Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-27
2001-12-04
Lateef, Marvin M. (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
C600S478000, C602S001000, C356S318000, C356S340000, C356S365000, C348S045000, C359S477000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327493
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to light scanning devices and specifically light scanning devices characterized by the structural part of the light scanning probe.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a diagnosis is performed on a vital tissue, an imaging device is commonly used to obtain optical information on the surface conditions of the tissue. Developments in modern medicine, however, have progressed beyond the topical imaging device to provide an optical CT device by which optical information on the inside of the tissue can be obtained as well.
By this optical CT device, information on the inside of organisms are detected and tomograms are obtained using picosecond pulses of laser light. However, a laser light source which generates an extra short pulse light in a picosecond pulse order is expensive and large in size. Furthermore, such a laser light source is difficult to handle.
More recently, a coherence OCT (optical coherence tomogram) to obtain tomograms of a subject using a low coherence light has been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-511312.
Moreover, it is known to use light scanning confocal microscopes as a tool to observe vital tissue and cells in the direction of an optical axis at a high resolution. In this case, however, the regular confocal microscopes used for this purpose are large in size so that for observations, a sample is cut out into small pieces to be mounted on the microscope.
In addition, microconfocal endoscopes, i.e., miniaturized confocal microscopes, which are introduced into the alimentary tract and the like of organisms for observation have been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-230248.
In the above-mentioned coherence OCT and microconfocal endoscopes, however, since a part of the light scanning probe is a non-water-tight structure, there are some drawbacks such as that when such as that when they are soaked into a washing/antiseptic solution after use, the solution leaks into the inside of the light scanning probe and thereby causes malfunctions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention to provide a light scanning device which is able to solve the disadvantages caused by water leakage into the device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a light scanning device which is able to prevent water leakage into the device through a connector which is a connection part between a light scanning probe and a controlling device.
A light scanning device of the present invention has a light scanning probe which possesses a light scanner to scan a light at the tip of the insertion part which can be inserted into a body cavity and which emits the light onto a subject area within the body cavity, and a controlling device in which said light scanning probe is installed in a removable way and which receives a detection signal and/or detection light of said light scanning probe, said light scanning probe including a probe main body having an insertion area and where said light scanner is made to be water-tight, and a connector which is fixed to said probe main body in a water-tight manner and which is connectable to said controlling device, thus avoiding any inconveniences due to water leakage into the light scanning device.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be sufficiently obvious by means of the following descriptions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4718417 (1988-01-01), Kittrell et al.
patent: 4986262 (1991-01-01), Saito et al.
patent: 5120953 (1992-06-01), Harris
patent: 5161053 (1992-11-01), Dabbs
patent: 5305759 (1994-04-01), Kaneko et al.
patent: 5321501 (1994-06-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 5383467 (1995-01-01), Auer et al.
patent: 5434669 (1995-07-01), Tabata et al.
patent: 5439000 (1995-08-01), Gunderson et al.
patent: 5459570 (1995-10-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 5582171 (1996-12-01), Chornenky et al.
patent: 5601087 (1997-02-01), Gunderson et al.
patent: 5743847 (1998-04-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 5865727 (1999-02-01), Sano et al.
patent: 6511312 (1994-12-01), None
patent: 9-230248 (1997-09-01), None
patent: 92/19930 (1992-11-01), None
G.J. Tearney, et al., “In Vivo Endoscopic Optical Biopsy With Optical Coherence Tomography”, Science, vol. 276, Jun. 27, 1997, pp. 2037-2039.
D.L. Dickensheets, et al., “Micromachined Scanning Confocal Optical Microscope”, Optics Letters, vol. 21, No. 10, May 15, 1996, pp. 764-766.
Aoki Hidemichi
Hibino Hiroki
Hirao Isami
Hiroya Jun
Horii Akihiro
Lateef Marvin M.
Lin Jeoyuh
Olympus Optical Co,. Ltd.
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
LandOfFree
Light scanning devices of a water-tight structure to be... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Light scanning devices of a water-tight structure to be..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Light scanning devices of a water-tight structure to be... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2557809