ENDOSCOPE WITH RELIEF OF AXIAL LOADING

• US 20060004259A1
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Precision Optics Corporation
• Inventors: Ross, Robert N., Forkey, Richard E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/161
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00105 characterised by modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/002 having rod-lens arrangements A61B1/055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/121 provided with means for cleaning post-use

Abstract

A rigid endoscope includes an outer housing subassembly that supports an optics subassembly. The outer housing subassembly includes concentric tubes with optical fiber for providing object illumination. The optics subassembly includes a tubular sheath sealed at both ends for carrying lenses and other optical elements. First and second positioners associated with the optics subassembly and the outer housing subassembly, respectively, limit the transfer of axial forces from the proximal end of the endoscope to the tubular sheath.

Claims

1. An endoscope having distal and proximal ends and comprising:

A) an outer housing subassembly having a central lumen therethrough,

B) an optics subassembly in said lumen including a tubular sheath and,

C) first and second positioning structures associated with said optics subassembly and said outer housing subassembly, respectively, said endoscope including means for fixing said positioning structures thereby to prevent significant axial loading on said tubular sheath.

2. An endoscope as recited in claim 1 wherein said outer housing subassembly includes a proximal body with a proximal end opening and said second position structure includes adjustable positioning means for establishing the axial position of said optics subassembly in said outer housing subassembly.

3. An endoscope having distal and proximal ends and comprising:

A) an outer housing subassembly having a central lumen therethrough,

B) an optics subassembly in said lumen including;

i) a tubular sheath having sealed windows at each of the distal and proximal ends and extending through the central lumen, and

ii) a plurality of optical elements in said tubular sheath for forming an image of an object and presenting the image for viewing,

C) material intermediate said outer housing and said tubular sheath for preventing displacement therebetween during normal use, and

D) first and second positioning structures associated with said optics subassembly and said outer housing subassembly, respectively, said endoscope including means for fixing said positioning structures thereby to prevent significant axial loading on said tubular sheath.

4. An endoscope as recited in claim 3 wherein said outer housing subassembly includes a proximal body with a proximal end opening and said second position structure includes adjustable positioning means for establishing the axial position of said optics subassembly in said outer housing subassembly.

5. A repairable, autoclavable endoscope comprising:

A) an optics subassembly including;

i) a sheath having a predetermined cross section extending proximally from a distal end,

ii) a proximal collar attached to the proximal end of said tubular sheath,

iii) optical means carried in said tubular sheath for presenting an image at the proximal end of said optics subassembly representing an object proximate the distal end of said optics subassembly, and

iv) a first positioning means on said collar for establishing the axial position of said optics subassembly in said endoscope,

B) an outer housing subassembly including;

i) a body portion, and

ii) an outer sheath means attached to said body portion for forming a passage therethrough terminating at an open distal end for receiving said optics subassembly, said body portion including second positioning means for engaging said first positioning means thereby to define the position of said optics subassembly,

C) eyecup means for attachment to the proximal end of said body portion for applying an axial force to said first positioning means thereby to fix the position of said optics subassembly with respect to said outer housing subassembly, and

D) material intermediate said sheath and said outer sheath for fixing at least the portions of said tubular sheath and said outer sheath over a portion extending proximally from the distal end.