Endoscope with curved optical axis
US5888193A · kind A · utility
22Cited by
14References
7Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 10, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 30, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 10, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N13/398
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An endoscope has an elongated sheath that follows a curved path. The sheath houses a plurality of relay lens sets designed to have a maximum usable field of view that is greater than the size of an image to be produced. Discrete lens elements within the image transfer guide allow the image to offset to the edges of the maximum usable field of view thereby to allow the axes through the individual sets to progressively shift in angle to form the curved path. This provides endoscopes that are particularly useful as arthroscopes or
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.