Patent ID: 6032071
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A device for optically examining human skin and its pigmentations, the device comprising:a cylindrical housing;a substantially planar transparent plate detachably applied to a skin site to be examined without introducing an immersion fluid, the transparent plate delimiting the housing from the skin site, the transparent plate being made of a transparent plastic or glass material;a vertical light illumination device disposed in the housing and radiating light directed to the skin site along an incident beam path;an optical observation device disposed in the housing and in the incident beam path, and including an optical enlarging device;a light-polarizing device disposed in a reflected beam path of light reflected from the skin at the skin site and arranged between the illumination device and the transparent plate, the light-polarizing device including a polarizer for polarizing the incident light beam directed to the skin site along the incident beam path and an analyzer for analyzing the reflected light beam in the reflected beam path from the skin at the skin site, the light-polarizing device being variably controllable to modify the type, degree, and angle of polarization;an optical image-recording device disposed in the housing;a hollow housing extension projecting from the housing and acting as a manipulating handle; andat least one regulating, switching and control element disposed outside of the hollow housing extension and coupled to the devices disposed in the housing by lines extending through the hollow housing extension.