Patent · US Expired

Observation system with an endoscope

US5394499A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
17References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 15, 1993
Grant dateFeb 28, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 15, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B23/26
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An observation system for an endoscope has an entrance end face upon which an image is incident and an exit end face from which the image exits. The system comprises an image guide fiber of a very small diameter to allow transmission of the image, an object optical system arranged in front of the entrance end face of the image guide fiber, and a reproduction optical system arranged on the back side of the exit end face of the image guide fiber. The reproduction optical system is comprised of an eyepiece optical system and relay lens system. The maximal exit numerical aperture of the object optical system is greater than the maximal entrance numerical aperture of the reproduction optical system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.