Tip part for an endoscope and the manufacture thereof

A method of making an endoscope, the method comprising:

• injection molding housing having a peripheral wall extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the housing and a distal wall at the distal end, the distal wall having an outer distal surface, and the peripheral wall having an outer peripheral surface;
• providing a textured area by molding or stamping a first regulated pattern onto the outer distal surface at least partly surrounding the camera viewing area, the first regulated pattern comprising a repeating pattern of outwardly extending protrusions molded or stamped onto the housing to provide hydrophobicity, the repeating pattern comprising features equidistant in at least one predetermined direction;
• positioning a camera having an optical axis in the housing to form a tip part;
• and
• connecting the tip part to a bending section,
• wherein the housing includes a camera viewing area, a light transmission area separate from the camera viewing area, and an opaque portion at least between the camera viewing area and the light transmission area, the camera viewing area and the light transmission area being transparent, and
• wherein the opaque portion comprises the first regulated pattern of outwardly extending protrusions.

An housing for a tip part of an endoscope, the housing comprising:

• a proximal end;
• a distal end opposite the proximal end;
• a circumferential wall having an outer peripheral surface extending between the proximal end and the distal end;
• and
• a distal wall at the distal end, the distal wall having an outer distal surface,
• wherein the distal wall includes a camera viewing area, a light transmission area separate from the camera viewing area, and an opaque portion at least between the camera viewing area and the light transmission area, the camera viewing area being transparent and traversed by an optical axis of a camera positioned in the housing during assembly thereof, the light transmission area being transparent, and
• wherein the opaque portion of the distal wall includes a textured area formed on the outer distal surface at least partially surrounding the camera viewing area, the textured area comprising a first regulated pattern of outwardly extending protrusions, the first regulated pattern comprising a repeating pattern molded or stamped onto the housing to provide hydrophobicity, the repeating pattern comprising features equidistant in at least one predetermined direction.