The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 30, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 10, 1997
Applicant:
Inventors:
Robert S Breidenthal, Bolton, MA (US);
Richard E Forkey, Westminster, MA (US);
Jack Smith, Sudhury, MA (US);
Brian E Volk, Jefferson, MA (US);
Assignee:
Precision Optics Corporation, Gardner, MA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A61B / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
600160 ; 359435 ; 600130 ; 600138 ;
Abstract
An endoscope has an elongated sheath that follows a curved path. The sheath houses a plurality of relay lens sets designed to have a maximum usable field of view that is greater than the size of an image to be produced. Discrete lens elements within the image transfer guide allow the image to offset to the edges of the maximum usable field of view thereby to allow the axes through the individual sets to progressively shift in angle to form the curved path. This provides endoscopes that are particularly useful as arthroscopes or