COVER FOR AN ENDOSCOPE TIP AND ENDOSCOPE

Abstract

The invention relates to a cover for an endoscope tip, comprising at least one optical termination element and a shaft, the termination element comprising at least one light-guiding region and at least one image-guiding region, at least one optical barrier being formed between the at least one light-guiding region and the at least one image-guiding region by at least one separation element.

Claims

1. A cover for an endoscope tip comprising: at least one termination element and a shaft, the termination element having at least one light-guiding region and at least one image-guiding region, and wherein the at least one light-guiding region and the at least one image-guiding region are optically decoupled from one another by way of at least one separation element.

2. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the termination element is embodied as a termination glass, more particularly wherein the termination element is embodied as an optical flat.

3. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one image-guiding region and/or the at least one light-guiding region are completely sealed off by the at least one separation element.

4. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one separation element is continuous in a circumferential direction.

5. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one image-guiding region and the at least one light-guiding region are interconnected, preferably wherein there is a connecting section, shielded by the at least one a separation element, between the at least one image-guiding region and the at least one light-guiding region.

6. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one separation element is interrupted in a circumferential direction.

7. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one separation element is produced from a nontransparent material.

8. The cover as claimed in claim 6 wherein the nontransparent material is a light-absorbing or light-reflecting material.

9. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a plurality of at least partly overlapping separation elements, with different separation elements being assigned to the at least one light-guiding region and to the at least one image-guiding region.

10. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one separation element has a varying strength in the longitudinal direction, and a conical configuration in the longitudinal direction.

11. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one separation element extends continuously in the longitudinal direction from an inner side to an outer side of the at least one termination element.

12. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one separation element and the shaft are interconnected and/or wherein the at least one separation element and the shaft are produced from the same material by two-component injection molding, and the at least one termination element is insert molded in a nontransparent material.

13. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one open and/or at least one closed separation ring is formed by the at least one separation element.

14. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover has at least two light-guiding regions and an image-guiding region, the image-guiding region being formed between the at least two light-guiding regions or within a light-guiding region that surrounds the image-guiding region.

15. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein a transparent region, made of the at least one light-guiding region and the at least one image-guiding region, completely surrounds the at least one separation element.

16. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein a transparent region overlaps a nontransparent region, the latter comprising the at least one separation element and/or the shaft, in the distal direction.

17. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the termination element and/or a nontransparent region has at least one light source cutout, through which the illumination light of an endoscope can emerge.

18. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein a perpendicular angle of incidence into the termination element is at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

19. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein a transparent connecting section or the transparent connecting section between the at least one light-guiding region and the at least one image-guiding region has at least one change of direction.

20. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover has at least one connecting site between a nontransparent region or the nontransparent region and a transparent region or the transparent region, the termination element preferably having at least one coupling site and the shaft having a counter coupling site corresponding thereto, said coupling sites being able to be interconnected.

21. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one light-guiding region and the at least one image-guiding region have different optical qualities, wherein at least one of the regions has at least one lens selected from a converging lens, diffuser lens, aspherical lens, of Fresnel lens structure.

22. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one light-guiding region is subdivided into at least two portions with different optical qualities.

23. An endoscope comprising a cover as claimed in claim 1, in particular wherein the cover is configured for placement on an endoscope tip of the endoscope that is sealed to the outside.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0028] In detail:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows an overall view of an endoscopy system comprising an endoscope, a cover according to an embodiment of the invention having been placed on the distal endoscope tip thereof,

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a possible configuration of a cover according to an embodiment of the invention, comprising a shaft which has a termination element arranged at the distal end thereof,

[0031] FIG. 3 shows the configuration of FIG. 2 where the termination element has been removed,

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a further possible embodiment variant of a cover according to the invention, with a light-guiding region and an image-guiding region,

[0033] FIG. 5 shows a further possible embodiment variant of a cover according to the invention, with two light-guiding regions and an image-guiding region,

[0034] FIG. 6 shows a further possible embodiment variant of a cover according to the invention, with four light-guiding regions and an image-guiding region, and

[0035] FIG. 7 shows cross sections of two possible configurations of the connecting section in the region of the separation element.

[0036] FIGS. 1-6 illustrate possible embodiment variants of a cover which is in each case denoted by 1 as a whole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] By way of example, the cover 1 can be configured as a disposable sterile cover.

[0038] The cover 1 is set up to be placed on an endoscope tip 2 of an endoscope 100, such as a laparoscope for example. This can lengthen the service life of the endoscope overall since less material wear occurs. Moreover, this allows a lengthy preparation of the endoscope 1 to be dispensed with since, for reuse, only the cover 1 need be replaced in order to allow use of the endoscope 100 on the patient again.

[0039] According to an embodiment of the invention, the cover 1 includes at least one termination element 3 and a shaft 4. The termination element 3, which forms a transparent region 15 (optical region) of the cover has at least one light-guiding region 5 and at least one image-guiding region 6. Below, different configuration options for the transparent region 15 are described in detail. Provision can also be made for two or more than two image-guiding regions 6 to be formed, for example in order to be able to create three-dimensional recordings.

[0040] The at least one light-guiding region 5 and the at least one image-guiding region 6 are optically decoupled from one another by at least one separation element 7, which forms an optical barrier between the regions 5, 6. Consequently, no light signals, particularly in the form of reflections, can crosstalk from the light-guiding region 5 to the image-guiding region 6. Such reflections impair the image recording of an endoscope 100 via the image-guiding region 6 and should therefore be avoided as a matter of principle.

[0041] Consequently, at least one stray light trap can be formed by the at least one separation element 7.

