Endoscope with actively cooled illumination sources
First Claim
1. A single use endoscope that is removably connectable to a reusable control unit to form a system for examining an internal body cavity of a patient, comprising:
- a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and a number lumens therein;
an articulation joint at or adjacent the distal end;
an imaging assembly at or adjacent the distal end of the shaft to produce images of the internal body cavity, the imaging assembly including;
a hollow cylindrical cap having a cavity therein and a front face through which illumination light passes and an imaging port; and
a heat exchanger assembly received within the cavity of the cap, the heat exchanger including;
a cooling channel having an inlet and an outlet in which a cooling material is passed and a recess;
one or more light emitting diodes mounted on a circuit board that is in thermal contact with the cooling channel; and
a lens assembly that is positioned in the recess of the cooling channel to be aligned between the imaging port and a solid state imaging device secured to the heat exchanger assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscopic imaging system includes a reusable control cabinet having a number of actuators that control the orientation of a lightweight endoscope that is connectable thereto. The endoscope is used with a single patient and is then disposed. The endoscope includes an illumination mechanism, an image sensor, and an elongate shaft having one or more lumens located therein. An articulation joint at the distal end of the endoscope allows the distal end to be oriented by the actuators in the control cabinet. The endoscope is coated with a hydrophilic coating that reduces its coefficient of friction and because it is lightweight, requires less force to advance it to a desired location within a patient.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A single use endoscope that is removably connectable to a reusable control unit to form a system for examining an internal body cavity of a patient, comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and a number lumens therein; an articulation joint at or adjacent the distal end; an imaging assembly at or adjacent the distal end of the shaft to produce images of the internal body cavity, the imaging assembly including; a hollow cylindrical cap having a cavity therein and a front face through which illumination light passes and an imaging port; and a heat exchanger assembly received within the cavity of the cap, the heat exchanger including; a cooling channel having an inlet and an outlet in which a cooling material is passed and a recess; one or more light emitting diodes mounted on a circuit board that is in thermal contact with the cooling channel; and a lens assembly that is positioned in the recess of the cooling channel to be aligned between the imaging port and a solid state imaging device secured to the heat exchanger assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An imaging system for use with an endoscope, comprising:
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a cap having a hollow internal cavity with a front face through which illumination light passes; a heat exchanger that is fitted within the internal cavity of the cap, the heat exchanger including; one or more light emitting diodes mounted on a circuit board; an image sensor; a cooling channel having an open face that is sealed by the circuit board such that a cooling material within the cooling channel is in thermal contact with the one or more light emitting diodes; and a recess into which a lens assembly is fitted and aligned with the image sensor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An endoscope comprising:
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a flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and a working channel lumen therein; a hollow cap having an internal cavity on the distal end of the shaft including a front face with an opening to the working channel of the endoscope; a heat exchanger that is fitted within the internal cavity of the cap, the heat exchanger including; a cooling channel through which a cooling liquid passes; a circuit board having one surface that contacts the cooling liquid in the cooling channel and another surface on which one or more light emitting diodes are mounted, wherein the heat exchanger includes a recess into which a lens assembly is fitted and aligned with an image sensor and wherein the image sensor is secured to the heat exchanger in line with the lens assembly. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An endoscope comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and a working channel; a cap having an internal cavity and a front face positioned at the distal end of the shaft; an insert that is fitted within the internal cavity of the cap and behind the front face, that includes; an illumination source; a heat exchanger that supports the illumination source, the heat exchanger including a cooling channel in which a liquid is passed and is warmed by heat from the illumination source, wherein the heat exchanger includes a recess into which a lens assembly is fitted and aligned with the image sensor and wherein the illumination source is mounted on a circuit board having a surface that contacts the liquid within the cooling channel. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. An endoscope comprising:
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a shaft; a cap at an end of the shaft; an insert that is fitted within the cap, the insert including; one or more illumination sources that generate heat when producing illumination light; a heat exchanger including a cooling channel having an inlet and an outlet through which a fluid is passed to remove heat from the end of the shaft; an image sensor that is supported by the heat exchanger between the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger; and a lens assembly that focuses light onto the image sensor, wherein the cooling channel of the heat exchanger has a curved shape that forms a recess in the heat exchanger in which the lens assembly is positioned to focus light onto the image sensor.
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22. An endoscope comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one working channel therein; a hollow cap having a front face at the distal end of the shaft through which illumination light passes; and a heat exchanger positioned behind the front face of the cap and having an inlet and an outlet and a cooling channel therebetween through which a cooling material is passed, the cooling channel including a circuit board constructed and arranged to have a first surface that contacts the cooling material and a second surface on which one or more LEDs are mounted. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An imaging assembly for an endoscope, comprising:
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a hollow cap having a front face, an opening to a working channel within the front face, and a semicircular cavity behind the front face; and a heat exchanger having a semicircular shape that fits in the semicircular cavity of the cap, the heat exchanger including a semicircular cooling channel that extends around a cylindrical recess having a diameter that mates with a lens assembly fitted within the cylindrical recess.
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Specification