US3915564A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Retinal image-display system
Assignee: Carl Zeiss AG
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Filing: 1974-09-12
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Granted: 1975-10-28
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Expires: 1994-09-12
Abstract
Abstract The invention contemplates a fundus or the like camera wherein the same incandescent-lamp source may serve to suitably illuminate a retinal field for visual viewing and for video viewing, the arrangement being such that video viewing at substantially elevated field-illuminated level is automatically achieved from the same lamp source, upon selective displacement of a simple element which determines whether the viewing is to be visual or through video techniques.
Inventors
- 👤 Julius C Urban
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:02
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B3/00; A61B3/10; A61B3/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
228 words
In an opthamological camera, a housing containing optical elements establishing illuminating and viewing axes at least one of which axes is in part folded for coincidence with a part of the other axis, objective-lens means on the coincident portions of said axes, illuminating means including an incandescent lamp, a visual-viewing device and a video-viewing device mounted to said housing; means including a first reflecting-surface element mounted in said housing for reflectively directing light from said lamp along said illuminating axis, said reflecting-surface element having a plane reflecting surface characterized by a first area of a lesser reflectance and a second area of a greater reflectance, and Said reflecting-surface element being selectively positionable to selectively utilize one to the substantial exclusion of the other of said areas to direct lamp light along said illuminating axis; means including a second reflecting-surface element movably mounted in said housing for selectively bringing one to the substantial exclusion of the other of said viewing devices into responsive positioning on said viewing axis; and coupling means so coodinating the selective movements of said first and second reflecting-surface elements that (a) said visual-viewing device is responsive to the field of said objective-lens means for the lesser-reflectance positioning of said first reflecting-surface element, and (b) said videoviewing device is responsive to the field of said objective-lens means for the greater-reflectance positioning of said first reflecting-surface element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
228 words
In an opthamological camera, a housing containing optical elements establishing illuminating and viewing axes at least one of which axes is in part folded for coincidence with a part of the other axis, objective-lens means on the coincident portions of said axes, illuminating means including an incandescent lamp, a visual-viewing device and a video-viewing device mounted to said housing; means including a first reflecting-surface element mounted in said housing for reflectively directing light from said lamp along said illuminating axis, said reflecting-surface element having a plane reflecting surface characterized by a first area of a lesser reflectance and a second area of a greater reflectance, and Said reflecting-surface element being selectively positionable to selectively utilize one to the substantial exclusion of the other of said areas to direct lamp light along said illuminating axis; means including a second reflecting-surface element movably mounted in said housing for selectively bringing one to the substantial exclusion of the other of said viewing devices into responsive positioning on said viewing axis; and coupling means so coodinating the selective movements of said first and second reflecting-surface elements that (a) said visual-viewing device is responsive to the field of said objective-lens means for the lesser-reflectance positioning of said first reflecting-surface element, and (b) said videoviewing device is responsive to the field of said objective-lens means for the greater-reflectance positioning of said first reflecting-surface element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The camera of claim 1, in which said illuminating means includes an intensity-varying control for said lamp, said coupling means including an operative connection to said control such that a lesser intensity is operative for the lesser-reflectance positioning of said first reflecting-surface element and that a greater intensity is operative for the greater-reflectance positioning thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The camera of claim 2, in which said control is part of regulated power-supply means for said lamp.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The camera of claim 1, in which said video-viewing means includes video-recording means, said coupling means including an operative connection to said video-recording means, for the video-viewing condition of said reflecting-surface elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The camera of claim 1, in which filter insertion-retraction means is carried by said housing at a portion of the illumination axis between said lamp and the location of coincidence with the viewing axis, said insertion-retraction means including an operative connection to said control such that filter-insertion condition prevails on said illumination axis for the greater-reflectance positioning of said first reflecting-surface element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The camera of claim 1, in which said housing includes a detachable-connection formation for selective application of a photographic camera, said video-viewing device being detachably connected to said housing at said formation, and flash-tube means on said illumination axis when said first reflecting-surface element is positioned to utilize the lesser-reflectance area for directing incandescent-lamp light along said illuminating axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
The camera of claim 6, in which said detachable-connection formation comprises a plate having two openings, and guide means coacting between said plate and housing for accommodating selective positioning of one to the exclusion of the other of said openings in an operative alignment with the viewing axis, said video-viewing device being connected to said plate for viewing through one of said openings, and camera-mounting at the other of said openings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The camera of claim 7, in which said coupling means includes interlock means coacting between said slide and frame in the video-viewing position of said slide, said interlock means being so connected to said video-viewing device that the latter is effectively disabled unless in said video-viewing position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The camera of claim 7, in which said coupling means includes interlock means coacting between said slide and frame in the camera-viewing position of said slide, said interlock means being so connected to said flash-lamp means that the latter is effectively disabled unless said slide is in said camera-viewing position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
