Endoscope

An endoscope for inspecting or applying therapy to an inner body cavity of a patient, including,

• a shell made for insertion into the inner body cavity of the patient, the shell having a distal face,
• illuminating means fixedly disposed in the shell and extending to the distal face of the shell,
• imaging means fixedly disposed in the shell and extending to the distal face of the shell in spaced relationship to the illuminating means,
• there being a lumen in the shell,
• a core removably disposed within the lumen in the shell with the illuminating means and the imaging means exterior in the shell to the core, the core having a proximal end and a distal end,
• first sealing means for sealing the core within the lumen in the shell,
• second first passageway means disposed longitudinally within the core from the proximal end to the distal end for providing for the passage of a fluid to the distal face of the shell for cleaning at least one of the illuminating means and the imaging means in the shell, and
• third second passageway means disposed longitudinally within the core from the proximal end to the distal end for providing for the passage of materials between the inner body cavity of the patient and the endoscope.

An endoscope for inspecting or applying therapy to an inner body cavity of a patient, including,

• a shell having a face at its distal end,
• illuminating means fixedly positioned in the shell and extending to the face at the distal end of the shell for illuminating a particular portion of the internal inner body cavity to be inspected,
• imaging means fixedly positioned in the shell and extending to the face at the distal end of the shell for receiving the image of the particular portion of the internal inner body cavity to be inspected,
• there being a lumen in the shell in spaced relationship to the illuminating means and the imaging means,
• a core removably disposed within the shell lumen with the illuminating means and the imaging means exterior in the shell to the core, the core having proximal and distal ends,
• first passageway means disposed longitudinally within the core and extending from the proximal end to the distal end, for introducing providing for the passage of a fluid to at least one of the imaging means and the illuminating means through the first passageway means to clean or dry at least one of the imaging means and the illuminating means or for introducing providing for the passage of a fluid to the particular portion of the internal inner body cavity through the first passageway means to clean the particular portion for inspection or to inflate the cavity with gas, and
• second passageway means disposed longitudinally within the core in spaced relationship to the first passageway means and extending from the proximal end to the distal end, for providing for the passage of instruments through the second passageway means or for the passage of materials through the second passageway means between the particular portion of the inner body cavity and the endoscope. , the second passageway means terminating in an open, unobstructed aperture at the distal end.

In combination for use in an endoscope to inspect or apply therapy to an inner body cavity of a patient,

• a shell having a face at its distal end,
• illuminating means on the face at the distal end of the shell for illuminating a particular portion of the internal body cavity to be inspected,
• imaging means disposed on the face at the distal end of the shell for receiving the image of the particular portion of the internal body cavity to be inspected,
• there being a lumen in the shell in spaced relationship to the illuminating means and the imaging means,
• a core removably disposed in the shell lumen,
• first passageway means disposed in the core for introducing a fluid to at least one of the imaging means and the illuminating means to clean or dry such means or for introducing a fluid to the particular portion of the internal body cavity to clean the particular portion for inspection or to inflate the cavity with gas,
• second passageway means disposed in the core in spaced relationship to the first passageway means for providing for the passage of instruments or the passage of materials between the particular portion of the inner body cavity and the endoscope,
• the lumen having openings,
• means for sealing the core within the shell at the openings of the lumen, and
• means for cleaning the lumen in the shell during the insertion of the core into the aperture.

In combination for use in an endoscope to inspect or apply therapy to an inner body cavity of a patient where the endoscope includes a shell with a lumen and a distal face and illuminating means and imaging means on the distal face,

• a core made from a resilient material and shaped to fit into the lumen in the shell,
• the core having a first passageway for receiving a fluid under pressure to clean at least one of the illuminating means and imaging means on the distal face of the shell and having a second passageway for providing for the passage of material between the inner body cavity and the endoscope,
• means associated with the core for sealing the core in the shell lumen, and
• means attached to the core for cleaning the lumen in the shell during the insertion of the core into the lumen in the shell.

In combination for use in an endoscope to inspect or apply therapy to an inner body cavity of a patient where the endoscope includes a shaped lumen and also includes a distal face and includes illuminating means and imaging means fixedly disposed in the shell and extending to the distal face,

• a core removably disposed in the lumen, made from a resilient material and having a shaped external periphery corresponding to the shaped lumen in the shell for removable disposition within the lumen, the core having a proximal end and a distal end,
• a first passageway extending longitudinally through the core from the proximal end to the distal end for passing a fluid under pressure to at least one of the illuminating means and the imaging means on the distal face of the shell,
• a second passageway extending longitudinally through the core from the proximal end to the distal end to provide for the passage of material between the inner body cavity and the endoscope or for the passage of instruments, and
• means supported by the core for sealing the distal end of the core within the lumen in the shell.

In combination for use in an endoscope to inspect or apply therapy to an inner body cavity of a patient where the endoscope includes a shaped lumen and also includes a distal face and includes illuminating means and imaging means on the distal face,

• a core made from a resilient material and having a shaped external periphery corresponding to the shaped lumen in the shell,
• a first passageway extending longitudinally through the core for passing a fluid under pressure to at least one of the illuminating means and the imaging means on the distal face of the shell,
• a second passageway extending longitudinally through the core to provide for the passage of material between the inner body cavity and the endoscope or the passage of instruments, and
• means disposed in cooperative relationship with the core and the shell for sealing the distal end of the core in the lumen in the shell,
• means attached to the core and movable with the core through the lumen in the shell for cleaning the lumen in the shell during the insertion of the core in the lumen in the shell.

