Imaging system and components thereof

Abstract

In one embodiment, a camera includes an image sensor, a sheath, and a housing. A first end of the sheath is closed to form a cavity to accommodate the image sensor, and the housing is adapted to mate with a second end of the sheath. One of the housing and the second end of the sheath includes at least one tab, and the other of the housing and the second end of the sheath includes at least one slot, the at least one tab being adapted to mate with the at least one slot when the housing is mated with the second end of the sheath to inhibit the second end of the sheath from rotating with respect to the housing. In another embodiment, a camera includes a sheath, an image sensor, and a support. The support, which is at least partially disposed within the sheath, supports the image sensor within the sheath such that the image sensor is rotatable about at least two axes of rotation with respect to the sheath through a range of orientations, wherein an imaging axis of the image sensor is oriented normal to an inner surface of the sheath throughout the image sensor's range of orientations. In another embodiment, a camera includes a sheath, an image sensor, and at least one light. The image sensor and the at least one light are disposed within the sheath, and the at least one light is adapted to generate sufficient heat to prevent condensation from forming on the sheath when the sheath is inserted into a body of a living patient. In addition, an actuation module for use with a camera, a camera module for use in a camera, and a novel bearing ring assembly are disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A camera, comprising: 
 an image sensor;    a sheath having first and second ends, the first end of the sheath being closed to form a cavity to accommodate the image sensor; and    a housing adapted to mate with the second end of the sheath;    wherein one of the housing and the second end of the sheath includes at least one tab, and the other of the housing and the second end of the sheath includes at least one slot, the at least one tab being adapted to mate with the at least one slot when the housing is mated with the second end of the sheath to inhibit the second end of the sheath from rotating with respect to the housing.    
     
     
         2 . The camera of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the sheath includes a plurality of gaps defining a plurality of fingers adapted to separate to accommodate a portion of the housing to attach the sheath to the housing;    the at least one slot is one of the plurality of gaps; and    the at least one tab is disposed on the housing.    
     
     
         3 . The camera of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tab is included on the sheath and the at least one slot is included on the housing.  
     
     
         4 . The camera of  claim 1 , wherein the sheath is elongated.  
     
     
         5 . The camera of  claim 4 , wherein the image sensor is disposed adjacent the first end of the sheath.  
     
     
         6 . The camera of  claim 5 , wherein the sheath is rigid.  
     
     
         7 . The camera of  claim 1 , wherein the sheath is rigid.  
     
     
         8 . The camera of  claim 1 , further including at least one actuator, disposed within the housing, mechanically coupled to the image sensor to adjust a position of an imaging axis of the image sensor.  
     
     
         9 . The camera of  claim 8 , wherein the imaging axis of the image sensor passes through different portions of the sheath when the position of the imaging axis is adjusted by the at least one actuator.  
     
     
         10 . A camera, comprising: 
 a sheath having an inner surface;    an image sensor having an imaging axis;    a support, at least partially disposed within the sheath, that supports the image sensor within the sheath such that the image sensor is rotatable about at least two axes of rotation with respect to the sheath through a range of orientations, wherein the imaging axis is oriented normal to the inner surface of the sheath throughout the image sensor's range of orientations.    
     
     
         11 . The camera of  claim 10 , wherein the sheath is elongated.  
     
     
         12 . The camera of  claim 11 , wherein the image sensor is disposed adjacent a distal end of the sheath.  
     
     
         13 . The camera of  claim 12 , wherein the sheath is rigid.  
     
     
         14 . The camera of  claim 10 , wherein the sheath is rigid.  
     
     
         15 . The camera of  claim 10 , wherein the support is arranged to rotate the image sensor through at least ninety degrees about each of its at least two axes of rotation.  
     
     
         16 . The camera of  claim 10 , further including a housing including at least one actuator, the housing being attached to the sheath and the at least one actuator being mechanically coupled to the image sensor to rotate the image sensor about at least one of its at least two axes of rotation.  
     
     
         17 . The camera of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one actuator includes a pair of actuators, each of the pair of actuators being mechanically coupled to the image sensor to rotate the image sensor about a respective one of its at least two axes of rotation.  
     
     
         18 . The camera of  claim 17 , wherein the support has a longitudinal axis that extends along a length of the sheath, and wherein one of the at least two actuators is arranged to rotate the support about its longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         19 . The camera of  claim 16 , wherein the imaging axis of the image sensor passes through different portions of the sheath when the position of the imaging axis is adjusted by the at least one actuator.  
     
     
         20 . The camera of  claim 10 , wherein the support has a longitudinal axis that extends along a length of the sheath, and wherein the support is rotatable within the sheath about its longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         21 . An actuation module for use with a camera including an image sensor that is rotatable about at least two axes of rotation, the actuation module comprising: 
 a module base adapted to be removably mounted in the camera; and    a pair of actuators mounted to the base so that the pair of actuators can be removed from and inserted into the camera as a single unit, each of the pair of actuators being adapted to rotate the image sensor about a respective one of the at least two axes of rotation.    
     
     
         22 . The actuation module of  claim 21 , in combination with the camera.  
     
     
         23 . The actuation module of  claim 22 , wherein the camera includes an elongated sheath in which the image sensor is disposed such that an imaging axis of the image sensor passes through a distal end of the elongated sheath.  
     
     
         24 . The actuation module of  claim 23 , wherein the camera includes an upper housing attached to a proximal end of the elongated sheath, and wherein the module base is adapted to be removably mounted in the upper housing.  
     
