Optical fibre confocal imager with variable near-confocal control
US5926592A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 23, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 20, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 23, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B21/0032
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A confocal imaging system using optical fibers is provided which has a flexible near confocal optical transmission means having a light collection end adjacent to a light collection of the confocal optical transmission means and adapted to transmit only near confocal light emerging from points in the object located within a range of distances above and below the focal plane, in such a manner that a selected portion of the near confocal light emerging from greater than any selected distance within the range is substantially separable from the remainder. The system also has variable selection means to exclude from detection the selected portion.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.