Endoscope assembly with a polarizing filter

• US 8,797,392 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2007
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PSIP, LLC
• Original Assignee: Avantis Medical Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Bayer, Lex, Desai, Rupesh, Niel, Alex, Gurukula, Venkata Vishnu
• Primary Examiner(s): DENNISON, JERRY B
• Application Number:
  US11/938,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,460 Days
• Field of Search: 348/68, 348/760
• US Class Current: 348/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00101 the distal tip features being detachable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00137 End pieces at either end of the endoscope, e.g. caps, seals or forceps plugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00181 for multiple fixed viewing angles A61B1/00193 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00186 with imaging filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0125 Endoscope within endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0646 with illumination filters

Abstract

An endoscope includes an imaging device, a first polarizing filter disposed in front of the imaging device, a light source, and a second polarizing filter disposed in front of the light source.

Claims

1. An endoscope assembly, comprising:

an endoscope including an insertion tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a channel therebetween terminating at a distal face of the insertion tube, the endoscope further including a first imaging sensor and a first light source located on the distal face of the insertion tube;

an imaging assembly including a second imaging sensor and a second light source, wherein the imaging assembly is at least partially disposed within and extends from the channel such that the second imaging sensor exits the channel and faces toward the first imaging sensor;

a first circular polarizing filter disposed over the first light source; and

a second circular polarizing filter disposed over the second imaging sensor, wherein the first and second circular polarizing filters have opposite orientations.

2. The endoscope assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the circular polarizing filters includes a retarder and wherein the retarders of the first and second circular polarizing filters face toward each other.

3. The endoscope assembly of claim 1, wherein the first light source is configured to illuminate a field of view of the first imaging sensor.

4. The endoscope assembly of claim 1, wherein the second light source faces towards the first imaging sensor.

10. The endoscope assembly of claim 1, wherein the endoscope assembly further comprises

a third circular polarizing filter disposed over the first imaging sensor;

and

a fourth circular polarizing filter disposed over the second light source, wherein the third and fourth circular polarizing filters have opposite orientations.

11. The endoscope assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cap, wherein the first circular polarizing filter is disposed on the cap.

5. An endoscope assembly, comprising:

an endoscope including an insertion tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a channel therebetween terminating at a distal face of the insertion tube, the endoscope further including a first imaging sensor and a first light source located on the distal face of the insertion tube;

an imaging assembly including a second imaging sensor and a second light source, wherein the imaging assembly is at least partially disposed within and extends from the channel such that the second imaging sensor exits the channel and faces toward the first imaging sensor;

a first circular polarizing filter disposed over the first imaging sensor; and

a second circular polarizing filter disposed over the second light source, wherein the first and second circular polarizing filters have opposite orientations.

6. The endoscope assembly of claim 5, wherein each of the polarizing filters includes a retarder and wherein the retarders of the first and second polarizing filters face each other.

7. The endoscope assembly of claim 5, wherein the second light source faces toward the first imaging sensor.

8. An endoscope assembly, comprising:

an endoscope including an insertion tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a channel therebetween terminating at a distal face of the insertion tube, the endoscope further including a first imaging sensor and a first light source located on the distal face of the insertion tube;

an imaging assembly including a second imaging sensor and a second light source, wherein the imaging assembly is at least partially disposed within and extends from the channel such that the second imaging sensor exits the channel and faces towards the first imaging sensor;

a first circular polarizing filter disposed over the first imaging sensor; and

a second circular polarizing filter disposed over the first light source, wherein the first and second circular polarizing filters have the same orientation.

9. The endoscope assembly of claim 8, further comprising a cap, wherein the first and second circular polarizing filters are disposed on the cap.