Apparatus for endoscopic examination

• US 4,176,662 A
• Filed: 06/17/1977
• Issued: 12/04/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Frazer, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rose, Arthur S.
• Application Number:
  US05/807,597
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 128/4, 128/5, 128/6, 128/7, 128/8, 128/348, 128/349 R, 128/2 M, 128/DIG. 9, 128/2 V, 128/2 P, 128/2.1 A, 128/349 BV, 128/350 R, 128/351, 128/401, 128/214 A, 128/343, 138/33, 219/522
• US Class Current: 600/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/005 Flexible endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3929 Active markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0116 self-propelled, e.g. autonomous robots A61M25/0122 takes precedence

Abstract

An endoscope is disclosed having a propulsion mechanism and at least one transmitter at the distal end transmitting bursts of energy waves (radio frequency or ultrasonic) for tracking the position of the distal end through the use of two or more transducers on the anterior or lateral surfaces of a patient. The propulsion mechanism may consist of two radially expandable bladders separated by an axially expandable bellows with only the forward bladder attached to the distal end so that by expanding and contracting them in proper sequence, propulsion of the endoscope is achieved. Alternate mechanisms comprise compliant paddles on the distal end directly on an articulated section, or compliant paddles on a rotatable sleeve on the distal end. The endoscope has a sheath which includes material having a sharp melting point slightly above body temperature so that the sheath may be made flexible at selected sections by applying current to separate heating wires in the sections of the sheath.

Claims

1. An endoscope having an externally-controlled propulsion mechanism at the distal end, and at least one transmitter at the distal end for transmitting waves of energy to receivers adapted to be disposed on the surface of a patient for tracking the position of the distal end of said endoscope in a passage of the patient, said endoscope comprising a sheath having a window at its distal end enclosing bundles of optical fibers terminating at said window, said sheath having an inner plastic tube, an outer plastic tube, a braided metal tube between the inner and outer tubes, and a material having a shapr melting point slightly above body temperature, said material filling the interstices of the braided wire tube and the space between the plastic tubes in order that the sheath be rigid, and separate heating wires disposed in separate sections of the sheath for selective warming of said material above said melting point, thereby to make selected sections flexible.

2. An endoscope having a sheath comprised of an inner plastic tube, a braided metal tube over the inner tube, and a plastic outer tube over the braided metal tube with a material in the interstices of the braided metal tube and the space between the inner and outer plastic tubes which has a very sharp melting point slightly above body temperature, said sheath having different sections wound with insulated heating wires around the braided metal tube and inside the outer tube, and separate insulated wires inside the outer tube to the different heating wires for control of the rigidity of said sheath by sections from the proximal end of the endoscope.