Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – With relay
Patent
1993-12-21
1994-10-25
Henry, Jon W.
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
With relay
128 4, 128 6, A61B 100, A61B 106, G02B 2324, G02B 104
Patent
active
053594533
ABSTRACT:
A low cost optical viewing device for viewing a remote location comprises three sections of an objective lens, relay lens and eye piece. However, in contrast to prior art optical viewing devices, all three sections of the present invention are free of conventional and relatively expensive glass rods. The preclusion of the glass rods leads to an overall lower cost (e.g., disposable) optical viewing device (e.g., borescope and endoscope). In addition, the optical viewing device of the present invention achieves lower cost by the use of molded plastic lenses rather than the more expensive glass lenses used in prior art devices. In accordance with still another important feature of this invention, the method of illuminating the remote location to be viewed is accomplished by using low cost plastic optical fibers which are twisted so that the field of illumination is increased and may be tailored to match (or be no less than) the size of the field of view of the optical viewing device. Still another significant feature of the present invention is its low weight as compared to prior art devices. This low weight is obtained both through the use of lightweight plastic lenses as well as by the fact that the lenses are separated by an air space (as opposed to heavy glass rods). This light weight feature of the present invention leads to ease of manipulation by the end user.
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Henry Jon W.
United States Surgical Corporation
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