Patent ID: 6208813
Filing Date: 2001-03-27
Classification: A61C,G03B

Abstract:
A method for taking stereophotographic pictures of image areas in a mouth cavity of a human being comprising:providing a miniature camera housing having a film placement plate arranged in said camera housing between film and a lens for positioning against a portion of film to be exposed to ensure precise planar placement of said portion of film while exposed, said camera adapted to take pictures of said image areas on the order of magnitude of 50.times.100 mm;securing said lens to said camera housing to obtain optical and geometric stability;placing said camera about 50-100 mm outside said mouth cavity:aiming said lens at an object to be photographed in said mouth cavity so as to receive a first portion of optical radiation emanating directly from said object to be photographed and produce an actual image of said object on said film; andattaching at least one reflecting surface to said camera housing essentially parallel to a linear imaging path from the lens to said object to be photographed so as to reflect a second portion of said optical radiation emanating from said object toward said lens creating a virtual image of said object on said film, said virtual image having a viewing angle of the object different than the actual image to obtain an imaging error of +/-0.02 mm for distinct points on the object and a calibration accuracy of approximately 0.005 mm.