Confocal imaging equipment in particular for endoscope
US7285089B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 2002 |
| Grant date | Oct 23, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 2, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2562/0242
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Equipment includes an image guide (1) consisting of flexible optical fibers with: on the proximal end side: a source (2), angular scanning elements (3), injection elements (4) in one of the fibers, elements for splitting (5) the illuminating beam and the backscattered signal, elements for spatial filtering (6), elements for detecting (7) the signal, electronic elements (8) for controlling, analyzing and digital processing of the detected signal and display; and on the distal end side: an optical head (9) for focusing the illuminating beam exiting from the illuminated fiber. The scanning elements include a resonant line mirror (M1) and a galvanometric field mirror (M2) with a variable frequency and two afocal optical systems adapted to conjugate the two mirrors (M1, M2) firstly in the field mirror (M2) and the injection elements (4) in the image guide in a second step.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.