IP Library Granted Patent US 7,791,794
Granted Patent B2
US 7,791,794 · App. 11/984,818 · Granted Sep 7, 2010

Surgical microscope having an OCT-system

Assignee: Carl Zeiss Surgical GmbH
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,791,794
App. No.
11/984,818
Granted
Sep 7, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A surgical microscope ( 100 ) has viewing beams ( 109 a, 109 b ) passing through a microscope imaging optic which includes a microscope main objective system ( 101 ) having a magnification system of variable magnification. The microscope imaging optic transposes a convergent viewing beam ( 109 a, 109 b ) from the object region ( 114 ) into a parallel beam. The surgical microscope includes an OCT-system ( 120 ) for examining the object region ( 114 ). The OCT-system ( 120 ) makes available an OCT-scanning beam ( 190 ) which is guided through the microscope imaging optic.

Claims (25)

1. A surgical microscope defining a viewing beam path and comprising:

an imaging optic assembly mounted so as to permit said viewing beam path to pass therethrough permitting examination of a region of an object;

said imaging optic assembly including a microscope main objective assembly mounted so as to permit said viewing beam path to pass therethrough;

said imaging optic assembly further including a magnification assembly having a variable magnification and being mounted in said viewing beam path upstream of said microscope main objective assembly;

said imaging optic assembly being adapted to transpose a convergent viewing beam from said object region into a viewing beam having parallel rays;

an OCT-system for examining said object region; and,

said OCT-system providing an OCT-scanning beam guided through said imaging optic assembly.

2. The surgical microscope of claim 1 , further comprising an in-coupling element for coupling said OCT-scanning beam into said viewing beam path to permit said OCT-scanning beam to be guided to said region of said object superposed on said viewing beam path.

3. The surgical microscope of claim 2 , further comprising a display for displaying information; and, said in-coupling element being mounted to receive said information for coupling said information into said viewing beam path.

4. The surgical microscope of claim 2 , wherein said in-coupling element is a divider mirror.

5. The surgical microscope of claim 4 , wherein said divider mirror is a planar mirror.

6. The surgical microscope of claim 2 , wherein said in-coupling element is a divider cube.

7. The surgical microscope of claim 2 , further comprising an out-coupling element for coupling image information out of said viewing beam path; and, said out-coupling element being arranged between said imaging optic assembly and said in-coupling element.

8. The surgical microscope of claim 2 , wherein said OCT-system comprises a collimating optic for bundling the rays of said OCT-scanning beam into essentially parallel rays supplied to said in-coupling element.

9. The surgical microscope of claim 1 , wherein said magnification assembly is an afocal lens assembly.

10. The surgical microscope of claim 9 , wherein said afocal lens assembly is a zoom assembly.

11. The surgical microscope of claim 1 , wherein said OCT-system further comprises a first scan mirror for scanning said OCT-scanning beam; and, a first device for rotating said first scan mirror about a first rotational axis.

12. The surgical microscope of claim 11 , wherein said OCT-system further comprises a second scan mirror for scanning said OCT-scanning beam; and, a second device for rotating said second scan mirror about a second rotational axis laterally offset at a right angle to said first rotational axis.

13. The surgical microscope of claim 1 , wherein said OCT-system further comprises a light conductor having an end portion having a light exit end face for said OCT-scanning beam; and, means for moving said end portion.

14. The surgical microscope of claim 1 , wherein said OCT-system further comprises:

a light conductor having an end portion having a light exit end face for said OCT-scanning beam;

an adjustable optic assembly arranged in said OCT-scanning beam for imaging said light exit end face into an OCT-scanning plane.

15. The surgical microscope of claim 14 , wherein said OCT-system further comprises a drive unit for displacing said adjustable optic assembly.

16. The surgical microscope of claim 1 , wherein said OCT-scanning beam is a first OCT-scanning beam; said OCT-system provides a second OCT-scanning beam; and, said first OCT-scanning beam has a first wavelength and said second OCT-scanning beam has a second wavelength different from said first wavelength.

17. The surgical microscope of claim 1 , wherein said OCT-system is a first OCT-system providing a first OCT-scanning beam and said surgical microscope further comprises a second OCT-system providing a second OCT-scanning beam; and, said first and second OCT-scanning beams have different wavelengths.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Nov 16, 2012
From: CARL ZEISS SURGICAL GMBH
To: CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG
Reel/Frame 029312/0423 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2008
From: REIMER, PETER; HAUGER, CHRISTOPH; ABELE, ALFONS; SEESSELBERG, MARKUS
To: CARL ZEISS SURGICAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 020461/0751 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2007 019 679 · Apr 24, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080304144A1 · Dec 11, 2008