ENDOSCOPE

• US 20070185384A1
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PSIP, LLC
• Original Assignee: Avantis Medical Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Bayer, Lex, Rasmussen, Fred
• Granted Patent: US 8,235,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/129
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00174 characterised by the viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00181 for multiple fixed viewing angles A61B1/00193 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/005 Flexible endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/051 Details of CCD assembly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/053 being detachable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0623 for off-axis illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/273 for the upper alimentary canal, e.g. oesophagoscopes, gastroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes

Abstract

An endoscope includes an insertion tube having a distal end and an imaging device with a steerable extension. The proximal end of the extension is attached to the distal end of the insertion tube. An endoscope includes an insertion tube having a distal end region and a rear-viewing imaging device at least partially disposed inside the distal end region. An endoscope includes an insertion tube having a distal end cap, an imaging device, and a link that couples the imaging device to the distal end cap of the insertion tube.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising:

an insertion tube having a distal end; and

an imaging device including a steerable extension having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end of the extension is attached to the distal end of the insertion tube.

2. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the steerable extension is steerable in one direction up to 180°

.

3. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the steerable extension is steerable in two opposite directions.

4. The endoscope of claim 3, wherein the distal end of the steerable extension is steerable up to 180°

in each of the two opposite directions.

5. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the steerable extension is steerable in three or more directions.

6. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the steerable extension has a diameter that is approximately a third of the insertion tube'"'"'s diameter.

7. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the insertion tube is steerable.

8. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the imaging device includes an imaging unit that is provided on the distal end of the steerable extension.

9. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the imaging device includes an imaging unit that is provided on a side surface of the distal end region of the steerable extension.

10. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the imaging device includes two imaging units that are provided on the opposite sides of the distal end region of the steerable extension.

11. An endoscope comprising:

an insertion tube having a distal end region; and

a rear-viewing imaging device at least partially disposed inside the distal end region.

12. The endoscope of claim 11, wherein the insertion tube includes a sheath having a window placed in front of the rear-viewing imaging device.

13. The endoscope of claim 11, wherein the rear-viewing imaging device protrudes outside of the insertion tube.

14. The endoscope of claim 11, wherein the distal end region of the insertion tube includes a circular groove having a front-facing sidewall and rear-facing sidewall.

15. The endoscope of claim 14, wherein the rear-facing sidewall has a rear-viewing imaging device.

16. The endoscope of claim 14, wherein the rear-viewing imaging device protrudes outside of the rear-facing sidewall.

17. The endoscope of claim 11, wherein the distal end region of the insertion tube includes a circular protrusion having a front-facing side and rear-facing side.

18. The endoscope of claim 17, wherein the rear-facing side of the protrusion has a window placed in front of the rear-viewing imaging device.

19. The endoscope of claim 17, wherein the rear-viewing imaging device protrudes outside of the rear-facing side of the protrusion.

20. The endoscope of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of rear-viewing imaging devices, wherein imaging signals from the rear-viewing imaging devices are combined to provide an integrated rear view.

21. The endoscope of claim 20, wherein the integrated rear view is a 360°

view.

22. An endoscope comprising:

an insertion tube having a distal end region;

a plurality of imaging elements, wherein at least one of the imaging elements is positioned on the distal end of the insertion tube, and wherein at least one of the imaging elements is positioned in the distal end region of the insertion tube behind (proximally) to the first imaging element on the distal region of the insertion tube

23. The endoscope of claim 22, wherein images from the imaging sensors are provided on a display device for simultaneous viewing

24. A method of viewing a lumen of the body comprising providing simultaneous viewing of images from front and rear viewing imaging elements attached to a single insertion tube.

25. An endoscope comprising:

an insertion tube;

a main imaging device positioned on a distal end of the insertion tube;

a secondary imaging device; and

an actuator, wherein the actuator extends the secondary imaging device out of, and retracts the secondary imaging device into, the insertion tube, and wherein the extension and retraction of the secondary imaging device adjusts the distance between the main and secondary imaging devices.

26. An endoscope comprising:

an insertion tube having a distal end cap;

an imaging device; and

a link that couples the imaging device to the distal end cap of the insertion tube, wherein the imaging device includes a housing element, and wherein the housing element, link and distal end cap form a unitary unit.

27. An endoscope comprising:

an insertion tube having a distal end cap;

a main imaging device positioned on a distal end of the insertion tube;

a secondary imaging device; and

a link that couples the secondary imaging device to the distal end cap of the insertion tube, wherein the main and secondary imaging devices provide different views of the same area.

28. An endoscope comprising:

an insertion tube having a distal end cap;

a main imaging device including a main light source, the main imaging device being positioned on a distal end of the insertion tube;

a secondary imaging device including a secondary light source; and

a link that couples the secondary imaging device to the distal end cap of the insertion tube, wherein the main and secondary imaging devices and their light sources are turned on and off alternately to reduce or eliminate light interference.

29. The endoscope of claim 28, wherein the main and secondary imaging devices and their light sources are turned on and off at a sufficiently high frequency such that eyes do not sense that the main and secondary imaging devices and their light sources are intermittently turned on and off.

30. An endoscope comprising:

an insertion tube having a distal end cap;

a main imaging device including a main light source, the main imaging device being positioned on a distal end of the insertion tube;

a secondary imaging device including a secondary light source; and

a link that couples the secondary imaging device to the distal end cap of the insertion tube, wherein the main imaging device and main light source are covered by a first set of polarizer filters of the same orientation, and wherein the secondary imaging device and secondary light source are covered by a second set of polarizer filters orientated at 90°

relative to the first set of polarizer filters.

31. An endoscope comprising:

an insertion tube having a distal end cap;

a main imaging device including a main light source, the main imaging device being positioned on a distal end of the insertion tube;

a secondary imaging device including a secondary light source; and

a link that couples the secondary imaging device to the distal end cap of the insertion tube, wherein only one of the imaging devices is covered by a first polarizer filter, and only the other light source is covered by a second polarizer filter orientated at 90°

relative to the first polarizer filter.