Endoscope and a method for moulding transparent windows of an endoscope
AssigneeAmbu A/S
InventorMorten Sørensen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Transparent windows (5, 6) of a housing of a tip part of an insertion endoscope are moulded by: Providing a moulding tool. Introducing in the moulding tool a first polymer material. Allowing the first polymer material to set to form a first housing part. Introducing in the moulding tool at least one second polymer material, where the second polymer material is different from the first polymer material and transparent. Allowing the second polymer material to set to form a combined housing component (4) with the first housing part. Removing the combined housing component (4) from the moulding tool. At least second polymer material is injected into the moulding tool via a plurality of inlets (Inlw) to form a plurality of volumes of the second polymer material.
Claims15
A method for moulding a housing of a tip part of an insertion endoscope, said method comprising:
- molding, from an opaque polymer material, an opaque housing part comprising a circumferential wall including a first longitudinal recess forming a first recess volume and a second longitudinal recess forming a second recess volume,
- introducing into a moulding tool, through a plurality of inlets in the moulding tool and with the opaque housing part in the moulding tool, a transparent polymer material to form three volumes of the transparent polymer material, the three volumes being distinct and separated from each other by portions of the opaque polymer material, a first of the three volumes forming a first lateral window and a first longitudinal wing, a second of the three volumes forming a second lateral window and a second longitudinal wing, the first longitudinal wing formed in the first recess volume and the second longitudinal wing formed in the second recess volume, and a third of the three volumes forming a central window disposed between the first lateral window and the second lateral window,
- allowing said transparent polymer material to fuse with the opaque housing part and set to form a combined housing component, and
- removing said combined housing component from said moulding tool.
An endoscope comprising:
- a proximal handle,
- a distal tip part, and
- an insertion tube extending from the proximal handle towards the distal tip part, the distal tip part including a housing comprising:
- an opaque housing part comprising a circumferential wall including a first longitudinal recess forming a first recess volume and a second longitudinal recess forming a second recess volume;
- a first portion of a transparent polymer material, the first portion forming a first lateral window and a first longitudinal wing received in and fused to the first longitudinal recess;
- a second portion of the transparent polymer material, the second portion forming a second lateral window and a second longitudinal wing received in and fused to the second longitudinal recess;
- and
- a third portion of the transparent polymer material, the third portion forming a central window disposed between the first lateral window and the second lateral window,
- wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are distinct and separated from each other by portions of the opaque polymer material, and
- wherein the first portion, the second portion, the third portion and the opaque housing part form a combined housing component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.