Granted Patent B2

US 12,357,164 · App. 17/591,793 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Inventors: Thomas Donald Chandler (Coon Rapids, MN); Steven Edward Lombardi (New Brighton, MN); Mark Francis Brown (Minnetonka, MN); Justin Andrew Hawley (Minneapolis, MN); Jerome Steven Stepanek (Eden Prarie, MN)

Assignee: Clarus Medical, LLC

A61B1/05A61B1/00043A61B1/00114A61B1/00167A61B1/005A61B1/06A61B1/00059A61B1/00124A61B2562/0223

Abstract

Claims (33)

1. A system comprising:

a console comprising:

a housing;

a video processor in the housing;

a visual display in communication with the video processor; and

an outlet on the housing comprising two ports; and

an imaging scope removably connected to the console via the outlet, the imaging scope comprising:

an elongate imaging cable having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end including a distal imaging tip;

a plug arranged at the proximal end of the imaging cable to connect the imaging scope to the outlet of the console, the plug comprising:

a single connector body having a face surface, the single connector body forming a handle of the plug; and

only two prongs extending from the face surface of the single connector body, the two prongs comprising:

a stereo audio-type prong comprising multiple electrical contacts arranged along a length of the stereo audio-type prong; and

a fiber-optic prong including at least one optical fiber arranged within the fiber-optic prong.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the console is compatible with at least one additional imaging scope that has at least one different characteristic from the imaging scope, and wherein the at least one different characteristic is selected from the group consisting of image size, diameter, and length.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the video processor is configured to process images of different image resolutions from multiple different CMOS sensors in different imaging scopes.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single connector body of the plug of the imaging scope further comprises a permanent magnet, and wherein the console further comprises a magnetic sensor inside of the outlet to detect the permanent magnet when the plug is plugged into the outlet.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a CMOS image sensor, wherein the permanent magnet is configured to indicate to the console a pixel size of the CMOS image sensor.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the magnetic sensor detects the pixel size from the permanent magnet and provides the pixel size to the video processor of the console.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is a medical device inspection system.

8. A system comprising a console comprising:

a housing;

a video processor in the housing;

a visual display in communication with the video processor; and

a single outlet on the housing configured to receive a plug of an imaging scope, the single outlet comprising only two ports comprising:

a first port being configured to connect with a stereo audio-type prong having multiple electrical contacts arranged along a length of the stereo audio-type prong; and

a second port being configured to connect with a fiber-optic prong including at least one optical fiber arranged within the fiber-optic prong.

9. An imaging scope comprising:

an elongate imaging cable having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end including a distal imaging tip;

a plug arranged at the proximal end of the imaging cable to connect the flexible imaging scope to a receptacle of a console, the plug comprising:

a single connector body having a face surface, the single connector body forming a handle of the plug; and

only two prongs extending from the face surface of the single connector body, the two prongs comprising:

a stereo audio-type prong comprising multiple electrical contacts arranged along a length of the stereo audio-type prong; and

a fiber-optic prong including at least one optical fiber centered within the fiber-optic prong.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (8)

References Cited (67)