Video otoscope and optical lens system therefor

摘要

A video otoscope comprises an image forming assembly for producing an optical image of selected portions of an ear canal and a video camera for converting the optical image into a video image and transmitting the video image to a display system. The image forming assembly includes a speculum portion at a front end thereof, an optical lens system, and a coupling mechanism connecting the video camera to a rear end of the image forming assembly. The optical lens system is disposed along a longitudinal axis extending from a front distal end of the speculum portion to the video camera. The optical lens system includes an objective lens means disposed adjacent the front distal end and expander lens means spaced rearwardly from the objective lens along the longitudinal axis. Conically shaped inner taper tube surface defines a trapezoidal chamber portion around an optical image path that extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of an inner optical passage. The trapezoidal chamber portion is located between the objective lens and the expander lens. The objective lens has a first diameter and the expander lens has a second diameter greater than the first diameter of the objective lens. The speculum portion includes a light discharge aperture located around an outer periphery of the objective lens and a plurality of optic fiber elements that extend from a light source and into an annular light carrying chamber between an outer tube and an inner tube to direct light rays outwardly from the light source through the light discharge aperture.