This invention relates to optical couplers and more particularly for coupling an arthoscope to a camera such as a television camera.
An arthoscope is a device or instrument which allows the practioner to examine the internal structures of joints. This is necessary in performing diagnosis of various joint ailments or diseases.
In surgical procedures or for teaching students the practioner desires to couple the arthoscope to a television or other camera while conducting an examination or procedure. In this manner the entire procedure can be viewed on a conventional television receiver.
Thus there are presently available a number of relatively small television cameras which are employed in such procedures. These cameras contain a vidicon tube which converts light images into a signal for application to the television receiver.
The television cameras are not constructed uniformly as is known. For example, the vidicon tube or the lens system is never in the same location from camera to camera. Hence a properly focussed camera will operate with an associated arthoscope and another camera will provide an unfocussed picture. The range of focussing of such cameras is limited and this range may not be suitable for operation with various different types of arthoscope. The focal length of the arthoscope from various manufacturers is never the same and the focal length will differ from each manufacturer. In any event, in order to place the image on a television receiver one must have the ability to focus the image prior to application of the same to the television camera.
In regard to the arthoscope, these devices are also supplied by various manufacturers. There are of course prior art devices which serve to accomodate or hold various optical instruments to enable one to utilize a camera or other device together with an associated optical instrument. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,938 entitled MICROSCOPE APPARATUS WITH TELEVISION FILM CAMERA issued on Mar. 13, 1979 to R. E. Feinbloom and assigned to the assignee herein. This Patent shows an optical coupler which has an input port which receives a beam of light from a microscope or beam splitter. One output is coupled to a television camera while another port is coupled to a film camera. The coupler uses a lens asssembly to provide par focal registration at the associated ports and uses a pivotable mirror to select a given output port. In any event, in that Patent, the coupling is afforded by conventional screw threads which coact with the corresponding ports of the coupler.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical coupler for coupling an arthoscope to a television camera in a simple and reliable manner whereby, the arthoscope can be quickly removed from the coupler. The apparatus also allows one to independently focus the image from the arthoscope prior to directing the image to the television camera.