Patent ID: 8942530
Filing Date: 2015-01-27
Classification: A61B,G02B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An imaging fiber connector arrangement for optically coupling a working assembly including an imaging fiber bundle having a plurality of imaging fiber cores to an imaging assembly, comprising: an imaging assembly connector fitting, forming part of the imaging assembly and having an optical assembly that includes an active optical element, the optical assembly configured to receive and modify images before passing the images to an image processor of the imaging assembly, the optical assembly having a focal plane that is essentially at a distal surface of the active optical element; and a working assembly connector fitting, forming part of the working assembly and configured to engage the imaging assembly connector fitting to removably optically couple the imaging fiber bundle of the working assembly to the imaging assembly, the imaging assembly connector fitting and working assembly connector fitting configured to position a proximal end of the imaging fiber cores of the imaging fiber bundle in a predetermined location in three dimensions relative to the active optical element, and which location is within the focal plane of the active optical element, to within a given tolerance such that images are coupled from the imaging fiber bundle directly to the active optical element without passing through any intervening inactive optical element when the working assembly connector fitting is engaged with the imaging assembly connector fitting.