CAMERA ASSEMBLY FOR MEDICAL PROBES
There is provided herein a camera assembly for use with a medical probe, such as an endoscope, the assembly comprising a main body configured to be mounted on an endoscope tip section, wherein said main body comprises at least one camera and at least one illumination source.
1 . A camera assembly for providing or improving visualization capability of a medical probe, the assembly comprising:
a main body configured to be mounted on a tip section of a medical probe, wherein said main body comprises:
at least one camera; and
at least one illumination source.
2 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said main body is essentially in a ring shape.
3 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said main body is essentially in a shape of a partially opened ring.
4 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said main body is essentially made of an elastic material.
5 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said main body is a sleeve.
6 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said main body is a clamp configured to be clamped to said tip section.
7 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said main body is configured to be mounted on said tip section such that said at least one camera and at least one illumination source are pointing rearwards, towards the proximal part of said tip section.
8 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said main body is configured to be mounted on said tip section such that said at least one camera and at least one illumination source are pointing forward.
9 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said main body is configured to be mounted on said tip section such that said at least one camera and at least one illumination source are pointing rearwards, towards the proximal part of said tip section and at least one camera and at least one illumination source are pointing forward.
10 . The assembly according to claim 1 , comprising two cameras.
11 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said camera is configured to wirelessly transmit an image signal.
12 . The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a utility cable configured to receive video signal from said at least one camera.
13 . The assembly according to claim 12 , wherein said utility cable is further configured to supply electrical power to said at least one camera.
14 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one illumination source comprises at least one discrete illuminator.
15 . The assembly according to claim 14 , wherein said at least one discrete illuminator comprises a light-emitting diode (LED).
16 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one illumination source is configured to emit white light.
17 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one illumination source is configured to emit ultraviolet light.
18 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one illumination source is configured to emit infrared light.
19 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one illumination source is configured to emit near-infrared light.
20 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one illumination source comprises at least two illumination sources, which are configured to emit light at different wavelengths.
21 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one camera comprises an image sensor.
22 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one camera comprises a lens assembly providing a field of view of 90 degrees or more.
23 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one camera comprises a lens assembly providing a field of view of 120 degrees or more.
24 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one camera comprises a lens assembly providing a focal length of approximately 3-100 millimeters.
25 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said endoscope is without visualization capabilities.
26 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said medical probe is an endoscope, having visualization capabilities.
27 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said endoscope is a colonoscope.
28 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said endoscope is a flexible endoscope.