A61B 1/002
Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes
Official title: having rod-lens arrangements (A61B1/055 takes precedence)
A61B1/002 (Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes) appears on 251 US grants and 233 published applications in this corpus.
Search patents in A61B- Granted patents
- 251
- Published applications
- 233
- Assignees
- 118
- Inventors
- 408
- Latest grant
- 18 Aug 2026
Filings by year
| Year | Granted patents | Published applications |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1978 | 2 | 0 |
| 1979 | 5 | 0 |
| 1980 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | 4 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | 2 | 0 |
| 1988 | 4 | 0 |
| 1989 | 2 | 0 |
| 1990 | 2 | 0 |
| 1991 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 | 4 | 0 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 |
| 1996 | 7 | 0 |
| 1997 | 8 | 0 |
| 1998 | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 | 11 | 0 |
| 2000 | 5 | 0 |
| 2001 | 2 | 2 |
| 2002 | 4 | 2 |
| 2003 | 4 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 | 3 |
| 2005 | 1 | 2 |
| 2006 | 2 | 4 |
| 2007 | 2 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 | 23 |
| 2009 | 1 | 2 |
| 2010 | 4 | 5 |
| 2011 | 7 | 3 |
| 2012 | 5 | 15 |
| 2013 | 3 | 9 |
| 2014 | 10 | 10 |
| 2015 | 6 | 9 |
| 2016 | 11 | 14 |
| 2017 | 11 | 11 |
| 2018 | 10 | 18 |
| 2019 | 9 | 19 |
| 2020 | 19 | 21 |
| 2021 | 17 | 13 |
| 2022 | 16 | 8 |
| 2023 | 8 | 12 |
| 2024 | 12 | 8 |
| 2025 | 13 | 11 |
| 2026 | 4 | 6 |
By publication year. Applications have been published since 2001. 2026 runs to 8 Oct.
Recent patents
- Imaging systems with multiple fold optical path18 Aug 2026US 12,708,254 B2Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
- Method of visible light and fluorescence imaging with reduced chromatic aberration17 Mar 2026US 12,575,722 B2KARL STORZ Imaging, Inc.
- Miniature single-photon fluorescence microscope implantation device and implantation method10 Mar 2026US 12,569,312 B2Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Optical system for an endoscope20 Jan 2026US 12,529,882 B2EndoChoice, Inc.
- Endoscope system23 Dec 2025US 12,502,052 B2Beijing Weston Asia-Pacific Opto-Electric Instrument Co., Ltd.
- Disposable endoscope using plastic gradient-index lens27 Aug 2026US 2026/0251896 A1
- Self-adaptive endoscope working distance adjustment system and endoscopic imaging system6 Aug 2026US 2026/0224095 A1Anhui Dendrite Optical Technology Co., Ltd.
- Endoscope designs and methods of manufacture18 Jun 2026US 2026/0169278 A1Integrated Endoscopy, Inc.
- Hand surgical instrument and bridge for a hand surgical instrument23 Apr 2026US 2026/0108139 A1Olympus Winter & Ibe GmbH
- Endoscope with a varied dimension working section19 Feb 2026US 2026/0047752 A1Covidien LP
Most cited
By later US patents
- Minimally invasive surgical system1,355US 7,725,214 B2Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. · 2010
- Methods and apparatus for forward-directed optical scanning instruments1,184US 6,485,413 B1The General Hospital Corporation · 2002
- Laser endoscope206US 4,141,362 ARichard Wolf GmbH · 1979
- Stereoscopic percutaneous visualization system143US 5,957,832 AHeartport, Inc. · 1999
- Stereoscopic percutaneous visualization system135US 5,588,949 AHeartport, Inc. · 1996