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US 10,244,930 B2Granted
Positioning clip
AssigneeKarl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
InventorJan Dahmen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A positioning clip to position an inner tube in an outer tube of an endoscope includes at least one inner support surface to support the positioning clip on the inner tube, at least one outer support surface to support the positioning clip on the outer tube, and a clamping device to clamp the positioning clip on the inner tube or on the outer tube.
Claims14
An endoscope comprising:
- an inner tube and an outer tube;
- and
- a positioning clip having a clamping frame that is configured to elastically deform to clamp the positioning clip in force-fitted connection on the inner tube or in the outer tube, the clamping frame having:
- at least one inner support surface to support the positioning clip on the inner tube;
- at least one outer support surface to support the positioning clip in the outer tube;
- and
- three links each extending in a radial direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the clamping frame, said three links being separated apart from each other to provide space configured for placement of lightwave conductors between the inner tube and the outer tube, said three links having either the at least one inner support surface or the at least one outer support surface;
- said positioning clip being configured to enclose only partially around an outer periphery of the inner tube from a proximal end to a distal end of the positioning clip;
- wherein either one of:
- the at least one inner support surface is configured to be contiguous in a connecting area with an outer surface of the inner tube, the connecting area including more than half of an outer periphery of a cross-section of the inner tube, the at least one outer support surface comprising three surfaces connected by said three links with the at least one inner support surface, or
- the at least one outer support surface is configured to be contiguous in a connecting area with an inner surface of the outer tube, the connecting area including more than half of an inner periphery of a cross-section of the outer tube, the at least one inner support surface comprising three surfaces connected by said three links with the at least one outer support surface;
- wherein the at least one inner support surface and the at least one outer support surface provide positioning of the inner tube in the outer tube with separation between the tubes.
9 more elements
A method of positioning an inner tube in an outer tube of an endoscope, said method comprising the steps of:
- clamping a positioning clip on the inner tube or on the outer tube, the positioning clip having a clamping frame configured to elastically deform to clamp the positioning clip in force-fitted connection on the inner tube or in the outer tube, the clamping frame having:
- at least one inner support surface to support the positioning clip on the inner tube;
- at least one outer support surface to support the positioning clip in the outer tube;
- and
- three links each extending in a radial direction relative to an longitudinal axis of the clamping frame, said three links being separated apart from each other to provide space configured for placement of lightwave conductors between the inner tube and the outer tube, said three links having either the at least one inner support surface or the at least one outer support surface;
- and
- positioning the inner tube in the outer tube after clamping the positioning clip, wherein the positioning clip encircles the inner tube only partially and the at least one inner support surface is completely contiguous with the inner tube;
- wherein said positioning clip is configured to enclose only partially around an outer periphery of the inner tube from a proximal end to a distal end of the positioning clip;
- wherein either one of:
- the at least one inner support surface is configured to be contiguous in a connecting area with an outer surface of the inner tube, the connecting area including more than half of an outer periphery of a cross-section of the inner tube, the at least one outer support surface comprising three surfaces connected by said three links with the at least one inner support surface, or
- the at least one outer support surface is configured to be contiguous in a connecting area with an inner surface of the outer tube, the connecting area including more than half of an inner periphery of a cross-section of the outer tube, the at least one inner support surface comprising three surfaces connected by said three links with the at least one outer support surface;
- and
- wherein the at least one inner support surface and the at least one outer support surface provide positioning of the inner tube in the outer tube with separation between the tubes.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.