Endoscopic contamination protection system to facilitate cleaning of endoscopes
First Claim
1. An endoscope comprising:
- an endoscope control handle;
an endoscope insertion tube having a proximal end mounted on said control handle and a distal end containing a viewing window, a lighting window, and a distal biopsy port, said insertion tube further including a biopsy channel extending from said distal biopsy port to a proximal biopsy port adjacent said control handle;
a coupling cartridge releasably mounted on said control handle, said coupling cartridge having a sealed biopsy inlet in communication with a biopsy channel coupler that communicates with said proximal biopsy port when said coupling cartridge is mounted on said control handle;
a flange adapted to fit over the distal end of said insertion tube;
an end piece mounted in said flange, said end piece having respective apertures aligned with said viewing window, said lighting window, and said distal biopsy port;
a first sealing mechanism between said flange and the distal end of said insertion tube; and
a second sealing mechanism between each of said viewing window, said lighting window, and said biopsy channel and their respective apertures, said first and second sealing mechanisms resisting the inflow of contaminants between said end cap and the distal end of said insertion tube whereby said coupling cartridge, flange and end piece may be removed from said endoscope control handle after an endoscopic procedure has been completed to facilitate cleaning of said endoscope.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A coupling cartridge and end cap for protecting an endoscope from contamination during use. The coupling cartridge provides fluid communication between a pair of external fluid conduits and respective channels formed in an endoscope insertion tube, and between a biopsy channel port projecting from the cartridge and an additional insertion tube channel. In one embodiment, fluid flow through the external fluid conduits is controlled by an external fluid control unit that is electrically controlled by respective switches mounted on the control handle of the endoscope. In another embodiment, fluid flow through the external fluid conduits is controlled by a valve mechanism in the coupling cartridge that is controlled by either an actuator on the cartridge or an actuator on the control handle that is mechanically coupled to the valve mechanism. The coupling cartridge may be removed from endoscope after an endoscopic procedure for disposal or rigorous cleaning. The end cap fits onto the distal end of the insertion tube to isolate it from external contamination. A viewing window, an illumination window, and a biopsy channel project from the distal end of the insertion tube and are received by respective apertures formed in the end cap. The projecting components are tightly surrounded by the end cap as they extend through their respective apertures thereby forming a fluid seal to prevent contamination from reaching the distal end of the insertion tube. A fluid nozzle may also be formed in the end cap to receive a washing fluid from a fluid port at the distal end of the insertion tube and direct the fluid onto the surface of the viewing window for cleaning. A protective sheath may be attached to the end cap and cover the insertion tube to also protect the outer surface of the insertion tube from contamination.
194 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An endoscope comprising:
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an endoscope control handle; an endoscope insertion tube having a proximal end mounted on said control handle and a distal end containing a viewing window, a lighting window, and a distal biopsy port, said insertion tube further including a biopsy channel extending from said distal biopsy port to a proximal biopsy port adjacent said control handle; a coupling cartridge releasably mounted on said control handle, said coupling cartridge having a sealed biopsy inlet in communication with a biopsy channel coupler that communicates with said proximal biopsy port when said coupling cartridge is mounted on said control handle; a flange adapted to fit over the distal end of said insertion tube; an end piece mounted in said flange, said end piece having respective apertures aligned with said viewing window, said lighting window, and said distal biopsy port; a first sealing mechanism between said flange and the distal end of said insertion tube; and a second sealing mechanism between each of said viewing window, said lighting window, and said biopsy channel and their respective apertures, said first and second sealing mechanisms resisting the inflow of contaminants between said end cap and the distal end of said insertion tube whereby said coupling cartridge, flange and end piece may be removed from said endoscope control handle after an endoscopic procedure has been completed to facilitate cleaning of said endoscope. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An endoscope comprising:
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an endoscope control handle having formed therein a recessed portion; an endoscope insertion tube having a proximal end mounted on said control handle and a distal end containing a viewing window, a lighting window, and a distal biopsy port, said insertion tube further including a biopsy channel extending from said distal biopsy port to a proximal biopsy port adjacent said control handle, said proximal biopsy port being formed at the end of a hollow cylindrical boss that projects from said insertion tube into the recessed portion of said control handle; and a coupling cartridge releasably mounted in the recessed portion of said control handle, said coupling cartridge having a sealed biopsy inlet in communication with a biopsy channel coupler that communicates with said proximal biopsy port when said coupling cartridge is mounted in said control handle, said biopsy channel coupler being formed by a recess in said coupling cartridge into which said hollow cylindrical boss projects when said coupling cartridge is mounted in said control handle whereby said coupling cartridge may be removed from said endoscope control handle after an endoscopic procedure has been completed to facilitate cleaning of said endoscope. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. An endoscope comprising:
