Scanned laser vein contrast enhancer

• US 20080021329A1
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AccuVein LLC
• Original Assignee: AccuVein LLC
• Inventors: Luciano, Vincent, Wood, Fred, Goldman, Ron, Conlon, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/366 using projection of images directly onto the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0062 Arrangements for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels

Abstract

The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the practitioner in pinpointing a vein for an intravenous drip, blood test, and the like. The Miniature projection head may have a cavity for a power source or it may have a power source located in a body portion of the Miniature Vein Enhancer. The Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to one of several improved needle protectors, or the Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to a body similar to a flashlight for hand held use. The Miniature Vein Enhancer of the present invention may also be attached to a magnifying glass, a flat panel display, and the like.

Claims

1-73. -73. (canceled)

74. A miniature vein enhancer comprising

a LED, said LED projecting a beam of light onto one or more lenses, said lenses having a focal length so that light from said lens converges at a point at a selected distance from a target area and creates a pattern of light on said target area such that there is contrast between a blood vessel at the surrounding skin area.

75. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 74 wherein there is a controlling mechanism placed against a patient'"'"'s skin.

76. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 75 wherein said controlling mechanism has an open base that is placed against the patient'"'"'s skin.

77. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 76 wherein said base has one or more separation members that are sized to maintain a selected distance between a scan head and the skin.

78. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 75 wherein said controlling mechanism is a rod that projects from the scan head.

79. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 74 wherein a lighted pattern projected towards the skin becomes focused when a scan head is held at a proper range from a patient'"'"'s skin.

80. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 79 where the pattern is a cross hair pattern.

81. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 74 where a ranging means measures the distance from a scan head to a patient'"'"'s skin.

82. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 81 wherein said ranging means uses ultrasound.

83. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 81 wherein said ranging means uses infrared light.

84. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 81 wherein said ranging means emits a sound to indicate the scan head is a proper distance from the patient'"'"'s skin.

85. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 74 wherein an auto focus mechanism is used to focus the beam of LED light.

86. An illumination apparatus which alters the visual contrast between bright and dark areas of an object as sensed by a direct observer of the object, the apparatus comprising:

a light source, said light source passing through one or more computer controllable focusing lens which illuminates the object with source light having a first property;

a video imaging means which measures source light reflected from the object, the reflected light measured in the form of an image, said video imaging means creating a video output signal representative of the image;

a video projector which receives the video output signal from said video imaging means and projects video projector light having a second property onto the object, forming a visual image which is representative of the visual image received by said video imaging means, such that the visual image projected by said video projector illuminates the object from the same perspective that said video imaging means views the object, whereby the features of the projected visual image overlay the corresponding features of the object; and

a filter which distinguishes between the first and second properties and prevents the video projector light from reaching said video imaging means while allowing the source light, reflected from the object, to reach said video imaging means, thus eliminating positive feedback which would degrade the desired visual effect.

87. The illumination apparatus according to claim 86 wherein the computer focusing lens is controlled by a microprocessor dedicated to controlling said lens.

88. An imaging system for viewing body tissue under infrared illumination to enhance visibility of subcutaneous blood vessels, the system comprising:

means for illuminating the body tissue with infrared light from a plurality of different illumination directions, thereby providing diffuse infrared light to the body tissue, comprising;

an infrared light source for generating the infrared light, said infrared light passing through one or more computer controllable focusing lenses, said lenses emitting the infrared light toward the body tissue; and

video imaging means for viewing the body tissue from a viewing direction, for receiving the infrared light reflected from the body tissue, and for generating a video image of the body tissue based on the infrared light reflected from the body tissue.

89-98. -98. (canceled)

99. A miniature vein enhancer comprising a source of laser light, said source of laser light generating a short wavelength and infrared laser beam that is projected onto a target area, said laser beam creating a pattern of light on said target area such that there is contrast between a blood vessel and the surrounding skin area and wherein laser beam light reflected from said target area is captured by first and second photo detectors, said first photo detector detecting short wavelength light and said second photo detector detecting infrared light.

100. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 99 wherein there are one or more filters placed between said target area and said photo detectors.

101. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 100 wherein said photodetectors output is amplified by one or more preamplifier circuits.

102. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 101 wherein said output passes from said preamplifier and is fed through a differential amplifier.

103. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 102 wherein said differential amplifier subtracts out surface topography represented by the reflected short wavelength light yielding an output that is primarily based on the reflected blood vessel pattern.

104-120. -120. (canceled)

121. A miniature vein enhancer comprising a source of laser light, said source of laser light transmitting a beam of laser light onto a target area thereby creating a pattern of light on said target area such that there is contrast between a blood vessel and the surrounding skin area, a photo detector and a filter, said filter permitting one or more laser signals to be differentiated from ambient light.

122. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 121 wherein said filter differentiates one or more laser signals from other laser signals in the system.

123. A miniature vein enhancer comprising a source of laser light, said source of laser light transmitting a single beam, said beam having a first level of intensity and a second level of intensity, said first level of intensity being used to project a signal onto a target area and said second signal being used to scan said target area thereby creating a pattern of light on said target area such that there is contrast between a blood vessel and the surrounding skin area.

124. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 123 wherein said first signal is brighter than said second signal.

125. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 123 where one laser emits visible light and the second laser emits infrared light.

126. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 125 wherein the laser emitting a visible light is modulated at a first frequency and the laser emitting infrared light is modulated at a second frequency.

127. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 126 wherein the light reflected from said target area is combined prior to being received by a photo detector.

128. The miniature vein enhancer according to claim 127 wherein the received signal is fed through two different band pass filter circuits.

129-136. -136. (canceled)