TIP FOR A SINGLE USE ENDOSCOPE, IN PARTICULAR FOR A SINGLE USE DUODENOSCOPE

Abstract

A tip for a single use endoscope, the endoscope and a method of producing the tip. The tip includes a housing encapsulating a light emitting device and an imaging device in a fluid tight manner, where the light emitting device is arranged on a planar printed circuit board provided within the housing, and the housing at least in part is made from a transparent material and comprises at least one transparent light guiding part or light guiding section for guiding light emitted by the light emitting device to an outside of the tip.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A tip for an endoscope, the tip comprising: a planar printed circuit board; a light emitting device arranged on the planar printed circuit board; an imaging device; a housing encapsulating the planar printed circuit board, the light emitting device and the imaging device in a fluid tight manner, the housing, at least in part, made from a transparent material and comprising a transparent light guiding part or light guiding section configured to guide light emitted by the light emitting device to an outside of the tip.

17. The tip of claim 16, wherein the light emitting device comprises an LED.

18. The tip of claim 16, wherein the imaging device is arranged on and/or connected to the printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tip extending from a distal tip end to a proximal tip end.

19. The tip of claim 18, wherein the printed circuit board is oriented at an angle α of 4° to 10° to the longitudinal axis.

20. The tip of claim 19, wherein the printed circuit board is oriented at an angle α of 6° to the longitudinal axis.

21. The tip of claim 16, wherein the light emitting device is connected to the housing by a transparent adhesive without direct contact between the light emitting device and the housing.

22. The tip of claim 16, wherein an inside surface of the light guiding part or light guiding section of the housing is highly glossy and/or is covered by a light transparent glue at a contact area between the light guiding part and the light emitting device to prevent or avoid transmission losses of light emitted by the light emitting device.

23. The tip of claim 16, wherein an outside surface of the light guiding part or light guiding section of the housing comprises a rough surface with a roughness RA of between 1 μm and 10 μm.

24. The tip of claim 23, wherein the rough surface has a roughness RA of about 2.5 μm.

25. The tip of claim 16, wherein the imaging device comprises an imaging chip provided by the printed circuit board and a lens system configured to provide an image onto the imaging chip.

26. The tip of claim 25, comprising an opaque layer provided to shield disturbing light entering the transparent housing, wherein the opaque layer shields the imaging chip and the focusing system.

27. The tip of claim 25, wherein the lens system is surrounded by an opaque protective ring.

28. The tip of claim 27, wherein the opaque protective ring and the transparent housing comprise one molded piece.

29. The tip of claim 16, wherein an optical axis of light emitted from the tip is substantially parallel to an optical axis of the imaging device.

30. The tip of claim 16, wherein the tip (1) further comprises a transparent nozzle for rinsing an outer surface of the tip and/or for insufflating a gas and/or air.

31. The tip of claim 30, wherein the transparent nozzle is attached to the tip by a transparent grout.

32. An endoscope comprising: an endoscope shaft adapted to be inserted into a patient; and a tip according to claim 16, the tip provided at a distal end of the endoscope shaft.

33. A method for manufacturing a tip for an endoscope, the method comprising: inserting a planar printed circuit board within an at least in part transparent housing, the planar printed circuit having a light emitting device arranged thereon and an imaging device arranged thereon and/or connected thereto; connecting and/or attaching the light emitting device to a light guiding section of the housing with a transparent adhesive; and encapsulating the planar printed circuit board, the light emitting device and the imaging device in a fluid tight manner in the housing.

34. The method of claim 34, wherein the housing comprises a first housing part and a second housing part, and wherein said encapsulating comprises fluid tightly connecting the first housing part to the second housing part.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the imaging device comprises an imaging chip and a lens system configured to provide an image onto the imaging chip, wherein the housing comprises a cavity surrounding the lens system, the method further comprises filling the cavity with opaque potting material.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the cavity also surrounds a contact area between the light emitting device and the light guiding section, and wherein the contact area is surrounded by the opaque potting material.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0043] Further features and advantages of the present disclosure result from the following exemplary and non-limiting description of the figures. These are only schematic in nature and only serve to understand the present disclosure. On the other hand, the formulation of the claims are not restricted to the shown embodiments.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of an example of a duodenoscope tip according to the disclosure in the direction of its longitudinal axis, i.e. from its proximal end to its distal end,

[0045] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an example of a duodenoscope tip according to the disclosure form a first viewing direction,

[0046] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the example of a duodenoscope tip of FIG. 2 form a second viewing direction,

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the example of a duodenoscope tip of FIGS. 2 and 3 form a third viewing direction,

[0048] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the example of a duodenoscope tip of FIGS. 2 to 4 form a fourth viewing direction,

[0049] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the example of a duodenoscope tip of FIGS. 2 to 5 form a fifth viewing direction,

[0050] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the example of a duodenoscope tip of FIGS. 2 to 6 form a sixth viewing direction and

[0051] FIG. 8 shows an endoscope/duodenoscope according to the present disclosure being adapted to be connected with a supply unit which does not belong to the subject matter of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0052] To begin with, FIG. 8 shows the endoscope 1 of the present disclosure in its substantially complete structure.

[0053] Accordingly, the endoscope 100 is preferably a single use endoscope (duodenoscope) and comprises a connector unit 120 for connecting the endoscope 100 with a (separate) supply unit, which may also be referred to as a base unit, for at least one operating resource (for example, electric power, water, etc.). The endoscope 100 further comprises a supply line located proximal (in the direction toward the user) to/at the connector unit. The supply line is for supplying said at least one operating resource from the connector unit to an endoscope handle 130 which is designed to be held by an user and—in accordance with the manual actuations of several manipulators 131 at the handle 130 by the user—from the handle 130 to a distal (direction away from the user/direction toward the patient) endoscope tip/head 1 (shown in FIG. 1), which is intended to be inserted into a patient's body cavity and which is located at the distal end of an endoscope shaft 133 which shaft 133 is mounted at its proximal end to the handle 130 and into which the supply line is extended. Furthermore, the endoscope shaft 133 comprises at least one so-called working channel 134 extending along the endoscope shaft 133 and having an opening in the tip 1 such that a surgical instrument can be shifted through the working channel 134 to extend beyond the tip 1 into a distal and/or radial direction.