The camera of claim 1, in which said first reflecting-surface element is part of a unit-handling subassembly comprising a frame with means for detachably securing the same to said housing, said plane reflecting surface being part of a slide having guided coaction with said frame along an axis transverse to the geometric plane defined by the axis of incandescent-lamp light incident upon and reflected by said plaNe reflecting surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The camera of claim 10, and including externally accessible means for operatively positioning said slide in a selected one of said positions of lesser and greater reflectance.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The camera of claim 10, in which said plane reflecting surface is defined on one side of a single glass plate, said plate being mirror-coated only for effectively said greater-reflectance.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
70 words
The camera of claim 12, in which said frame has an aperture aligned with the axis of incandescent-lamp light reflected by said plane reflecting surface, and flash-lamp means on the alignment of the aperture and said last-mentioned axis, whereby in the lesser-reflectance positioning of said slide, said flash-lamp means may be operative to illuminate the field of said objective-lens means, without interfering with otherwise normal incandescent-lamp illumination of the field.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
230 words
In an opthalmological camera, a housing containing optical elements establishing illuminating and viewing axes at least one of which axes is in part folded for coincidence with a part of the other axis, objective-lens means on the coincident portions of said axes, illuminating means including an incandescent lamp, a visual-viewing device and a video-viewing device mounted to said housing; means including a first reflecting-surface element mounted in said housing for reflectively directing light from said lamp along said illuminating axis, said reflecting-surface element having a plane reflecting surface characterized by a first area of a lesser reflectance and a second area of a greater reflectance, and said reflecting-surface element being selectively positionable to selectively utilize one to the substantial exclusion of the other of said areas to direct lamp light along said illuminating axis; and means including a second reflecting-surface element movably mounted in said housing for selectively bringing one to the substantial exclusion of the other of said viewing devices into responsive positioning on said viewing axis; whereby in a first selective placement of said first and second reflecting-surface elements said visual-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens means for the lesser-reflectance positioning of said first reflecting-surface element, and said video-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens means for the greater-reflectance positioning of said first reflecting-surface element.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
230 words
In an opthalmological camera, a housing containing optical elements establishing illuminating and viewing axes at least one of which axes is in part folded for coincidence with a part of the other axis, objective-lens means on the coincident portions of said axes, illuminating means including an incandescent lamp, a visual-viewing device and a video-viewing device mounted to said housing; means including a first reflecting-surface element mounted in said housing for reflectively directing light from said lamp along said illuminating axis, said reflecting-surface element having a plane reflecting surface characterized by a first area of a lesser reflectance and a second area of a greater reflectance, and said reflecting-surface element being selectively positionable to selectively utilize one to the substantial exclusion of the other of said areas to direct lamp light along said illuminating axis; and means including a second reflecting-surface element movably mounted in said housing for selectively bringing one to the substantial exclusion of the other of said viewing devices into responsive positioning on said viewing axis; whereby in a first selective placement of said first and second reflecting-surface elements said visual-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens means for the lesser-reflectance positioning of said first reflecting-surface element, and said video-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens means for the greater-reflectance positioning of said first reflecting-surface element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
220 words
In an opthalmological camera, a housing containing optical elements establishing illumination and viewing axes at least one of which is in part folded for coincidence with a part of the other axis, objective-lens means on the coincident portions of said axes, illuminating means including an incandescent lamp, a visual-viewing device and a video-viewing device mounted to said housing; means including a first movable glass element so mounted in said housing with respect to said incandescent lamp and with respect to the illumination axis that in a first position thereof substantially full intensity of light from said lamp is directed along the illumination axis and that in a second position thereof substantially reduced intensity of light from said lamp is directed along the illumination axis; and means including a second movable element mounted in said housing for selectively bringing one to the substantial exclusion of the other of said viewing devices into responsive positioning on said viewing axis; whereby in a first selective placement of said first and second movable elements said visual-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens means for the lesser-intensity positioning of said first movable element, and said video-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens means for the substantial full-intensity positioning of said first movable element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
220 words
In an opthalmological camera, a housing containing optical elements establishing illumination and viewing axes at least one of which is in part folded for coincidence with a part of the other axis, objective-lens means on the coincident portions of said axes, illuminating means including an incandescent lamp, a visual-viewing device and a video-viewing device mounted to said housing; means including a first movable glass element so mounted in said housing with respect to said incandescent lamp and with respect to the illumination axis that in a first position thereof substantially full intensity of light from said lamp is directed along the illumination axis and that in a second position thereof substantially reduced intensity of light from said lamp is directed along the illumination axis; and means including a second movable element mounted in said housing for selectively bringing one to the substantial exclusion of the other of said viewing devices into responsive positioning on said viewing axis; whereby in a first selective placement of said first and second movable elements said visual-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens means for the lesser-intensity positioning of said first movable element, and said video-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens means for the substantial full-intensity positioning of said first movable element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
