ENDOSCOPE WITH DISTAL TIP HAVING ENCASED OPTICAL COMPONENTS AND DISPLAY ORIENTATION CAPABILITIES

• US 20100286475A1
• Filed: 04/28/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: ROBERTSON, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,485,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00188 with focusing or zooming features
• 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 1/0669 at proximal end of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An apparatus according to one embodiment includes an endoscope tip including a housing that is monolithically formed of a transparent material. At least one optical component is at least partially encased within the housing. The optical component can be, for example, a light source, a fiber optic, an imaging sensor, a lens, a reflector or a light shield. In another embodiment, an apparatus includes an endoscope having a distal end portion that includes a housing. The housing is monolithically formed with a transparent material and a light source is at least partially encased within the housing. The housing also includes a micro-defects portion within the transparent material of the housing. The micro-defects portion is configured to provide a selected output shape of a beam of light produced by the light source.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an endoscope tip including a housing, the housing being monolithically formed of a transparent material; and

at least one optical component at least partially encased within the housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical component is a light emitting diode.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical component is a fiber optic coupled to an illumination source disposed outside the housing of the endoscope tip.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical component is a light source, the apparatus further comprising:

a light shield encased within the housing of the endoscope tip.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical component is a light source, the apparatus further comprising:

a light shield encased within the housing of the endoscope tip, the light shield having an opacity different than an opacity of the housing of the endoscope tip.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a working channel configured to receive a medical tool therethrough.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a reflector encased within the housing of the endoscope tip, at least a portion of the reflector being disposed between a light source and an exterior surface of the endoscope tip.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the endoscope tip includes a micro-defects portion defined within the housing of the endoscope tip, at least a portion of the micro-defects portion being disposed between a light source and a distal end of the endoscope tip.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the endoscope tip has an external surface defining an optical lens surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transparent material has a predefined transmissivity for a plurality of wavelengths.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

an endoscope having a distal end portion including a housing, the housing being monolithically formed with a transparent material; and

a light source at least partially encased within the housing,

the housing including a micro-defects portion disposed within the transparent material of the housing.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the micro-defects portion is configured to provide a selected output shape of a beam of light produced by the light source.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

an optical component at least partially encased within the housing, the housing being monolithically formed about the optical component.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the housing defines a cavity, the apparatus further comprising:

an optical component at least partially disposed within the cavity of the housing, the optical component having an external surface entirely surrounded by a continuous boundary formed by the housing.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

an image detector at least partially encased within the housing.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the housing defines a lumen configured to receive a medical tool therethrough.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

an endoscope including an elongate member and an image detector disposed at a distal end portion of the elongate member, the image detector configured to generate an image signal;

a handle coupled to the elongate member of the endoscope; and

an actuator coupled to the handle, the actuator configured to be actuated by a user to modify an orientation of an image when the image is displayed on an image display device, the image being associated with the image signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a processor operatively coupled to the actuator and configured to send a signal to the image display device to modify the orientation of the image.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a processor operatively coupled to the actuator and configured to send a signal to the image display device to display a mark within the image when the image is displayed on the image display device, a location of the mark within the displayed image being associated with an orientation of the image relative to an endoscope.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the actuator is a first actuator, the apparatus further comprising:

a second actuator coupled to the handle, the second actuator configured to be selectively actuated by a user to send a signal to the image display device such that a mark is displayed within an image, the mark indicating a location of an area of interest within the image when the image is displayed.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the endoscope includes a housing disposed at the distal end portion of the endoscope, the housing being formed with a transparent material, the image detector being at least partially encased within the housing.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the endoscope includes a housing disposed at the distal end portion of the endoscope, the housing being formed of a transparent material and including a micro-defects portion formed in at least a portion of the housing.

23. A method, comprising:

inserting an endoscope into a body lumen of a patient;

imaging the body lumen with an image detector of the endoscope;

actuating an actuator coupled to a handle of the endoscope such that an orientation of an image of the body lumen is modified when displayed on an image display device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the actuator is a first actuator, the method further comprising:

actuating a second actuator to send a signal to the image display device such that a mark is displayed within the displayed image of the body lumen at an area of interest.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the actuating includes rotating the actuator relative to the handle of the endoscope such that a reference mark on the actuator is at a desired rotational location relative to the handle, the rotational location of the reference mark being associated with an orientation of the displayed image relative to the endoscope.