Patent ID: 6692432
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: A61B,H04N

Abstract:
A portable, hand-held fiber-optic apparatus for producing video images of an object, the portable, hand held apparatus, comprising:light source means for producing light for illumination of the object, video imaging means for generating a video signal of the object; lens means having a proximal end and a distal end, said lens means being optically coupled at its proximal end to the video imaging means for translating an image of said object from the distal end of said lens means to the video imaging means, said lens means having optical fibers configured to transmit light from the light source means to the object so as to illuminate the object; power supply means electrically coupled to, and for supplying electrical power to said light source means and said video imaging means; and a housing configured to house the light source means, the video imaging means, the proximal end of the lens means, and the power supply means within the housing, such that the apparatus is self-contained, wherein the lens means is optically coupled at its proximal end to the light source means; and further comprising a sleeve mounted on the proximal end of the lens means and a portion of the light source means such that the sleeve tightly fits about (i) an exterior surface of the proximal end of the lens means and (ii) an exterior surface of a portion of the light source means such that the light source is in a fixed relationship with respect to the proximal end of the lens means.