ENDOSCOPE

Abstract

An endoscope (1) having a heating device (7) with at least one stiffened area (9, 10, 27) on a printed circuit board (8). At least one heating element (11) of the heating device is arranged in the stiffened area (9, 10, 27), and the heating device (7) is laid flat, from the outside, on a metallic head part (4) at the distal end (3) of the endoscope.

Claims

1. An endoscope (1) comprising a shaft (2), a head part (4) at the distal end (3) of the shaft (2), the head part (4) is made of a metallic material and carries a plane glass (5), a heating device (7) formed on a flexible printed circuit board (8), which is stiffened in at least one area (9, 10, 27), a heating element (11) of the heating device (7) is formed in the at least one stiffened area (9, 10, 27), and the heating device (7) lies with the stiffened area (9, 10, 27) flat on the head part (4).

2. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a flattening (12) is formed on the head part (4), and the heating device (7) bears with the stiffened area (9, 10, 27) on said flattening (12).

3. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating element (7) is formed on a side of the printed circuit board (8) facing away from the head part (4) in a position of use.

4. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head part (4) is contacted in a planar manner on at least two sides by the stiffened area (9, 10, 27) of the heating device (7).

5. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 4, wherein there are a plurality of heating elements (11) formed on one said flexible printed circuit board (8)

6. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the plurality of heating elements (11) are formed on respective ones of the stiffened areas (9, 10, 27).

7. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating element (11) is formed from a manganin coating.

8. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the manganin coating extends in a meandering shape.

9. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of an electrical feed (13) to an electronic component (14) on the printed circuit board (8) or to the at least one heating element (11) is formed with a manganin coating.

10. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stiffened area (9, 10, 27) is formed by a covering (15) applied to the heating element (11).

11. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the covering is at least one of a glass-fiber-reinforced material or polyamide.

12. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the stiffened area (9, 10, 27) is stiffened by the heating element (11).

13. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein an electronic drive (16) of the heating device (7) is formed on the printed circuit board (8).

14. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the drive (16) is configured to maintain a predefined maximum temperature on the heating device (7).

15. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of an imaging lens (18) or an image sensor (19) is arranged in the head part (4).

16. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaft (2) accommodates the head part (4) therein, and an optical fiber (21) is arranged between the head part (4) and the shaft (2).

17. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaft (2) ends on the head part (4), and the head part (4) has at least one through-opening (22) which is oriented in a longitudinal direction of the shaft (2) and through which an optical fiber (21) extends.

18. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor (17) arranged on the flexible printed circuit board (8).

19. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flexible printed circuit board (8) has a U-shape when unwound from the head part (4), and one of the stiffened areas (9, 10, 27) carrying a respective one of the heating elements (11) is formed on each limb (24, 25) of the U-shape.

20. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board (8) is at least one of coated or populated in some areas on both sides thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The invention is now described in more detail on the basis of illustrative embodiments, although it is not limited to these illustrative embodiments. Further illustrative embodiments are obtained through combination of the features of one or several claims with each other and/or with one or several features of the illustrative embodiments.

[0023] In the drawings:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a view of the distal end of an endoscope according to the invention,

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the endoscope according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1,

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a front view of the distal end of a further endoscope according to the invention,

[0027] FIG. 4 shows the endoscope according to FIG. 3 in a longitudinal section,

[0028] FIG. 5 shows a unwound heating device of an endoscope according to FIG. 1 or FIG. 3,

[0029] FIG. 6 shows the heating device according to FIG. 5 in the position of use before insertion of the head part,

[0030] FIG. 7 shows the heating device according to FIGS. 5 and 6 with the head part inserted,

[0031] FIG. 8 shows a further heating device of an endoscope according to the invention with three stiffened areas,

[0032] FIG. 9 shows a further endoscope according to the invention with the heating device according to FIG. 8,

[0033] FIG. 10 shows a schematic sectional view through an unwound heating device of an endoscope according to the invention, and

[0034] FIG. 11 shows a schematic sectional view of a further heating device of an endoscope according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] FIGS. 1 and 2 are first of all described below.

[0036] An endoscope according to the invention, designated overall by reference sign 1, has a shaft 2 extending as far as a distal end 3.

[0037] A head part 4, which is produced from a metallic material, is formed on the distal end 3.

[0038] The head part 4 carries a plane glass 5. The plane glass 5 seals off an interior 6 of the head part 4 from the outside, in particular in a liquid-tight manner.

[0039] The heating device 7 is shown in more detail in FIG. 5. Two stiffened areas 9, 10, in each of which a respective heating element 11 is arranged, are formed on a flexible printed circuit board 8.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows the heating device 7 in the position of use, wherein the position of the stiffened areas 9, 10 can be seen. Accordingly, the heating device 7 lies with the stiffened areas 9, 10 flat on the head part 4.

[0041] For this purpose, a flattening 12 of the otherwise cylindrical head part is formed on the latter for each stiffened area 9, 10, said flattening 12 having a planar contact face for laying the stiffened area 9, 10 flat on the head part 4.

[0042] In the illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 with FIG. 5, the heating elements 11 are each formed on a side of the printed circuit board 8 which, in the position of use, is oriented toward the outside and thus facing away from the head part 4.

[0043] Each heating element 11 is formed as a manganin coating extending in a meandering shape.

[0044] Electrical feeds 13 to the heating elements 11 and to further electronic components 14 on the printed circuit board 8 are likewise formed with the manganin coating.

