Visual means of an endoscope

• US 7,699,772 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: invendo medical GmbH (AMBU)
• Original Assignee: STM Medizintechnik Starnberg GmbH
• Inventors: Pauker, Fritz, Bob, Konstantin, Viehbach, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker; John P
• Assistant Examiner(s): CANDLER, SAMUEL M
• Application Number:
  US11/137,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20050272979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 600/109, 600/117, 600/118, 600/129, 600/133, 600/156, 600/160, 600/164, 600/168, 600/171, 600/173, 600174-178, 600/476, 362/572, 362/574
• US Class Current: 600/171
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/243 Objectives for endoscopes

Abstract

A visual means of an endoscope comprising at least one optical system or composite optical system arranged at a front area of the endoscope. The at least one optical system or the at least one composite optical system realizes an aperture angle of more than 180° and is arranged such that the field of vision thereof reaches both beyond the normal to the direction of movement and beyond the longitudinal axis of the endoscope pointing ahead.

Claims

1. A visual means of an endoscope comprising:

an endoscope shaft having a distal end;

an endoscope head located at the distal end of the endoscope shaft;

a central working duct centrally formed in the endoscope head that opens at a front end section of the endoscope head; and

at least three optical systems arranged in the endoscope head, each having a field of vision, and each comprising at least one image capture device, wherein the endoscope has a direction of movement and a normal to the direction of movement, wherein the at least three optical systems realize an aperture angle of more than 180°

, wherein the at least three optical systems are disposed such that the fields of vision collectively reach beyond the normal to the direction of movement, wherein all of the at least three optical system are arranged along an orbit around the central working duct in the endoscope head, and wherein all of the at least three optical systems are aligned at an angle obliquely to a longitudinal axis of the endoscope such that the fields of vision of the at least three optical systems overlap in a front area of the endoscope so that over a particular spherical segment around the endoscope head, a closed visual scanning field is formed.

2. A visual means according to claim 1, wherein the at least three optical systems are arranged at equal angular distances in a circumferential direction of the endoscope.

3. A visual means according to claim 2, wherein each optical system realizes an aperture angle of 120°

to 145°

.

4. A visual means according to claim 2, wherein each optical system is aligned at an angle of from 40°

to 50°

with respect to a forward direction of movement of the endoscope.

5. A visual means according to claim 2, wherein each optical system takes a single picture that can be transmitted via an image transmission means to an image processing station for digital formation of a total image.

6. A visual means according to claim 2, wherein each optical system includes at least one free shape lens.

7. A visual means according to claim 6, wherein the free shape lens is designed such that the field of vision of each optical system reaching beyond the normal to the direction of movement to a rear expands in the circumferential direction of the endoscope so that dead ranges between two overlapping fields of vision of two optical systems are minimized beyond this normal.

8. A visual means according to claim 1, wherein each optical system realizes an aperture angle of 120°

to 145°

.

9. A visual means according to claim 8, wherein each optical system realizes an aperture angle of 140°

.

10. A visual means according to claim 1, wherein each optical system is aligned at an angle of 40°

to 50°

with respect to a forward direction of movement of the endoscope.

11. A visual means according to claim 10, wherein each optical system is aligned at an angle of 45°

with respect to the forward direction of movement of the endoscope.

12. A visual means according to claim 1, wherein each optical system takes a single picture that can be transmitted via an image transmission means to an image processing station for digital formation of a total image.

13. A visual means according to claim 1, wherein each optical system includes at least one free shape lens.

14. A visual means according to claim 13, wherein the free shape lens is designed such that the field of vision of each optical system reaching beyond the normal to the direction of movement to a rear expands in the circumferential direction of the endoscope so that dead ranges between two overlapping fields of vision of two optical systems are minimized beyond this normal.

15. A visual means according to claim 1, wherein the central working duct is formed along the central longitudinal axis of the endoscope shaft.