EP0016145A1 - Instrument d'examen optique - Google Patents

Instrument d'examen optique

Info

Publication number
EP0016145A1
EP0016145A1 EP19790900867 EP79900867A EP0016145A1 EP 0016145 A1 EP0016145 A1 EP 0016145A1 EP 19790900867 EP19790900867 EP 19790900867 EP 79900867 A EP79900867 A EP 79900867A EP 0016145 A1 EP0016145 A1 EP 0016145A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
housing
instrument
mirror
bulb
instrument according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19790900867
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Robert Thornton
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
THORNTON JUNE
Original Assignee
THORNTON JUNE
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by THORNTON JUNE filed Critical THORNTON JUNE
Publication of EP0016145A1 publication Critical patent/EP0016145A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
    • A61B1/24—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor for the mouth, i.e. stomatoscopes, e.g. with tongue depressors; Instruments for opening or keeping open the mouth
    • A61B1/247—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor for the mouth, i.e. stomatoscopes, e.g. with tongue depressors; Instruments for opening or keeping open the mouth with means for viewing areas outside the direct line of sight, e.g. dentists' mirrors
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
    • A61B1/06—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements
    • A61B1/0615—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements for radial illumination
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
    • A61B1/06—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements
    • A61B1/0661—Endoscope light sources
    • A61B1/0676—Endoscope light sources at distal tip of an endoscope

