Visualization Instrument

• US 20110130627A1
• Filed: 09/01/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: King Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Chinnock, Randal B., Miller, David J., Yeh, Yun Siung Tony, Gregory, Paul Crosby, McGrail, Thomas W., Hack, Brian, Palladino, Gary Vincent, Jugenheimer Size, Kristin, Goodrich, Elizabeth Powell, Pargett, Michael S., Miller, Richard L., Grubner, George
• Granted Patent: US 9,854,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00052 positioned at proximal end of the endoscope body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00103 designed for single use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00105 characterised by modular construction
• 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 1/267 for the respiratory tract, e.g. laryngoscopes, bronchoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2446 of the image relay G02B23/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A visualization instrument comprising a display support component removably coupled to a component insertable into a target space. The insertable component includes a camera providing images of the target space. The images are presented in a display device supported by the display support component. The insertable component may be discarded after a permitted number of uses.

Claims

1. A visualization instrument comprising:

a display device;

an imaging assembly including a camera and a lens, the camera including an imaging sensor, an imaging support having a distal surface and an optical cavity, the optical cavity defining a cavity opening in the distal surface, the lens and the camera sealed within the optical cavity to keep the optical cavity dry, the camera outputting a digital image stream corresponding to a plurality of views obtained through the lens;

a handle portion detachably coupled to the display device;

a self-contained energy source supported by one of the handle portion and the display device; and

an insertable portion coupled to the handle portion and insertable into the patient, the insertable portion having a distal cavity with a distal opening at a distal end thereof, the imaging assembly received by the distal cavity through the distal opening, the imaging assembly electronically coupled to the display device when the insertable portion is coupled to the handle portion and the handle portion is coupled to the display device to present images corresponding to the plurality of views with the display device.

2. The visualization instrument of claim 1, wherein the insertable portion further comprises a guide pathway adapted for guiding a tube into a patient, the distal cavity and the guide pathway arranged laterally to each other to reduce an anterior/posterior height of the insertable portion.

3. The visualization instrument of claim 1, wherein the handle portion and the insertable portion are integrally formed as a single piece blade.

4. The visualization instrument of claim 1, wherein the insertable portion further comprises an anterior guide surface and a medial guide surface, the anterior guide surface and the medial guide surface defining a guide pathway adapted for guiding a tube into a patient.

5. The visualization instrument of claim 4, wherein the tube is distinguishable in the digital image stream as the tube passes through a field of view of the lens.

6. The visualization instrument of claim 4, wherein the guide pathway comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion, the insertable portion further comprising a posterior guide surface opposite the anterior guide surface and a lateral guide surface opposite the medial guide surface, the distal portion of the guide pathway defined by the anterior guide surface, the posterior guide surface, the medial guide surface and the lateral guide surface.

7. The visualization instrument of claim 6, wherein the proximal portion of the guide pathway is shorter than the distal portion.

8. The visualization instrument of claim 7, wherein a proximal portion length of the proximal portion of the guide pathway, measured along a center line of the insertion portion, is at most 40% of a distal portion length of the distal portion of the guide pathway.

9. The visualization instrument of claim 6, wherein the medial guide surface includes a transition portion extending through the proximal portion of the guide pathway and a longitudinally aligned portion extending through the distal portion of the guide pathway, wherein the transition portion extends from a side of the insertable portion to the longitudinally aligned portion.

10. The visualization instrument of claim 9, wherein the transition portion extends from a lateral side of the insertable portion.

11. The visualization instrument of claim 1, wherein the insertable portion further comprises an anterior wall and a medial wall, the anterior wall and the medial wall defining a guide pathway adapted for guiding a tube into a patient, the guide pathway adjacent a side of the medial wall and the distal cavity adjacent an opposite side of the medial wall, the anterior wall having a tip portion extending distally beyond the medial wall.

12. The visualization instrument of claim 11, wherein the tip portion includes a textured surface adapted to engage a tissue of the patient.

13. The visualization instrument of claim 12, wherein the textured surface includes a plurality of ridges arranged in a regulated pattern.

14. The visualization instrument of claim 13, wherein the plurality of ridges are longitudinally aligned.

15. The visualization instrument of claim 11, wherein the textured surface has a first coefficient of friction measured in a first direction and a second coefficient of friction measured in a second direction different from the first direction.

16. The visualization instrument of claim 11, wherein the tip portion includes one or more flexural support feature.

17. The visualization instrument of claim 16, wherein the one or more flexural support feature increases a flexural strength of the tip portion by at least 5%.

18. The visualization instrument of claim 11, wherein the flexural support feature comprises at least one of a longitudinally aligned ridge, a longitudinally aligned wall portion, and a transverse curvature of the tip portion.

19. The visualization instrument of claim 1, wherein the insertable portion comprises an elongate tubular member.

20. The visualization instrument of claim 19, wherein the elongate tubular member is malleable.

21. The visualization instrument of claim 19, wherein the elongate tubular member is steerable, further comprising a steering mechanism supported by the handle portion.

22. The visualization instrument of claim 1, wherein the imaging assembly is permanently attached to the insertable portion.

23. The visualization instrument of claim 1, further including an electronic connector affixed to the insertable portion and accessible from the distal cavity, the imaging assembly removably connecting to the connector when it is received by the distal cavity.

24. The visualization instrument of claim 1, further comprising a translucent cover attached to the distal surface, the translucent cover including an anti-fog coating.

25. The visualization instrument of claim 1, further comprising a second lens and a camera barrel having a barrel cavity, the lens positioned between the distal surface and the camera barrel when the camera barrel is received by the optical cavity, and the second lens received by the camera barrel and positioned between the camera barrel and the camera.

26. The visualization instrument of claim 1, further comprising a motion sensor detecting motion of the display device and disabling presentation of the images when motion is not detected during a predetermined amount of time.

27. The visualization instrument of claim 1, wherein the camera forms the digital image stream using radiation having wavelengths ranging between 10 nanometers and 14,000 nanometers.

28. The visualization instrument of claim 27, wherein the camera forms the digital image stream using radiation having wavelengths in the visible light spectrum.

29. The visualization instrument of claim 1, further comprising a protrusion and a recess configured to receive the protrusion, the recess and the protrusion generating an audible sound when the handle portion couples to the display device.

30. The visualization instrument of claim 29, wherein the visualization instrument further comprises a display device support portion supporting the display device, the handle portion includes a handle cavity adapted to receive the display device support portion thereby coupling the display device to the insertable portion, one of the protrusion and the recess are positioned on the display device support portion and the other of the protrusion and the recess are positioned inside the handle cavity.

31. A visualization instrument partially insertable into a patient, the visualization instrument comprising:

a display device;

a lens;

a camera including an imaging sensor, the camera outputting a digital image stream corresponding to a plurality of views obtained through the lens;

a handle portion detachably coupled to the display device;

a self-contained energy source supported by one of the handle portion and the display device; and

an insertable portion coupled to the handle portion and insertable into the patient, the insertable portion having a distal cavity at a distal end thereof receiving the lens and the camera, the camera electronically coupled to the display device when the insertable portion is coupled to the handle portion and the handle portion is coupled to the display device to present images corresponding to the plurality of views with the display device, the insertable portion further comprising at least two substantially non-resilient walls and at least one resilient wall, the at least two non-resilient walls and the at least one resilient wall forming a guide pathway operable to guide insertion of a tube into the patient and defining an elongate opening, the at least one resilient wall deforming when at least a portion of the tube is removed through the elongate opening.

32. The visualization instrument of claim 31, wherein the handle portion and the insertable portion are integrally formed as a single piece blade.

33. The visualization instrument of claim 32, wherein the blade is configured to be discarded after a single use.

34. The visualization instrument of claim 31, wherein the guide pathway defines a proximal anterior/posterior height at one end thereof and a distal anterior/posterior height at a distal end thereof, the proximal anterior/posterior height being greater than the distal anterior/posterior height.

35. The visualization instrument of claim 34, wherein the distal anterior/posterior height is at least 0.5 mm greater than the distal anterior/posterior height.

36. The visualization instrument of claim 34, wherein the distal anterior/posterior height is at least 1.0 mm greater than the distal anterior/posterior height.

37. The visualization instrument of claim 31, further comprising a distal tip extending distally beyond the lens, the distal tip having a textured surface operable to displace the glottis of the patient.

38. The visualization instrument of claim 31, further comprising a distal tip extending distally beyond the lens and a processing device, the distal tip including a use indicia positioned within the field of view of the lens and operable to determine a use state of the insertable portion, wherein the processing device disables presentation of the images when the use state indicates prior uses exceed a permitted number of uses.

39. The visualization instrument of claim 31, further comprising a distal tip extending distally beyond the lens, the distal tip including flexural strengthening features to reduce flexure of the distal tip by at least 5% when the distal tip engages the patient'"'"'s tissue.

40. The visualization instrument of claim 39, wherein the flexural strengthening features comprise at least one of a curved profile of the distal tip along its width, a longitudinal ridge extending from a surface of the distal tip, and a longitudinal wall.

41. A visualization instrument partially insertable into a patient, the visualization instrument comprising:

an insertable portion having guiding means for guiding insertion of a tube into a patient, the guiding means resiliently deforming when at least a portion of the tube is removed through the guiding means;

attachment means for detachably coupling a display device to the insertable portion; and

;

imaging means for capturing a plurality of images corresponding to a field of view of the imaging means and outputting a digital image stream operable to present corresponding images with the display device.