Patent US5033608A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3874774A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3874774A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Eye test apparatus
Assignee: Allergan Humphrey
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Filing: 1973-06-20
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Granted: 1975-04-01
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Expires: 1993-06-20
Abstract
Abstract An eye testing device for both subjective and objective testing of the eye is disclosed. Corrective optics having variable spherical and astigmatic inputs are placed at a location remote from a patient''s eye. Intermediate the corrective optics and the patient''s eyes focusing optics are placed. These focusing optics are preferably in the form of a field mirror. The focusing optics focus a real image of the corrective optics to the patient''s eye. A projector projects a real image through the corrective optics to a specifically coherent real image location between the corrective optics and the patient. For subjective eye testing, the corrective optics are varied responsive to subjective patient visual acuity to provide the desired prescription. For objective eye testing, a projector acts as a light source typically projecting an image on the retina of the eye through and into an examiner-patient light path. The corrective optics - placed at the remote location between the examiner and projector on one hand, and the patient on the other hand- are varied responsive to objective patient visual acuity, usually determined by conventional retinoscopic techniques. Thereafter with corrective optics prescribed, examination of the eye, exterior or interior, can occur through the patient-examiner eye path.
Inventors
- 👤 William E Humphrey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 07:24
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B3/00; A61B3/02; A61B3/028; A61B3/036
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
An eye testing device comprising: a patient viewing station; a projector; at least one light path between said patient viewing station and said projector; said projector including at least one target for projection and projecting optics for projecting at least one image to be viewed by a patient at a distance removed from said patient along said light path; corrective optics for emulating said patient''s opthalmological prescription for placement in said light path at a location between said projecting optics and said patient; focusing optics of preselected focal length removed by a distance greater than said focal length from said corrective optics toward said patient for focusing a real image of said corrective optics to the optical Position of said patient''s ophthalmological prescription proximate said patient''s eye.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
An eye testing device comprising: a patient viewing station; a projector; at least one light path between said patient viewing station and said projector; said projector including at least one target for projection and projecting optics for projecting at least one image to be viewed by a patient at a distance removed from said patient along said light path; corrective optics for emulating said patient''s opthalmological prescription for placement in said light path at a location between said projecting optics and said patient; focusing optics of preselected focal length removed by a distance greater than said focal length from said corrective optics toward said patient for focusing a real image of said corrective optics to the optical Position of said patient''s ophthalmological prescription proximate said patient''s eye.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 1 and wherein said focusing optics is a field mirror.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention of claim 1 and wherein said projector projects said image at said focusing optics.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention of claim 1 and means for changing the length of said light path to said patient viewing station for causing apparent movement of said real image of said corrective optics towards and away from said patient viewing station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention of claim 4 and wherein said means for changing the length of said light path includes a mirror in said light path and means for moving said mirror relative to said light path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
129 words
An eye testing device comprising: a patient viewing station; an eye examination station; a light path between said patient viewing station and said eye examination station; corrective optics for emulating said patient''s opthalmological prescription at a location between said eye examination station and said patient viewing station; focusing optics in said light path between said patient viewing station and said corrective optics; said focusing optics of preselected focal length removed by a distance greater than said focal length from said corrective optics toward said patient for focusing a real image of said corrective optics to the optical position of said patient''s ophthalmological prescription proximate said patient''s eye and to focus a real image of said patient''s eyes through said corrective optics to a position proximate said eye examination station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
129 words
An eye testing device comprising: a patient viewing station; an eye examination station; a light path between said patient viewing station and said eye examination station; corrective optics for emulating said patient''s opthalmological prescription at a location between said eye examination station and said patient viewing station; focusing optics in said light path between said patient viewing station and said corrective optics; said focusing optics of preselected focal length removed by a distance greater than said focal length from said corrective optics toward said patient for focusing a real image of said corrective optics to the optical position of said patient''s ophthalmological prescription proximate said patient''s eye and to focus a real image of said patient''s eyes through said corrective optics to a position proximate said eye examination station.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 6 and wherein said focusing optics is a field mirror.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 6 including means for changing the length of said light path to said patient viewing station for causing apparent movement of an image of said corrective optics towards and away from said patient viewing station.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 8 wherein said means for changing the length of said light path includes a mirror in said light path movable relative to said light path.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
