Endoscope with a three-wire steering mechanism

An endoscope comprising:

• a handle;
• an insertion cord extending from the handle and configured to be inserted into a patient's body cavity, the insertion cord comprising an insertion tube, a bending section and a distal tip unit and having an insertion cord axis;
• a steering mechanism configured to swivel the distal tip unit by bending the bending section, the steering mechanism comprising:
• a first input wheel and a second input wheel, the first input wheel and the second input wheel being rotatably supported by the handle and being provided for receiving a rotational input by a user;
• and
• exactly three steering wires, including a first steering wire, a second steering wire and a third steering wire, the three steering wires extending through the insertion cord and being connected to the first input wheel and/or the second input wheel to controlling a bending movement of the bending section;
• and
• a connecting wire comprising a first end connected to the first input wheel and a second end connected to the second input wheel,
• wherein the first steering wire, the second steering wire and the third steering wire are each radially spaced from the insertion cord axis and are angularly spaced with respect to each other in a circumferential direction of the insertion cord, and
• wherein:
• the first input wheel comprises a first wheel portion having a first radius and a second wheel portion having a second radius different than the first radius,
• the second input wheel comprises a third wheel portion having a third radius and a fourth wheel portion having a fourth radius different than the third radius,
• the first steering wire is connected to the first wheel portion of the first input wheel and extends in a first circumferential direction of the first input wheel,
• the second steering wire is connected to the third wheel portion of the second input wheel and extends in a first circumferential direction of the second input wheel,
• the connecting wire is connected to the second wheel portion of the first input wheel and extends in a second circumferential direction of the first input wheel, and
• the connecting wire is connected to the fourth wheel portion of the second input wheel and extends in a second circumferential direction of the second input wheel.

An endoscope comprising:

• a handle;
• an insertion cord extending from the handle and configured to be inserted into a patient's body cavity, the insertion cord comprising an insertion tube, a bending section and a distal tip unit and having an insertion cord axis;
• a steering mechanism configured to swivel the distal tip unit by bending the bending section, the steering mechanism comprising:
• a first input wheel and a second input wheel, the first input wheel and the second input wheel being rotatably supported by the handle and being provided for receiving a rotational input by a user;
• and
• exactly three steering wires, including a first steering wire, a second steering wire and a third steering wire, the three steering wires extending through the insertion cord and being connected to the first input wheel and/or the second input wheel to controlling a bending movement of the bending section;
• and
• a connecting wire comprising a first end connected to the first input wheel and a second end connected to the second input wheel,
• wherein the first steering wire, the second steering wire and the third steering wire are each radially spaced from the insertion cord axis and are angularly spaced with respect to each other in a circumferential direction of the insertion cord, and
• the first input wheel comprises a first wheel portion having a first radius and a second wheel portion having a second radius larger than the first radius, the first steering wire being connected to the first wheel portion of the first input wheel and extending in a first circumferential direction, and the connecting wire being connected to the second wheel portion of the first input wheel and extending in a second circumferential direction that is opposite the first circumferential direction, and
• the second input wheel comprises a third wheel portion having a third radius and a fourth wheel portion having a fourth radius larger than the third radius, the second steering wire being connected to the third wheel portion of the second input wheel and extending in the first circumferential direction, and the connecting wire being connected to the fourth wheel portion of the second input wheel and extending in the second circumferential direction.