EP0447067A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for mapping corneal topography
Assignee: Intelligent Surgical Lasers Inc
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Filing: 1991-02-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-02-27
Abstract
Abstract A device for mapping the topography of the cornea (38) of an eye has a light source (10) for directing a beam of collimated monochromatic light characterized by a flat wave front onto the cornea. Positioned between the light source and the cornea is an objective lens (32) for focusing this flat wave front toward the cornea as a converging spherical wave front. The light reflected from the cornea passes back through the objective lens to establish a reflected wave front having deviations from the flat wave front caused by aberrations on the cornea that are indicative of corneal topography. This reflected wave front is then segmentally focused by a lens array (64) into a pattern which reveals the deviations for use in mapping the topography of the cornea.
Inventors
- 👤 Josef F. Bille
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:23
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B3/00; A61B3/10; A61B3/1015; A61B3/107; G; G01; G01J; G01J9/00; G01J2009/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A device for mapping the topography of an object characterised in that it comprises: means for generating a beam of collimated monochromatic light having a directed wave front of predetermined curvature; means for directing said beam toward said object; means for receiving light of said beam reflected by said object, said reflected light having a reflected wave front indicative of said topography; and means for segmentally focusing said reflected wave front to detect deviations of said reflected wave front from said directed wave front to map said topography.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
A device for mapping the topography of an object according to claim 1 characterised in that it comprises: a source for directing a beam of collimated monochromatic light along an optical axis, said optical axis extending between said source and said object; a beam splitter positioned on said optical axis for diverting the light rays reflected by said object off said optical axis, said reflected light having a reflected wave front having deviations from said directed wave front indicative of said topography; and a detector having a lens array with a plurality of lenses positioned to collectively receive said reflected wave front and individually focus the light incident on each of said lenses for mapping said topography.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device for mapping the topography of an object according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that said beam generating means comprises a laser diode and a collimating lens for collimating light emitted by said diode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device for mapping the topography of an object according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that said beam generating means comprises an incandescent lamp and a spectral filter, said spectral filter being positioned to pass monochromatic light from said lamp toward said object.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
28 words
A device for mapping the topography of an object according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that said object is the cornea of an eye.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
57 words
A device for mapping the topography of an object according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that said directed wave front of predetermined curvature is a flat wave front, and said device further comprises an objective lens for converting said flat wave front into a spherically converging wave front for incidence on said object.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
44 words
A device for mapping the topography of an object according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that said object has a substantially spherical-shaped surface and objective lens is positioned for focusing said beam onto the center of curvature of said surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device for mapping the topography of an object according to claim 6 characterised in that it further comprises a telescopic unit for conforming said beam to fill said objective lens.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
74 words
A device for mapping the topography of an object according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that said segmentally focusing means comprises a charge-coupled device and a lens array having a plurality of cylindrical lenses positioned to collectively receive said reflected wave front and individually focus the light incident on each of said cylindrical lenses onto said charge-coupled device to create a pattern on said charge-coupled device indicative of said topography.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
A device for mapping the topography of an object according to claim 8 characterised in that said lens array comprises a first layer having a plurality of juxtaposed cylindrical lenses and a second layer having a plurality of juxtaposed cylindrical lenses, said first layer being adjacent said second layer with said respective cylindrical lenses substantially mutually perpendicular.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
72 words
A device for mapping the topography of an object according to claim 8 characterised by further comprising a polarized beam splitter for directing said reflected wave front toward said lens array and a quarter wave plate, said polarized beam splitter being positioned on said beam between said objective lens and beam generating means and said quarter wave plate being positioned on said beam between said objective lens and said polarized beam splitter.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for mapping the topography of an object characterised in that it comprises the steps of: generating a beam of collimated monochromatic light characterised by having a directed wave front of predetermined curvature; directing light of said beam toward said object; receiving light of said beam reflected by said object, said reflected light being characterized by a reflected wave front indicative of said topography; and segmentally focusing said reflected wave front to detect deviations of said reflected wave front from said directed wave front to map said topography.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method for mapping the topography of an object according to claim 12 characterised in that it further comprises the step of converting said directed wave front into a converging spherical wave front for incidence on said object.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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