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Scanning mechanisms for imaging probe

  • US 20090264768A1
  • Filed: 03/27/2009
  • Published: 10/22/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An imaging probe for insertion into bodily lumens and cavities for imaging an interior of said bodily lumens and cavities or imaging exterior surfaces of a body, comprising:

  • a) a hollow shaft having a longitudinal axis having distal and proximal end sections and a midsection, an imaging assembly being located in said elongate hollow shaft for emitting an energy beam and receiving reflected energy signals reflected back from interior surfaces of said bodily lumens and cavities or exterior surfaces, said imaging assembly being connected at a first position along an imaging conduit, said imaging conduit extending through the hollow shaft and being connectable at a second position thereof to an image processing and display system through the proximal end section, said imaging conduit being configured to deliver energy to said imaging assembly;

    b) said imaging conduit and said imaging assembly being connectable to a rotational drive mechanism for imparting rotational motion to said imaging conduit and said imaging assembly about said longitudinal axis at an angular velocity, the rotational drive mechanism including adjustment means for varying said angular velocity; and

    c) said imaging assembly including a scanning mechanism having a movable member movably mounted about an axis substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and positioned to receive said energy beam from said imaging conduit and direct said energy beam out of said elongate hollow shaft at an imaging angle with respect to said longitudinal axis to give forward or side viewing capability of said imaging assembly and to receive said received reflected energy signals back to said imaging conduit, said movable member being movably mounted in such a way that the imaging angle is variable and a function of said angular velocity, said scanning mechanism being configured to receive and deliver said reflected energy signals to said image processing system through said imaging conduit; and

    d) said rotational drive means being connectable to a controller which is connected to said image processing and display system; and

    e) an imaging angle encoder circuit coupled to said imaging assembly and the controller for detecting the variable angle of the movable member, said imaging angle encoder including an angle encoder interface associated with said movable member, and including optical delivery means for delivering light to said angle encoder interface, and receiving light reflected from said angle encoder interface and delivering said reflected light to a detector, and wherein an output of said detector is representative of the imaging angle or a change in the imaging angle based on the degree of deflection or tilt of the deflectable or movable component.

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