Hand held, portable camera with adaptable lens system

• US 6,554,765 B1
• Filed: 10/18/1999
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: East Giant Limited
• Original Assignee: East Giant Limited
• Inventors: Devos, Todd, Handelin, Gary, Yarush, Don, Sosa, Martin G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US09/419,994
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 600/112, 600/178, 600/131, 600/132, 600/109, 600/167, 348/72, 348/73, 348/75
• US Class Current: 600/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00052 positioned at proximal end of the endoscope body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0008 characterised by distal tip features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00108 characterised by self-sufficient functionality for stand-alone use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00188 with focusing or zooming features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/227 for ears, i.e. otoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/247 with means for viewing areas outside the direct line of sight, e.g. dentists' mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2733 Oesophagoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/32 Devices for opening or enlarging the visual field, e.g. of a tube of the body dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes

Abstract

An adaptable, portable hand-held fiber optic camera for producing video images of an object having all of the necessary components for performing fiber optic procedures comprises a power source, a lens system, a light source, and a video camera assembly. The portable fiber optic camera is adaptable to a wide variety of lens systems. The lens system is electrically, removably coupled to the video camera assembly and the light source.

Claims

1. An adaptable, portable, hand-held apparatus for producing video images of an object, the portable, hand-held apparatus, comprising:

light source means for producing light for illumination of the object;

video imaging means for generating a video signal of the object;

lens means having a distal end and a proximal end, said lens means being selectively, removably, coupled at its proximal end to the light source means for translating light from the light source means to the distal end of the lens means and for emitting the translated light from the distal end of the lens means so as to illuminate the object when the distal end of the lens means is positioned adjacent the object, said lens means also being selectively, removably, optically coupled at its proximal end to the video imaging means for translating an image of said object from the distal end of said lens means to the video imaging means; and

power supply means electrically coupled to, and for supplying electrical power to, said light source means and said video imaging means, wherein the apparatus is self contained

wherein a power cord assembly selectively couples the lens means to the light source means

wherein the power cord assembly comprises an electrical cord and

wherein the electrical cord is a resiliently extendable cord.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises means for selectively, removably, optically coupling the lens means to the video imaging means.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the means for selectively, removably, optically coupling the lens means to the video imaging means comprises an optical coupler having

a hollow body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the hollow body coupled to the video imaging means; and

a hollow first attachment member coupled to the distal end of the hollow body.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the lens means comprises:

(i) a lens tube having a proximal end and a distal end; and

(ii) a second attachment member coupled to the proximal end of the lens tube, the second attachment member configured to selectively, removably, couple in mating relationship with the first attachment member.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the lens means further comprises a fiber-light input port coupled to the lens tube.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the first attachment member comprises a sliding trigger.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source means comprises a light bulb disposed within a socket of the power cord assembly.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the socket is selectively coupled to the lens means.

9. An apparatus recited in claim 7, wherein the socket comprises a sleeve configured to be coupled to a fiber light input port of the lens means.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the power cord assembly is selectively coupled to a housing surrounding the video imaging means.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the electrical cord extends between a housing surrounding the video imaging means and the lens means.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source means is selected from the group consisting of a light bulb having a wattage in the range of about 0.001 Watts to about 5 Watts and a light emitting diode having a wattage in the range of about 0.001 Watts to about 5 Watts.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source means includes a light bulb having a wattage in the range of about 0.5 Watts to about 5 Watts.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein

the lens means includes a fiber bundle;

the light source means includes a bulb; and

the bulb is in abutting relationship with the fiber bundle.

15. An adaptable, portable, hand-held apparatus for producing video images of an object, the portable, hand-held apparatus, comprising:

a light source;

a camera assembly;

an adaptor coupled to the camera assembly;

a focusing assembly coupled to the adaptor;

a lens system having a distal end and a proximal end, said lens system being selectively, removably, optically coupled at its proximal end to the light source, the lens system configured to translate light from the light source to the distal end of the lens system and emit the translated light from the distal end of the lens system so as to illuminate the object when the distal end of the lens system is positioned adjacent the object, the lens system also being selectively, removably, optically coupled at its proximal end to the focusing assembly; and

a power source electrically coupled to the light source and the camera assembly

wherein a power cord assembly selectively couples the lens means to the light source means

wherein the power cord assembly comprises an electrical cord and

wherein the electrical cord can extend different lengths and coils in a self-retracting manner.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the lens system comprises a fiber-light input port coupled to a lens tube and wherein the fiber-light input port is external to a housing covering the camera assembly, such that the light source means may be readily, selectively coupled to the lens system.

17. An adaptable, portable, hand-held apparatus for producing video images of an object, the portable, hand-held apparatus, comprising:

a light source;

a camera assembly;

a lens system having a distal end and a proximal end, said lens system being selectively, optically coupled at its proximal end to the light source, the lens system configured to translate light from the light source to the distal end of the lens system and emit the translated light from the distal end of the lens system so as to illuminate the object when the distal end of the lens system is positioned adjacent the object, the lens system also being selectively, removably, optically coupled at its proximal end to the camera assembly; and

a power source electrically coupled to the light source and the camera assembly, wherein the lens system comprises a fiber-light input port coupled to a lens tube and wherein the fiber-light input port is external to a housing covering the camera assembly, such that the light source may be readily, selectively coupled to the lens system, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode having a wattage in the range of about 0.001 Watts to about 5 Watts

wherein a power cord assembly selectively couples the lens means to the light source means

wherein the power cord assembly comprises an electrical cord and

wherein the electrical cord is a resilient extendible cord such that the cord can extend along varying lengths and such that the cord is gathered, thereby preventing the cord from tangling.