Optical assembly for medical imaging devices
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorsAlexander Ning, Robert Lu, William Lucas Churchill, Sergey S. Grigoryants
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Optical assemblies for use in medical or other devices so as to image an object under examination onto an image sensor include a plurality of lens elements that can be retained in lens barrel. The lens elements and the lens barrel can be sealed with a compressible gasket. In one example, at least one lens element is made of an injection-moldable plastic and at least one lens element is made of a relatively dispersive optical glass. A lens barrel diameter or lens diameter can be selected to permit access to the object under examination with surgical or other tools. Aperture plates can be situated so as to reduce flare in the object image.
Claims23
An apparatus, comprising:
- a hollow lens barrel having a distal rim defining a distal aperture, an inner diameter of the distal rim being less than an inner diameter of the lens barrel;
- a compressible gasket disposed within the lens barrel;
- a first lens disposed within the lens barrel and in contact with the compressible gasket such that the compressible gasket forms a seal between the distal rim of the lens barrel and the first lens;
- and
- a second lens disposed within the lens barrel, the first lens being disposed between the compressible gasket and the second lens, wherein each of the first lens and the second lens has an outermost diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lens barrel.
A method, comprising:
- inserting a compressible gasket into a proximal end portion of a lens barrel in a distal direction, the lens barrel having a distal rim defining a distal aperture, and an inner diameter of the distal rim being less than an inner diameter of the lens barrel;
- inserting a plurality of lenses into the lens barrel from the proximal end portion of the lens barrel in the distal direction;
- closing the proximal end portion of the lens barrel such that the compressible gasket forms a seal between the distal rim of the lens barrel and a first lens from the plurality of lenses.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a hollow lens barrel having a distal rim defining a distal aperture, an inner diameter of the distal rim being less than an inner diameter of the lens barrel;
- a compressible gasket disposed within the lens barrel;
- a first lens disposed within the lens barrel and in contact with the compressible gasket such that the compressible gasket forms a seal between the distal rim of the lens barrel and the first lens;
- and
- a second lens disposed within the lens barrel, the first lens being disposed between the compressible gasket and the second lens, wherein the inner diameter of the lens barrel is substantially constant between the compressible gasket and the second lens.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a hollow lens barrel having a distal rim defining a distal aperture, an inner diameter of the distal rim being less than an inner diameter of the lens barrel;
- a compressible gasket disposed within the lens barrel;
- a first lens disposed within the lens barrel and in contact with the compressible gasket such that the compressible gasket forms a seal between the distal rim of the lens barrel and the first lens;
- and
- a second lens, having a positive optical power, disposed within the lens barrel, the first lens being disposed between the compressible gasket and the second lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.