[0042] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6, the termination element 3 is embodied as an optical flat 8 in each case, the optical flat 8 forming a distal termination of the cover 1. The opposite side of the shaft 4 has an opening, by way of which it is possible to insert the endoscope tip 2 into the cover 1. Consequently, the cover 1 has a receptacle for the endoscope tip 2, into which it is possible to at least partly insert said endoscope tip 2.

[0043] FIGS. 4 and 5 each show embodiment variants whose light-guiding regions 5 are completely enclosed by a separation element 7.

[0044] FIGS. 2 and 6 each show embodiment variants in which the at least one separation element 7 (in this case the four separation elements 7) does not completely enclose the respective light-guiding region 5 such that the light-guiding region 5 is connected to the image-guiding region 6 via at least one connecting section 9.

[0045] The at least one separation element 7 and/or the shaft 4 is/are formed from a nontransparent material 10. By way of example, the nontransparent material 10 can be a light-absorbing or light-reflecting material. Consequently, it is possible to establish a particularly good optical barrier between the light-guiding region(s) 5 and the image-guiding region 6.

[0046] FIGS. 4-7 show embodiment variants of a cover 1, in each case with a plurality of separation elements 7.

[0047] FIG. 7 shows two possible configurations of a connecting section 9 in detail, the light-guiding region 5 and the image-guiding region 6 being connected thereby. The separation elements 7 overlap in such a way at the connecting region 9 that they form an optical barrier between the light-guiding region 5 and the image-guiding region 6, in particular in such a way that no light reflections reach the image-guiding region from the light-guiding region 5. Consequently, the connecting section 9 has at least one change of direction 19.

[0048] The separation elements 7 can have different shapes and/or arrangements at the termination element 3. Examples of possible configurations are illustrated in FIGS. 4-6. Here, provision can be made for the termination element 3 to have a symmetric configuration, for example. Preferably, the termination element can have mirror symmetry and/or rotational symmetry, more particularly discontinuous rotational symmetry. Consequently, this facilitates a particularly good illumination and, at the same time, particularly good image recording.

[0049] The termination element 3 of FIG. 4 has a first separation element 7 configured as an open separation ring 14, which partly encloses the image-guiding region 6 with the exception of an opening facing away from the light-guiding region 5. Moreover, the termination element 3 of FIG. 4 comprises a second separation element 7, which is embodied as a closed separation ring 14 that completely encloses the light-guiding region 5.

[0050] The termination element 3 of FIG. 5 has an image-guiding region 6 and two light-guiding regions 5, which are each completely enclosed by a separation element 7 which is assigned to the respective light-guiding region 5 and embodied as a separation ring 14.

[0051] The image-guiding region 5 is shielded from each of the light-guiding regions 5 by a separation element 7 in each case. Two separation elements 7 are consequently arranged in each case between each light-guiding region 5 and the image-guiding region 6 and consequently form a twofold optical barrier, which prevents crosstalk particularly well.

[0052] The termination element 3 of FIG. 6 has an image-guiding region 6 and four light-guiding regions 5. The light-guiding regions 5 are arranged around the image-guiding region 6 in a manner spaced apart from one another, in particular with the same distance from one another, in the circumferential direction. Each light-guiding region 5 is optically decoupled from the image-guiding region 6 by way of a separation element 7 assigned thereto in each case, by virtue of the respective separation element 7 forming an optical barrier between the light-guiding region 5 and the centrally arranged image-guiding region 6.

[0053] The at least one separation element 7 can extend in the longitudinal direction 11, in particular from an inner side 12 to an outer side 13 of the termination element 3, and can have a changing width (radial extent) in the process.

[0054] The at least one separation element 7 and the shaft 4 are interconnected. The at least one separation element 7 and the shaft 4 can be produced from the same material, preferably as one piece. By way of example, the production of the cover 1 can be implemented at least in part by injection molding, preferably by two-component injection molding. The at least one termination element 3 can be insert molded in nontransparent material 10 and can consequently be affixed to the shaft 4.

[0055] The cover 1 has at least one light source cutout 16, through which the light of the light source 17, which may be situated at the distal region of the endoscope 100, can be emitted for the purposes of illuminating the field of view. The at least one light source cutout 16 is located within a light-guiding region 5.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment variant in which the termination element 3, in particular perpendicular input angle of light into the termination element 3, is angled in relation to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 4 in such a way that the angle is greater than or less than 90 degrees.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment variant of the cover 1 with a connecting site 20 (without termination element 3). The connecting site 20 can comprise a coupling site 21 of the termination element 3 (indicated in FIG. 2) and a counter coupling site 22, fitting thereto, of the shaft 4, said coupling sites being interconnected in an assembly position. By way of example, the connecting site 20 can be embodied as a latching connection.

[0058] By way of example, the at least one separation element 7 can be produced by filling a recess in the termination element 3 with optically tight adhesive mass.

[0059] As an alternative or in addition thereto, the at least one separation element 7 can be produced by local laser engraving into glass and/or polymers, in particular in order to obtain a light-diffuse layer.

[0060] As a further alternative or as a further addition, the at least one separation element 7 can be produced by one sided or two-sided local etching of glass and/or polymers in order to create a material transition that is difficult for stray light to overcome.

[0061] Thus, in particular, the invention relates to a cover 1, in particular a disposable sterile cover, for an endoscope tip 2, comprising at least one optical termination element 3 and a shaft 4, the termination element 3 comprising at least one light-guiding region 5 and at least one image-guiding region 6, at least one optical barrier being formed between the at least one light-guiding region 5 and the at least one image-guiding region 6 by at least one separation element 7.