Patent ID: 6387043
Filing Date: 2002-05-14
Classification: A61B,H04N

Abstract:
A penetrating endoscope for providing visualization of organ or tissue structures or foreign objects in the body, comprising:an elongate penetrating member having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end for being disposed externally and a sharp penetrating distal end adapted to be inserted into the body by penetrating anatomical tissue; a substantially planar complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor including a plurality of pixels and a pixel signal processing circuit generating a color image ready signal, converting image light energy into electrical color image ready signal energy for transmission out of the body, said color image ready signal adapted to be viewed on a color image display; said CMOS image sensor being carried on said elongate penetrating member adjacent said elongate penetrating member distal end; an objective lens carried on said elongate penetrating member distal end on an optical axis and focusing an image corresponding to an endoscope field of view at an image plane intersecting said optical axis, said CMOS image sensor being mounted with said CMOS image sensor pixels disposed substantially in said image plane and on said optical axis; and said elongate penetrating member having an electrical contact on its proximal end in sliding engagement with another electrical contact for transmitting said image signal from the CMOS sensor to the image display.