1980-10-19
1983-05-31
Corbin, John K.
350573, G02B 1510
Patent
active
043858104
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to optical systems intended for conveying an optical image through a tubular, rigid, long and relatively narrow, tubular optical instrument such as an endoscope.
Among the existing devices of this type, a hysteroscope (8) for instance, which is used in medicine for the observation of the uterine cavity, and allowing image (5) transmission through a tube which is about 30 to 35 cms long, and has a very narrow diameter of about 1.5 to 5 mms, transmission through an objective (7) of short focal length of about 2 to 5 mms, and then through several optical systems (10), allowing image transmission from (5A) to (5B), is comprised of thin lenses, or preferably of rod lenses (10); and finally through an ocular (12) allowing for the observation (5C) of the image (5B). With these devices, the depth of field is necessarly limited, and generally, at best, it ranges from infinity to a few millimeters ahead of the objective. More over, these endoscopes do not permit an accurate viewing when successively set on infinity, or at a few centimeters from a cavity wall, then with contact of the endoscope against the cavity wall, during the same endoscopic examination of the cavity, without retrieval of the endoscope, and vice versa from optical contact to infinity.
The optical system related to the invention, when added to an endoscope (8), such as a hysteroscope for instance, will allow during the same examination of the uterine cavity, observation of a large area (5) at a low power magnification, this area being determined by the distance of the object from the objective (11) and by the field angle (6) of the existing endoscope; and to switch to observation at a high power magnification at a microscopic and cellular scale, of a smaller area which has been considered requiring closer examination. In order to achieve this, the only manipulation consists of applying the distal end (2) of this endoscope to this smaller area (3); determined at best by the size of the area (2) which is from 1.5 to 5 mms; which will allow, for instance, diagnosis of pathological or tumoral tissue by direct observation, without the need for ablation or surgical procedure.
The optical system as related by the invention consists of two parts. The first part is comprised of a lens (1) of a system of lenses to be placed in front of the objective, with its external side (2) in direct contact with the object (3) to be examined. This first part is preferably hermetically sealed in front of the objective, with a flat surface (2) located near the focal section of the objective, but slightly beyond it, so that the image (3A) of the object (3) is a real image, this lens side (2) being located near the focal section, will thus allow use of the objective (7) aperture, with maximal efficency, and so to optimise the resolution, and also to provide maximal magnification. But the lens may also be designed as to be slidable and removable, have convex, concave, or plane faces, whether parallel or not, sealed or not to the objective (7), a prism may be placed in (9), the lens may be used as a protection of the objective. Physiological secretions or any fluid can play the part of an immersion medium (4) between the object to be examined and the external side (2). The lens will, during its manipulation within the area to be observed, always keep the same distance (16) between the object (3) to be examined and the objective of the endoscope (7).
The second part of the optical system is comprised of one or several lenses (13) making up an optical system with a definite convergence, which is placed between the ocular (12) and the eye (14), and the objective of a camera, allowing a clear view at (3C) of the object (3), conveyed through the endoscope. When applying the endoscope, equipped with the first part of the optical system (1), to an object for close examination, the image (3A) supplied by the objective (7) is necessarly displaced to (3A) and will therefore appear at (3B) in front of the ocular. This image (3B) not being centered at focal section
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Braumberg et al., "Reflected-Light Contact Microscope", Optical Technology, vol. 39, No. 12, pp. 748-750, 12/72.
Corbin John K.
Koren Matthew W.
Mon Donald D.
Storz Karl
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