MEDICAL DEVICE

Abstract

A medical device includes an endoscope head which is designed to be detachably connected to endoscope tubes. The endoscope head has a longitudinal channel between a proximal end and a distal end of the endoscope head for receiving an endoscope tube. At least one measuring channel is arranged in the endoscope head. The measuring channel has at least one inner connection opening, which is connected to the longitudinal channel, and at least one outer connection opening, which is arranged on the outside of the endoscope head. The outer connection opening can be connected to at least one measuring channel in a measurement adapter which can be detachably coupled to the endoscope head.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A medical device, comprising: an endoscope head designed to be detachably connected to endoscope tubes, said endoscope head including a longitudinal channel extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the endoscope head for receiving a respective one of the endoscope tubes, and a measuring channel which includes an inner connection opening connected to the longitudinal channel, and an outer connection opening arranged on an outside of the endoscope head; and a measurement adapter detachably coupleable to the endoscope head and including a measuring channel connectable to the outer connection opening of the measuring channel of the endoscope head, said measurement adapter configured as a U-shaped clamp which includes a spine and two arms connected to the spine and configured resilient, said arms having free ends at a distance to the spine and formed with latching projections which are directed inwardly towards the endoscope head and which, when the arms are bent apart as the measurement adapter is mated with the endoscope head, slide upon an outer lateral adapter connection region of the endoscope head and snap behind a latching edge of the endoscope head, so that the arms spring back and establish a sufficiently tight connection between the measuring channel in the endoscope head and the measuring channel of the measurement adapter.

14. The medical device of claim 13, wherein the spine has an outer side formed with a notch to effect a spring action of the arms.

15. The medical device of claim 13, wherein the arms have each a contact surface for resting on the adapter connection region in a clamping manner to define a gap seal and thereby effect the tight connection.

16. The medical device of claim 13, wherein the latching projections are bead-like thickenings.

17. The medical device of claim 13, wherein the spine has a bent configuration which is conformed to an outer contour of the endoscope head so as to form a stop for limiting an attachment depth of the measurement adapter into the endoscope head.

18. The medical device of claim 13, wherein the measuring channel in the measurement adapter feeds into the region of the spine.

19. The medical device of claim 13, wherein the endoscope head is coupleable with the endoscope tube in fixed rotative engagement, with the fixed rotative engagement being designed in a force-fitting manner and/or form-fitting manner by enabling a male piece on the endoscope tube and/or on the endoscope head to engage a female piece on the endoscope tube and/or on the endoscope head.

20. The medical device of claim 19, further comprising an adapter sleeve coupleable to a proximal end of the endoscope tube, wherein the male piece or female piece is formed on the adapter sleeve.

21. The medical device of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of said adapter sleeve with mutually matching diameters, so that an adapter sleeve, which is smaller in diameter, is able to mate with an adapter sleeve which is greater in diameter, so that an endoscope tube having a smaller diameter and coupled to the smaller adapter sleeve is coupleable with the endoscope head.

22. The medical device of claim 21, wherein the adapter sleeves include measuring channels which are connectable to measuring channels in the endoscope tubes and connectable to the measuring channel of the endoscope head when engaging into the longitudinal channel of the endoscope head.

23. The medical device of claim 13, wherein the endoscope head includes two of said measuring channel arranged diametrically in the endoscope head.

Description

[0022] The invention is explained hereinafter with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in schematic drawings.

[0023] FIGS. 1 and 2 show two different perspective illustrations of one and the same medical device 1 with an endoscope head 2 as a central component. The endoscope head 2 has a longitudinal channel 3 extending vertically in the image plane for receiving an endoscope tube 4. The endoscope tube 4 is only partially shown. FIG. 1 shows only the proximal end 5 thereof. The longitudinal channel 3, which extends from a proximal end 6 to a distal end 7 of the endoscope head 2, serves to receive the proximal end 5 of the endoscope tube 4. The diameter of the endoscope tube 4 is significantly smaller than the inner diameter of the longitudinal channel 3. In order to compensate the diameters, adapter sleeves 8, 9 are used, which will be discussed further below.