A method of inspecting and applying therapy to a patient's inner body cavity and of removing material from the patient's inner body cavity, including the following steps:

• providing a shell having illuminating means and imaging means fixedly disposed in the shell and extending to a distal end of the shell and having a lumen extending longitudinally through the shell, the illuminating means and the imaging means being disposed within the shell at a position external to the lumen in the shell,
• providing a resilient core having an external periphery configured to conform to the lumen in the shell and having at least a proximal end and a distal end, the core having a first passageway extending longitudinally through the core from the proximal end of the core to the distal end of the core, for applying a fluid under pressure to at least one of the illuminating means and the imaging means and , the core further having a second passageway extending longitudinally through the core from the proximal end of the core to the distal end of the core, for providing for the passage of material between the patient's inner body cavity and the endoscope,
• cleaning the external surface of the shell and the surface in the lumen in the shell,
• thereafter removably disposing inserting the core within into the lumen in the shell, and
• sealing the core within the lumen in the shell after the desired positioning of the core within the lumen in the shell.

A method of inspecting and applying therapy to a patient's inner body cavity and of removing material from the patient's inner body cavity, including the following steps:

• providing a shell having illuminating means and imaging means at a distal end and having a lumen extending longitudinally through the shell,
• providing a resilient core having an external periphery configured to conform to the lumen in the shell and having at least a first passageway extending longitudinally through the core for applying a fluid under pressure to at least one of the illuminating means and the imaging means and having a second passageway extending longitudinally through the core for providing for the passage of material between the patient's inner body cavity and the endoscope,
• cleaning the external surface of the shell and the surface in the lumen of the shell,
• thereafter removably disposing the core in the lumen in the shell,
• sealing the core in the shell after the desired positioning of the core in the shell,
• providing a resilient cleaning member at one end of the core, and
• moving the core and the cleaning member through the lumen in the shell to provide a cleaning of the lumen in the shell during the insertion of the core in the lumen in the shell.

A method of inspecting and applying therapy to a patient's inner body cavity and of removing material from the patient's inner body cavity, including the following steps:

• providing a shell having illuminating means and imaging means fixedly disposed in the shell and extending to a distal end of the shell and having a lumen extending longitudinally through the shell with the illuminating means and the imaging means exterior to the lumen,
• providing a resilient core having an external periphery configured to conform to the lumen in the shell and having at least a first passageway extending longitudinally through the core for applying a fluid under pressure to at least one of the illuminating means and the imaging means and having a second passageway extending longitudinally through the core for providing for the passage of material between the patient's inner body cavity and the endoscope,
• cleaning the external surface of the shell and the surface in the lumen of the shell,
• thereafter removably disposing the core in the lumen in the shell,
• sealing the core in the shell after the desired positioning of the core in the shell, and
• applying a leader to the core and then drawing the leader through the lumen in the shell with the leader applied to the core and the leader being withdrawn from the core after the leader and the core have been drawn through the lumen in the shell.

A method of inspecting and applying therapy to a patient's inner body cavity and of removing material from the patient's inner body cavity, including the following steps:

• providing a shell having illuminating means and imaging means at a distal end of the shell and having a lumen extending longitudinally through the shell,
• providing a resilient core having an external periphery configured to conform to the lumen in the shell and having at least a proximal end and a distal end, the core having a first passageway extending longitudinally through the core from the proximal end of the core to the distal end of the core, for applying a fluid under pressure to at least one of the illuminating means and the imaging means and , the core further having a second passageway extending longitudinally through the core from the proximal end of the core to the distal end of the core, for providing for the removal of material from the patient's inner body cavity,
• cleaning the external surface of the shell and the surface in the lumen in the shell,
• thereafter disposing removably inserting the core within into the lumen in the shell, and
• sealing the core within the lumen in the shell after the desired positioning of the core within the lumen in the shell, and
• applying sealing means to the distal end of the core and then drawing the core through the lumen in the shell to a position where the sealing means seal the lumen at the distal end of the shell.

A method of inspecting and applying therapy to a patient's inner body cavity and of removing material from the patient's inner body cavity, including the following steps:

• providing a shell having illuminating means and imaging means at a distal end and having a lumen extending longitudinally through the shell,
• providing a resilient core having an external periphery configured to conform to the lumen in the shell and having at least a first passageway extending longitudinally through the core for applying a fluid under pressure to at least one of the illuminating means and the imaging means and having a second passageway extending longitudinally through the core for providing for the passage of material between the patient's inner body cavity and the endoscope,
• cleaning the external surface of the shell and the surface in the lumen of the shell,
• thereafter disposing the core in the lumen in the shell,
• sealing the core in the shell after the desired positioning of the core in the shell,
• providing one end of the core with a covering and drawing the core through the lumen in the shell with the covering on the core and removing the covering on the core after the core has been drawn through the lumen in the shell.