Sheathed endoscope
First Claim
1. A sheathed endoscope having a flexible insert tube in the form of an elongated cylinder having proximal and distal ends, and a distal end portion with a viewing window which is coupled to the distal end of said insert tube, said endoscope comprising:
- a flexible guide tube inserted in said insert tube so as to extend over the entire length of said insert tube, one end of said guide tube opening to the outside at said distal end portion, and the other end of said guide tube opening to the outside at the proximal end of said insert tube;
a sheath which is transparent at least a portion thereof which is adapted to be positioned over the surface of said viewing window, said sheath adapted to be positioned over the surface of said viewing window, said sheath adapted to be removably fitted over said insert tube to isolate said insert tube from the external environment; and
at least one channel tube inserted in said sheath so as to extend through the entire length of said sheath, one end of said channel tube opening to the outside at the distal end portion of said sheath, and the other end of said channel tube being inserted into said guide tube at the distal end of said guide tube and drawn out of the proximal end of said guide tube.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sheathed endoscope having a flexible insert tube in the form of an elongated cylinder and a distal end portion with a viewing window which is coupled to the distal end of the insert tube. The endoscope includes: a flexible guide tube inserted in the insert tube so as to extend over the entire length of the insert tube with, one end of the guide tube opening to the outside at the distal end portion and the other end of the guide tube opening to the outside at the proximal end of the insert tube. A sheath which is transparent at least partially thereof which is positioned over the surface of the viewing window and the sheath is removably fitted over the insert tube to isolate the insert tube from the external environment. At least one channel tube inserted in the sheath so as to extend over the entire length of the sheath, one end of the channel tube opening to the outside at the distal end portion of the sheath, and the other end of the channel tube being inserted into the guide tube from the distal end thereof and drawn out of the proximal end of the guide tube.
-
Citations
11 Claims
-
1. A sheathed endoscope having a flexible insert tube in the form of an elongated cylinder having proximal and distal ends, and a distal end portion with a viewing window which is coupled to the distal end of said insert tube, said endoscope comprising:
-
a flexible guide tube inserted in said insert tube so as to extend over the entire length of said insert tube, one end of said guide tube opening to the outside at said distal end portion, and the other end of said guide tube opening to the outside at the proximal end of said insert tube; a sheath which is transparent at least a portion thereof which is adapted to be positioned over the surface of said viewing window, said sheath adapted to be positioned over the surface of said viewing window, said sheath adapted to be removably fitted over said insert tube to isolate said insert tube from the external environment; and at least one channel tube inserted in said sheath so as to extend through the entire length of said sheath, one end of said channel tube opening to the outside at the distal end portion of said sheath, and the other end of said channel tube being inserted into said guide tube at the distal end of said guide tube and drawn out of the proximal end of said guide tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A sheathed endoscope having a flexible insert tube comprising:
-
a flexible guide tube inserted in said insert tube so as to extend over the entire length of said insert tube;
the distal end of said guide tube opening to the outside of the distal end portion of said insert tube, and the proximal end of said guide tube opening to the outside at a control part of said endoscope; andat least one channel tube, one end of said channel tube opening to the outside at the distal end portion of said guide tube, and the other end of said channel tube being inserted into said guide tube from the distal end thereof and drawn out of the promixal end of said guide tube.
-
Specification