Scanned Laser Vein Contrast Enhancer
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
176 Claims
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1-138. -138. (canceled)
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139. A portable handheld vein enhancing device, for use in imaging one or more subcutaneous blood vessels of a target surface, said portable handheld vein enhancing device comprising:
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a laser configured to alternately emit a first wavelength of light and a second wavelength of light within a single beam, said second wavelength of light being a visible wavelength of light; one or more movable mirrors configured to receive said beam of light from said laser and to selectively move to cause said beam of light to be transmitted onto the target surface in a pattern; one or more photo detectors configured to detect said first wavelength of light after being reflected from the target surface as a contrasted image formed by differential amounts of absorption and reflection between the one or more subcutaneous blood vessels and the surrounding tissue therein;
said one or more photo detectors further configured to output a signal representing said contrasted image; andwherein said laser is configured to be responsive to said signal outputted by said one or more photo detectors, and to project said contrasted image onto the target surface using said alternately emitted second wavelength of light, with a visually imperceptible offset between said emission of said first wavelength of light in said beam and said projection of said contrasted image using said second wavelength of light, to be in-focus on the target surface to overlay the one or more subcutaneous blood vessels therein, regardless of a distance of said device from the target surface. - View Dependent Claims (140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157)
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158. A portable handheld vein enhancing device, for use in imaging one or more subcutaneous blood vessels of a target surface, said portable handheld vein enhancing device comprising:
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a laser configured to emit a single beam of light, said laser being further configured to alternately emit first and second pulses of light comprising a first wavelength of light and a second wavelength of light, respectively, to form said single beam, said second wavelength of light comprising a visible wavelength of light; one or more movable mirrors configured to receive said beam of light from said laser and to selectively move to cause said received beam of light to be scanned onto the target surface in a pattern; one or more photo detectors configured to detect said first wavelength of light after being reflected from the target surface as a contrasted image formed by differential amounts of absorption and reflection between the one or more subcutaneous blood vessels and the surrounding tissue therein;
said one or more photo detectors further configured to output a signal representing saidcontrasted image; and wherein said laser is configured to receive said signal outputted by said one or more photo detectors and to project said contrasted image onto the target surface using said alternately emitted pulses of said second wavelength of light, with an offset between said emission of said first wavelength of light in said beam and said projection of said contrasted image using said second wavelength of light, said contrasted image thereby being projected in-focus on the target surface to overlay the one or more subcutaneous blood vessels therein, regardless of a distance of said device from the target surface. - View Dependent Claims (159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176)
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Specification