, a pulse width modulation algorithm, and an amplitude modulation algorithm.
A method of providing illumination to an interior of an eye comprising:
- providing current to at least three light emitting diodes to cause the at least three light emitting diodes to emit light;
- separately collimating the light emitted by the at least three light emitting diodes;
- aligning the collimated light into a single light beam;
- focusing the single light beam;
- and
- transmitting the single light beam over an optical fiber;
- and
- utilizing an algorithm to control at least one of the light emitting diodes, the algorithm selected from a group consisting of:
- an algorithm for strobing a light emitting diode, a pulse width modulation algorithm, and an amplitude modulation algorithm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.