FOLDING ENDOSCOPE AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME
First Claim
1. A foldable endoscope, comprising:
- a) a housing having a first and second end and a longitudinal axis, said housing including at least one channel extending between said first and second end, and associated ports at said first and second end for inserting surgical instruments through said housing into a surgical site;
b) at least two elongate arms each having a first and second end and each being pivotally connected at said first end thereof to said first end of said housing;
c) at least one camera each camera being mounted on one of said at least two elongate arms; and
d) a linkage mechanism connected to said at least two elongate arms, said linkage mechanism, upon activation, being configured to pivotally deploy said at least two elongate arms from a closed position in which said at least two elongate arms are aligned along said longitudinal axis to an open position in which said second ends of said at least two elongate arms radially spaced from said longitudinal axis.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a folding endoscope with incorporated optical sensors and light sources. The foldable endoscope includes a housing having first and second ends and a longitudinal axis and at least one channel extending between the first and second ends and associated ports at the first and second ends for inserting surgical instruments through the housing into a surgical site. The endoscope includes three elongate arms having first and second ends and being pivotally connected at the first ends thereof to the first end of the housing. A camera and light source are mounted on each of the elongate arms such that when the elongate arms are deployed the cameras have a field of view in a generally forward direction away from the housing. A linkage mechanism is connected to the elongate arms, and an actuator is connected to the linkage mechanism. The linkage mechanism, upon activation by the actuator, is configured to pivotally deploy the three elongate arms from a closed position in which the elongate arms are aligned along the longitudinal axis to an open position with the second ends of the elongate arms radially spaced from the longitudinal axis.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A foldable endoscope, comprising:
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a) a housing having a first and second end and a longitudinal axis, said housing including at least one channel extending between said first and second end, and associated ports at said first and second end for inserting surgical instruments through said housing into a surgical site; b) at least two elongate arms each having a first and second end and each being pivotally connected at said first end thereof to said first end of said housing; c) at least one camera each camera being mounted on one of said at least two elongate arms; and d) a linkage mechanism connected to said at least two elongate arms, said linkage mechanism, upon activation, being configured to pivotally deploy said at least two elongate arms from a closed position in which said at least two elongate arms are aligned along said longitudinal axis to an open position in which said second ends of said at least two elongate arms radially spaced from said longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification