ENDOSCOPE

Abstract

An endoscope including a first substantially hollow cylindrical body and a second substantially hollow cylindrical body, wherein the first body and the second body at least partially overlap coaxially, and wherein between the first body and the second body a round cord seal is disposed, which is sealingly disposed between a first sealing surface of the first body and a second sealing surface of the second body. Wherein, the first sealing surface is conical.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising: a substantially hollow cylindrical first body; and a substantially hollow cylindrical second body, wherein the first body and the second body at least partially overlap coaxially, a round cord seal is disposed between the first body and the second body, the round cord seal is sealingly received between a first sealing surface of the first body and a second sealing surface of the second body, and the first sealing surface is conical.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the second sealing surface is configured as a sealing shoulder with a substantially radial first partial surface and a substantially axial second partial surface.

3. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing surface has a taper ratio between 1.4:1 and 2.4:1.

4. The endoscope according to claim 3, wherein the first sealing surface has a taper ratio of 2:1.

5. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface are axially braced against each other.

6. The endoscope according to claim 5, wherein one of the first body or the second body comprises a threaded surface, and that the endoscope further comprises a nut mating with the threaded surface to brace the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface axially against each other.

7. The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the radial first partial surface is formed by a separate sealing ring.

8. The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a gap seal disposed to proceed the round cord seal.

9. The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising optical components disposed in one or more of the first body and the second body.

10. The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising electrical and/or electronic components disposed in one or more of the first body and the second body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The embodiments are described in more detail below with reference to a number of exemplary drawings, wherein the illustrated embodiments are merely intended to provide a better understanding without limiting the scope of protection of the appended claims, in which:

[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates an endoscope,

[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates a simplified sectional view of a round cord seal of an endoscope,

[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified sectional view of another round cord seal, and

[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates a simplified sectional view of still another round cord seal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] FIG. 1 shows an endoscope 1. The endoscope 1 comprises a main body 2 and an elongated shaft 3. An objective lens 4 is disposed at the distal end of the shaft 3, and the shaft 3 is closed at the distal end by a hermetic window 5.

[0028] The endoscope 1 is a video endoscope. The image of the objective lens 4 is converted by an electronic image converter, which is not shown, into electrical video signals which, after internal preprocessing, are made available via a cable 6 for display and/or further evaluation.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a seal between two hollow cylindrical bodies 10, 11 of the endoscope 1. Here, the body 10 is part of the main body 2 of the endoscope 1, and the body 11 is part of the shaft 3 of the endoscope 1.

[0030] The body 10 comprises a conical sealing surface 12, which has a taper ratio of approximately 2:1. The body 11 comprises a sealing surface in the form of a sealing shoulder 13, which consists of a radially arranged first partial surface 14 and an axially arranged second partial surface 15.

[0031] A round cord seal 20 is disposed between the sealing surface 12 and the sealing shoulder 13. In order to press the round cord seal firmly against the sealing surface 12 and the sealing shoulder 13, the body 10 and the body 11 are braced axially against one another. For this purpose, the body 11 comprises an external thread 21 onto which a nut 22 is screwed. Tightening the nut 22 tightens the body 11 in the direction of its longitudinal axis against the round cord seal 20. The conical sealing surface 12 in turn presses the round cord seal 20 in the direction of the partial surface 15 of the sealing shoulder 13. The round cord seal 20 is thereby pressed firmly against the respective sealing surfaces without any significant shear forces acting.

[0032] In addition to its clamping function, the thread 21 and the nut 22 act as a gap or labyrinth seal which prevents liquid from advancing to the round cord seal. In particular, the round cord seal can thus be protected from the effects of aggressive cleaning chemicals.

[0033] Within the second body 11, electrical lines 25, 26 are installed which conduct the electrical video signal of an electronic image converter, which is not shown, to a preprocessing circuit 30. From the preprocessing circuit 30, the processed video signal is routed out of the endoscope 1 via further lines 31, 32. The lines 31, 32 are placed in the cable 6.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows an alternative sealing between two hollow cylindrical bodies 110, 111 of an endoscope 101. Here, the body 110 is part of a main body of the endoscope 101, while the body 111 is part of a shaft of the endoscope 101.

[0035] In the present embodiment, the body 111 comprises a conical sealing surface 112, while the body 110 comprises a sealing shoulder 113 having a radial partial surface 114 and an axial partial surface 115.

[0036] A round cord seal 120 is again disposed between the sealing surface 112 and the sealing shoulder 113. For axial clamping of the bodies 110, 111, a thread 121 is provided on the body 111, as in the embodiment example of FIG. 1, onto which a nut 122 is screwed. Thread 121 and nut 122 in turn additionally act as a gap or labyrinth seal.

[0037] The endoscope 101 is configured as an optical endoscope. Therefore, a relay lens system is disposed inside the endoscope 101, which transmits an intermediate image generated by a lens to an ocular. Two rod lenses 140, 141 and an achromat 142 disposed therebetween are shown as part of the relay lens system. The relay lens system is supported by a system tube 145.

[0038] FIG. 4 shows another possible embodiment of a round cord seal of an endoscope 201, wherein a body 210 is sealed against a body 211. Here, the body 211 has a wall thickness too small to form a sealing shoulder.

[0039] The structure of the seal is therefore as follows: a conical sealing surface 212 is disposed on the body 210, and the body 211 comprises a collar 260 which forms an axial sealing surface 213. Adjacent to the collar 260 in the axial direction a stop shoulder 261 is disposed, which however is too short to function as a sealing shoulder.

[0040] Therefore, an additional sealing ring 262 is inserted into the collar 260, which abuts against the stop shoulder 261 and forms a sealing shoulder 263 together with the collar 260. A round cord seal 264 is again disposed between the sealing surface 212 and the sealing shoulder 263.

[0041] For bracing the bodies 210 and 211, a thread 265 is disposed on the collar 260, onto which a union nut 266 is screwed. The union nut engages around a flange 267 disposed on the body 210.

[0042] A sliding ring 268 may be provided between the union nut 266 and the flange 267.

[0043] In the above embodiments, the endoscopes 1, 101, 201 are shown in a highly simplified manner to facilitate understanding of such embodiments. In fact, modern endoscopes are much more complicated in design. Also, the configuration of round cord is only one of several sealing concepts used in modern endoscopes. Particularly sensitive components of such endoscopes may be disposed in hermetically sealed sections of the endoscope which are, for example, welded, soldered or cast.

[0044] While there has been shown and described what is considered to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will, of course, be understood that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be not limited to the exact forms described and illustrated, but should be constructed to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.