Patent · US Expired

Image transmission system from three rod lenses for rigid endoscopes

US7586679B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
7References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 26, 2004
Grant dateSep 8, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 12, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B23/2446
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention relates to an image transmission system for rigid endoscopes, having a central rod lens and two outer rod lenses, which are symmetrical in respect to one another in relation to a vertical central plane of the image transmission system relative to the optical axis, wherein all lens elements consist of optically homogenous material, all optically active surface are spherical and two lens elements are stuck to on another facing each other or facing away from one another on the opposite sided of the central and outer lenses in the main lens elements of the rod lenses so that the resulting composite lens is biconvex. According to the invention, the rod lenses are arranged apex to apex next to one another and the central rod lens is substantially as long as or longer than the outer rod lenses. The solution according to the invention provides an image that is as light as possible at a given transmission length, wherein the structure of the rod lens system is simple and imaging errors can be corrected as in prior art. The number of components and production complexity are low.

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