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US 9,427,141 B2Granted
Endoscope-pipe
AssigneeKarl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
InventorsFang Lei, Ulrich Weiger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An endoscope pipe with a central, elongated observation window on the distal end, whereby several light outlet openings for fiberoptic end surfaces are positioned close to the observation window for illuminating the angle area observed through the observation window and the light outlet openings are positioned asymmetrically in relation to the longitudinal extension of the observation window and/or the fiberoptic end surfaces are held in the light outlet openings in such a way that light is beamed from the fiberoptic end surfaces into the angle area in various directions.
Claims16
An endoscope pipe having a distal end, the endoscope pipe comprising:
- an observation window on the distal end of the endoscopic pipe, the observation window extending along a longitudinal window axis between a first end and an opposing second end, the observation window having a first side and an opposing second side each extending between the first and second ends of the observation window, the observation window having a continuously curved shape along the window axis;
- first and second light outlet openings for transmitting light therethrough, the first and second light outlet openings distributed along the first side of the observation window such that a distance extending between the first light outlet opening and the first side of the observation window in a direction perpendicular to the window axis is greater than a distance extending between the second light outlet opening and the first side of the observation window in a direction perpendicular to the window axis;
- and
- fiberoptic end surfaces of fiberoptics positioned in the first and second light outlet openings for illuminating an angle area observed through the observation window.
1 more element
An endoscope pipe having a distal end, the endoscope pipe comprising:
- an observation window on the distal end of the endoscopic pipe, the observation window extending along a longitudinal window axis between a first end and an opposing second end, the observation window having a first side and an opposing second side each extending between the first and second ends of the observation window, the observation window having a continuously curved shape along the window axis;
- first and second light outlet openings for transmitting light therethrough, positioned close to the first side of the observation window such that a distance extending between the first light outlet opening and the first side of the observation window in a direction perpendicular to the window axis is greater than a distance extending between the second light outlet opening and the first side of the observation window in a direction perpendicular to the window axis;
- and
- fiberoptic end surfaces for illuminating an angle area observed through the observation window,
- wherein the fiberoptic end surfaces are held in the first and second light outlet openings in such a way that light radiates out of the light outlet surfaces into the angle area in at least two spatial directions.
2 more elements
A process of manufacturing an endoscope pipe, the process comprising:
- providing an observation window on a distal end of an endoscopic pipe, the observation window extending along a longitudinal window axis between a first end and an opposing second end, the observation window having a first side and an opposing second side each extending between the first and second ends of the observation window, the observation window having a continuously curved shape along the window axis;
- positioning first and second light outlet openings for transmitting light therethrough in the distal end of the endoscopic pipe, the first and second light outlet openings distributed along the first side of the observation window such that a distance extending between the first light outlet opening and the first side of the observation window in a direction perpendicular to the window axis is greater than a distance extending between the second light outlet opening and the first side of the observation window in a direction perpendicular to the window axis;
- and
- positioning fiberoptic end surfaces of fiberoptics in each of the first and second light outlet openings for illuminating a solid angle area observed through the observation window,
- wherein in each of the first and second light outlet openings, the ends of the fiberoptics are combined into one fiberoptic bundle and are connected with a cement to cement the ends together in each of the first and second light outlet openings.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.