Optical observation instrument and method for creating a stereo image of an object field

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11953669-B2
Application number	US-202117145495-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2021
Priority date	Jan 14, 2020
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

An optical observation instrument according to the invention, in particular a surgical microscope or exoscope, comprises an optics unit with an objective arrangement and at least one electronic image recorder, wherein the optics unit has a first stereo channel with a first beam path and a second stereo channel with a second beam path for recording a stereo image of an object field with the at least one electronic image recorder and wherein the first and the second beam path extend through the objective arrangement. The instrument moreover comprises a retaining apparatus, on which the optics unit is mounted so as to be rotatable about a first axis of rotation, the latter at least approximately corresponding to an axis of the objective arrangement, wherein the optical observation instrument has a viewing direction that is angled in relation to the axis of the objective arrangement and comprises a deflection element, arranged on the object-side of the objective arrangement, for deflecting the first and the second beam path into the objective arrangement. The invention further relates to a method for generating a stereo image of an object field.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical observation instrument comprising:
an optics unit with an objective arrangement and at least one electronic image recorder, wherein the optics unit has a first stereo channel with a first beam path and a second stereo channel with a second beam path, the optics unit configured for recording a stereo image of an object field with the at least one electronic image recorder, and wherein the first and the second beam paths extend through the objective arrangement, and
a retaining apparatus, on which the optics unit is mounted, the optics unit rotatable about the objective arrangement, wherein the retaining apparatus comprises a retaining bracket, which a first axis of rotation, the first axis of rotation at least approximately corresponding to an axis of the objective arrangement, wherein the retaining apparatus comprises a retaining bracket, which engages over the optics units, which is arranged inside a housing, and on which the optics unit is mounted to be rotatable about the first axis of rotation, wherein an optical deflection element is retained at an object-side end of the retaining bracket, and wherein the optical observation instrument has a viewing direction that is angled in relation to the axis of the objective arrangement and comprises the optical deflection element, arranged on an object-side of the objective arrangement, and configured to deflect the first and the second beam paths into the objective arrangement.

2. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the viewing direction is angled through approximately 90° in relation to the axis of the objective arrangement.

3. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optics unit is mounted to be rotatable relative to the retaining apparatus and relative to the optical deflection element about the first axis of rotation.

4. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optics unit has an elongated optics housing, which extends at least approximately in the direction of the axis of the objective arrangement.

5. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the objective arrangement comprises an object-side front lens, wherein the first and the second beam path extend through the front lens.

6. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical deflection element comprises a plane mirror at an angle to the axis of the objective arrangement.

7. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical deflection element is arranged on the retaining apparatus in a manner secured against rotation.

8. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optics unit is rotationally coupled with an operating element that is rotatable about a second axis of rotation, wherein the second axis of rotation is directed at least approximately parallel to the viewing direction.

9. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the rotatable operating element is arranged at the optical deflection element on a side opposite to the object field.

10. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a cover glass is arranged on an object side of the optical deflection element.

11. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optics unit comprises illumination optics configured to illuminate the object field with an illumination beam path that extends through the objective arrangement.

12. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 wherein the retaining apparatus comprises a retaining angle brace and a retaining arm, wherein the retaining bracket is arranged in rotatable fashion at the retaining angle brace, which is arranged in rotatable and/or longitudinally displaceable fashion at the retaining arm.

13. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retaining apparatus comprises a retaining arm, wherein the retaining bracket is arranged in rotatable fashion at the retaining arm.

14. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retaining apparatus is configured such that one or more of a position and orientation of the optics unit is fixable by one or more of: nonpositive engagement, frictional engagement, interlocking engagement, an electromagnetic mechanism, and by a motor.

15. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical observation instrument comprises a processor device, which is configured for mirroring and/or interchanging the stereo half images.

16. The optical observation instrument as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical observation instrument is a surgical microscope or exoscope.

17. A method to generate a stereo image of an object field comprising:
bringing an optics unit of an optical observation instrument into a spatial position, the optics unit including an objective arrangement and at least one electronic image recorder, wherein the optics unit has a first stereo channel with a first beam path and a second stereo channel with a second beam path, the optics unit configured for recording a stereo image of an object field with the at least one electronic image recorder, and wherein the first and the second beam paths extend through the objective arrangement, and a retaining apparatus, on which the optics unit is mounted, the optics unit rotatable about a first axis of rotation, the first axis of rotation at least approximately corresponding to an axis of the objective arrangement, wherein the retaining apparatus comprises a retaining bracket, which engages over the optics unit, which is arranged inside a housing, and on which the optics unit is mounted to be a rotatable about the first axis of rotation, wherein a optical deflection element is retained at an object-side end of the retaining bracket, and wherein the optical observation instrument has a viewing direction that is angled in relation to the axis of the objective arrangement and comprises the deflection element, arranged on an object-side of the objective arrangement, and configured to deflect the first and the second beam paths into the objective arrangement,
setting a viewing direction to the object field,
setting an alignment of a stereo basis by rotating the optics unit about the first axis of rotation,
recording stereo half images by the at least one electronic image recorder of the optical observation instrument, and
displaying the stereo half images on a display device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the optical observation instrument is a surgical microscope or exoscope.

19. An optical observation instrument comprising:
an optics unit with an objective arrangement and at least one electronic image recorder, wherein the optics unit has a first stereo channel with a first beam path and a second stereo channel with a second beam path, the optics unit configured for recording a stereo image of an object field with the at least one electronic image recorder, and wherein the first and the second beam paths extend through the objective arrangement, and
a retaining apparatus, on which the optics unit is mounted, the optics unit rotatable about a first axis of rotation, the first axis of rotation at least approximately corresponding to an axis of the objective arrangement, wherein the retaining apparatus comprises a retaining bracket, the retaining bracket engages over a housing that includes the optics unit, the optics unit being mounted to the housing and rotatable

Assignees

• Storz Karl Se & Co Kg

Inventors

• Forster Jonas
• Barth Sebastian
• Heni Andreas
• Köhler Benedikt
• Vogel Walter

Classifications

• G02B21/361 Primary

  Optical details, e.g. image relay to the camera or image sensor (G02B21/364 takes precedence; illumination details G02B21/06 and subgroups) · CPC title

• A61B90/20

  Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects · CPC title

• A61B90/361 Primary

  Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras · CPC title

• G02B21/0012

  Surgical microscopes (counterbalanced structures for surgical microscopes G02B7/001) · CPC title

• G02B27/642

  Optical derotators, i.e. systems for compensating for image rotation, e.g. using rotating prisms, mirrors · CPC title