Patent ID: 7399275

Claim:
An otoscope permitting examination of a patient's ear, said otoscope comprising: i) an instrument head including a proximal end and a substantially conically shaped distal insertion portion; ii) viewing means proximate said proximal end of said instrument head; iii) a tip element releasably attached in overlaying relation onto said distal insertion portion of said instrument head, said tip clement including a substantially conical body and a distal tip opening and in which said distal insertion portion and an attached tip element are each insertable into the ear of a patient; and iv) an imaging lens train disposed within said instrument head, each of said imaging lens train, said viewing means and a distal opening of said insertion portion and the tip opening of an attached tip element being aligned along an optical axis, wherein said imaging lens train and said viewing means define an optical system that includes a distal entrance pupil and a relay lens system, said entrance pupil being located distal to the distal opening of the distal insertion portion of said instrument head, but proximal to the distal opening of said attached tip element to permit substantially the entire tympanic membrane to be viewed all at once by said viewing means without vignetting either by the distal tip opening of said attached tip element or by the distal opening of said distal insertion portion.