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:
Jan. 30, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 30, 1997
Kiyoko Ooshima, Osaka, JP;
Hiroshi Atsuta, Osaka, JP;
Shinji Uchida, Osaka, JP;
Hiroyuki Yamakita, Osaka, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A videoscope for dental or oral use comprises a grip portion, an insert portion, a light window formed in the wall of the insert portion for illuminating an object, an acceptance window formed in the wall of the insert portion for receiving reflected light from the object, an image sensor disposed in the tip of the insert portion for receiving the light from the object to generate an electric signal corresponding to the object image, a light source disposed in the grip portion, and a light guide for guiding light rays from the light source to the light window. The light guide is made of a transparent plastic material. The light guide has a condensing portion that condenses the light rays emitted by the light emitting member, a guiding portion in which the light rays can propagate by total reflection, and a shedding portion that sheds the propagated light rays through the light window.