For Fiber Scope (endoscope) Patents (Class 385/117)
  • Patent number: 11696679
    Abstract: A view optimizing assembly, method and kit for use in combination with a laparoscope having a lens located on the shaft tip of the laparoscope, and a source of insufflation CO2. The invention includes a multi-lumen sheath assembly, a deflector assembly in fluid communication with the lumens of the sheath assembly, wherein the flow of CO2 through the lumens forms a vortex when coming into contact with the deflector assembly, thereby preventing fogging of the laparoscope lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Floshield, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory P. Drach, Wayne L. Poll
  • Patent number: 11694363
    Abstract: A method of determining a focal length of a camera and/or of adjusting a viewing direction in a graphical representation of a pre-operative image is provided. The method includes providing uncalibrated camera data of a camera, specifying an initial value of a focal length of the camera, specifying a working distance value of a distance between the camera and the at least part of the tracking system, calculating a distance value of the distance between the camera and the at least part of the tracking system based on the uncalibrated camera data and based on the specified initial value of the focal length of the camera, calculating a change factor based on the specified working distance value and the calculated distance value, and calculating an adapted value of the focal length of the camera based on the initial value of the focal length and based on the change factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Sebastian Stopp, Johannes Zügner, Johannes Manus, José Gardiazabal
  • Patent number: 11690498
    Abstract: Endoscopic light refraction imaging techniques are described for configuring a viewing trocar and/or angled endoscope with a light refracting element, such as glass and/or plastic prism for instance. The light refracting element can be utilized in and/or with the viewing trocar to refract (i.e., bend) light passing into the trocar through the trocar's window. As a result, the angled endoscope's field of view can be substantially aligned with the field of view of the trocar's window, thus allowing the angled endoscope and viewing trocar to be used together to create ports in a patient, including initial ports of endoscopic surgical procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah D. Henley, Joshua D. Talbert, Brian Dean, Perry W. Croll, Marshall Denton, J. Michael Brown
  • Patent number: 11675276
    Abstract: A metrology apparatus for determining a parameter of interest of a structure formed by a lithographic process on a substrate, the metrology apparatus comprising: an illuminator for illuminating the structure; a lens for collecting at least a portion of radiation diffracted from the structure; and an image sensor for receiving and obtaining a recording of the collected diffracted radiation; wherein the illuminator comprises at least one optical fiber for illuminating the structure directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Nitesh Pandey
  • Patent number: 11659984
    Abstract: A medical endoscope including: an elongated shaft with a distal end region having a non-circular cross-section and a shaft main section arranged proximally from the distal end region, an at least one light guide having a plurality of individual fibres disposed longitudinally through the shaft, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of individual fibres in the distal end region are bonded over a length of at least 50% of the distal end region with an inflexible adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: OLYMPUS WINTER & IBE GMBH
    Inventor: Gregor Kiedrowski
  • Patent number: 11653816
    Abstract: An endoscope system includes a shaft portion having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a longitudinal axis. The system also includes a first image receiver coupled to the shaft portion. The first image receiver is directed toward a first direction to receive an image of a first portion of the interior of a lumen. The system also includes a second image receiver coupled to the shaft portion. The second image receiver is directed toward a second direction to receive an image of a second portion of the interior of the lumen. The first direction is generally opposite the second direction. The system further includes a monitor, wherein the image of the first portion and the image of the second portion are displayed simultaneously on the monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Inventor: Nitesh Ratnakar
  • Patent number: 11415527
    Abstract: A non-destructive testing system can include a mobile computing device and a video borescope coupled to the mobile computing device via a cloud computing environment. The system can further include a probe driver coupled to the mobile computing device and to the video borescope via the cloud computing environment. The probe driver can attach to a conduit section. The probe driver can also include a positioning element configured to position the conduit section and a data processor. The data processor can be configured to receive a signal indicative of a position of the conduit section and to control one or more operations of the probe driver configured to operate the positioning element to orient the conduit section in the position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Bryan Christopher Morris
  • Patent number: 11307365