     
         25 . The combination of  claim 22 , further including a camera module for use in the camera, the camera module comprising: 
 a camera module base adapted to be removably mounted in the camera;    the image sensor, the image sensor being mounted to the camera module base;    a cable mounted to the camera module base and coupled to the image sensor; and    a signal conditioning circuit mounted to the camera module base and coupled to the cable to receive an electronic signal produced by the image sensor via the cable;    whereby the image sensor, the cable, the signal conditioning circuit, and the camera module base are removable from and insertable into the camera as a single unit.    
     
     
         26 . A camera module for use in a camera, comprising: 
 a module base adapted to be removably mounted in the camera;    an image sensor mounted to the base;    a cable mounted and coupled to the image sensor; and    a signal conditioning circuit, mounted to the base, and coupled to the cable to receive, via the cable, an electronic signal produced by the image sensor;    whereby the image sensor, the cable, the signal conditioning circuit, and the base are removable from and insertable into the camera as a single unit.    
     
     
         27 . The camera module of  claim 26 , further including at least one refractive lens mounted to the module base and arranged to focus an image onto the image sensor.  
     
     
         28 . The camera module of  claim 26 , further including at least one light mounted to the module base and arranged to illuminate a viewing area to be imaged.  
     
     
         29 . The camera module of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one light includes at least one diffused light.  
     
     
         30 . The camera module of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one light is a focused light which is configured and arranged to be focused primarily onto the viewing area.  
     
     
         31 . The camera module of  claim 26 , in combination with a sheath of the camera, wherein the camera module is adapted to be removably mounted in the sheath such that, when the camera module is mounted in the sheath, an imaging axis of the image sensor passes through the sheath.  
     
     
         32 . A camera, comprising: 
 a sheath;    an image sensor disposed within the sheath; and    at least one light disposed within the sheath, the at least one light being adapted to generate sufficient heat to prevent condensation from forming on the sheath when the sheath is inserted into a body of a living patient.    
     
     
         33 . The camera as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the at least one light is adapted to generate sufficient heat to cause a temperature within the sheath to be greater than thirty-seven degrees Celsius when the sheath is inserted into the body of the patient.  
     
     
         34 . The camera as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the at least one light is adapted to generate heat such that the temperature within the sheath does not exceed forty-five degrees Celsius when the sheath is inserted into the body of the patient.  
     
     
         35 . The camera as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the sheath includes a distal end and a proximal end, and wherein the at least one light is adapted to generate heat such that the temperature within the sheath does not exceed forty-one degrees Celsius at the proximal end of the sheath when the sheath is inserted into the body of the patient.  
     
     
         36 . A bearing ring assembly, comprising: 
 a first ring;    a second ring arranged concentrically with the first ring; and    a plurality of ball bearings disposed between the first and second rings such that the first ring is permitted to rotate with respect to the second ring;    wherein the first ring includes at least one first mating feature adapted to engage a first structure so that the at first ring is inhibited from rotating with respect to the first structure.    
     
     
         37 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 36 , wherein: 
 the first and second rings are arranged in a common plane; and    the at least one first mating feature extends from the first ring in a direction transverse to the common plane.    
     
     
         38 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one first mating feature includes a pair of tabs disposed on opposite sides of the first ring.  
     
     
         39 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 36 , wherein: 
 the first and second rings are arranged in a common plane; and    the at least one first mating feature extends from the first ring in a direction perpendicular to the common plane.    
     
     
         40 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one first mating feature includes a pair of tabs disposed on opposite sides of the first ring.  
     
     
         41 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 36 , wherein the second ring includes at least one second mating feature adapted to engage a second structure so that the second ring is inhibited from rotating with respect to the second structure.  
     
     
         42 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 41 , wherein: 
 the first and second rings are arranged in a common plane;    the at least one first mating feature extends from the first ring in a direction transverse to the common plane; and    the at least one second mating feature extends from the second ring in a direction transverse to the common plane.    
     
     
         43 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 42 , wherein: 
 the at least one first mating feature includes a first pair of tabs disposed on opposite sides of the first ring; and    the at least one second mating feature includes a second pair of tabs disposed on opposite sides of the second ring.    
     
     
         44 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 41 , wherein: 
 the first and second rings are arranged in a common plane;    the at least one first mating feature extends from the first ring in a direction perpendicular to the common plane; and    the at least one second mating feature extends from the second ring in a direction perpendicular to the common plane.    
     
     
         45 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 44 , wherein: 
 the at least one first mating feature includes a first pair of tabs disposed on opposite sides of the first ring; and    the at least one second mating feature includes a second pair of tabs disposed on opposite sides of the second ring.    
     
     
         46 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 45 , wherein the first pair of tabs extends from the first ring in a same direction that the second pair of tabs extends from the second ring.  
     
     
         47 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 44 , wherein the at least one first mating feature extends from the first ring in a same direction that the at least one second mating feature extends from the second ring.  
     
     
         48 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 41 , in combination with the first and second structures, wherein the first structure is rotatable with respect to the second structure.  
     
     
         49 . The combination of  claim 48 , wherein: 
 the first structure comprises a housing in which the first and second rings are disposed; and    the second structure is at least partially disposed within the housing.    
     
     
         50 . The combination of  claim 49 , wherein the second structure includes an actuator adapted to cause the second structure to rotate within the housing.  
     
     
         51 . The combination of  claim 48 , wherein the second structure includes an actuator adapted to cause the second structure to rotate with respect to the first structure.  
     
     
         52 . The bearing ring assembly of  claim 36 , in combination with the first structure and a second structure, wherein the first structure is rotatable with respect to the second structure.