Endocoupler with induction coupling

• US 10,582,833 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2015
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Mihalca, Gheorghe, Tran, Baoduy, Sonnenshein, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ghimire, Shankar Raj
• Application Number:
  US15/522,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20170354316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 600112
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00029 externally powered, e.g. wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00126 optical, e.g. for light supply cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

Endoscopic systems and methods that provide wireless power transmission from a camera head to at least one solid-state light source housed in an endoscopic device. The endoscopic systems and methods employ a multi-stage electromagnetic induction coupling mechanism that can wirelessly transfer power from the camera head to an endocoupler, as well as from the endocoupler to the solid-state light source, while allowing axial rotational motion of at least the camera head, the endocoupler, and/or the endoscopic device relative to one another.

Claims

1. An endoscopic system, comprising:

a camera head comprising an imaging sensor;

an endoscopic device comprising one or more solid-state light sources;

an endocoupler configured to couple the camera head to the endoscopic device; and

a multi-stage electromagnetic induction coupling mechanism comprising;

a first rotary induction coupling stage disposed between the camera head and the endocoupler; and

a second rotary induction coupling stage disposed between the endocoupler and the endoscopic device;

the first rotary induction coupling stage and the second rotary induction coupling stage configured to transfer power from the camera head to the endocoupler, and to further transfer the power from the endocoupler to the endoscopic device for powering the one or more solid-state light sources, while allowing axial rotational motion of one or more of the camera head, the endocoupler, and the endoscopic device relative to one another.

2. The endoscopic system of claim 1 wherein the first rotary induction coupling stage comprises a first rotary power transfer device and a first rotary attachment mechanism, the first rotary power transfer device being operative configured to wirelessly transfer the power from the camera head to the endocoupler, and the first rotary attachment mechanism configured to rotatably attach the endocoupler to the camera head.

3. The endoscopic system of claim 2 wherein the first rotary attachment mechanism comprises a threaded mount.

4. The endoscopic system of claim 2 wherein the second rotary induction coupling stage comprises a second rotary power transfer device and a second rotary attachment mechanism, the second rotary power transfer device being configured to wirelessly transfer the power from the endocoupler to the endoscopic device, and the second rotary attachment mechanism configured to rotatably attach the endocoupler to the endoscopic device.

5. The endoscopic system of claim 4 wherein the second rotary attachment mechanism comprises a rotary joint.

6. The endoscopic system of claim 4 wherein one or more of the first rotary power transfer device and the second rotary power transfer device comprises a rotary transformer.

7. The endoscopic system of claim 4 wherein one or more of the first rotary induction coupling stage and the second rotary induction coupling stage comprise a first coil/ferrite assembly that has a magnetic field generating coil wound around a first ferrite core, and a second coil/ferrite assembly that has a magnetic field capturing coil wound around a second ferrite core.

8. The endoscopic system of claim 7 wherein the first coil/ferrite assembly and the second coil/ferrite assembly are disposed longitudinally about an axis of the endoscopic system.

9. The endoscopic system of claim 8 wherein one or more of the first coil/ferrite assembly and the second coil/ferrite assembly comprise a flat or ribbon wire.

10. The endoscopic system of claim 7 wherein the first coil/ferrite assembly and the second coil/ferrite assembly are disposed radially about an axis of the endoscopic system.

11. The endoscopic system of claim 10 wherein one or more of the first coil/ferrite assembly and the second coil/ferrite assembly comprise a single enameled wire or a plurality of litz wires.

12. The endoscopic system of claim 1 wherein the endocoupler comprises a focusing ring assembly configured to rotate at least at the first rotary induction coupling stage about an axis of the endoscopic system, thereby adjusting focusing optics contained in one or more of the endocoupler and the camera head.

13. The endoscopic system of claim 12 wherein the multi-stage electromagnetic induction coupling mechanism further comprises a third rotary induction coupling stage disposed between the focusing ring assembly and the second rotary induction coupling stage, the focusing ring assembly being further configured to rotate at the third rotary induction coupling stage about the axis of the endoscopic system.

14. A method of operating an endoscopic system, comprising:

providing an endoscopic system comprising a camera head having an image sensor disposed therein, an endoscopic device, an endocoupler coupling the camera head to the endoscopic device, a first rotary induction coupling stage disposed between the camera head and the endocoupler, and a second rotary induction coupling stage disposed between the endocoupler and the endoscopic device;

providing, by the camera head, a first alternating current (AC current) to a first coil/ferrite assembly within the first rotary induction coupling stage, causing a first magnetic field to be generated by the first coil/ferrite assembly;

capturing the first magnetic field by a second coil/ferrite assembly within the first rotary induction coupling stage, causing a second AC current to be induced in the second coil/ferrite assembly;

providing the second AC current to a third coil/ferrite assembly within the second rotary induction coupling stage, causing a second magnetic field to be generated by the third coil/ferrite assembly;

capturing the second magnetic field by a fourth coil/ferrite assembly within the second rotary induction coupling stage, causing a third AC current to be induced in the fourth coil/ferrite assembly; and

providing the third AC current for use in powering at least one solid-state light source contained in the endoscopic device.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

having powered the at least one solid-state light source, rotating the endoscopic device at the second rotary induction coupling stage about an axis of the endoscopic system to change an orientation of a distal end section of the endoscopic device, while maintaining a transfer of power by the second rotary induction coupling stage from the endocoupler to the at least one solid-state light source.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

once having changed the orientation of the distal end section of the endoscopic device, rotating a focusing ring assembly implemented in the endocoupler at the first rotary induction coupling stage about the axis of the endoscopic system to adjust focusing optics contained in one or more of the endocoupler and the camera head, while further maintaining the transfer of the power by the first rotary induction coupling stage from the camera head to the endocoupler.

17. An endoscopic system, comprising:

a camera head having an image sensor disposed therein;

an endoscopic device comprising at least one solid-state light source;

an endocoupler configured to couple the camera head to the endoscopic device;

a first rotary induction coupling stage configured to transfer power from the camera head to the endocoupler, while allowing axial rotational motion of one or more of the camera head and the endocoupler relative to one another; and

a second rotary induction coupling stage configured to transfer the power from the endocoupler to the endoscopic device for powering the at least one solid-state light source while allowing axial rotational motion of one or more of the endocoupler and the endoscopic device relative to one another.

18. The endoscopic system of claim 17 wherein one or more of the first rotary induction coupling stage and the second rotary induction coupling stage comprise a rotary power transfer device and a rotary attachment mechanism, the rotary power transfer device including a rotary transformer, and the rotary attachment mechanism including one of a threaded mount and a rotary joint.