    Abstract: A delivery system extends from a laser radiation source for connecting to a medical device that utilizes the laser radiation for medical treatment. The delivery system comprises an optical fiber connecting to a male launch connecter. The male launch connector having a body portion with the optical fiber fixed or constrained therein and the optical fiber terminating at a male ferrule with a forward directed fiber facet, the male ferrule may be compliantly supported and positioned by elastomeric material positioned between the male ferrule and the body portion. The launch connector engages a receiving connector first with mechanical connection portions and then more finely aligning optical connection portions by the male ferrule self aligning in a female ferrule with cooperating tapered surfaces. The male portion may fully seat in the female portion with cooperating cylindrical surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: IPG Photonics Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Altshuler, Christopher Gaal, Valery Kozlov
  • Patent number: 11246659
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the use of medical devices for the treatment of vascular conditions. In particular, the present disclosure provides devices and methods for using laser-induced pressure waves created within a sheath to disrupt intimal and medial calcium within the vasculature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: THE SPECTRANETICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenneth P. Grace, Thomas Triffo, James Cezo
  • Patent number: 11213192
    Abstract: An optical scope includes a body and an elongated shaft. The shaft distal end holds an optical assembly including an imaging lens with a field of view of at least 90 degrees. An LED is coupled to the body and has an output numerical aperture (NA) providing a critical angle larger than the field of view. A first pair of fiber bundles have proximal ends receiving light from the LED with distal ends presented at the shaft distal face, and an NA providing a critical angle less than the field of view. A second pair of fiber bundles also receive light from the LED with distal ends having at the shaft distal face, and have an NA providing a critical angle at least as large as the field of view. The bundles are positioned around imaging lens such that they create a light having a desired intensity profile and properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: KARL STORZ Endovision, Inc.
    Inventors: Dashiell Birnkrant, Robert Tremblay
  • Patent number: 11137266
    Abstract: An electric meter monitoring device and an electric power monitoring system are provided. An image capturing module is disposed at a side opposite to an electric power consumption display module of an electric meter to capture an electric power consumption image of the electric power consumption display module. A clamp meter module clamps on at least one electric wire to detect a value of a current flowing through the at least one electric wire. A temperature humidity meter module detects a temperature value and a humidity value around the electric meter. A control module transmits an electric power consumption value, a current value, the temperature value and the humidity value to a server through a communication module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Inventor: Ming-Tsung Chen
  • Patent number: 11109751
    Abstract: An endoscope includes a hollow handle housing and an insertion tube including a tip part at the distal end of the endoscope. The tip part includes an illumination arrangement with an elongated single-piece light guide having a proximal light guide end and at least one distal light guide end, wherein the proximal light guide end is adapted for receiving at least one light fiber. The at least one distal light guide end has an end surface adapted for emitting the light from a light source. The cross-section of the proximal light guide end differs from the cross-section of the at least another part of the light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: AMBU A/S
    Inventors: Morten Sørensen, Thomas Bachgaard Jensen
  • Patent number: 11064920
    Abstract: A medical system includes a probe, an electrooptical measurement unit, and a processor. The probe, which is configured for insertion into a blood vessel of a brain, includes one or more optical fibers configured to guide an optical signal to interact with a brain clot in the blood vessel, and to output the optical signal that interacted with the brain clot. The electrooptical measurement unit is configured to collect and measure the outputted optical signal. The processor is configured to identify a composition of the brain clot by analyzing the measured optical signal from the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd.
    Inventor: Assaf Govari
  • Patent number: 11058492
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the use of medical devices for the treatment of vascular conditions. In particular, the present disclosure provides devices and methods for using laser-induced pressure waves created within a sheath to disrupt intimal and medial calcium within the vasculature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: THE SPECTRANETICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenneth P. Grace, Thomas Triffo, James Cezo
  • Patent number: 11061299
    Abstract: An integrated underwater imaging device includes a housing with a transparent optical port, a camera and one or more LED light sources with optically coupled to light pipes within the housing. The optical port includes light mitigation features to reduce internal light contamination from the LED light sources on the imager of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: SEESCAN, INC.
