# US 10,481,384 B2 · Endoscope

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- Number: US 10,481,384 B2
- Document ID: US10481384B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/547,293
- Filed: 2016-01-28
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-04
- Assignees: Olympus Winter & Ibe GmbH
- Applicants: Olympus Winter & Ibe GmbH
- Inventors: Martin Wieters; Regina Orzekowsky-Schroeder; Annika Goehring
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481384B2

## CPC

- G02B 23/2423: {of the distal end}
- A61B 1/00096: {Optical elements}
- A61B 1/00179: {for off-axis viewing}
- A61B 1/044: {for absorption imaging}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

An endoscope having a viewing direction aligned obliquely with respect to a longitudinal axis, the endoscope including: a shaft with a cladding tube and a fiber tube arranged therein; an object lens arranged in the shaft; and a prism module arranged in the shaft for deflecting the beam path, wherein the prism module is arranged eccentrically with respect to the object lens.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An endoscope having a viewing direction aligned obliquely with respect to a longitudinal axis, the endoscope comprising:
a shaft with a cladding tube and a fiber tube arranged therein;
an object lens arranged in the fiber tube; and
a prism module arranged in the fiber tube for deflecting a beam path, wherein the prism module is arranged eccentrically with respect to the object lens;
wherein an outer cross-section of the prism module is smaller than an inner cross-section of the fiber tube, a cross-section of the prism module being less than the inner cross-section of the fiber tube such that a hollow space is provided in a region-between the prism module and an inner wall of the fiber tube; and
at least one component is arranged between the prism module and the inner wall of the fiber tube or in the hollow space.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the prism module is arranged eccentrically to a cross-section of one of the shaft or the fiber tube.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the object lens is arranged eccentrically to a cross-section of one of the shaft or the fiber tube.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the at least one component is at least one heating element arranged between the prism module and the inner wall of the fiber tube or in the hollow space.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The endoscope according to claim 4, wherein the at least one heating element is a heating foil or a heating wire.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The endoscope according to one claim 1, wherein the at least one component is at least one temperature sensor, is arranged between the prism module and the inner wall of the fiber tube or in the hollow space.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The endoscope according to claim 6, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is a thermistor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the prism module comprises a plurality of prisms.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The endoscope according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of prisms comprises first and second prisms.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the hollow space has a crescent shape.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the at least one component is an electrical component.