195 words
An eye testing device comprising: a projector for projecting an image; a patient viewing station for providing at least one eye of a patient with a view of said image from said projector along a first light path from said projector to said patient viewing station; a second light path from said patient viewing station to an eye examining station, said second light path having a portion thereof coincident with said first light path; corrective optics at a location between said projecting optics and said patient, said corrective optics for emulating said patient ophthalmological prescription remote from said patient viewing station for producing corrective inputs to said first and second light paths; focusing optics of preselected focal length removed by a distance greater than said focal length from said corrective optics to the optical position of said patient''s ophthalmological prescription, said focusing optics further arranged and disposed to focus a real image of said patient''s eyes through said corrective optics to a position proximate said eye examination station; and, beam-splitting optics between said patient viewing station and said projector to detour said second light path from said first light path to said eye examination station.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
195 words
An eye testing device comprising: a projector for projecting an image; a patient viewing station for providing at least one eye of a patient with a view of said image from said projector along a first light path from said projector to said patient viewing station; a second light path from said patient viewing station to an eye examining station, said second light path having a portion thereof coincident with said first light path; corrective optics at a location between said projecting optics and said patient, said corrective optics for emulating said patient ophthalmological prescription remote from said patient viewing station for producing corrective inputs to said first and second light paths; focusing optics of preselected focal length removed by a distance greater than said focal length from said corrective optics to the optical position of said patient''s ophthalmological prescription, said focusing optics further arranged and disposed to focus a real image of said patient''s eyes through said corrective optics to a position proximate said eye examination station; and, beam-splitting optics between said patient viewing station and said projector to detour said second light path from said first light path to said eye examination station.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention of claim 10 and including means for changing the length of said light path to said patient viewing station for causing apparent movement of an image of said corrective optics towards and away from said eye examination station.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention of claim 10 and wherein focusing optics is a field mirror.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention of claim i10 and wherein said projector projects said image at said focusing optics.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
76 words
The invention of claim 10 and including a first set of corrective optics between said beam-splitting optics and said projector in said first light path; a second set of corrective optics between said beam-splitting optics and said eye examination station in said second light path; and, means interconnected between said first and second corrective optics for producing identical corrective inputs to said first and second light paths from said first and second sets of corrective optics.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
211 words
An eye testing device comprising: a field mirror having a focal length of at least 1 foot 3 inches and being substantially spherical with respect to a point in space; a patient viewing station; a first light path between said patient viewing station and said field mirror; the portion of said first light path incident upon said field mirror at an angle of incidence of less than 10* at the point of incidence of said first light path; a projector; a second light path between said field mirror and said projector; the portion of said second light path at said field mirror coinciding with said portion of said first light path at said field mirror; said projector including a target for projection and projecting optics for projecting an image to be viewed by a patient at a distance removed from said patient along said light path; corrective optics for emulating said patient''s opthalmological prescription at locations between said projecting optics of said projector and said patient; said field mirror removed by greater than said 1 foot 3 inches from said corrective optics towards said patient along said light paths for focusing a real image of said corrective optics to the optical position of said patient''s ophthalmological prescription proximate said patient''s eye.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
211 words
An eye testing device comprising: a field mirror having a focal length of at least 1 foot 3 inches and being substantially spherical with respect to a point in space; a patient viewing station; a first light path between said patient viewing station and said field mirror; the portion of said first light path incident upon said field mirror at an angle of incidence of less than 10* at the point of incidence of said first light path; a projector; a second light path between said field mirror and said projector; the portion of said second light path at said field mirror coinciding with said portion of said first light path at said field mirror; said projector including a target for projection and projecting optics for projecting an image to be viewed by a patient at a distance removed from said patient along said light path; corrective optics for emulating said patient''s opthalmological prescription at locations between said projecting optics of said projector and said patient; said field mirror removed by greater than said 1 foot 3 inches from said corrective optics towards said patient along said light paths for focusing a real image of said corrective optics to the optical position of said patient''s ophthalmological prescription proximate said patient''s eye.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention of claim 15 and including an eye examination station; a third light path to said eye examination station; means for detouring a portion of at least one of said first and second light paths through said corrective optics to said eye examination station.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
