Digital otoscope
View Patent ↗An otoscope includes an instrument head, a tip element and an optical system. The instrument head has a distal insertion portion for insertion into an ear of a human or veterinary subject. The distal insertion portion has a distal opening. The tip element is releasably attached to the distal insertion portion. The tip element has a distal opening. The optical system is contained within the instrument head. The optical system includes a plurality of optical components. The optical system further comprises a viewing component for viewing of an image of a target of interest aligned along an optical axis disposed within said distal opening.
1. An otoscope comprising:
an instrument head having a distal insertion portion for insertion into an ear of a human or veterinary subject, said distal insertion portion having a distal opening;
a tip element releasably attached to said distal insertion portion, said tip element having a distal opening;
an optical system contained within said instrument head, said optical system including a plurality of optical components;
wherein said optical system further comprises a viewing component for viewing of an image of a target of interest aligned along an optical axis disposed within said distal opening;
wherein said optical system is configured to provide a field of view having a diameter equaling to at least 7 mm at a distance of at least 15 mm from a distal opening of said attached tip element; and
wherein said optical system is further configured to simultaneously provide a distance range of optimal focus having a range of at least 8 mm, said distance range of optimal focus including a location at a working distance equal to about 30 mm and wherein said optical system comprises an entrance pupil having a diameter that is less than 5 mm and that is located outside of the instrument head and within said attached tip element.
2. The otoscope of claim 1 wherein said distal opening of said attached tip element can be inserted into a representative human ear to within at least 10 mm of a tympanic membrane.
3. The otoscope of claim 1 wherein said optical system is further configured to simultaneously provide a range of magnification of an object within said field of view within a range of between about 0.4 and about 0.6.
4. The otoscope of claim 1 further comprising a focusing mechanism.
5. The otoscope of claim 1 wherein said viewing component is an image forming device that is configured to form image information and wherein said device has a zoom magnification feature.
6. The otoscope of claim 5 further comprising a focusing mechanism that is user accessible and that moves said image forming device along said optical axis.
7. The otoscope of claim 1 providing a field of view equal to least 7 mm at a working distance of less than or equal to 35 mm.