    Inventors: Mark S. Olsson, Eric M. Chapman, Aaron J. Steiner, Jon E. Simmons, Steven C. Tietsworth
  • Patent number: 11026644
    Abstract: Methods and systems for navigating to a target through a patient's bronchial tree are disclosed including a bronchoscope, a probe insertable into a working channel of the bronchoscope and including a location sensor, and a workstation in operative communication with the probe and the bronchoscope, the workstation including a user interface that guides a user through a navigation plan and is configured to present a central navigation view including a plurality of views configured for assisting the user in navigating the bronchoscope through central airways of the patient's bronchial tree toward the target, a peripheral navigation view including a plurality of views configured for assisting the user in navigating the probe through peripheral airways of the patient's bronchial tree to the target, and a target alignment view including a plurality of views configured for assisting the user in aligning a distal tip of the probe with the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Andrew E. Brown, David J. Miel, Matthew W. Baker, Dorian Averbuch, Eyal Klein, Oren P. Weingarten
  • Patent number: 11009694
    Abstract: An adapter for use with an endoscope. The adapter including: at least first and second axis-shifted lenses, each of the first and second axis-shifted lenses including a truncated portion, the first and second axis shifted lenses being arranged side by side so that respective first and second optical axes are parallel to each other; and a prism arranged further distally than the first and second axis-shifted lenses, the prism being configured to change a viewing direction of each of the first and second axis-shifted lenses; wherein at least a portion of each of the truncated portions of the first and second axis-shifted lenses is arranged further outward in the radial direction than the prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaki Ichihashi
  • Patent number: 10966286
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing contamination of one or more arc lamps are provided. One example implementation is directed to a millisecond anneal system. The millisecond anneal system includes a processing chamber for thermally treating a substrate using a millisecond anneal process. The system further includes one or more arc lamps. Each of the one or more arc lamps is coupled to a water loop for circulating water through the arc lamp during operation of the arc lamp. The system includes a reagent injection source configured to introduce a reagent, such as nitrogen gas, into water circulating through the arc lamp during operation of the arc lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignees: Mattson Technology, Inc., Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rolf Bremensdorfer, Dave Camm, Pete Lembesis, Joseph Cibere
  • Patent number: 10905316
    Abstract: An endoscope includes a main unit, which includes a centring bush with an inner surface which defines an axis of rotation; a first eccentric bush, which is mounted rotatable about the axis of rotation in the centring bush and comprises a first centring inner surface which defines a first rotation axis, wherein the first rotation axis is offset parallel to the axis of rotation by a first offset; a second eccentric bush which is mounted rotatable about the first rotation axis in the first eccentric bush and comprises a second centring inner surface which defines a second rotation axis, wherein the second rotation axis is offset parallel to the first rotation axis by a second offset; and an eyepiece, which is connected to the second eccentric bush and has an optical axis which is parallel to the second rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Henke-Sass, Wolf GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Waizenegger, Daniel Seeh
  • Patent number: 10859438
    Abstract: A spectrally encoded endoscopy optical device includes a bundle of multi-mode optical fibers that transmits light received from an imaging target to a spectrometer. A far field pattern of light transmitted through a fundamental mode of at least one of the multi-mode optical fibers is nonparallel to an optical axis of the spectrometer for reducing nonuniformity of the far field pattern at an input sensor of the spectrometer. For still further reduction of such nonuniformity, a far field pattern of light transmitted through a fundamental mode of the bundle of multi-mode optical fibers is nonparallel to an optical axis of the spectrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Canon U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ikuta, Tzu-Yu Wu
  • Patent number: 10736498
    Abstract: An endoscope includes an illuminator to emit illumination light comprised by narrow band lights different in wavelength from an end portion of the endoscope and an imager to image an observation object illuminated by the illumination light emitted from the illuminator. The illuminator includes a light quantity output adjuster to independently control the light quantity of each of the narrow band lights. The endoscope allows observation in three types of modes of a white light mode, a special light mode, and a hybrid mode. A spectral pattern of illumination light in the hybrid mode includes at least a part of a color region of a narrow band light included in the special light mode and is different from either of a spectral pattern of illumination light in the white light mode and a spectral pattern of illumination light in the special light mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Watanabe, Takeshi Ito
  • Patent number: 10682047