67 words
The invention of claim 16 and including a first set of corrective optics between said detouring means and said projector; a second set of corrective optics between said detouring means and said eye examination station; and, means interconnected between said first and second corrective optics for producing identical corrective inputs to said first, second and third light paths from said first and second sets of corrective optics.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention of claim 15 and wherein the focal length of said field mirror is 5 feet.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 15 and including means for astigmatically correcting said field mirror relative to the angle of incidence of said first light path upon said mirror.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention of claim 15 and wherein said field mirror has a diameter with respect to said patient viewing station to provide a patient at said patient viewing station with a field of view of at least 6*.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
215 words
An eye testing device comprising: a field mirror having a focal length of at least 1 foot 3 inches and being substantially spherical with respect to a point in space; a patient viewing station; a first light path between said patient viewing station and said field mirror; the portion of said first light path incident upon said field mirror at an angle of incidence of less than 10* at the point of incidence of said first light path; an eye examination station; a second light path between said field mirror and said eye examination station, the portion of said second light path at said field mirror coinciding with the reflection of said first light path from said field mirror; corrective optics for emulating said patient''s ophthalmological prescription at locations between said projecting optics of said projector and said patient for placement in said light path remote from said patient viewing station; and, said field mirror removed by greater than said 1 foot 3 inches from saidi corrective optics toward said patient along said light paths to focus a real image of said corrective optics to the optical position of said patient''s ophthalmological prescription proximate said patient''s eye and to focus a real image of said patient''s eyes to a position proximate said eye examination station.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
215 words
An eye testing device comprising: a field mirror having a focal length of at least 1 foot 3 inches and being substantially spherical with respect to a point in space; a patient viewing station; a first light path between said patient viewing station and said field mirror; the portion of said first light path incident upon said field mirror at an angle of incidence of less than 10* at the point of incidence of said first light path; an eye examination station; a second light path between said field mirror and said eye examination station, the portion of said second light path at said field mirror coinciding with the reflection of said first light path from said field mirror; corrective optics for emulating said patient''s ophthalmological prescription at locations between said projecting optics of said projector and said patient for placement in said light path remote from said patient viewing station; and, said field mirror removed by greater than said 1 foot 3 inches from saidi corrective optics toward said patient along said light paths to focus a real image of said corrective optics to the optical position of said patient''s ophthalmological prescription proximate said patient''s eye and to focus a real image of said patient''s eyes to a position proximate said eye examination station.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claim 21 and including a projector; a third light path from said projector through said corrective optics and into said light paths; said projector disposed with respect to said light paths for projecting light to said patient viewing station.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
61 words
The invention of claim 22 and including a first set of corrective optics in said second light path; a second set of corrective optics in said third light path; and, means interconnected between said first and second corrective optics for producing identical corrective inputs to said first, second and third light paths from said first and second sets of corrective optics.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention of claim 21 and wherein the focal length of said field mirror is in the range of 5 feet.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 21 and wherein said patient viewing station and said eye examination station are proximately equidistantly spaced along said light path from said field mirror.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 1 and including first and second light paths between said patient viewing station and said projector, said first light path for said patient''s left eye and said second light path for said patient''s right eye.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 26 where said projector projects a plurality of images with at least one image for said left eye and another image for said right eye.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3598478A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-31 | 1978-09-30 | 1979-04-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-31 | 1982-09-30 | 1983-04-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-31 | 1986-09-30 | 1987-04-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |