Did You Know...
...that Charles Goodyear performed some of his experiments on rubber while in debtor's prison? He was there so often he referred to it as his "hotel". Chronically in debt because of poor business sense and ill health, Goodyear depended on the generosity of friends and family. Even after he unlocked the secret to vulcanizing rubber, he was unable to improve his financial situation. When he died, his estate was $200,000 in debt.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8363097 | Endoscopic imaging system An endoscopic imaging system includes an endoscope, a light source assembly coupled to the endoscope that transmits light to the endoscope for illuminating a region of interest, an imaging unit coupled to the light source assembly that receives light through the end... | 01/29/2013 |
| 7959338 | Solid-state light source A solid-state light source includes a semiconductor light source for emitting light and an optical system having a fiber optic element. The fiber optic element has an input for receiving emitted light from the semiconductor light source. The fiber optic element also... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7733584 | Color-corrected optical system An optical device includes an elongated tube configured for insertion into a body and optical members located in the tube. The optical members are configured to have an optical invariant-to-clear aperture semidiameter ratio greater than about 0.05 and an optical pat... | 06/08/2010 |
| 7540645 | Solid-state light source A solid-state light source includes a semiconductor light source for emitting light and an optical system having a fiber optic element. The fiber optic element has an input for receiving emitted light from the semiconductor light source. The fiber optic element also... | 06/02/2009 |
| 7345312 | Solid-state light source A solid-state light source includes a semiconductor light source for emitting light and an optical system having a fiber optic element. The fiber optic element has an input for receiving emitted light from the semiconductor light source. The fiber optic element also... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7063663 | Endoscopic system with a solid-state light source An endoscopic system for internal inspection of an object includes an endoscope extending along a longitudinal axis between a distal end to be inserted into the object and a proximal end and an illumination assembly attached to the proximal end of the endoscope. The... | 06/20/2006 |
| 6921920 | Solid-state light source A solid-state light source includes a semiconductor light source for emitting light and an optical system having a fiber optic element. The fiber optic element has an input for receiving emitted light from the semiconductor light source. The fiber optic element also... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6916286 | Endoscope with imaging probe An endoscope includes an imaging probe, positioned at the distal end of the elongated member; a pivot mechanism mechanically coupled to the imaging probe; and an actuating assembly extending through the passage of the elongated member and coupled to the pivoting mec... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6749561 | Autofocusing endoscopic system An endoscopic apparatus and method allow for robust autofocusing operation regardless of contrast characteristics of the environment. The endoscopic apparatus and method can focus on a field stop edge and store default information of the apparatus focused on the edg... | 06/15/2004 |
| 6692431 | Endoscopic system with a solid-state light source An endoscopic system for internal inspection of an object includes an endoscope extending along a longitudinal axis between a distal end to be inserted into the object and a proximal end and an illumination assembly attached to the proximal end of the end... | 02/17/2004 |
| 5808813 | Optical coupler A variable-focus variable-magnification optical coupler is provided, for coupling an endoscope to a variety of different cameras having image planes at different positions while maintaining "true-zoom" functioning of the optical coupler. By "true-zoom", i... | 09/15/1998 |