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an optical inspection instrument comprising a housing, a mirror mounted on the housing, and illumination means provided on the instrument for illuminating an object to be inspected by the instrument.
  • optical inspection instruments of the above type for dental use having a light source which emits light to illuminate an " . object, which light first undergoes reflection from the surface of the mirror before passing to the object. The illuminated object is then viewed by an observer by further reflection ⁇ & ⁇ the surface of the mirror. Since the surface of the mirror is already illuminated directly by the light source, the viewing of the illuminated object via the mirror takes place against an illuminated background which adversely affects the quality of the image received by the observer. It is also known, for medical and dental use, to provide an optical inspection instrument (in the form of a small handpiece) which has a reflecting mirror which transmits the image of an illuminated object e.g. a decayed tooth to an observer.
  • an optical inspection instrument comprising an elongate housing, a mirror mounted obliquely relative to the axis • of the housing for reflecting the image of an illuminated object to an observer who is holding the instrument, and illumination means provided on the instrument to illuminate an object to be inspected, characterised in that said illumination means is arranged on the instrument so. as to emit light transversely of the axis of the housing to illuminate an object directly without the light first undergoing reflection from the surface of the mirror.
  • the optical inspection instrument of the invention may be used to inspect parts of machinery which otherwise have to be dis-assembled to enable a proper inspection to be carried out.
  • the length of the housing will be "selected according to the required depth of insertion of the instrument into a piece of machinery.
  • the instrument is also useful in the medical field, in dentistry, and has veterinary and industrial u
  • the illumination means is formed as a unit which is removably mounted in the housing.
  • the unit may comprise a power pack, and a bulb assembly detachably connected to the power pack.
  • the power pack comprises a casing in which a storage battery can be received
  • the bulb assembly comprises a metal sleeve detachably connected at one end to the casing and provided at its opposite., end with a- socket to receive a bulb.
  • the illumination means is mounted in the elongate housing, the bulb is located substantially in registry with a light outlet formed in the wall of the elongate housing, the light outlet being located near, or
  • OMPI closely adjacent to the mirror.
  • a transparent protective sleeve e.g. a small piece of glass tube, is mounted over the bulb and the metal sleeve in which the bulb is mounted.
  • the mirror and the light outlet are arranged at or near one end of the elongate housing of the instrument, and a switch arrangement is provided within the housing which is operable by a portion of the casing which projects from the opposite end of the housing.
  • At least parts thereof should be made of material suitable to render the instrument readily sterilisable. Therefore, at least the housing and the dental mirror should be made of sterilisable materials. Also, preferably at least part of the instrument is waterproof.
  • Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the mode of use of the instrument.
  • Figure 2 is a side view of a housing part of the instrument ;
  • Figure 3 is a diagrammatic and exploded view of illumination means and an electrical power pack which is removably mountable in the housing o.f Figure 2;
  • Figure 4 is a detail view of the illumination means.
  • the optical inspection instrument is designated generally by reference numeral 10 and comprises an elongate housing 11, a reflecting mirror 12 mounted obliquely relative .to the axis of the housing 11 for reflecting the image of an illuminated object 13 to an observer who is holding the instrument.
  • Illumination means is arranged at the end of the housin 11 adjacent to the mirror 12 so as to emit light rays 14 transversely of the axis of the housing 1 to illuminate the object 13 directly without the light first undergoing reflection from the surface of the mirror 12, Accordingly, the surface of the mirror 12 wil be relatively "dark" to the eye of the observer, so tha the image of -the illuminated object which is reflected by the surface of the mirror 12 will be seen clearly by the observer.
  • Figure 2 of the drawings there is shown the housing 11 and the mirror 12 which i constructed in the manner of a dental mirror and is removably mounted on an inclined end portion 15 of the housing 11.
  • a cut-out 16 is provided at the end of the housing 11 adjacent the mirror 12, and illumination mea 17 is located within the confines of the cut-out 16.
  • the edge defining the cut-out 16 is formed in such a wa that light rays emitted by the illumination means 17 ex generally transversely of the axis of the housing 11 an - ⁇ light rays, or no appreciable quantity of light impinges on the surface of the mirror 12.
  • the illumination means 17 comprises the he-ad a bulb which is provided at one end of a metal sleeve 1 which is shown diagrammatically in Figure 2 making electrical contact with. a contact element 19.
  • the natu of the contact between the sleeve 18 and the contact element 19 is shown in more detail in Figure 3.
  • a transparent protective sleeve 20 is housed removably within end of the housing 11 and serves to protect the illumination means.
  • the sleeve 20 will protect the bulb from being biten by a patient.
  • the sleeve enables the housing to be sterilised without the necessity to remov the illumination means.
  • the instrument is provided with its own built in power pack to supply electrical power to the bulb' . and this is formed as a unit which is removably mounted in the housing 11.
  • the power pack comprises a casing
  • OMPI 21 having an external thread 22 which is engageable with an internal thread 23 provided at the end of the housing 11 remote from the mirror 12.
  • the casing 21 is illustrated in Figure 3 accommodating a pair of dry cell batteries 24, and these may comprise any suitable commercially available batteries, or may comprise re ⁇ chargeable batteries if required.
  • a switch assembly 25 is removably mounted in the free end of the casing 21 and has an external screw-thread 26 which is received by an internal screw thread 27 provided in the end of the casing 21.
  • the switch assembly 25 has a spring loaded contact 28 which makes firm contact with the end of the adjacent one of the batteries 24 as the assembly 25 is rotated. This maintains a strong electrical contact between the batteries 24 and the switch assembly 25 even before the metal sleeve 18 makes electrical contact with the switch assembly 25.
  • the switch assembly 25 also has a projecting sleeve 29 which is internally threaded at 30 to receive the threaded end 31 of the metal sleeve 18.
  • the sleeve 18 makes electrical contact with the switch assembly 25 by an end contact 32 which engages a projecting contact 33 of the switch assembly 35.
  • An insulating spacer 34 separates the contact element 19 from the main body of the switch assembly 25.
  • a stepped insulating bush 36 is located between the contact element 19 and the sleeve 20, and surrounds the sleeve 29 (and the sleeve 18 housed within the sleeve 29).
  • Compression spring 37 is located between the bush 36 and the contact element 19, and surrounds the sleeve 29 and urges the bush 36 and the sleeve 20 to the left, as seen in Figure 4.
  • the purpose of the compression spring 37 is to locate the protecting sleeve 20 within the end of the housing 11 without any play, so that no rattling takes place. Also, the compression spring 37 provides a certain amount of "feel" during the final manipulation of the casing 21 within the housing 11 when the sleeve 20 is pressed towards the end of the housing 11. It will be appreciated that the on-off switching action will take place by the final manipulatory movements of the casing 21 so that the contact element 19 moves towards or away from the annular shoulder 35 of the sleeve 11.
  • the purpose of the insulated bush 36 apart from transmitting thrust between the spring 37 and the sleeve 20, is to prevent premature completion of the electrical circuit as the powerpack enters the housing 11, which might otherwise occur due to electrical contact taking place between the sleeve 18 and the annular shoulder 35 or any other part ' of the housing 11.
  • an O-ring In order to prevent the penetration of moisture into the electrical parts of the instrument, an O-ring
  • sleeve 38 is located on the sleeve 18 (see Figs.3 and 4) and is positioned between the adjacent ends of the sleeve 20 and the insulated bush 36.
  • optical inspection instrument described above with reference to the drawings is particularly suitable for use as a dental inspection instrument, but . . may also be used, or adapted for use in general medicine. Similarly, the instrument may be used, or adapted for use, in other fields, such as the inspection of machinery.
  • the powerpack which is shown generally in Figures 3 and 4, may be of standard design, whereas different lengths of housing 11 may be provided to suit different uses. Thus, the length of the housing will be increased when a greater depth of insertion of the instrument into a piece of machinery is required.
  • an optical inspection instrument which provides satisfactory viewing of an illuminated object, and improved over the known constructions, without the necessity to provide a separate light source.
  • the instrument may have veterinary use, or use in industry generally for inspection or examination purposes.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Surgery (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Medical Informatics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
  • Biophysics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Dentistry (AREA)
  • Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
  • Dental Tools And Instruments Or Auxiliary Dental Instruments (AREA)
  • Endoscopes (AREA)

