Scanned laser vein contrast enhancer
First Claim
1. 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:
- a first laser configured to emit a beam of light comprising a first wavelength;
one or more movable mirrors configured to selectively move to cause said beam of light from said first laser to be transmitted onto the target surface in a repeated or a non-repeated pattern;
one or more photo detectors configured to detect said first wavelength of light after being reflected from the target surface, said reflected light creating a contrasted image formed by differential amounts of absorption and reflection, of said transmitted first wavelength of light, between blood in 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;
a second laser configured to project a beam of visible light comprising a second wavelength, said second laser being positioned side-by-side and parallel with said first laser with a gap therebetween, with said projected beam of light from said second laser thereby lagging behind said light beam emitted from said first laser;
wherein said one or more movable mirrors are further configured to selectively move said projected beam of light from said second laser onto the target surface in said repeated or said non-repeated pattern with said beam of light from said first laser; and
wherein said second laser is further configured to be responsive to said signal outputted by said one or more photo detectors, said second laser thereby projecting said contrasted image, with a visually imperceptible offset between said emitted beam of said first laser and said projected beam of said second laser, to be in-focus and closely aligned on the target surface to overlay the one or more subcutaneous blood vessels therein, regardless of a distance of said portable handheld vein enhancing device from the target surface.
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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.
50 Citations
43 Claims
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1. 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 first laser configured to emit a beam of light comprising a first wavelength; one or more movable mirrors configured to selectively move to cause said beam of light from said first laser to be transmitted onto the target surface in a repeated or a non-repeated pattern; one or more photo detectors configured to detect said first wavelength of light after being reflected from the target surface, said reflected light creating a contrasted image formed by differential amounts of absorption and reflection, of said transmitted first wavelength of light, between blood in 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;a second laser configured to project a beam of visible light comprising a second wavelength, said second laser being positioned side-by-side and parallel with said first laser with a gap therebetween, with said projected beam of light from said second laser thereby lagging behind said light beam emitted from said first laser; wherein said one or more movable mirrors are further configured to selectively move said projected beam of light from said second laser onto the target surface in said repeated or said non-repeated pattern with said beam of light from said first laser; and wherein said second laser is further configured to be responsive to said signal outputted by said one or more photo detectors, said second laser thereby projecting said contrasted image, with a visually imperceptible offset between said emitted beam of said first laser and said projected beam of said second laser, to be in-focus and closely aligned on the target surface to overlay the one or more subcutaneous blood vessels therein, regardless of a distance of said portable handheld vein enhancing device from the target surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. 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 first laser configured to emit a beam of light comprising a first wavelength; one or more movable mirrors configured to selectively move to cause said beam of light from said first laser to be transmitted onto the target surface in a repeated or a non-repeated pattern; one or more photo detectors configured to detect said first wavelength of light after being reflected from the target surface, said reflected light creating a contrasted image formed by differential amounts of absorption and reflection, of said transmitted first wavelength of light, 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;a second laser configured to project a beam of visible light comprising a second wavelength, said second laser being positioned side-by-side and parallel with said first laser with a gap therebetween, with said projected beam of light from said second laser thereby lagging behind said light beam emitted from said first laser; wherein said one or more movable mirrors are further configured to selectively move said projected beam of light from said second laser onto the target surface in said repeated or said non-repeated pattern with said beam of light from said first laser; and wherein said second laser is further configured to be responsive to said signal outputted by said one or more photo detectors, said second laser thereby projecting said contrasted image, with a visually imperceptible offset between said emitted beam of said first laser and said projected beam of said second laser, to be in-focus on the target surface to overlay the one or more subcutaneous blood vessels therein, regardless of a distance of said portable handheld vein enhancing device from the target surface. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A process for hand-held imaging of one or more subcutaneous blood vessels of a target surface comprising:
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emitting a beam of light at a first wavelength using a first laser; moving one or more mirrors selectively to cause said beam of light from said first laser to be transmitted onto the target surface in a repeated or a non-repeated pattern; detecting, using one or more photo detectors, said first wavelength of light being reflected from the target surface, said reflected light comprising a contrasted image formed by differential amounts of absorption and reflection, of said transmitted first wavelength of light, between the one or more subcutaneous blood vessels and the surrounding tissue therein; outputting, by said one or more photo detectors, a signal representing said contrasted image; positioning a second laser side-by-side with said first laser to be parallel thereto, with a gap therebetween; projecting a beam of visible light at a second wavelength using said second laser, onto the target surface in said repeated or said non-repeated pattern via said one or more mirrors along with said beam of light from said first laser by responding to said outputted signal from said one or more photo detectors, wherein said projected beam of light from said second laser lags behind said light beam emitted from said first laser, resulting in an imperceptible offset between said detecting and said projecting of said contrasted image, to be in-focus and closely aligned on the target surface to overlay the one or more subcutaneous blood vessels thereon, regardless of a distance of said portable handheld vein enhancing device from the target surface. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. 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 first laser configured to emit a beam of light comprising a first wavelength; one or more movable mirrors configured to selectively move to cause said beam of light from said first laser 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, said reflected light creating a contrasted image formed by differential amounts of absorption and reflection, of said transmitted first wavelength of light, 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;a second laser configured to project a beam of visible light comprising a second wavelength, said second laser being positioned parallel to said first laser with a gap therebetween, with said projected beam of light from said second laser thereby lagging behind said light beam emitted from said first laser; wherein said one or more movable mirrors are further configured to selectively move said projected beam of light from said second laser onto the target surface in said pattern with said beam of light from said first laser; and wherein said second laser is further configured to be responsive to said signal outputted by said one or more photo detectors, said second laser thereby projecting said contrasted image, with an offset between said emitted beam of said first laser and said projected beam of said second laser, to be in-focus and closely aligned on the target surface to overlay the one or more subcutaneous blood vessels therein, regardless of a distance of said portable handheld vein enhancing device from the target surface. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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Specification