Fiberoptic endoscope

Claim 1

An optical system for transmitting optical images from an object plane to a final image plane, said optical system haivng a mechanical axis, said system focussing light on an image plane, the object plane of said system being at an angle with respect to said axis, said optical system comprising a first light relaying system, a fiber optic assembly, and a second light relaying system all being disposed in optical alignment, the fiber optic assembly being configured so as to provide identical formations at its opposite optically polished planar entrance and exit ends, said first light relaying system comprising means positioned to focus light rays from said object plane on the entrance end of said fiber optical assembly and also comprising first light dispersing means, said first light dispersing means being position in such fixed space relation to said entrance end as to disperse the component wavelengths of said light rays from each different object point into a spectrum of colors in a transverse direction at said entrance end and with each spectrum of such size as to have the component wavelenghts thereof impinge upon at least several adjacent light conducting components, said first light dispersing means comprising a first prism constructed of first and second prism portions said portions being fixed together, the surfaces of said portions dispersing said light and directing said light to said entrance end through two reflection paths, said portions having similar refractive characteristics and dissimilar dispersion characteristics, said second light relaying system comprising lens means focussed upon the exit end of said fiber optical assembly and arranged to form an image of light rays transmitted thereby at said final image plane and light dispersing means so disposed in fixed spaced relation relative to the exit end of said assembly and so oriented relative thereto as to disperse the light rays received from such assembly in such a manner as to recombine said component wavelengths and form an image in full color contrast at said final image plane.