Patent · US Expired

Endoscope with curved end image guide

US5630788A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
21References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 12, 1994
Grant dateMay 20, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 12, 2014

Classification

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

Abstract

An endoscope comprising an elongated endoscope body having a distal end, an objective carried by the endoscope body adjacent the distal end and an elongated fiberoptic image guide in the endoscope body for transmitting an image proximally. The objective has a curved proximal surface and the image guide has a curved distal end surface which has a shape which generally conforms to the shape of the curved proximal surface of the objective. These surfaces are in close proximity to provide an interface and an index matching medium is in the interface. The objective provides a curved image plane substantially at the interface and the image plane has a shape which generally conforms to the shape of the curved proximal surface of the objective.

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