Endoscope cleaning and inspection system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11793601-B2
Application number	US-202217938452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2022
Priority date	Nov 5, 2018
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

Embodiments of a system and method for endoscope cleaning and inspection are disclosed. In an example, an endoscope cleaning and inspection unit includes cleaning and testing capabilities operated via control equipment and a display screen, to operate leak testing equipment, flush control equipment, and optical inspection equipment for leak testing, flushing, rinsing, and inspection of an endoscope interior chamber (lumen) and exterior surfaces. In a further example, the endoscope cleaning and inspection unit may further operate and receive information from a borescope imaging device or a magnification imaging device, using an imaging sensor to capture images of an endoscope lumen or surface respectively, as captured or output on the display screen. Further embodiments provide for control, monitoring, data collection, data input, and data output with such imaging devices via the endoscope cleaning and inspection unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An endoscope cleaning and inspection system, comprising:
an endoscope testing and cleaning unit, adapted to couple to a subject endoscope, the endoscope testing and cleaning unit including:
a display screen;
a control unit; and
a fluid connector arranged to removably couple with a port of the subject endoscope via a tube, to access an internal lumen within the subject endoscope;

leak testing equipment comprising a pump and pressure sensor configured to, under control of the control unit, perform a leak test of the internal lumen of the subject endoscope using fluid pressure;
flush control equipment comprising a pump, pressure sensor, and detergent container, the flush control equipment configured to, under control of the control unit, perform a chemical flushing of the internal lumen of the subject endoscope using a chemical fluid; and
optical inspection equipment comprising a magnification imaging device external to the endoscope testing and cleaning unit, the magnification imaging device including an imaging element and a monitoring display screen, wherein the magnification imaging device is operably coupled to the endoscope testing and cleaning unit;
wherein the magnification imaging device is configured to capture magnified digital imaging of an inspected area of the subject endoscope and provide the magnified digital imaging to the endoscope testing and cleaning unit to be output on the monitoring display screen; and
wherein the endoscope testing and cleaning unit is adapted to receive and output a result of the leak test, a result of the chemical flushing, and a result of the magnified digital imaging on the display screen.

2. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the optical inspection equipment further comprises a borescope imaging device external to the endoscope testing and cleaning unit, the borescope imaging device including:
a flexible elongate member including a digital imaging sensor, the flexible elongate member shaped and sized to pass through the internal lumen of the subject endoscope; and
an imaging unit coupled to a proximate end of the flexible elongate member, the imaging unit configured to provide light into the internal lumen via the flexible elongate member and receive digital imaging of the internal lumen from the digital imaging sensor.

3. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 2 , wherein the endoscope testing and cleaning unit further comprises an electrical connection port to operably couple to the borescope imaging device, to receive the digital imaging of the internal lumen via an electrical connection port of the borescope imaging device.

4. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 2 , wherein the borescope imaging device further comprises a control button, the control button operable to control a capture of the digital imaging of the internal lumen from the digital imaging sensor.

5. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the magnification imaging device includes:
a housing including a handle;
a digital imaging sensor disposed on a first side of the housing and configured to capture the magnified digital imaging, wherein the monitoring display screen is disposed on a second side of the housing that is opposite of the first side; and
imaging control circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to capture the magnified digital imaging of a surface of the subject endoscope and provide of the magnified digital imaging to the endoscope testing and cleaning unit.

6. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 5 , wherein the monitoring display screen is exposed from a portion of the housing of the magnification imaging device, wherein the imaging control circuitry is adapted to output a representation of the magnified digital imaging on the monitoring display screen.

7. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 5 , wherein the magnification imaging device further comprises a control button exposed from a portion of the housing of the magnification imaging device, the control button operable to control a capture of the magnified digital imaging and control a magnification level of the magnified digital imaging.

8. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 5 , wherein the magnification imaging device further comprises a lighting device exposed from a portion of the housing of the magnification imaging device, the lighting device located adjacent to the digital imaging sensor, and wherein the lighting device is controllable to illuminate an area captured with the magnified digital imaging.

9. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 5 , wherein the endoscope testing and cleaning unit further comprises an electrical connection port to operably couple to the magnification imaging device, to receive the magnified digital imaging via an electrical connection port of the magnification imaging device.

10. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the display screen of the endoscope testing and cleaning unit is a touch screen, wherein the touch screen is configured to receive user input to control the leak test, the chemical flushing, and the output of the magnified digital imaging.

11. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is coupled to a user input device to change an operation state of the leak test, the chemical flushing, or output of the magnified digital imaging, using the respective equipment.

12. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit includes detection circuitry to perform automatic control of the leak test, the chemical flushing, and the magnified digital imaging, using the respective equipment.

13. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the display screen, the leak testing equipment, and the flush control equipment are hosted within a common housing of the endoscope testing and cleaning unit, and wherein the display screen is exposed at least in part from the common housing.

14. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an input device to capture an identifier of the subject endoscope.

15. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 14 , wherein the input device comprises a barcode scanner or an RFID scanner, to obtain the identifier included in a barcode or RFID tag on the subject endoscope.

16. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 14 , further comprising:
communication circuitry to communicate the result of the leak test and the result of the chemical flushing for the subject endoscope to a tracking system, to track the results based on the identifier of the subject endoscope.

17. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1 , further comprising:
processing circuitry to execute logic for control and monitoring of the leak test, the chemical flushing, and capture of the magnified digital imaging, in respective stages;
wherein the processing circuitry is adapted to provide output, to the display screen, of a status of the monitoring of the leak test, the chemical flushing, and the capture of the magnified digital imaging, in the respective stages.

Assignees

• Medivators Inc

Inventors

• Jackson Mark
• Korth Joshua J

Classifications

• A61L2103/15

  Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps · CPC title

• A61B90/70 Primary

  Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments · CPC title

• B08B9/032

  by the mechanical action of a moving fluid, e.g. by flushing (B08B9/04 takes precedence {; by fluid jets mounted on cleaning devices B08B9/0433}) · CPC title

• G01M3/2815

  using pressure measurements · CPC title

• G01M3/38

  by using light (G01M3/02 takes precedence) · CPC title