94 results about "Viewing instrument" patented technology

An adapter system connects a smart-phone or other camera to an ophthalmoscope or other viewing instrument at multiple locations with a single bracket. A fitting attached to the bracket connects the adapter to the viewing instrument in the region near its view port, close to the optical axis. A brace attached to the bracket connects the adapter to the viewing instrument in the region of the instrument's handle or other support structure, located away from the optical axis. The brace has a frame that holds the camera in place and aligns the camera lens with the optical axis of the instrument. The processor of the smart-phone or other mobile communications device can provide specific information related to the particular viewing instrument and can also be used in the operation and control of smart-scope instruments through a communications link.

Methods and apparatuses for providing simultaneous viewing of an instrument in two ultrasound imaging planes. An ultrasound imaging probe is provided which can generate at least two ultrasound imaging planes. In one embodiment, the two imaging planes are not parallel (i.e., the planes intersect). An instrument path is positioned with respect to the planes such that an instrument may be simultaneously viewed in both imaging planes. In one embodiment, the instrument path is provided at an intersection that, at least partially, defines the intersection of the two imaging planes.

A flexible medical intubation instrument provided for placement into an animal or human patient comprises a catheter with at least a pair of longitudinally extending lumens or channels including a sensor and/or actuator channel and a working channel. In the sensor/actuator channel is provided a fixed or slideably removable sensor cable having a sensor for sensing a characteristic or condition including any of the following: a visual sensor for optical viewing, a chemical sensor, a pH sensor, a pressure sensor, an infection sensor, an audio sensor, or a temperature sensor. The sensors are coupled by the sensor/actuator cable through light transmission, electric current, or radio transmission to a viewing instrument or other output device such as a meter or video screen for displaying the condition that is sensed within the body of the patient while the flexibility of the composite structure comprising the catheter and cable enable the entire instrument to flex laterally as it moves through curved passages or around obstructions during insertion or removal. While making observations through the sensor channel, the working channel simultaneously functions as a drain or an irrigation duct, a feeding tube, or to provide a passage for the insertion of one or a succession of surgical devices such that the catheter serves as a protective artificial tract or liner as surgical devices are inserted and removed through it in succession so as to minimize tissue trauma, infection, and pain experienced by the patient. The instrument can be used in urology, as well as a visually directed nasogastric tube, as a visually directed external gastrostomy tube, or as a visually directed internal gastric tube or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube and in other applications.

An armor (111a) of a scope unit (131) and a diaphragm (123) are arranged to be mutually freely turnable. The shape of an outer section (123c) of the diaphragm (123) and the shape of the inside of a scope joint (130a) of a TV camera unit (130) substantially agree with each other, and the outer section (123c) of the diaphragm (123) and the inside of the scope joint (130a) engage with each other. In a state in which the outer section (123c) of the diaphragm (123) and the inside of the scope joint (130a) are engaged with each other, a ring screw (133) is meshed with a thread (130b) so that the scope unit (131) and TV camera unit (130) will unitedly be joined with each other. At this time, since the outer section (123c) of the diaphragm (123) is engaged with the scope joint (130a), the diaphragm and TV camera unit can be turned relative to an objective optical system (119) and relay optical system (121) with the optical axis of the relay optical system (121) as an axis of turning. Moreover, a liquid-crystal shutter 124 in the TV camera unit (130) has two interceptive areas (124a, 124b) which can be switched temporally alternately. The interceptive areas (124a, 124b) intercept one of two light beams passing through either of aperture stops (123a, 123b).

The present invention provides for microinjection devices comprising a needle and a viewing instrument wherein the viewing instrument provides magnified viewing of an object to an operator from an angle other than a right angle to the object.

The present invention provides for microinjection devices comprising a needle and a viewing instrument wherein the viewing instrument provides viewing of an object to an operator from an angle other than a right angle to the object.

Methods and devices are provided for providing irrigation and/or suction to a surgical site and maintaining clear visibility through a lens of a scoping device during a surgical procedure. In general, the methods and devices can allow for a surgical instrument to maintain visibility during a surgical procedure using a fluid conduit coupled to the surgical instrument. A surgical device can include a sheath having at least one lumen extending therethrough configured to allow a surgical viewing instrument to be disposed therein. The sheath can also have a passageway extending therethrough configured to allow fluid to flow therethrough. The fluid conduit can be configured to be movable between positions that can allow alternative directions of fluid toward and/or away from a viewing element on the surgical instrument and fluid away from the viewing element and toward a surgical field in a body cavity.

An instrument and related process for measuring color, shade, gloss, shape and/or translucence of a tooth. First, the instrument uses searchlight illumination to illuminate a tooth with constant irradiance. Second, the instrument uses colorimetric imaging to collect time-separated frames of different wavelengths of light reflected from a tooth and to combine those frames into a color image. Third, the instrument includes a sanitary shield to establish a reference color and a predetermined distance to a target tooth. Fourth, the instrument provides line-of-sight viewing so an operator may simultaneously view a display of the image on the instrument and the object being measured. Fifth, the instrument is impervious to pollutants because it incorporates a sealed measurement window. Sixth, optical measurements of a tooth taken by a dentist are compared to optical measurements of a prosthetic restoration for that tooth to confirm satisfactory matching of optical characteristics of the tooth and restoration.

Distance information between an observation-target and each pixel of an imaging device is obtained in an endoscope apparatus. The endoscope apparatus includes a scope unit having an illumination-light illuminating unit and an imaging device, and a spectral image processing unit that generates a spectral estimation image signal of a predetermined wavelength by performing spectral image processing on an image signal output from the imaging device. The illumination-light illuminating unit illuminates the observation-target with illumination-light, and the imaging device images the observation-target by receiving light reflected from the observation-target illuminated with the illumination-light. The spectral image processing unit generates the spectral estimation image signal of the predetermined wavelength greater than or equal to 650 nm, as a spectral estimation image signal for obtaining distance information. Distance information representing a distance between the observation-target and each of the pixels is obtained based on the spectral estimation image signal for obtaining distance information.

A optical system for a viewing instrument with a variable direction of view is disclosed generally comprising shaft, first and second reflectors located at the distal end of the shaft, where the first reflector rotates about an axis angularly offset from the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and an entrance pupil positioned in the optical path created by the reflectors and preceding the reflecting surface of the second reflector. In certain embodiments, the entrance pupil comprises an aperture stop positioned between the first and second reflectors. In some embodiments, the system includes negative and positive lenses located adjacent the entrance and exit faces of the first reflector.

A covering apparatus for a surgical viewing instrument. The apparatus includes a tape having a first length overlying the viewing portion of the surgical viewing instrument, the tape movable across the viewing portion to move the first length away from the viewing portion and advance a second cleaner length of tape to a position overlying the viewing portion.

A illumination system for variable direction of view instruments is disclosed generally comprising an endoscope having a longitudinal axis and a variable view vector that pivots about a pivot axis angularly offset from the longitudinal axis. The view vector has an attendant viewing field that travels along a path as the view vector pivots, defining a viewing range. A source of illumination is arranged in a plane offset from the plane in which the view vector pivots and provides an annular, solid angle of illumination that covers the viewing range. In certain embodiments, the pivot axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the illumination plane is parallel to the pivot plane. In some embodiments, the source of illumination is a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged around the pivot axis.

A system and associated method is used for warming an endoscope, laparoscope, or other such instrument to minimize fogging. The preferred embodiment comprises a pad for wrapping around an instrument, including a one or more substances operative to generate heat through an exothermic reaction; and an activation disc located around the periphery of the pad to provide for convenient user access. In the preferred embodiment, the activator is a mixture of water and sodium acetate, and the disc is made of perforated stainless steel. A housing contains the pad in sleeve form and an optional heat-conductive tube to receive the instrument around which the pad is wrapped. The pad may be partitioned.

The invention provides a method of maintaining a cell including a wall pierced by a cavity fitted with a monitoring or observation instrument, the instrument comprising a dome projecting into the inside of the cell, a protection shield, an observation sensor arranged between the dome and the shield, and a travel mechanism for moving the sensor between a position retracted inside the cavity and a deployed position. The method comprises the following operations:

extracting the protection shield, the observation sensor, and the sensor travel mechanism out from the cavity, to the outside of the cell;

where appropriate, replacing the observation sensor;

inserting a replacement dome into the cavity and sliding it into the proximity of the dome that has remained in position in the cavity;

inserting the protection shield, the observation sensor and the sensor travel mechanism into the cavity and sliding them into contact with the replacement dome; and

moving the dome that has remained in position in the cavity until it is expelled into the inside of the cell, by pressing the replacement dome against the dome that has remained in position.

An observation apparatus capable of preferably removing an astigmatism and chromatic aberration which occur in an observation image is provided. An apex angle of a contact prism is inputted by operating an apex angle setting knob of a control panel. A fitting angle of the contact prism is inputted by operating a fitting angle setting knob. A control unit determines the amount of correction for astigmatism of a left observation optical system and the amount of correction for astigmatism of a right observation optical system based on a recognized observation magnification and the inputted apex angle. An axial angle for the astigmatism of the left observation optical system and an axial angle for the astigmatism of the right observation optical system are determined based on the inputted fitting angle. Variable cross cylinder lens rotating drive units are controlled to rotate cylinder lenses of each of the right and left observation optical systems, thereby obtaining the determined axial angle and the determined amount of correction.

The embodiment of the invention provides a pointer type instrument inclination correction method and system, and the method comprises the steps: inputting a to-be-corrected inclination instrument image into a key point detection model, and obtaining a detection key scale digital coordinate; performing ellipse fitting on the detection key scale digital coordinates based on a least square method toobtain a fitting ellipse; obtaining ellipse parameters, and determining coordinate points before perspective transformation; determining an excircle of the ellipse, and determining a coordinate pointafter perspective transformation; obtaining a perspective transformation matrix according to the coordinate points before perspective transformation and the coordinate points after perspective transformation; and performing perspective transformation on the instrument image to be corrected according to the perspective transformation matrix to obtain a corrected front-view instrument image. The keyscale coordinates are acquired to fit the ellipse, the ellipse transformation principle is combined, perspective transformation is used to realize inclination correction of the instrument, the robustness is good, and inclination correction of any circular instrument can still be accurately realized under the conditions of dial shielding, fuzziness, uneven illumination and the like.