Endoscopic imaging system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An imaging endoscope, comprising:
- a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
an illumination port at the distal end of the shaft for illuminating tissue;
an imaging port at the distal end of the shaft that includes an imaging sensor to produce an image of the tissue;
a plastically deformable articulation joint disposed at the distal end of the shaft comprising a molded or extruded polymeric cylinder having a central lumen and a number of control cable lumens disposed about the circumference of the cylinder;
a number of live hinges formed in the cylinder; and
a number of control cables that are selectively activated to bend the articulation joint in a desired direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscopic imaging system includes a reusable control cabinet having a number of actuators that control the orientation of a lightweight endoscope that is connectable thereto. The endoscope is used with a single patient and is then disposed. The endoscope includes an illumination mechanism, an image sensor and an elongate shaft having one or more lumens located therein. A polymeric articulation joint at the distal end of the endoscope allows the distal end to be oriented by the control cabinet. The endoscope is coated with a hydrophilic coating that reduces its coefficient of friction and because it is lightweight, requires less force to advance it to a desired location within a patient.
435 Citations
47 Claims
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1. An imaging endoscope, comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
an illumination port at the distal end of the shaft for illuminating tissue;
an imaging port at the distal end of the shaft that includes an imaging sensor to produce an image of the tissue;
a plastically deformable articulation joint disposed at the distal end of the shaft comprising a molded or extruded polymeric cylinder having a central lumen and a number of control cable lumens disposed about the circumference of the cylinder;
a number of live hinges formed in the cylinder; and
a number of control cables that are selectively activated to bend the articulation joint in a desired direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18)
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- 16. The imaging endoscope of claim 16, wherein the wound wrap has two or more threads that are braided.
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19. An imaging endoscope, comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
an illumination port at the distal end of the shaft for illuminating tissue;
an imaging port at the distal end of the shaft that includes an imaging sensor to produce an image of the tissue;
a plastically deformable articulation joint wherein the articulation joint includes a number of stacked annular disks each having a number of holes through which the control cables pass and camming surfaces that engage an adjacent annular disk in the articulation joint. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. An imaging endoscopic system, comprising:
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a control cabinet including a number of actuators that operate to control the orientation of an endoscope;
an imaging board for producing images received from an image sensor in an endoscope;
one or more valves to control the delivery of an irrigation fluid and insufflation air/gas to one or more lumens in an endoscope;
a handheld controller including a number of controls that can be activated by a physician to supply commands to the control cabinet; and
a single use endoscope that is connectable to the control cabinet, the endoscope including;
a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end;
an illumination mechanism for illuminating tissue;
an image sensor at the distal end of the endoscope for producing images of tissue;
an articulation joint that permits the distal end of the endoscope to move; and
a number of control cables that are selectively tensioned by the actuators to orient the distal tip of the endoscope. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system for obtaining images of a patient'"'"'s internal body cavity, comprising:
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a reusable control cabinet including;
means for controlling the movement of a distal end of an endoscope;
means for controlling the delivery of an irrigation fluid and/or an insufflation air/gas to lumen(s) of the endoscope;
means for producing images of tissue received from signals produced by an image sensor at the distal end of an endoscope;
an input mechanism for supplying signals to control the operation of the control cabinet; and
a disposable endoscope that is connectable to the control cabinet that obtains images of tissue in the body cavity and is controllable by the control cabinet. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. An endoscope, comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and a central lumen extending therethrough;
an illumination port at the distal end of the shaft;
an imaging port including an image sensor at the distal end of the shaft;
an articulation joint at or adjacent the distal end of the shaft comprising a molded or extruded polymeric cylinder having a number of hinge mechanisms that can be opened and closed to bend the distal end of the shaft; and
a number of control cables that are selectively tensioned to close one or more of the hinge mechanisms of the articulation joint. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An imaging endoscope, comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and a working channel lumen therein;
a number of control cables that are connectable to a number of motion controllers to control the orientation of the distal tip;
an articulation joint comprising a braided stent that is moved by the control cables to orient the distal tip of the endoscope;
one or more light emitting diodes at the distal tip to produce illumination light; and
an image sensor at the distal end of the endoscope to produce images of tissue. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. An endoscope for viewing internal body cavities of a patient, comprising:
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a shaft having a central lumen and a braid embedded within a wall of the shaft;
a plastically deformable articulation joint at or adjacent a distal end of the endoscope, the articulation joint including a number of live hinges and lumens through which control cables are passed;
a number of control cables within the lumens of the articulation joint;
wherein the distal end of the endoscope may be turned in a desired direction by selectively tightening control cables and the distal tip of the endoscope can be retracted by tightening all the control cables simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. An endoscope for viewing internal body cavities of a patient, comprising:
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a shaft having a lumen therein;
an articulation joint at or near the distal end of the shaft for selectively orienting the distal end of the shaft;
an imaging system positioned at or adjacent the distal end of the shaft including a light source and an image sensor for capturing images of the patient'"'"'s body cavity; and
a retractable sleeve that selectively uncovers the distal end of the shaft for use with a patient and recovers the distal end of the shaft after a patient examination procedure. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 46, 47)
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Specification