Stereo laser endoscope

Claim 2

Microsurgical apparatus, comprising a stereo microscope for viewing a work site along a pair of converging stereo axes, a reflecting surface positioned at the light receiving end of said microscope between said stereo axes and oriented to reflect a converging beam of energy toward said work site, and a plate mounted obliquely on the bisector of said stereo axes and having a pair of spaced apertures located such that said stereo axes pass through said apertures respectively, said reflective surface being formed between said apertures on a central portion of one side of said plate facing said work site.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said stereo axes pass substantially undeviated on either side of said reflecting surface.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said converging beam is an infrared laser beam.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising reflecting means connected to said one side of said plate over said apertures respectively for reflecting light from the plane of said one side of said plate along said stereo axes into said microscope.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising means for projecting a diverging beam of light at the other side of said plate such that said diverging beam is reflected from said apertures by said reflecting means into said microscope to form a virtual image indicative to the location of the point of impact of said converging beam at said work site.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a light source for illuminating said work site, said projecting means including light guiding means having a light receiving end positioned to receive light from said light source and having a light emitting end positioned to project said diverging beam of light at said other side of said plate.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said light source is contained within said microscope.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said reflecting means over said apertures includes a pair of beam splitting elements covering at least a portion of each said aperture respectively.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said reflecting means over said apertures includes a fully reflective element covering only a portion of each said aperture.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said fully reflective element is a flat ring having one fully reflective side fixed to one side of said plate and having portions extending over each said aperture.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said flat ring has a tapered cross section whose width is greatest at said fully reflective side.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said reflecting surface is gimbal mounted.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gimbal assembly, said reflecting surface being mounted in said gimbal assembly for rotation about two orthogonal axes.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a manual control member and means connecting said control member to said gimbal assembly for causing corresponding rotation of said reflecting surface in response to manipulation of said control member.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an outer gimbal mounted for rotation about an axis and having means for allowing the introduction of said converging beam co-axially with respect to said rotational axis and for allowing the transmission of said converging beam toward said work site after deflection by said reflecting surface, said plate being pivotally mounted in said outer gimbal for rotation about an axis passing through both of said apertures perpendicular to said rotational axis of said outer gimbal.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a manual control element and a mechanical linkage operatively connecting said control element to said plate and said outer gimbal for causing corresponding rotation of said plate and outer gimbal about their respective rotational axes in response to manipulation of said control element.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said linkage includes a universal assembly connected to said control element, a pair of intersecting orthogonal rotatable shafts operatively connected to said universal assembly such that pivotal movement of said control element about the geometric point of intersection of said orthogonal shafts is resolved by said universal assembly into rotation of each said shaft by an amount proportional to the corresponding orthogonal component of the movement of said control element, said pair of shafts each having a cam affixed thereto, a first arm having one end fixed to said outer gimbal and the other end urged into contact with said cam on one of said shafts, an auxiliary shaft parallel to the other of said shafts mounted for rotation, a second arm fixed at one end to said auxiliary shaft and having the other end urged into contact with said cam on said other shaft, and a rotational drive coupling connecting said auxiliary shaft with said plate at said rotational axes of said plate.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said rotational drive coupling includes a connecting element having one end coupled to said auxiliary shaft and axially movable with respect thereto and having the other end coupled to said plate.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said first and second reflective means include coplanar reflective surfaces rigidly connected to each other and mounted for rotation.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said rotational drive coupling includes a connecting shaft having a first unIversal joint at one end coupling said connecting shaft to said plate and having a second universal joint at the other end, said auxiliary shaft having a hollow portion terminating in a slotted bore, said second universal joint being slidably received in said slotted bore so that said auxiliary shaft transmits rotation through said connecting shaft to said plate regardless of misalignment of said rotational axis of said plate and said auxiliary shaft.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first and second reflective means are movably mounted together such that displacement of said first reflective means causes corresponding displacement of said second reflective means and said virtual image follows the location of said focal point.

Claim 23

Optical apparatus, comprising a microscope providing a field of view for observing a work site, reflecting means positioned between said microscope and said work site, means for projecting a diverging beam of visible light at said reflecting means at an angle thereto such that said diverging beam is reflected toward said microscope to provide a virtual image marking a location within said field of view, said microscope being a binocular microscope having a pair of converging stereo axes, and a plate mounted obliquely on the bisector of said stereo axes and having a pair of spaced apertures located such that said stereo axes pass through said apertures respectively, said reflecting means being formed between said apertures on a central portion of one side of said plate facing said work site.

Claim 24

Optical apparatus, comprising a microscope providing a field of view for observing a work site, reflecting means positioned between said microscope and said work site, means for projecting a diverging beam of visible light at said reflecting means at an angle thereto such that said diverging beam is reflected toward said microscope to provide a virtual image marking a location within said field of view, said microscope being a binocular microscope having a pair of converging stereo axes, and a plate mounted obliquely on the bisector of said stereo axes and having a pair of spaced apertures located such that said stereo axes pass through said apertures respectively, said reflecting means being formed between said apertures on a central portion of one side of said plate facing said work site.

Claim 25

The optical apparatus of claim 22, wherein said reflecting means includes a beam splitting element positioned on one of said stereo axes.

Claim 26

The optical apparatus of claim 23, wherein said reflecting means includes another beam splitting element positioned on the other stereo axis.

Claim 27

The optical apparatus of claim 22, wherein said reflecting means includes a flat ring having one fully reflective side obliquely facing said microscope and positioned such that opposite portions of said ring lie adjacent to said stereo axes respectively.

Claim 28

The optical apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a fully reflective surface positioned between said stereo axes substantially coplanar with said fully reflective side of said ring for deflecting a converging beam of energy toward said work site, said virtual image being indicative of the location of the point of impact of said converging beam at said work site.

Claim 29

The optical apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a light source for illuminating said work site, said projecting means including light guiding measn having a light receiving end positioned to receive light from said light source and having a light emitting end positioned to form a point source for projecting said diverging beam of light at said reflecting means.

Claim 30

The optical apparatus of claim 27, wherein said microscope contains said light source.

Claim 31

Microsurgical apparatus, comprising a microscope providing a field of view for observing a work site, a first reflecting surface positioned between said work site and the light receiving end of said microscope for deflecting a beam of energy toward said work site such that the point of impact of said beam falls within said field of view, a second reflecting surface positioned between said work site and said light receiving end of said microscope obliquely facing said microscope, means for projecting a diverging beam of light at said second reflecting surface at an angle thereto such that said diverging beam is reflected toward said microscope to provide a virtual image indicative of the location of said point of impact, said microscope being a binocular microscope with a pair of converging stereo axes, said first reflecting surface being positioned between said stereo axes and said second reflecting surface being positioned on one of said stereo axes, and a plate mounted obliquely on the bisector of said stereo axes and having a pair of spaced apertures located such thaT said stereo axes pass through said apertures respectively, said first reflecting surface being formed between said apertures on a central portion of one side of said plate facing said work site.

Claim 32

Microsurgical apparatus, comprising a microscope providing a field of view for observing a work site, a first reflecting surface positioned between said work site and the light receiving end of said microscope for deflecting a beam of energy toward said work site such that the point of impact of said beam falls within said field of view, a second reflecting surface positioned between said work site and said light receiving end of said microscope obliquely facing said microscope, means for projecting a diverging beam of light at said second reflecting surface at an angle thereto such that said diverging beam is reflected toward said microscope to provide a virtual image indicative of the location of said point of impact, said microscope being a binocular microscope with a pair of converging stereo axes, said first reflecting surface being positioned between said stereo axes and said second reflecting surface being positioned on one of said stereo axes, and a plate mounted obliquely on the bisector of said stereo axes and having a pair of spaced apertures located such thaT said stereo axes pass through said apertures respectively, said first reflecting surface being formed between said apertures on a central portion of one side of said plate facing said work site.

Claim 33

The microsurgical apparatus of claim 29, wherein said microscope has a self-contained light source for illuminating said work site and said projecting means includes light guiding means having a light receiving end positioned to receive light from said self-contained source of said microscope and a light emitting end positioned to form a point source for projecting said diverging beam toward said second reflecting surface.

Claim 34

Microsurgical apparatus, comprising a stereo microscope providing a normally stationary field of view for observing a work site along a pair of converging stereo axes, a reflecting surface comprising a plate mounted obliquely on the bisector of said stereo axes and having a pair of spaced apertures located such that said stereo axes pass through said apertures respectively, said reflecting surface being formed between said apertures on a central portion of one side of said plate facing said work site, said reflecting surface being positioned to reflect a beam of energy toward said work site such that the point of impact of said beam falls within said field of view, and means for providing universal pivoting movement of said reflecting surface to change the location of said point of impact within said stationary field of view.

Claim 35

Microsurgical apparatus, comprising a stereo microscope providing a normally stationary field of view for observing a work site along a pair of converging stereo axes, a reflecting surface comprising a plate mounted obliquely on the bisector of said stereo axes and having a pair of spaced apertures located such that said stereo axes pass through said apertures respectively, said reflecting surface being formed between said apertures on a central portion of one side of said plate facing said work site, said reflecting surface being positioned to reflect a beam of energy toward said work site such that the point of impact of said beam falls within said field of view, and means for providing universal pivoting movement of said reflecting surface to change the location of said point of impact within said stationary field of view.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said means for providing universal movement includes a rotational mount providing said reflecting surface with two orthogonal axes of rotation.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said means for providing universal movement further includes a pivotally mounted control element and a linkage connecting said control element to said mount for causing corresponding pivotal movement of said reflecting surface in response to pivotal movement of said control element in any direction.

Claim 38

The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said linkages includes a universal assembly connected to said control element, a pair of intersecting othogonally mounted rotatable shafts operatively connected at their junction to said universal assembly such that pivotal movement of said control element about the geometric point of intersection of said shafts is resolved by said universal assembly into rotation of each said shaft by an amount proportional to the corresponding orthogonal component of the movement of said control element, said pair of shafts each having a cam affixed thereto, a first arm having one end connected to cause rotation of said reflecting surface about one of said orthogonal rotational axes and having the other end urged into contact with said cam on one of said shafts, an auxiliary shaft parallel to the other of said shafts mounted for rotation, a second arm fixed at one end to said auxiliary shaft and having the other end urged into contact with said cam on said other shaft, and a rotational drive coupling connected said auxiliary shaft with said reflecting surface for causing rotation of said surface about the other orthogonal rotational axis.

Claim 39

The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said rotational coupling is axially movable with respect to said auxiliary shaft.