Endoscope and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11717141-B2
Application number	US-202117307936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2021
Priority date	Jun 28, 2018
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

An endoscope includes a shaft having proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis therebetween. A handle is coupled to the proximal end of the shaft, and an image sensor is carried on the distal end of the shaft. A channel extends through at least a distal shaft portion and has a channel diameter, and a section of the channel is re-configurable between a constricted shape and a non-constricted shape to accommodate tools introduced therethrough. The combined diagonal dimension and channel diameter is usually greater than the outer shaft diameter. The image sensor may be connected to a connector on the housing by a first slack flex circuit and a lights source on the shaft may be connected to a connector on the housing by a second slack flex circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An endoscope comprising:
a handle;
an elongated shaft coupled to the handle along an axis and adapted to rotate at least 180° about the axis;
an image sensor carried in a distal portion of the shaft;
an inflow channel extending through the handle and shaft to a port in a distal end of the shaft;
a light-emitting diode (LED) carried in a distal portion of the elongated shaft;
a flex circuit extending through the handle and elongated shaft, wherein the image sensor and LED are mounted on the flex circuit;
wherein the inflow channel has a proximal channel portion within the handle and a distal channel portion in the shaft; and
a fluid-tight housing intermediate the proximal and distal channel portions configured to provide a fluid-tight path through said channel portions within said range of motion of the elongated shaft.

2. The endoscope of claim 1 wherein the elongated shaft includes an at least partially annular inflow channel that is configured to rotate in said housing.

3. The endoscope of claim 2 further comprising an outflow channel extending through the handle and elongated shaft, wherein the outflow channel has a proximal channel portion within the handle and a distal channel portion in the rotatable shaft.

4. The endoscope of claim 3 wherein the outflow channel comprises an at least partially annular outflow channel in the elongated shaft.

5. The endoscope of claim 4 wherein the inflow channel has an open termination in a distalmost surface of the elongated shaft.

6. The endoscope of claim 5 wherein the inflow channel is adapted to be coupled to a remote fluid source.

7. The endoscope of claim 4 wherein the outflow channel is in a distal region of the elongated shaft, wherein said distal region is re-configurable between a constricted shape and a non-constricted shape.

8. The endoscope of claim 7 wherein the outflow channel has an open termination in a distalmost surface of the elongated shaft.

9. The endoscope of claim 8 wherein the outflow channel is configured to be coupled to a negative pressure source.

10. The endoscope of claim 1 comprising two LEDs.

11. The endoscope of claim 10 wherein the two LEDs are disposed adjacent to the image sensor in a distal surface of the elongated shaft.

Assignees

• Meditrina Inc

Inventors

• Truckai Csaba
• Toth Akos
• Papp Gabor
• Horvath Kornel
• Levai Katalin
• Nelson Britta

Classifications

• A61B1/018 Primary

  for receiving instruments · CPC title

• A61B1/00018

  using electrical cables · CPC title

• A61B1/00042

  for mechanical operation · CPC title

• A61B1/00094

  Suction openings · CPC title

• A61B1/015

  Control of fluid supply or evacuation · CPC title