US4862199A — Adjustable adapter for borescope and film/video c…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 129 words

An adapter for coupling a borescope or the like to a camera, comprising: an adapter housing having a first end and a second end; means for attaching the first end of the adapter housing to the borescope whereby a real image detected by the borescope is provided to the adapter; means for attaching the second end of the adapter housing to the camera whereby the real image is directed by the adapter to a camera aperture; a multi-element relay lens assembly within the housing having at least two optical pieces for directing the real image viewed by the borescope to the camera; and means for adjusting the longitudinal positioning of the relay lens assembly within the housing, the adjusting means providing a focus control for the relay lens assembly.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 129 words

An adapter for coupling a borescope or the like to a camera, comprising: an adapter housing having a first end and a second end; means for attaching the first end of the adapter housing to the borescope whereby a real image detected by the borescope is provided to the adapter; means for attaching the second end of the adapter housing to the camera whereby the real image is directed by the adapter to a camera aperture; a multi-element relay lens assembly within the housing having at least two optical pieces for directing the real image viewed by the borescope to the camera; and means for adjusting the longitudinal positioning of the relay lens assembly within the housing, the adjusting means providing a focus control for the relay lens assembly.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 142 words

An adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for attaching the first end of the adapter housing to the borescope comprises a scope mounting disk having a threaded aperture for receiving a threaded end of the borescope, the threaded end of the borescope having been exposed by removal of borescope eyepiece optics, the scope mounting disk further having a threaded periphery and providing a pilot pin, wherein the mounting disk is secured to the adapter housing by threaded engagement of its periphery with a threaded locking ring located at the first end of the housing, the first end having a plurality of holes therein whereby selective orientation of the mounting disk and the borescope with respect to the adapter housing is achieved by alignment and engagement of the pilot pin with a selected one of the plurality of holes.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

An adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for attaching the second end of the adapter housing to the camera comprises an interchangeable coupling ring having opposite threaded ends for threaded engagement with the second end of the adapter housing and with the camera, respectively.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

An adapter as set forth in claim 3, wherein the second end of the adapter housing provides a pilot pin which can be selectively aligned with a plurality of small apertures provided about the camera aperture.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 27 words

An adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for adjusting the longitudinal positioning of the relay lens assembly includes a rotatable focus control ring.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 45 words

An adapter as set forth in claim 1, including a filter slot situated between the relay lens assembly and the second end, wherein auxiliary lenses or optical filters can be inserted within the adapter housing without uncoupling the borescope or the camera from the adapter.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 15 words

An adapter as set forth in claim 6, wherein the filter slot is generally semi-circular.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 97 words

A coupled borescope and camera assembly, comprising: a borescope having its eyepiece optics removed; a camera having its lens removed to expose a camera aperture; and an adapter for coupling the borescope and the camera together, the adapter including: an adapter housing; means for attaching the adapter housing to the borescope at a first end of the housing; means for attaching the adapter housing to the camera at a second end of the housing; optical means within the housing for directing real images viewed by the borescope to the camera; and means for focusing the optical means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 97 words

A coupled borescope and camera assembly, comprising: a borescope having its eyepiece optics removed; a camera having its lens removed to expose a camera aperture; and an adapter for coupling the borescope and the camera together, the adapter including: an adapter housing; means for attaching the adapter housing to the borescope at a first end of the housing; means for attaching the adapter housing to the camera at a second end of the housing; optical means within the housing for directing real images viewed by the borescope to the camera; and means for focusing the optical means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 24 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 8, wherein the optical means includes a multi-element relay lens assembly having at least two optical pieces.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 9, wherein the focusing means adjusts the longitudinal positioning of the multi-element relay lens assembly within the adapter housing.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 8, including means for inserting an optical filter between the borescope and the camera.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein the means for inserting an optical filter allows for the insertion of an optical filter into the adapter while the borescope and the camera remain coupled together.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 24 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein the means for inserting an optical filter comprises a filter slot within the adapter housing.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 15 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 13, wherein the filter slot is generally semi-circular.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 8, wherein the adapter provides means for selectively orienting the borescope with respect to the camera.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 138 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 15, wherein the means for attaching the adapter housing to the borescope comprises a scope mounting disk which includes a threaded aperture for receiving a threaded end of the borescope, the threaded end of the borescope having been exposed by removal of the eyepiece optics, the mounting disk having a threaded periphery and providing a pilot pin wherein the mounting disk is secured to the adapter housing by threaded engagement of its periphery with a threaded locking ring located at the first end of the adapter housing, the first end having a plurality of holes therein whereby selective orientation of the mounting disk and the borescope with respect to the adapter housing is achieved by alignment and engagement of the pilot pin with a selected one of the plurality of holes.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 33 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein the mounting disk is usable with a wide variety of sizes and types of optical scopes and wherein the pilot pin is spring biased.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 75 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 15, wherein the means for attaching the adapter housing to the camera at the second end of the housing includes an interchangeable coupling ring having a threaded portion for engaging the second end of the adapter housing and the camera, wherein the second end of the adapter housing provides a pilot pin which can be selectively aligned with a plurality of small apertures provided about the camera aperture.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 95 words

A method for coupling a borescope or the like to a camera, the steps comprising: providing a borescope having its eyepiece optics removed so that a real image is detectable through the borescope; providing a camera having its lens removed to expose a camera aperture; coupling the borescope to a first end of an adapter having optical means for focusing the real image from the borescope through the adapter; and coupling the camera to a second end of the adapter so that the real image can be focused through the adapter into the camera aperture.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 95 words

A method for coupling a borescope or the like to a camera, the steps comprising: providing a borescope having its eyepiece optics removed so that a real image is detectable through the borescope; providing a camera having its lens removed to expose a camera aperture; coupling the borescope to a first end of an adapter having optical means for focusing the real image from the borescope through the adapter; and coupling the camera to a second end of the adapter so that the real image can be focused through the adapter into the camera aperture.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method as set forth in claim 19, including the step of focusing the real image from the borescope through the optical means by longitudinally translating a multi-element relay lens assembly within the adapter.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 48 words

A method as set forth in claim 19, including the step of selecting a desired angular orientation between the borescope and adapter, and fixing the borescope and the adapter in the selected angular orientation during the step of coupling the borescope to the first end of the adapter.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 48 words

A method as set forth in claim 21, including the step of selecting a desired angular orientation between the camera and adapter, and fixing the camera and the adapter in the selected angular orientation during the step of coupling the camera to the second end of the adapter.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as set forth in claim 19, including the step of inserting an optical filter between the borescope and the camera without uncoupling the adapter.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-08-28	1993-02-27	1993-08-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-08-28	1997-02-27	1997-08-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-08-28	2001-02-27	2001-08-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Adjustable adapter for borescope and film/video camera

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