Abstract

Un instrument d'examen optique comprend un corps (11), un miroir (12) monte obliquement par rapport a l'axe du corps (11) pour reflechir l'image d'un objet illumine (13) vers un observateur qui tient l'instrument, et un bulbe lumineux (17) adjacent a une coupe (16) dans la paroi du corps (11) de maniere a emettre une lumiere transversalement a l'axe du corps (11) pour illuminer l'objet (13) directement sans que la lumiere ne soit d'abord reflechie par la surface du miroir (12). L'instrument peut etre utilise en medecine ou en medecine dentaire, ou peut avoir une utilisation veterinaire ou peut etre utilise dans l'industrie en general a des fins de controle ou d'inspection.
EP19790900867 1978-08-09 1980-03-11 Instrument d'examen optique Withdrawn EP0016145A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB3276078 1978-08-09
GB7832760 1978-08-09
GB7906335 1979-02-22
GB7906335 1979-02-22

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0016145A1 true EP0016145A1 (fr) 1980-10-01

Family

ID=26268490

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19790900867 Withdrawn EP0016145A1 (fr) 1978-08-09 1980-03-11 Instrument d'examen optique

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0016145A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1980000300A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2266666B (en) * 1992-05-01 1996-03-27 Atoz Dental inspection device
JP3040388U (ja) * 1996-11-11 1997-08-19 ▲ひろ▼志 田中 照明装置付歯鏡
GB2340618A (en) * 1998-07-22 2000-02-23 Gee Dental mirror
EP1117325A1 (fr) * 1998-10-01 2001-07-25 Reipur Technology A/S Dispositif permettant l'examen d'un patient a l'aide d'une lumiere
US6702577B2 (en) * 2002-05-01 2004-03-09 Carl Parker Associates, Inc. Dental or surgical illuminated mirror
CN104720741A (zh) * 2013-12-09 2015-06-24 苏州药明康德新药开发股份有限公司 一种兽医用万向带光源反光镜及其使用方法

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH199309A (fr) * 1937-08-28 1938-08-15 Edmond Burkard Rectoscope.
FR1123366A (fr) * 1955-03-09 1956-09-20 Constructions Aeronautiques Sudest Perfectionnements aux dispositifs de contrôle par examen optique
FR1246182A (fr) * 1959-02-16 1960-11-18 Perfectionnements aux endoscopes

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO8000300A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1980000300A1 (fr) 1980-03-06

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): CH DE FR GB LU SE

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19801013

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: THORNTON, ROBERT