    Abstract: Provided is a tracheal tube that can be easily inserted into the inside of a subject and enables real-time observation of a state after tracheal intubation. The tracheal tube (1) includes a hollow tube body (2), a lumen (2a), and a scope unit (3), wherein the tube body (2) is inserted into the subject, the lumen (2a) is mounted to the tube body (2), and the scope unit (3) includes a cable portion (4) inserted in the lumen (2a) and an imaging optical system mounted to the distal end of the cable portion (4), the imaging optical system including an imaging device configured to image the inside of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakatate, Hitoe Iikura
  • Patent number: 10667882
    Abstract: An illuminated suction apparatus including a hand-held surgical device combining a high-performance illumination waveguide with suction. This device would be useful in a wide array of various surgical procedures including open and minimally invasive orthopedics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Invuity, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Vayser, Fernando Erismann, Kenneth B. Trauner, Jonathan G. Gasson, Derrick Richardson
  • Patent number: 10667672
    Abstract: An endoscope including: a main body; a shaft; and an optical fiber bundle extending through the shaft from the main body to a distal end of the shaft, wherein the optical fiber bundle terminates at the distal end of the shaft at an illumination exit, and the optical fiber bundle terminates at the main body at a light-guiding connector for attachment of an optical cable, and the light-guiding connector is configured to reduce an absorption, by a material of the light-guiding connector, of light that cannot be coupled from the optical cable into the optical fiber bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: OLYMPUS WINTER & IBE GMBH
    Inventor: Thorsten Juergens
  • Patent number: 10561303
    Abstract: An optical probe comprises a light-guiding component, an optical component, a light-reflecting component that is configured to receive light from the optical component and direct the light along a path, and a correction component. The correction component lies in the path, the correction component has an optical power, and the correction component has a center of curvature that substantially coincides with an optical axis of the optical component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Canon U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Tzu-Yu Wu
  • Patent number: 10478049
    Abstract: An endoscope includes a distal end rigid portion including a through hole, an elongated image pickup section, a distal end of which is inserted and fixed in the through hole, a light guide fiber bundle, distal end molded portions of which are inserted and fixed in the through hole, the light guide fiber bundle being formed as one bundle from a proximal end portion to a predetermined branched portion on a distal end side, and formed by being branched into a plurality of bundles on a distal end side with respect to the predetermined branched portion; a plurality of first cover tubes made of e-PTFE, and respectively covering the plurality of bundles from the distal end molded portions to the predetermined branched portion; and one second cover tube of a material other than the e-PTFE, covering the one bundle from the predetermined branched portion to the proximal end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiko Murayama
  • Patent number: 10478053
    Abstract: An endoscope illumination device includes a light source that outputs primary light, a light guide that includes a first end face from which the primary light is radiated, and guides the primary light, and a light converter that is disposed to face the first end face, includes a second end face which the primary light enters, converts part of the primary light into secondary light. The illumination device also includes a holder that holds the light guide and the light converter so that an incident angle of the secondary light that is radiated from a point of intersection of the second end face and an optical axis of the light guide on the first end face and enters the first end face is equal to or larger than an acceptance angle (NA) of the light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Ohara
  • Patent number: 10456200
    Abstract: The position of a metal marker 5 relative to an optical fiber 6 is fixed, and the metal marker 5 can be moved up close to a target site such as a thrombus. It is preferable that the position, in an optical fiber longitudinal direction, of a front-end face of the optical fiber 6 is coincident with the position, in an optical fiber longitudinal direction, of a front-end face of the metal marker 5. More specifically, since the distance between the target site and the front end of the optical fiber 6 is known by radiography, it becomes unnecessary to use a large quantity of contrast agent and irradiate a laser beam depending on skill and intuition, and therefore an effective laser beam irradiation becomes possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignees: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Okada, Teiji Nakayama, Kazuo Umemura, Daisuke Yamashita, Yutaka Yamashita, Katsuhiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10394106
    Abstract: An integrated underwater imaging device includes a housing with a transparent optical port, a camera and one or more LED light sources with optically coupled to light pipes within the housing. The optical port includes light mitigation features to reduce internal light contamination from the LED light sources on the imager of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: DEEPSEA POWER & LIGHT LLC
    Inventors: Mark S. Olsson, Eric M. Chapman, Aaron J. Steiner, Jon E. Simmons, Steven C. Tietsworth
  • Patent number: 10345570
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for optical examination of a specimen with a cryo-immersion objective, having a stative, to which the cryo-immersion objective is fixed, wherein the cryo-immersion objective has a plurality of optical components, in particular lenses, and wherein the cryo-immersion objective has an optical front component which is in contact during operation with a coolable immersion liquid, having a specimen carrier for a specimen to be examined, having means for providing a cooled immersion liquid between the optical front component and the specimen to be examined on or against the specimen carrier. The device is characterized in that insulating means are present for interrupting a heat transition between the stative and the optical front component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Singer, Aksel Goehnermeier, Guenter Rudolph, Johannes Ruoff, Christian Dietrich, Rong Dong
  • Patent number: 10286171
    Abstract: An endotracheal tube insertion device includes an insertion member, a flexible optical assembly member movably mounted to the insertion member, an endotracheal tube, and an endotracheal tube attachment member attached to the insertion member and configured to receive and retain the endotracheal tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Inventor: Glenn P. Gardner
  • Patent number: 10226165
    Abstract: Optical systems for flexible and rigid endoscopes that have a low diffraction limit and small geometrical optical aberrations, the systems including an aperture stop where the diameter can be adjusted to select either higher resolution or higher depth of field. The optical systems can include a lens group either to focus on different object distances or on a fixed average object distance. The aperture stop can be adjusted to increase either depth of field or resolution dependent on the endoscopic and surgical situation. Simple symbols help the surgeon to adjust the aperture stop to these situations. The surgeon can either look around the body cavity with large depth of field but moderate overall resolution or focus on a small area with less depth of field but greater resolution. The balance between resolution and depth of field can be adjusted by an automatic image control. Fields in the image field are defined and software used in the camera controller analyzes the sharpness of the different fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: STERIS INSTRUMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Peter Pal Bodor, Jurgen Zobel
  • Patent number: 10220124
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of optical imaging and therapeutics. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide minimally-invasive Fiberoptic Microneedle Devices (FMDs) for light-based therapeutics, which physically penetrate tissue and deliver light directly into the target area below the skin surface. Embodiments of the invention enable depth-selective and deep photothermal therapeutics and include methods of treating cancer, methods of re-shaping or removing adipose tissue, and methods of delivering drugs or co-delivering drugs and energy to selected tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Rylander, Mehmet A. Kosoglu, Robert L. Hood, John L. Robertson, John H. Rossmeisl, David C. Grant, Marissa N. Rylander
  • Patent number: 10213190
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (100) for sampling a biological tissue comprising: a rod (1) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) between a proximal end (1a) and a distal end (1b), a capture surface (2) borne by the rod (1), intended to be applied against a biological tissue, wherein the capture surface is nanoporous or has protrusions adapted for sampling a biological tissue by micro abrasion, an observation window (3) transparent to visible light, laid out in the external surface of the rod (1), a housing (4) extending in the rod, parallel to the longitudinal axis, from the proximal end (1a) as far as the observation window (3) said housing being able to receive a bundle of optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Matthieu Dreyfus, François Berger, Ali Bouamrani, Adrien Mombrun
  • Patent number: 10161961
    Abstract: A microfabricated optical probe includes: a cantilever; an optical waveguide disposed at a periphery of the cantilever and including an optical loop, the optical loop being disposed coplanar with the cantilever; a mechanical support interposed between and interconnecting the cantilever and the optical waveguide with the mechanical support such that the cantilever and optical waveguide move together; and a substrate on which the cantilever is disposed and from which the cantilever and the optical loop protrude, wherein the cantilever and the optical waveguide flex independently of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
    Inventors: Vladimir A. Aksyuk, Kartik Srinivasan, Thomas Michels
  • Patent number: 10114216
    Abstract: A device for cleaning the lens of a scope is disclosed. The device comprises a sleeve including an inner surface configured to engage a medical device; and a pad secured around the sleeve and configured to wipe the lens of the scope. While a cleaning fluid can be applied to the pad, the device does not require nor does it contain a reservoir for cleaning solution. A method of cleaning a lens of a scope using such a device is also disclosed. A lens cleaning system comprising the device positioned on a medical device, such as an elongated surgical instrument, is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: C-CLEAR LLC
    Inventor: Fredrick Brody
  • Patent number: 10101529
    Abstract: A mirrorless optical waveguide can include a cladding and a core. The core can include an elongate section parallel to a surface plane. The core can further include two curved end sections that curve toward a surface plane. The surface plane can be parallel to a substrate. The cladding can have nanoparticles made of acrylic and/or urethane. The core can have similar nanoparticles of acrylic and/or urethane as well as nanoparticles with a high refractive index such as zirconia. The mirrorless optical waveguide can be formed by ink-jet printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Hidekazu Hayama
  • Patent number: 10064683
    Abstract: An endoscopic system may include a catheter or tubing and at least one optical sensor disposed along the catheter or tubing and configured to capture image information from a body lumen when disposed within the body lumen and activated. The system may further include an untethered module operatively arranged with the at least one optical sensor and configured to store or transmit image information captured by the at least one optical sensor. The catheter or tubing, at least one optical sensor and module may be portable during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Inventor: Eric James Kezirian
  • Patent number: 10027864
    Abstract: An optical assembly is described. The optical assembly comprises a transparent front cover, a lens having a lens surface facing the front cover, wherein the lens surface is designed to be essentially planar and has a central region and a transparent medium. The optical assembly optically couples at least the central region of the lens surface extensively to the front cover by the fact that the refractive index of the transparent medium differs from the refractive index of the front cover and the refractive index of a segment of the lens adjacent to the lens surface by less than 0.5. Furthermore, an electronic device having the optical assembly, a motor vehicle comprising the electronic device and a method for manufacturing the optical assembly are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: e.solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Rasmussen, Stefan Christmann
  • Patent number: 9924856
    Abstract: An endoscope includes: a first fiber provided with a first flat surface from which illuminating light is emitted; a pipe including a through hole to which a distal end portion of the first fiber is fixed and including a first surface that can be a flat surface identical to the first flat surface and a second surface which is a flat surface orthogonal to a central axis of the through hole; and a distal end component in which a stopper hole in which an end portion on the distal end side of the pipe is disposed is formed, the stopper hole including an abutting surface on which at least part of the second surface of the pipe abuts, on a bottom side, a concave portion which constitutes for obtaining a predetermined light distribution and is located closer to the front end side than the abutting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9921407
    Abstract: A fiber-optic scanner equipped with a light-guiding optical fiber; the fiber-optic scanner including a plurality of vibration generating units disposed circumferentially at equal intervals on an outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber located on a base end side thereof at a predetermined distance from the emission end of the optical fiber to vibrate an emission end of the optical fiber in a plurality of directions; and a vibration damping member disposed at least in a position between base end-side edges of the vibration generating units and the emission end of the optical fiber, wherein the vibration damping member has a uniform shape of a rotating body rotated around the axis line of the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuaki Kasai
  • Patent number: 9897762
    Abstract: A fiber optic cable is presented having a pressure fitting at an end of the cable. The pressure fitting can create a pressure and/or chemical seal to prevent migration of environmental elements into or out of the cable. The fiber optic cable can advantageously be configured for use in varied environments including, for example, one or more of caustic, high-pressure, or low-pressure environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Fiberoptic Components, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Reed, Kevin Beaton
  • Patent number: 9839349
    Abstract: An endoscope and an illuminator are safely placed in a body cavity without generating a noticeable postoperative scar. A method of placing medical insertion instruments into a body cavity includes a first step of inserting, into the body cavity through a first opening formed on a body wall, an endoscope together with a first illuminator; and a second step of inserting, into the body cavity through a second opening formed at a position different from the first opening, a second illuminator. Preferably, the method further includes a third step of pulling out the first illuminator from the first opening and inserting the first illuminator into the body cavity through a third opening formed at a position different from the first and second openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignees: FUJIFILM Corporation, THE INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH
    Inventors: Takumi Dejima, Nobuyuki Torisawa, Masayuki Iwasaka, Paul Curcillo
  • Patent number: 9808141
    Abstract: An endoscope includes an observation optical system that allows a magnified observation close to a subject, and illumination optical systems. In a close observation, ITM is a maximum brightness within an observation view field angle, and ITC is a center brightness. In a normal observation IWC is a center brightness, and IWS is a brightness at a position of 80% of a maximum view angle. The following is satisfied: 0.3<ITC/ITM<0.45 0.15<IWS/IWC<0.25 0.3<fLfT/?LIH<0.6 where fL is a focal length of each of the entire illumination optical systems, fT is a focal length of the entire observation optical system in a maximum magnification, ?L is an outer diameter of a lens that is farthest on an object side of each illumination optical system, and IH is a maximum image height of the observation optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Sone, Hideyasu Takato
  • Patent number: 9782062
    Abstract: The present invention provides a locally invasive surgical apparatus including a manipulator for scratching the bone at a fracture site, a drive arm on which the manipulator is mounted, and a controller for controlling the manipulator and the drive arm. Therefore, it is possible to carry out minimally invasive surgery during bone fracture surgery, thereby enabling simple and quick bone fracture surgery for a speedy recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Kyungpook National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Il Hyung Park, Chul Woo Park, Sang Hyun Joung
  • Patent number: 9717396
    Abstract: A video endoscope with sideways viewing direction including an endoscope shaft having a jacket tube, an entry window joined hermetically to the jacket tube at the distal end of the jacket tube, a sideways viewing optical subassembly and a sensor module having an optical sensor, wherein the sensor module is disposed on a distal side of a longitudinally extended sensor module carrier that is rotatably mounted with respect to the jacket tube. In the video endoscope, the sideways viewing optical subassembly can be formed as an attachment which can be plugged distally onto the sensor module and/or the sensor module carrier and which is rotatably mounted with respect to the sensor module and/or the sensor module carrier, wherein the attachment has at least one lock which interacts with at least one corresponding lock on the jacket tube, such that the attachment is rotationally fixed with respect to the jacket tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS WINTER & IBE GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastian Jungbauer, Sebastian Stuehle, Patrick Scherr, Ronny Huebl
  • Patent number: 9704620
    Abstract: The cable gland with pressure indicator of the present invention comprehends a scale (12) disposed on the sleeve (5) that fits in a body (4), the referred body (4) comprising an optical element box (14) with an optical element (13) inserted in section of its outer surface (16), the positioning of the referred section being determined in a way that the optical element box (14) is positioned above the scale (12) disposed on the sleeve (5), the outer body surface section (4) comprising a reference ring (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Inventor: João Martins Neto
  • Patent number: 9636004
    Abstract: A light assembly for a hand-held medical diagnostic instrument. The light assembly includes a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface, a light source mounted to the top surface, and the bottom surface having first and second electrical terminals. The light assembly further includes a circuit board disposed inclined to the substrate, the circuit board having first and second electrical terminals, a first connector mounting and electrically connecting the first electrical terminal of the substrate to the first electrical terminal of the circuit board, a second connector mounting and electrically connecting the second electrical terminal of the substrate to the second electrical terminal of the circuit board, a heat sink, and a thermal conductor thermally connecting at least one of the first and second electrical terminals of the substrate to the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Welch Allyn, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond A. Lia, Chris R. Roberts, Ervin Goldfain, Steven R. Slawson, Robert J. Wood
  • Patent number: 9636005
    Abstract: An endoscope system includes an optical transmission section that is provided in an endoscope inserted into an interior of a subject and transmits illuminating light to a distal end, a light source section that generates light, a first lens section that receives the light, from the light source section and emits the light with characteristics of different spatial intensity distributions, a second lens section that causes the light emitted from the first lens section to enter the proximal end of the optical transmission section, a distance adjusting section that can adjust a distance, and a control section that controls the distance adjusting section that adjusts the distance between the first lens section and the second lens section so that amounts of the light of a first and second wavelength bands have a predetermined ratio of amount of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Yoshino
  • Patent number: 9507083
    Abstract: An optical transmission element according to an embodiment comprises a fiber and a covering layer. The fiber includes a core made of glass and a cladding made of glass covering an outer periphery of the core. The covering layer covers an outer periphery of the cladding and includes a plurality of alkyl groups which are not fluorine-substituted wherein each of the alkyl groups is bonded to the cladding via a siloxane bond and wherein the alkyl groups are represented by CH3(CH2)n— wherein m is an integer of 7 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihito Miyata, Yuki Ishikawa