[0024] A further component of the device 1 is a measurement adapter 10. The measurement adapter 10 can be detachably coupled to the adapter head 2 by being attached laterally in the direction of the arrow P1 onto the substantially cylindrical endoscope head 2. It can be withdrawn again in the opposite direction. No tool is required for attachment and removal.

[0025] In addition to the actual longitudinal channel 3, which serves as a working channel, the endoscope head has connections for ventilation. These connections are provided when the endoscope head is used during bronchoscopy. A first connection 11 serves for jet ventilation. A second connection 12 is provided for common ventilation at lower pressures. The connections 11, 12 can alternatively be used.

[0026] In addition, the endoscope head includes measuring channels 13, 14. The measuring channels 13, 14 are arranged diametrically. They are located in the vicinity of the distal end 7, so that they can be brought into overlap with measuring channels 15, 16 in the adapter sleeves 8, 9 or can be connected to a measuring channel 17 in the endoscope tube 4. The measuring channels 13, 14 feed into the longitudinal channel 3 and have each an inner connection opening 18 and an outer connection opening 19. The outer connection opening 19 is located in a lateral adapter connection region 20. Unlike the remaining outer contour of the substantially cylindrical endoscope head 2, the adapter connection region 20 is not rounded, but flattened. Since corresponding connection openings 19 are diametrically opposite each other on the outside, the corresponding adapter connection regions 20, 21 are also arranged opposite one another. The adapter connection regions 20 are flattened and in this case extend parallel to one another. Via these flattened adapter connection regions 20, the measurement adapter 10 can be pushed in direction of the arrow P1. For this purpose, the measurement adapter is configured as an U-shaped clamp. It has a spine 22 and two arms 23, 24 which are connected to the spine 22. The arms 23, 24 are configured in a resilient manner and are designed to come into contact with the adapter connection region 20, 21 with their respective contact surfaces 25, 26 formed on the inside of the arms, but at least to establish a fluid-conducting, in particular gas-conducting connection to the outer connection openings 19 of the measuring channels 13, 14 in the endoscope head 2. The arms 23, 24 have a mutual spacing which is conformed to the distance of the adapter connection regions 20.

[0027] For the spring action of the arms 23, 24, a notch 27 is arranged on the outside in the spine 22. As a result, although the arms 23, 24 are able to spring outwards, the spring action is established due to a deformation in the region of the spine 22. The arms 23, 24 themselves do not have to be elastic, but can be.

[0028] The measuring channels 13, 14 from the endoscope head 2 are continued by further measuring channels 28, 29 in the measurement adapter 10. Extending in longitudinal direction of the arms 23, 24 are measuring channels 28, 29, respectively. The two measuring channels 28, 29 have each connection openings 30, 31 in the mutually facing contact surfaces 25, 26. The measuring channels 28, 29 are therefore angled within the arms 23, 24. These connection openings 30, 31 correspond in the mated position of the measurement adapter 10 with the connection openings 19 on the endoscope head 2. The measuring channels 28, 29 in the measurement adapter 10 feed each into connecting pieces 32, 33, to each of which a hose can be connected in order to tap and evaluate the pressure at the measurement adapter 10.

[0029] Sealing means, not shown in greater detail, are able to seal the measurement adapter 10 in the endoscope head 2 in the transition zone between the measuring channels 28, 29 of the measurement adapter to the measuring channels 13, 14. Sealing may also be realized via a sufficiently large gap seal, for example by resting the contact surfaces 25, 26 in a clamping manner on the adapter connection regions 20, 21. For additional locking, inwardly directed latching projections 35, 36 are provided at the free ends of the arms. These involve bead-like thickenings which, in the mated position, engage behind the flattened lateral adapter connection regions 20 on the endoscope head 2 and thereby prevent an unintentional removal of the measurement adapter 10.

[0030] The spine 22 is bent and conformed to the outer contour of the endoscope head 2. It serves as a stop and limits the insertion depth of the measurement adapter 10.

[0031] It is an essential prerequisite for a pressure measurement that the measuring channels in the respective components freely extend continuously. For this purpose, it is necessary to align the measuring opening 17 in the endoscope tube 4 in such a way as to be continuously connected to the measuring channel 13, 14 in the endoscope head 2. The exact positioning is ensured by the use of the adapter sleeves 8, 9. In this exemplary embodiment, adapter sleeves 8, 9 of different sizes are used by way of example. The greater of the two adapter sleeves 8 has an outer diameter which is conformed to the inner diameter of the longitudinal channel 3, i.e. can be inserted therein. In addition to the measuring channel 15 arranged there, this adapter sleeve 8 additionally has an inwardly directed radial projection which serves as a male piece 37 for a female piece 38 on the smaller adapter sleeve 9. The female piece 38 is designed as a radially outer, groove-shaped depression. The female piece 38 does not extend over the entire axial length of the adapter sleeve 9, so that the attachment depth into the greater adapter sleeve 8 can be limited and also defined by the length of the female piece 38. The smaller adapter sleeve 9 also has a radially inwardly directed male piece 39 in the form of a radially inwardly pointing longitudinal web. This male piece 39 is intended to engage in a corresponding female piece 40 in the form of a longitudinal notch beginning at the proximal end 5 of the endoscope tube 4. Here, too, the exact position of the endoscope tube 14 in the smaller adapter sleeve 9 is determined by the length of the male piece 39 or female piece 40. The endoscope tube 4 can now be inserted together with the smaller adapter sleeve 9 and with incorporation of the greater adapter sleeve 8 into the endoscope head 2. For alignment and for securing against rotation, the greater adapter sleeve 8 has a female piece 41 in the form of a longitudinal groove extending in the longitudinal direction from its proximal end. This longitudinal groove or this female piece 41 corresponds with a respective web in the form of a male piece 34 (FIG. 2) in the interior of the longitudinal channel 3. In this way, a fixed rotative engagement of the components relative to one another is ensured. In a manner not shown in greater detail, the arrangement of adapter sleeves 8, 9 and endoscope tube 4 can additionally be secured against displacement in the longitudinal direction of the endoscope tube 4. This can involve a clamping connection which acts on the attached endoscope tube 4 radially from the outside and thereby establishes the connection to the endoscope head 2.

[0032] The medical device 1 of FIG. 1 enables the use of greater endoscope tubes 4 as well. By dispensing with the smaller adapter sleeve 9, a greater endoscope tube can also be connected directly to the greater one of the adapter sleeves 8 in the same way as shown in FIG. 1.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0033] 1—medical device [0034] 2—endoscope head [0035] 3—longitudinal channel [0036] 4—endoscope tube [0037] 5—proximal end of 4 [0038] 6—proximal end of 2 [0039] 7—distal end of 2 [0040] 8—adapter sleeve [0041] 9—adapter sleeve [0042] 10—measurement adapter [0043] 11—connection for jet ventilation [0044] 12—connection for ventilation [0045] 13—measurement channel in 2 [0046] 14—measurement channel in 2 [0047] 15—measuring channel in 8 [0048] 16—measuring channel in 9 [0049] 17—measurement opening in 4 [0050] 18—inner connection opening of 13 [0051] 19—external connection opening of 13 [0052] 20—adapter connection region at 2 [0053] 21—adapter connection region at 2 [0054] 22—spine of 10 [0055] 23—arm of 10 [0056] 24—arm of 10 [0057] 25—contact surface of 23 [0058] 26—contact surface of 24 [0059] 27—notch in 22 [0060] 28—measurement channel in 24 [0061] 29—measurement channel in 23 [0062] 30—opening of 28 [0063] 31—opening of 28 [0064] 32—connection piece of 28 [0065] 33—connecting piece of 29 [0066] 34—male piece in 3 [0067] 35—latching projection [0068] 36—latching projection [0069] 37—male piece at 8 [0070] 38—female piece at 9 [0071] 39—male piece at 9 [0072] 40—longitudinal channel at 4 [0073] 41—female piece at 8 [0074] P1—arrow