Deformable fiberscope with a displaceable supplementary device

• US 6,878,106 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2000
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ingo F. Herrmann
• Original Assignee: Ingo F. Herrmann
• Inventors: Herrmann, Ingo F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US09/913,617
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 600/106, 600/128, 600/104, 600/153, 600/127, 600/129
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00073 with externally grooved shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0014 Fastening element for attaching accessories to the outside of an endoscope, e.g. clips, clamps or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/06 with illuminating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/267 for the respiratory tract, e.g. laryngoscopes, bronchoscopes

Abstract

The invention relates to a deformable endoscope that has one or more light/image transmission passages and in which at least one additional instrument is provided, wherein the unit of endoscope and additional instrument has a non-round cross-section along a longitudinal section (insertion section) to be inserted into a human or animal body orifice. The light/image transmission passage or the plurality of light/image transmission passages form—in particular together with at least one work passage—a closed unit (fiberscope part) which can be separated from the additional instrument. The fiberscope part and the additional instrument can be displaced relatively relative to one another along their longitudinal directions. A holding unit is provided for the holding and/or guiding of the fiberscope part and the additional instrument relative to one another.

Claims

1. A deformable endoscope comprising a closed fiberscope part housing at least one light/image transmission passage and at least one work channel, at least one additional instrument, the fiberscope part being separable from the at least one additional instrument, a holding device including at least one permanent magnet associated with one of the fiberscope part and the at least one additional instrument and at least one counter-element made of magnetic material associated with the other one of the fiberscope part and the at least one additional instrument, the holding device holding and/or guiding the fiberscope part and the at least one additional instrument relative to one another, the fiberscope part and the at least one additional instrument forming a unit when not separated from each other which has a non-round cross-section along a longitudinal insertion section that is to be introduced into a body orifice, the permanent magnet and the at least one counter-element being displaceable relative to one another in a longitudinal direction of the unit for longitudinally displacing the fiberscope part and the at least one additional instrument relative to each other.

2. An endoscope in accordance with claim 1 wherein the additional instrument can be alternatively fixed at the fiberscope part by means of the holding device or released from the fiberscope part to allow relative movement in a longitudinal direction of the additional instrument and the fiberscope part.

3. An endoscope in accordance with claim 1 wherein one of a groove and a holding clamp and a corresponding rail or corresponding rail segments are provided as a holding device at the fiberscope part and at the additional instrument.

4. An endoscope in accordance with claim 1 wherein the counter-element is an integral part of one of the additional instrument and the fiberscope part;

and/or wherein the permanent magnet is provided at a plurality of sections of the other one of the additional instrument and the fiberscope part.

5. An endoscope in accordance with claim 1 including one of a jacket hose and a side cover provided at the fiberscope part as a holding device for the acceptance of the additional instrument, the one of the jacket hose and the side cover extending along at least a part of the insertion section of the endoscope.

6. An endoscope in accordance with claim 1 wherein the jacket hose surrounds both the fiberscope part and the additional instrument.

7. An endoscope in accordance with claim 5 wherein the jacket hose is elastic with respect to its diameter.

8. An endoscope in accordance with claim 5 including a rail-groove connection which renders at least one of the jacket hose and the side cover displaceable relative to the fiberscope part.

9. An endoscope in accordance with claim 1 wherein a cross-section of the insertion section is matched to the body orifice.

10. An endoscope in accordance with claim 1 wherein a cross-section dimension of the insertion section is larger in one direction than in a direction orthogonal thereto.

11. An endoscope in accordance with claim 1 wherein the additional instrument comprises at least one of biopsy forceps, an aspirator/injector probe, a pH probe, a pressure measuring instrument and a Bilitec measuring probe.

12. An endoscope in accordance with claim 1 wherein the additional instrument is provided laterally spaced with respect to a center of the cross-section of the insertion section.

13. An endoscope in accordance with claim 10 including a Bowden cable for activating swiveling the endoscope in the direction of its larger cross-sectional dimension.

14. An endoscope in accordance with claim 9 wherein the endoscope comprises a pharingo-esophago-gastroscope for examining the pharynx, esophagus and/or stomach, and wherein a cross-section of the insertion section is matched to a cross-section of a meatus of a human nose.

15. An endoscope in accordance with claim 10 wherein the cross-section of the insertion section corresponds to one of an isosceles triangle and a mirror-symmetric trapezium, each including rounded corners and a base having a length of no more than approximately 3.5 mm.

16. An endoscope in accordance with claim 11 wherein a greatest cross-section dimension of the additional instrument is no more than about 3 mm.

17. An endoscope in accordance with claim 16 wherein the greatest cross-section dimension is no more than approximately 2 mm.

18. An endoscope in accordance with claim 1 wherein the fiberscope part and the additional instrument are displaceable relative to each other by up to approximately 35 cm in their longitudinal directions.

19. An endoscope according to claim 1 wherein the fiberscope part and the additional instrument are displaceable relative to each other by a length of up to approximately 5 cm.

20. An endoscope according to claim 1 wherein the light/image transmission passage comprises at least one separate light transmission passage and at least one separate image transmission passage.

21. An endoscope in accordance with claim 1 including a plastic covering for at least one of the permanent magnet and the counter-element.

22. A deformable endoscope comprising a closed fiberscope part housing a light/image transmission passage and a work channel, an additional instrument, the fiberscope part being separable from the additional instrument, a holding device including a permanent magnet and a counter-element made of magnetic material associated with the fiberscope part and the additional instrument, holding and/or guiding the fiberscope part and the additional instrument relative to one another, the fiberscope part and the additional instrument forming a unit when not separated from each other, the permanent magnet and the counter-element being displaceable relative to each other in a longitudinal direction of the unit for longitudinally displacing the fiberscope part and the additional instrument relative to each other.