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an endoscope control handle having formed therein a recessed portion; an endoscope insertion tube having a proximal end mounted on said control handle and a distal end containing a viewing window, a lighting window, and a distal biopsy port, said insertion tube further including a biopsy channel extending from said distal biopsy port to a proximal biopsy port adjacent said control handle, said proximal biopsy port being formed at the end of a hollow cylindrical boss that projects from said insertion tube into the recessed portion of said control handle; and a coupling cartridge body releasably mounted in the recessed portion of said control handle, said coupling cartridge having a sealed biopsy inlet in communication with a biopsy channel coupler that communicates with said proximal biopsy port when said coupling cartridge is mounted in said control handle, said biopsy channel coupler being formed by a recess in said cartridge body into which said hollow cylindrical boss projects when said coupling cartridge is mounted on said control handle; and
a cartridge cover overlying said cartridge body when said cartridge body is mounted in the recessed portion of said control handle, said cartridge cover being secured to said control handle to maintain said cartridge body in position in said control handle, whereby said coupling cartridge may be removed from said endoscope control handle after an endoscopic procedure has been completed to facilitate cleaning of said endoscope.
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18. An endoscope of the type usable with an external fluid control unit that is operated by a switch on an endoscope control handle, said endoscope comprising:
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an endoscope control handle including at least one manually operable electric switch connected to a control input of said external fluid control unit to control the flow of fluid through a fluid port of said external fluid control unit; an endoscope insertion tube having a proximal end mounted on said control handle containing a proximal fluid port, said insertion tube further including a distal end containing a viewing window, a lighting window, a distal fluid port, and a distal biopsy port, said insertion tube further including a biopsy channel extending from said distal biopsy port to a proximal biopsy port adjacent said control handle, and an endoscope fluid channel extending from said distal fluid port to said proximal fluid port; and a coupling cartridge releasably mounted on said control handle, said coupling cartridge having a sealed biopsy inlet in communication with a biopsy channel coupler that communicates with said proximal biopsy port when said coupling cartridge is mounted on said control handle, said coupling cartridge further including a fluid conduit in communication with a fluid coupler that communicates with said distal fluid port when said coupling cartridge is mounted on said control handle, said fluid conduit being connected to said fluid port on said external fluid control unit, whereby said coupling cartridge may be removed from said endoscope control handle after an endoscopic procedure has been completed to facilitate cleaning of said endoscope. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. An endoscope comprising:
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an endoscope control handle; an endoscope insertion tube having a proximal end mounted on said control handle containing a proximal fluid port, said insertion tube further having a distal end containing a viewing window, a lighting window, a distal fluid port, and a distal biopsy port, said insertion tube further including a biopsy channel extending from said distal biopsy port to a proximal biopsy port adjacent said control handle; and
an endoscope fluid channel extending from said distal fluid port to said proximal fluid port; anda coupling cartridge releasably mounted on said control handle, said coupling cartridge having a sealed biopsy inlet in communication with a biopsy channel coupler that communicates with said proximal biopsy port and a fluid conduit in communication with a fluid coupler that communicates with said distal fluid port when said coupling cartridge is mounted on said control handle, said coupling cartridge further including a manually actuatable valve that controls the flow of fluid through said fluid conduit between said fluid coupler and an external fluid port, said manually actuatable valve including a fluid control mechanism contained in said coupling cartridge for controlling the flow of fluid through said fluid conduit between said fluid coupler and said external fluid port, and an actuating member projecting from said control handle and being mechanically coupled to said fluid control mechanism so that the flow of fluid through the fluid conduit in said coupling cartridge is controlled by actuating said actuating member on said control handle.
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Specification