Method and apparatus for infrared imaging in small passageways
First Claim
1. An invasive apparatus for infrared imaging in a small passageway comprising:
- an elongate optical portion which has first and second ends and which can transmit infrared image information from said first end to said second end;
a first section which collects infrared image information and supplies it to said first end of said optical portion, the infrared image information collected from within the passageway; and
a second section which includes an infrared image detector that receives infrared image information from said second end of said optical portion wherein said optical portion is flexible plurality of fibers whereby each of said optical fibers includes two end portions which are respectively disposed at said first and second ends and wherein each of said plurality of fibers includes a cladding and includes a core disposed within said cladding; and
including a plurality of lens portions which are each associated with and supported in alignment with a respective said fiber at said first end of said elongate portion, and which each concentrate onto said core of said associated fiber the radiation which would otherwise impinge on said cladding of associated fiber.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An infrared imaging system (10) includes a catheter (11). The catheter is inserted into a small passageway, such as a blood vein (23), in order to collect infrared information from the vein. The information is refracted by at least one lens (32, 46, 52, 57, 63) in a collecting section (17, 45, 56, 61) of the catheter, and is imaged onto the ends (38) of an array of optical fibers (34). The fibers transmit the information to a relay lens (42), which images the information onto respective detector elements of an infrared detector (12). The infrared detector converts the information received from the relay lens into electrical information, which is transmitted to a circuit (13). The circuit generates electrical data that is transmitted to a display (16), which displays a visible image based on the infrared radiation emitted by the scene.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An invasive apparatus for infrared imaging in a small passageway comprising:
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an elongate optical portion which has first and second ends and which can transmit infrared image information from said first end to said second end;
a first section which collects infrared image information and supplies it to said first end of said optical portion, the infrared image information collected from within the passageway; and
a second section which includes an infrared image detector that receives infrared image information from said second end of said optical portion wherein said optical portion is flexible plurality of fibers whereby each of said optical fibers includes two end portions which are respectively disposed at said first and second ends and wherein each of said plurality of fibers includes a cladding and includes a core disposed within said cladding; and
including a plurality of lens portions which are each associated with and supported in alignment with a respective said fiber at said first end of said elongate portion, and which each concentrate onto said core of said associated fiber the radiation which would otherwise impinge on said cladding of associated fiber.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification