Stereoscopic coupler for mechanically and optically coupling a stereo endoscope to a stereo endoscopic camera
AssigneeViking Systems, Inc.
InventorsDouglas Sjostrom, John E. Kennedy, Dennis Arsenault, Yuri Kazakevich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stereoscopic coupler for mechanically and optically coupling an endoscope to a portion of a camera, the stereoscopic coupler including means for mechanically and optically coupling the stereoscopic coupler to an endoscope; and means for mechanically and optically coupling the stereoscopic coupler to a portion of a camera; wherein the stereoscopic coupler includes a pair of optics; a mechanical actuator for operation by a user; and means for physically moving the pair of optics as a unit in response to movement of the mechanical actuator by the user.
Claims23
A stereoscopic coupler for mechanically and optically coupling a stereoscopic endoscope having a left optical channel and a right optical channel to a portion of a stereoscopic camera having a left optical channel and a right optical channel so that the left optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope optically communicates with the left optical channel of the stereoscopic camera and the right optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope optically communicates with the right optical channel of the stereos camera, the stereoscopic coupler comprising:
- means for mechanically and optically coupling the stereoscopic coupler to a stereoscopic endoscope;
- and
- means for mechanically and optically coupling the stereoscopic coupler to a portion of a stereoscopic camera;
- wherein the stereoscopic coupler comprises:
- a left optical channel comprising left optics;
- a right optical channel comprising right optics;
- a mechanical actuator for operation by a user;
- and
- means for physically moving the left optics of the left optical channel and the right optics of the right optical channel as a single unit in response to movement of the mechanical actuator by the user;
- wherein the means for mechanically and optically coupling the stereoscopic coupler to a stereoscopic endoscope comprise:
- an element for ensuring axial alignment between the left optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope and the left optical channel of the stereoscopic coupler and for ensuring axial alignment between the right optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope and the right optical channel of the stereoscopic coupler;
- an element for ensuring horizontal alignment between the left optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope and the left optical channel of the stereoscopic coupler and for ensuring horizontal alignment between the right optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope and the right optical channel of the stereoscopic coupler;
- and
- a releasable element for releasably securing the stereoscopic endoscope to the stereoscopic coupler so as to allow for rapid engagement and disengagement of the stereoscopic endoscope with the stereoscopic coupler.
A method for mechanically and optically coupling a stereoscopic endoscope having a left optical channel and a right optical channel to a portion of a stereoscopic camera having a left optical channel and a right optical channel so that the left optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope optically communicates with the left optical channel of the stereoscopic camera and the right optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope optically communicates with the right optical channel of the stereoscopic camera, the method comprising:
- providing a stereoscopic coupler for mechanically and optically coupling a stereoscopic endoscope to a portion of a stereoscopic camera, the stereoscopic coupler comprising:
- means for mechanically and optically coupling the stereoscopic coupler to a stereoscopic endoscope;
- and
- means for mechanically and optically coupling the stereoscopic coupler to a portion of a stereoscopic camera;
- wherein the stereoscopic coupler comprises:
- a left optical channel comprising left optics;
- a right, optical channel comprising right optics;
- a mechanical actuator for operation by a user;
- and
- means for physically moving the left optics of the left optical channel and the right optics of the right optical channel as a single unit in response to movement of the mechanical actuator by the user;
- wherein the means for mechanically and optically coupling the stereoscopic coupler to a stereoscopic endoscope comprise:
- an element for ensuring axial alignment between the left optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope and the left optical channel of the stereoscopic coupler and for ensuring axial alignment between the right optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope and the right optical channel of the stereoscopic coupler;
- an element for ensuring horizontal alignment between the left optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope and the left optical channel of the stereoscopic coupler and for ensuring horizontal alignment between the right optical channel of the stereoscopic endoscope and the right optical channel of the stereoscopic coupler;
- and
- a releasable element for releasably securing the stereoscopic endoscope to the stereoscopic coupler so as to allow for rapid engagement and disengagement of the stereoscopic endoscope with the stereoscopic coupler;
- mounting the stereoscopic coupler to the stereoscopic camera;
- and
- mounting the stereoscopic endoscope to the stereoscopic coupler.
A stereoscopic coupler for mechanically and optically coupling an endoscope to a portion of a camera, the stereoscopic coupler comprising:
- means for mechanically and optically coupling the stereoscopic coupler to an endoscope;
- and
- means for mechanically and optically coupling the stereoscopic coupler to a portion of a camera;
- wherein the stereoscopic coupler comprises:
- a pair of optics;
- a mechanical actuator for operation by a user;
- and
- means for physically moving the pair of optics as a unit in response to movement of the mechanical actuator by the user;
- wherein the mechanical actuator comprises a focusing ring;
- wherein the means for moving the pair of optics is configured to transfer circumferential movement of the focusing ring to longitudinal movement of the pair of optics;
- wherein the means for moving the pair of optics comprises a cam and a cam follower;
- wherein the pair of optics are mounted to a carriage, and further wherein one of the cam and cam follower is connected to the carriage and the other of the cam and cam follower is connected to the focusing ring;
- further comprising means for adjusting the amount of torque required to rotate the focusing ring;
- wherein the cam is carried by a cam ring which is secured to the focusing ring, wherein the cam follower is carried by the carriage which is disposed within a load ring so that the carriage is longitudinally movable relative to the load ring but rotationally fixed relative to the load ring, and further wherein the means for adjusting the amount of torque required to rotate the focusing ring comprises an adjustable spring for forcing the load ring against the cam ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.