Endoscope

• US 8,394,014 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2006
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Inventors: Fuerst, Frank, Halbig, Joerg, Kupferschmid, Markus, Lei, Fang, Mersmann, Sven, Dahmen, Jan, Stihl, Ewald, Lederer, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Nia, Alireza
• Application Number:
  US11/550,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20070118014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,337 Days
• Field of Search: 600/108, 600/123, 600/130, 600/153, 600/182, 600/140, 600/175, 600/114, 600/160, 600121-122, 600124-125, 604/160, 604/161
• US Class Current: 600/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00071 Insertion part of the endoscope body A61B1/0055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00167 Details of optical fibre bundles, e.g. shape or fibre distribution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0623 for off-axis illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres

Abstract

An endoscope comprises a shaft with an outer tube and with an inner tube extending inside the latter, the outer and inner tubes being radially spaced apart from one another such that they form between them an axially extending channel, which provides space for receiving a light guide. An intermediate tube having flexural strength is arranged between the outer tube and the inner tube, which intermediate tube at least partially surrounds the inner tube.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising:

a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a longitudinal direction,

said shaft having an outer tube and an inner tube, said inner tube extending inside said outer tube, the proximal end comprising an endoscope head having a support element therein,

said outer tube and said inner tube being radially spaced apart from one another such that a channel for receiving a light guide is formed between said outer tube and said inner tube, said channel extending in said longitudinal direction, and

said shaft further having an intermediate tube having an axial slit extending in the longitudinal direction of the intermediate tube, the axial slit extending over the entire length of the intermediate tube, the intermediate tube being made of steel or of a metal alloy having flexural strength which strengthens said shaft against bending forces, said intermediate tube being arranged between said outer tube and said inner tube, said intermediate tube at least partially surrounding said inner tube, said intermediate tube, due to the axial slit being compressible in order to facilitate assembly of the shaft and fitting snugly against the outer tube from the inside of the outer tube,

wherein said shaft viewed radially from the inside outward, comprises said inner tube, said channel, said intermediate tube, and said outer tube,

wherein a partially circumferential segment is pushed distally onto said inner tube and is arranged substantially between said outer tube and said inner tube, and

wherein said partially circumferential segment is beveled at a distal end of said circumferential segment,

wherein the intermediate tube has a bevel at its proximal end and arranged in a proximal area of said shaft such that said bevel sits on said support element.

2. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein said intermediate tube is shorter than said outer tube.

3. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein said intermediate tube is shorter than said inner tube.

4. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein said intermediate tube is configured, in terms of its length and wall thickness, such that said intermediate tube only fills a space between said outer tube and said inner tube that is left free from said light guide.

5. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein said partially circumferential segment comprises a lens.

6. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein said light guide is a glass fiber bundle.