Micro vein enhancer
First Claim
1. A portable hand-held miniature vein enhancer, for imaging subcutaneous blood vessels of a target area, said vein enhancer comprising:
- a first laser configured to emit a beam of light at a first wavelength;
one micro scanning mirror configured to move about two axes to scan said first wavelength of light from said first laser onto the target area in a non-repeated and non-diffuse pattern;
one photo detector responsive to said first wavelength of light and associated photodetector circuitry, said one photo detector configured to receive said first wavelength of light reflected from the target area, said reflected light comprising a contrasted image formed by differential absorption of said first wavelength of light by the target, being amplitude modulated according to differential amounts of absorption and reflection between one or more subcutaneous blood vessels and surrounding tissue therein;
said one photo detector configured to output a signal representing said contrasted image;
a second laser configured to emit a beam of visible light at a second wavelength;
one or more fixed mirrors, at least a first one of said one or more fixed mirrors comprising optical characteristics configured to cause either reflection of said first wavelength of light and transmission of said second wavelength of light, or transmission of said first wavelength of light and reflection of said second wavelength of light;
wherein said first laser, said second laser, and said first fixed mirror are positioned to combine said beam of light from said first laser and said beam of light from said second laser using said first fixed mirror, to form a single coaxial beam of laser light; and
wherein said second laser is configured to receive and use said signal from said one photodetector to emit said beam of visible light, for said micro scanning mirror to scan said visible light in said co-axial beam to result in projection of said contrasted image substantially instantaneously, and in focus on the target area for imaged blood vessels in said projection of said contrasted image to overlie the subcutaneous blood vessels therein, regardless of a distance of said miniature vein enhancer from the target area.
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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.
292 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A portable hand-held miniature vein enhancer, for imaging subcutaneous blood vessels of a target area, said vein enhancer comprising:
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a first laser configured to emit a beam of light at a first wavelength; one micro scanning mirror configured to move about two axes to scan said first wavelength of light from said first laser onto the target area in a non-repeated and non-diffuse pattern; one photo detector responsive to said first wavelength of light and associated photodetector circuitry, said one photo detector configured to receive said first wavelength of light reflected from the target area, said reflected light comprising a contrasted image formed by differential absorption of said first wavelength of light by the target, being amplitude modulated according to differential amounts of absorption and reflection between one or more subcutaneous blood vessels and surrounding tissue therein;
said one photo detector configured to output a signal representing said contrasted image;a second laser configured to emit a beam of visible light at a second wavelength; one or more fixed mirrors, at least a first one of said one or more fixed mirrors comprising optical characteristics configured to cause either reflection of said first wavelength of light and transmission of said second wavelength of light, or transmission of said first wavelength of light and reflection of said second wavelength of light; wherein said first laser, said second laser, and said first fixed mirror are positioned to combine said beam of light from said first laser and said beam of light from said second laser using said first fixed mirror, to form a single coaxial beam of laser light; and wherein said second laser is configured to receive and use said signal from said one photodetector to emit said beam of visible light, for said micro scanning mirror to scan said visible light in said co-axial beam to result in projection of said contrasted image substantially instantaneously, and in focus on the target area for imaged blood vessels in said projection of said contrasted image to overlie the subcutaneous blood vessels therein, regardless of a distance of said miniature vein enhancer from the target area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A portable hand-held miniature vein enhancer for imaging subcutaneous blood vessels of a target surface, said vein enhancer comprising:
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a first laser configured to emit a beam of light at a first wavelength; one or more movable mirrors configured to selectively move to cause said first wavelength of light from said first laser to be transmitted onto the target surface in a non-diffuse pattern; one or more photo detectors responsive to said first wavelength of light, said one or more photo detectors configured to receive said first wavelength of light reflected from the target surface, said reflected light comprising a contrasted image formed by said reflected light from the target surface being amplitude modulated according to differential amounts of absorption and reflection between one or more subcutaneous blood vessels and surrounding tissue therein;
said one or more photo detectors configured to output a signal representing said contrasted image;a second laser configured to emit a beam of visible light at a second wavelength; one or more fixed mirrors, at least a first one of said one or more fixed mirrors comprising optical characteristics configured to cause either reflection of said first wavelength of light and transmission of said second wavelength of light, or transmission of said first wavelength of light and reflection of said second wavelength of light; wherein said first laser, said second laser, and said first fixed mirror are positioned to combine said beam of light from said second laser with said beam of light from said first laser using said first fixed mirror, to form a single coaxial beam of light; and wherein said second laser is configured to receive and use said signal from said one or more photo detectors to emit said beam of visible light, for said one or more moving mirrors to scan said visible light of said single coaxial beam to result in projection of said contrasted image substantially instantaneous, to be in-focus on the target surface for the imaged blood vessels in said projection of said contrasted image to overlie the subcutaneous blood vessels therein, regardless of a distance of said vein enhancer from the target surface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A portable hand-held miniature vein enhancer, for use in imaging subcutaneous blood vessels of a target surface, said vein enhancer comprising:
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a first laser configured to emit a beam of light at a first wavelength; one mirror configured to selectively move about two axes to scan said first wavelength of light from said first laser onto the target surface in a non-repeated non-diffuse pattern; one or more photo detectors responsive to said first wavelength of light and associated photodetector circuitry, said one or more photo detectors configured to receive said first wavelength of light being reflected from the target surface, said reflected light comprising a contrasted image being formed by said reflected light from the target surface being amplitude modulated according to differential amounts of absorption and reflection between one or more subcutaneous blood vessels and surrounding tissue therein;
said one or more photo detectors configured to output a signal representing said contrasted image;a second laser adapted to emit a beam of visible light at a second wavelength; a combiner; wherein said first laser, said second laser, and said combiner are positioned to combine said beam of light from said first laser and said beam of light from said second laser using said combiner, to form a single coaxial beam of laser light; and wherein said second laser is responsive to said signal output by said one or more photo detectors, said second laser thereby configured to project said contrasted image substantially instantaneously, using said one mirror, to be in-focus on the target surface for the imaged blood vessels in said projection of said contrasted image to overlie the subcutaneous blood vessels therein, regardless of a distance of said vein enhancer from the target surface. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification