Patent ID: 7170677
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: A61B,G02B

Abstract:
1. A stereo endoscopic system comprising: an endoscopic probe; an electronic imaging device; and an optical system, each of said electronic imaging device and said optical system being arranged entirely along a single optical axis, said optical system including: a refractive image splitter and at least one focusing lens disposed between said electronic imaging device and said refractive image splitter, wherein said refractive image splitter directly passes an image of an object of interest to be split along said single optical axis into two images of said object that are guided through said refractive image splitter entirely along said single optical axis to said at least one focusing lens without optical power between the object of interest and said at least one focusing lens, said two images being representative of first and second acquired stereo images of said object of interest that are focused by said at least one focusing lens along said single optical axis onto said electronic imaging device; wherein said refractive image splitter is a refractive image-splitting prism having a ridge pointing away from said electronic imaging device and a substantially flat base facing said electronic imaging device.