US5539971A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of manufacturing an endoscope
Assignee: United States Surgical Corp
•
Filing: 1993-09-13
•
Granted: 1996-07-30
•
Expires: 2013-09-13
Abstract
Abstract An optical system to be incorporated in endoscopic instrumentation is provided. The optical system includes objective lens, relay lens and eye lens assemblies. The relay lens assembly includes at least one relay lens module for transferring an image between successive image planes. The relay lens module consists of two identical optical components in symmetrical arrangement relative to a center plane of symmetry. Each optical component includes a single curved lens and a doublet lens. In a preferred embodiment, the single and doublet lenses are thin lenses and are fabricated from polymeric materials. An illumination system is also provided and preferably includes a plurality of small diameter polymeric fibers in cooperation with a heat absorbing filter means.
Inventors
- 👤 Eugene J. Kelly
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:24
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B1/00; A61B1/00064; A61B1/0011; A61B1/002; B; B29; B29C; B29C45/00; B29C45/0053; B29D; B29D11/00; B29D11/00009; G; G02; G02B; G02B23/00; G02B23/24; G02B23/2407; B29C2045/0079; B29C2045/0086; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/753; B29L2031/7546; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49799; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49885
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for manufacturing and assembling an optical system for a rigid endoscope comprising the steps of: injecting a liquified polymeric material into a lens mold configuration including a plurality of lens mold compartments and a spine compartment interconnecting the lens mold compartments to form a molded spine having a plurality of aligned molded lenses integrally connected to the molded spine; transferring the molded spine and molded lenses to a coating process and mounting the molded spine within a coating retainer; coating the molded lenses with an anti-reflection coating; removing the molded spine with the molded lenses from the coating retainer and transferring the molded spine and molded lenses to an assembly process; mounting the molded spine within an assembly retainer; and assembling the molded lenses in an endoscopic tube and detaching the molded spine from the molded lenses.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for manufacturing and assembling an optical system for a rigid endoscope comprising the steps of: injecting a liquified polymeric material into a lens mold configuration including a plurality of lens mold compartments and a spine compartment interconnecting the lens mold compartments to form a molded spine having a plurality of aligned molded lenses integrally connected to the molded spine; transferring the molded spine and molded lenses to a coating process and mounting the molded spine within a coating retainer; coating the molded lenses with an anti-reflection coating; removing the molded spine with the molded lenses from the coating retainer and transferring the molded spine and molded lenses to an assembly process; mounting the molded spine within an assembly retainer; and assembling the molded lenses in an endoscopic tube and detaching the molded spine from the molded lenses.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for manufacturing and assembling an optical system for a rigid endoscope, comprising the steps of: providing a lens mold configuration including a plurality of axially aligned lens mold compartments and a spine compartment interconnecting the lens mold compartments; injecting a liquified polymeric material into the lens mold configuration to form a plurality of molded lenses aligned along an optical axis and a molded spine interconnecting the molded lenses; transferring the molded spine and connected molded lenses to an assembly process; and assembling the molded lenses in an endoscopic tube and detaching the molded spine from the molded lenses.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for manufacturing and assembling an optical system for a rigid endoscope, comprising the steps of: providing a lens mold configuration including a plurality of axially aligned lens mold compartments and a spine compartment interconnecting the lens mold compartments; injecting a liquified polymeric material into the lens mold configuration to form a plurality of molded lenses aligned along an optical axis and a molded spine interconnecting the molded lenses; transferring the molded spine and connected molded lenses to an assembly process; and assembling the molded lenses in an endoscopic tube and detaching the molded spine from the molded lenses.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing includes providing the lens mold configuration having a plurality of identical lens mold compartments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the step of injecting includes injecting a liquified polymeric material into the lens mold configuration to form a molded spine having a plurality of identical lenses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing includes providing a lens mold configuration having a plurality of lens mold compartments wherein the lens mold compartments are configured and arranged to form a relay lens module consisting of, in succession, a first single curved lens, a first doublet lens, a second doublet lens and a second curved lens.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the step of injecting includes injecting the polymeric material into the lens mold configuration to form the molded spine having the relay lens module attached thereto, the relay lens module consisting of, in succession, a first single curved lens, a first doublet lens, a second doublet lens and a second curved lens.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of injecting includes injecting a liquified polymeric material selected from the group consisting of acrylics, polystyrenes, polycarbonates, and styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) copolymers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of injecting a liquified polymer is succeeded by a step of coating the lenses attached to the molded spine with an anti-reflection coating.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the step of coating the lenses includes mounting the molded spine within a coating retainer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of assembling the lenses includes the step of mounting the molded spine within an assembly retainer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of injecting includes injecting a liquified polymeric material into the lens mold configuration to form a molded spine having a plurality of aligned molded lenses, each molded lens integrally connected along an outer peripheral surface portion to the molded spine.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of injecting includes injecting a liquified polymeric material into the lens mold configuration to form a molded spine having a plurality of molded lenses, each molded lens integrally connected along an outer peripheral surface portion to the molded spine.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3257902A
Cited
US3089484A
Cited
US3297022A
Cited
US3556085A
Cited
US4025155A
Cited
US4036218A
Cited
US4168882A
Cited
SU544422A1
Cited
SU683721A1
Cited
SU686725A1
Cited
US4148550A
Cited
US4148551A
Cited
US4300812A
Cited
US4273110A
Cited
US4385810A
Cited
US4267828A
Cited
US4354730A
Cited
US4664486A
Cited
US4704007A
Cited
US4575195A
Cited
US4545652A
Cited
US4693568A
Cited
US4676606A
Cited
US4723843A
Cited
US5005960A
Cited
US4784118A
Cited
DE3838168A1
Cited
US4993817A
Cited
US4946267A
Cited
US5020893A
Cited
US4919112A
Cited
US4919112B1
Cited
US4964710A
Cited
US4964710B1
Cited
DE3926714A1
Cited
US5188092A
Cited
US5159753A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-07-30 | 2000-01-29 | 2000-07-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-07-30 | 2004-01-29 | 2004-07-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-07-30 | 2008-01-29 | 2008-07-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |