Laser endoscope

Patent 4754328 Issued on June 28, 1988. Estimated Expiration Date:

March 5, 2006. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

3858577

Fiber optic laser illuminators
Patent #: 4011403
Issued on: 03/08/1977
Inventor: Epstein , et al.

Endoscopic apparatus with a laser light conductor
Patent #: 4313431
Issued on: 02/02/1982
Inventor: Frank

Connector for a light guide cable of an endoscope
Patent #: 4325606
Issued on: 04/20/1982
Inventor: Ikuno , et al.

Endoscopic television apparatus
Patent #: 4475539
Issued on: 10/09/1984
Inventor: Konomura

Connector module for video endoscopic system
Patent #: 4539586
Issued on: 09/03/1985
Inventor: Danna , et al.

Arthroscope-video camera assembly Patent #: 4590923
Issued on: 05/27/1986
Inventor: Watanabe

Inventors

Assignee

Medical Dynamics, Inc.

Application

No. 06/836344 filed on 03/05/1986

US Classes:

348/67, Laser348/359, Fiber optics385/104, Particular fiber orientation (e.g., helically wound, etc.)385/116, Imaging (i.e., with coherent fiber structure and includes shaping, enhancing, and correcting)385/88, Optical fiber to a nonfiber optical device connector385/93, Including lens600/108, Laser600/132, Universal cord connector device for endoscope functions606/15, With optical fiber606/17, With beam shaping or redirecting (e.g., lens)607/89, Laser application607/93Light pipe applicator

Examiners

Primary: Britton, Howard W.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Fields, Lewis, Pittenger & Rost

International Classes

A61B 1/04 (20060101)
A61B 1/00 (20060101)
A61B 1/313 (20060101)
A61B 1/317 (20060101)
G02B 23/24 (20060101)
A61B 18/20 (20060101)
A61B 18/22 (20060101)

Abstract

A laser endoscope includes a micro-thin optic cable assembly which may be inserted into a body cavity by micro-surgical or non-surgical procedures. A coherent jacketed fiber optical bundle is provided in the center of the assembly having a diameter of no more than 3.5 mm. with an optical lens system at the distal end for reflecting an image of a portion of the interior of the cavity. A pair of single optical fibers are spirally wound around the cable, each of which has a total diameter including a jacket of approximately 140 microns. One of these fibers carries a laser light beam to the cavity and the other is for redundancy. The proximate end of the optical cable assembly connects to a remote unit wherein a laser diode light source is provided to direct a beam of light into the end of one of the single optical fibers. A TV camera is also provided in the remote unit together with suitable optics for transmitting the image from the optical cable to a viewing screen on the remote unit.