[0045] The stiffened areas 9, 10 are each produced by a covering 15 which, in this illustrative embodiment, is made of glass-fiber-reinforced material or a polyamide placed from the outside onto the printed circuit board 8.

[0046] An electronic drive 16 of the heating device 7 is formed on the printed circuit board 8, for example with one or several of the electronic components 14, or at another location. This drive 16 is configured to maintain a predefined maximum temperature on the heating device 7. For this purpose, one of the electronic components 14 or several of the electronic components 14 can be designed as temperature sensor 17.

[0047] At least one imaging lens 18 and at least one image sensor 19 are arranged in the head part 4 behind the plane glass 5. The image signal received is carried via an image signal line 20 to a proximal end (not shown) of the endoscope 1.

[0048] It will be seen from FIG. 2 that the shaft 2 accommodates the head part 4 within it, wherein an optical fiber 21 is arranged in a ring shape between the head part 4 and the shaft 2.

[0049] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a further endoscope 1 according to the invention. Structural parts and functional units that are similar or identical in terms of design and/or function to the preceding illustrative embodiment are labeled with the same reference signs and are not described again separately. The statements made with regard to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 therefore apply correspondingly to FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0050] The illustrative embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 4 differs from the illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in that the shaft 2 ends on the head part 4 and is sealed off flush by the head part 4 in the direction of extent of the endoscope 1.

[0051] Through-openings 22 are formed on the head part 4, in which through-openings 22 the optical fibers 21 are guided out from the shaft 2 into the open.

[0052] The illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 also differs from the illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in that two plane glasses 5 are formed which are offset with respect to each other and behind each of which a respective imaging lens 18 is arranged.

[0053] These two optical channels thus formed are each routed to a respective image sensor 19 or to a common image sensor 19 in order to obtain and to transmit a stereoscopic image.

[0054] These coupled optical channels can also be formed in the illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

[0055] FIG. 6 shows the heating device 7 from FIG. 5 in a state prepared for use.

[0056] A connection piece 23, which is formed from the printed circuit board 8 and provides a web-like connection between the stiffened areas 9, 10, is bent in order to bring the stiffened areas 9, 10 to their position of use, in which they can lie flat.

[0057] It will be seen from FIG. 5 that the heating device 7, and in particular the flexible printed circuit board 8, has a U-shape in a state in which it is unwound from the head part 4.

[0058] A stiffened area 9, 10 is here arranged respectively on each limb 24, 25.

[0059] A temperature sensor 17 is formed on that limb 24 which faces away from a bonding 26 of the heating device 7.

[0060] The illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 7 shows an alternative cross section of a head part 4 in an endoscope 1 according to the invention. Structural parts or functional units that are similar or identical in terms of function and/or design to the preceding illustrative embodiments are labeled with the same reference signs and are not described again separately. The statements made with regard to FIGS. 1 to 6 therefore apply correspondingly to FIG. 7.

[0061] It will be seen that the cross section of the head part 4 is particularly suitable for the formation of a stereoscopic endoscope 1 following FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

[0062] FIG. 9 shows a further illustrative embodiment according to the invention of an endoscope, in which a heating device 7 according to FIG. 8 is inserted. Structural parts and functional units that are similar or identical in terms of function and/or design are labeled with the same reference signs and are not described again separately. The statements made with regard to FIGS. 1 to 7 therefore apply correspondingly to FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0063] The illustrative embodiment according to FIGS. 8 and 9 differs from the preceding illustrative embodiments in that three stiffened areas 9, 10, 27 are formed, which each carry a heating element 11 and which lie flat on three sides of the head part 4 in the area of flattenings 12.

[0064] In further illustrative embodiments, other numbers of stiffened areas and/or heating elements are formed, and/or other arrangements of the stiffened areas 9, 10, 27 on the head part 4 and/or other cross-sectional shapes of the head part 4 are realized.

[0065] FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 show schematic cross sections through a heating device 7.

[0066] FIG. 10 shows the case where the constructions for stiffening the areas 9, 10, in particular the coating 15 of the flexible printed circuit board 8, are formed on one side, preferably the side facing away from the head part 4.

[0067] By contrast, in the illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 11, the printed circuit board 8 is coated and/or populated with components 14 on both sides.

[0068] In the endoscope 1 according to the invention, it is proposed to form a heating device 7 with at least one stiffened area 9, 10, 27 on a printed circuit board 8, wherein at least one heating element 11 is arranged in the stiffened area 9, 10, 27, and wherein the heating device 7 is laid flat, from the outside, on a metallic head part 4 at the distal end 3 of the endoscope.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0069] 1 endoscope

[0070] 2 shaft

[0071] 3 distal end

[0072] 4 head part

[0073] 5 plane glass

[0074] 6 interior

[0075] 7 heating device

[0076] 8 printed circuit board

[0077] 9, 10 stiffened area

[0078] 11 heating element

[0079] 12 flattening

[0080] 13 feed

[0081] 14 electronic component

[0082] 15 covering

[0083] 16 drive

[0084] 17 temperature sensor

[0085] 18 imaging lens

[0086] 19 image sensor

[0087] 20 image signal line

[0088] 21 optical fiber

[0089] 22 opening

[0090] 23 connection piece

[0091] 24, 25 limb

[0092] 26 bonding

[0093] 27 stiffened area