220 words
As an article of manufacture for selective fixed internal application to the housing of an opthalmological camera as the unit-handling subassembly replacement of a reflector used to direct light from an incandescent source within the camera and along the field-illumination axis of the camera, said article comprising a frame with means for detachably securing the same to said housing, a reflecting surface element having a plane reflecting surface characterized by a first area of a lesser reflectance and by an offset second area of a greater reflectance, said reflecting surface element being part of a slide having guided coaction with said frame along an axis parallel to said reflecting surface and in the direction in which said areas are offset from each other, said frame having an aperture in register (a) with at least a part of one of said areas to the exclusion of the other of said areas when said element is in a first guided position and (b) with at least a part of the other of said areas to the exclusion of said one area when said element is in a second guided position, and means externally projecting with respect to said frame for selectably controlling the guided placement of said plane reflecting surface with respect to said frame one to the other of said positions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
220 words
As an article of manufacture for selective fixed internal application to the housing of an opthalmological camera as the unit-handling subassembly replacement of a reflector used to direct light from an incandescent source within the camera and along the field-illumination axis of the camera, said article comprising a frame with means for detachably securing the same to said housing, a reflecting surface element having a plane reflecting surface characterized by a first area of a lesser reflectance and by an offset second area of a greater reflectance, said reflecting surface element being part of a slide having guided coaction with said frame along an axis parallel to said reflecting surface and in the direction in which said areas are offset from each other, said frame having an aperture in register (a) with at least a part of one of said areas to the exclusion of the other of said areas when said element is in a first guided position and (b) with at least a part of the other of said areas to the exclusion of said one area when said element is in a second guided position, and means externally projecting with respect to said frame for selectably controlling the guided placement of said plane reflecting surface with respect to said frame one to the other of said positions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
207 words
In an opthalmological camera, a housing containing optical elements establishing illumination and viewing axes at least one of which is in part folded for coincidence with a part of the other axis, objective-lens means on the coincident portions of said axes, illuminating means including an incandescent lamp, a visual-viewing device and a video-viewing device mounted to said housing; means including a first glass element so mounted in said housing with respect to said incandescent lamp and with respect to the illumination axis that in a first position thereof substantially full intensity of light from said lamp is directed along the illumination axis and that in a second position thereof substantially reduced intensity of light from said lamp is directed along the illumination axis; and means including a second glass element mounted in said housing for bringing said viewing devices into responsive positioning on said viewing axis; whereby in a first selective relative placement of said first and second elements said visual-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens for the lesser-intensity positioning of said first movable element, and said video-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens means for the substantial full-intensity positioning of said first element.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
207 words
In an opthalmological camera, a housing containing optical elements establishing illumination and viewing axes at least one of which is in part folded for coincidence with a part of the other axis, objective-lens means on the coincident portions of said axes, illuminating means including an incandescent lamp, a visual-viewing device and a video-viewing device mounted to said housing; means including a first glass element so mounted in said housing with respect to said incandescent lamp and with respect to the illumination axis that in a first position thereof substantially full intensity of light from said lamp is directed along the illumination axis and that in a second position thereof substantially reduced intensity of light from said lamp is directed along the illumination axis; and means including a second glass element mounted in said housing for bringing said viewing devices into responsive positioning on said viewing axis; whereby in a first selective relative placement of said first and second elements said visual-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens for the lesser-intensity positioning of said first movable element, and said video-viewing device may be caused to respond to the field of said objective-lens means for the substantial full-intensity positioning of said first element.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
The camera of claim 17, in which said second glass element is a beam-splitting device, oriented to divide light incoming on said viewing axis into a first path to said visual-viewing device and into a second path to said video-viewing device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
The camera of claim 18, in which the beam-splitting device is a beam-splitting prism, dividing light into said first and second paths in a proportion in which said second path receives the preponderant fraction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
The camera of claim 17, in which said second glass element is movable between (a) a first position favoring direction of incoming light to said visual-viewing device and (b) a second position favoring direction of incoming light to said video-viewing device.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3533342A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-10-27 | 1979-04-28 | 1979-10-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-27 | 1983-04-28 | 1983-10-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-27 | 1987-04-28 | 1987-10-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |