Tip part for a videoscope and a videoscope including said tip part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020281445-A1
Application number	US-202016807283-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 3, 2020
Priority date	Mar 4, 2019
Publication date	Sep 10, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A videoscope and an articulated tip part for the videoscope. The tip part has a bending section with hingedly connected segments. At least one segment includes a surface having an area profile with a two-dimensional, arithmetical mean height parameter, Sa, of at least 0.9 microns as measured by the standard ISO 25178.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A steerable videoscope, comprising:
a bending section having a distal end and segments including a proximal end segment, a distal end segment, and intermediate segments positioned between the proximal end segment and the distal end segment, the segments being hingedly connected to each other, at least one of the segments including an outer surface having an area profile with a two-dimensional arithmetical mean height parameter, S a , of at least 0.9 microns; and a tubular sleeve covering the intermediate segments.

2 . The videoscope of claim 1 , wherein the Sa in the range of 0.9 microns to 9.0 microns as measured by standard ISO 25178.

3 . The videoscope of claim 2 , wherein the S a is in the range of 1.8 microns to 4.5 microns as measured by the ISO 25178 standard.

4 . The videoscope of claim 3 , wherein S a is in the range of 1820 nanometers to 2860 nanometers as measured by the ISO 25178 standard.

5 . The videoscope of claim 1 , wherein each of the intermediate segments has an outer surface with an S a in the range of 0.9 microns to 9.0 microns.

6 . The videoscope of claim 5 , further comprising a proximal outer edge surface and a distal outer edge surface, wherein the tubular sleeve has a proximal end with a proximal rim surface facing the proximal outer edge surface and a distal end with a distal rim surface facing the distal outer edge surface, the proximal outer edge surface and the distal outer edge surface preventing displacement of the tubular sleeve from the bending section.

7 . The videoscope of claim 5 , further comprising a handle with an articulation lever, and steering wires extending from the articulation lever through the bending section to the distal end segment, wherein actuation of the articulation lever causes the steering wires to bend the bending section along a bending plane.

8 . The videoscope of claim 7 , wherein the outer surfaces with the S a in the range of 0.9 microns to 9.0 microns of each of the intermediate sections traverse the articulation plane to enable the tubular sleeve to slide on the outer surfaces of the intermediate segments.

9 . The videoscope of claim 7 , further comprising a flexible tube between the handle and the intermediate segments, wherein the proximal end segment has a proximal end comprising a bonding surface having an S a of at least 0.9 microns, and wherein the flexible tube has a distal end bonded to the bonding surface of the proximal end of the proximal end segment.

10 . The videoscope of claim 9 , wherein the proximal end segment comprises the proximal outer edge surface.

11 . The videoscope of claim 10 , wherein the distal end of the flexible tube is positioned within the proximal end of the proximal end segment, and the bonding surface is an inner surface of the proximal end of the proximal end segment.

12 . The videoscope of claim 9 , wherein bonding surface is proximal of the tubular sleeve.

13 . The videoscope of claim 7 , further comprising a cap, wherein the distal end segment has a distal end comprising a bonding surface having an S a of at least 0.9 microns, and wherein the cap has a proximal end bonded to the bonding surface of the distal end of the distal end segment.

14 . The videoscope of claim 13 , wherein the distal end segment comprises the distal outer edge surface.

15 . The videoscope of claim 14 , wherein the proximal end of the cap is positioned within the distal end of the distal end segment.

16 . The videoscope of claim 15 , wherein bonding surface is distal of the tubular sleeve.

17 . The videoscope of claim 13 , wherein the distal end of the distal end segment is positioned within the proximal end of the cap.

18 . The videoscope of claim 1 , further comprising a handle with an articulation lever, a flexible tube extending from the handle to the bending section, and a cap supported by the bending section, wherein the bending section further comprises flexible hinges connecting adjacent segments, the flexible hinges being integrally molded with the segments in a one-piece part.

19 . The videoscope of claim 18 , wherein the proximal end segment comprises a proximal circumferential wall forming a collar, a distal circumferential wall having a smaller diameter than the proximal circumferential wall, and a proximal outer edge surface between the proximal circumferential wall and the distal circumferential wall, and wherein the flexible tube comprises a distal end positioned within and affixed to the collar.

20 . The videoscope of claim 19 , wherein the diameter of the distal circumferential wall of the proximal end segment is equal to a diameter of an intermediate segment.

21 . A visualization system comprising:
the videoscope of claim 1 , further comprising a camera assembly; and a monitor including a display screen, wherein the videoscope is connectable to the monitor and the monitor is operable to present images corresponding to image data provided by the camera assembly of the videoscope.

22 . The visualization system of claim 21 , wherein each of the intermediate segments has an outer surface with an S a in the range of 0.9 microns to 9.0 microns.

Assignees

• Ambu As

Inventors

• Matthison-Hansen Kaspar Mat
• Hansen Jan Guldberg
• Jensen Thomas Bachgaard

Classifications

• A61B1/00097

  Sensors · CPC title

• A61B1/0057 Primary

  Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires · CPC title

• A61B1/0011 Primary

  Manufacturing of endoscope parts · CPC title

• A61B1/00071 Primary

  Insertion part of the endoscope body (A61B1/0055 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B1/0008

  characterised by distal tip features · CPC title