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of the single use tip 1 for a single use duodenoscope according to FIG. 8. The section is taken along the direction of the longitudinal axis 2 of the tip 1, i.e. from its proximal end 3 to its distal end 4.

[0055] The tip 1 comprises at least a first light emitting device 5, a second light emitting device 6, an imaging device 7 and a housing 8 encapsulating the light emitting devices 5, 6 and the imaging device 7 in a fluid tight manner. The housing 8 comprises a first housing part/shell 9 with a first housing seat 10 and a second housing part/shell 11 with a second housing seat 12. The first housing part 9 and the second housing part 11 fit together at their respective housing seats 10, 12 and are sealed (seal is not shown in FIG. 1) along their common contact line at the housing seats 10, 12. On its distal end 3 the first housing part 9 has an annular connection part 13/connection section 13 for (sealed) mechanical, electrical and/or hydraulic/pneumatic connection with/to the endoscope shaft/endoscopic insertion tube or insertion hose 133 as shown in FIG. 8.

[0056] The entire first housing part 9 as well as the entire second housing part 11 consist of a light transparent plastic/resin material and are made preferably by injection molding.

[0057] The first housing part 9 also comprises a socket-like first light guiding section 14 and a socket-like second light guiding section 15, each for guiding light being emitted by the light emitting devices 5, 6 to the outside of the tip 1. The first light guiding section 14 comprises an (first) inside surface 16, while the second light guiding section 15 comprises an (second) inside surface 17. Both inside surfaces 16, 17 preferably are highly glossy to avoid transmission losses of light emitted by the light emitting devices 5, 6. Additionally, the first light guiding section 14 comprises an (first) outside surface 18, while the second light guiding section 15 comprises an (second) outside surface 19. Both outside surfaces 18, 19 are relatively rough compared to other outside surface areas of the housing 8 in order to distribute light exiting the tip 1 from its inside to the outside. The roughness R.sub.A is provided by a sand blasting process and may be more than 1 μm, preferably between 1 μm and 10 μm, more preferred about 2.5 μm. The space/volume between the inside surfaces 16, 17 and the outside surfaces 18, 19 is filled with the transparent material of the housing 8.

[0058] The inside surfaces 16, 17 also serve for attachment/contacting of a first LED 5 as first light emitting device 5 and of a second LED 6 as second light emitting device 6. The first LED 5 and the second LED 6 each are attached to the concerning inside surface 16, 17 preferably by transparent glue 20. On the side opposite the transparent glue 20 the LEDs 5, 6 are connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) 21, which is located in a cavity 22 provided within the housing 8. Accordingly, the PCB is hold by the socket-like light guiding sections 14, 15 via the LED's 5, 6. As is shown in FIG. 1, the PCB 21 is orientated essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis 2 of the tip such that light emitting directions of the LED's are substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis 2. In particular, the plane of the PCB 21 is arranged in an angle α of 4° to 10° to the longitudinal axis 2, preferred of 6° to the longitudinal axis 2.

[0059] Also arranged on the PCB 21 is the imaging device 7. The imaging device 7 comprises an imaging/camera chip 23 located on and electrically connected to/with the PCB 21 as well as a focusing system 24, in particular a lens system 24 for providing an image on the imaging chip 23. An optical axis 26 of the lens system 24 is, substantially, parallel to the optical axes 25 of light emitted by the LEDs 5, 6. Therefore, also, the imaging device 7 and the lens system 24 as well as its optical axis 26 are arranged orthogonal to the plane of the PCB 21 like the LED's 5, 6.

[0060] The lens system 24 comprises a stack of lenses 27 stacked in the direction of the optical axis 26 thereby forming a so-called lens barrel, which is carried by the imaging/camera chip 23. Such a lens barrel—imaging chip—unit is well known in the prior art so that a detailed description is not needed here. The stack of lenses/lens barrel 27 is arranged within and surrounded by an opaque protective ring/cover/foil 28, which, in this example, is made by 2K molding with the transparent first housing part 9. Outside the protective ring 28 the first housing part 9 is provided with a circular opening (through hole) 35 designed to receive the protective ring 28 and the stack of lenses 27. The protective ring 28 also may serve for centering and adjusting the lens system 24. For this the ring 28 comprises a shoulder 29 providing an axial stop and an annular surface 30 for centering the distal end of the lens stack 27. The lens system 24 is arranged in a centered manner above (when related to the incoming light) the imaging chip 23, such that the image provided by the lens system 24 is projected onto the imaging chip 24, where it is transferred into image data, which are computed and/or stored by the PCB in a well-known manner.

[0061] To protect and shield light sensitive functional units of the tip 1 as in particular the imaging device 7 with the imaging chip 23 and the lens system 24 from disturbing light which incidents into the transparent material of the housing 8, for example, from the outside and/or by the LED's 5, 6, at least parts of inner surfaces of the housing 8 facing the cavity 22 are covered/coated with an opaque coating 31. Additionally, or alternatively the imaging chip 23 is also shielded by an opaque potting 31 filled into the cavity 22. Further, a space between the stack of lenses 27 and the protective ring 28 may be filled/casted with additional opaque potting 31.

[0062] The tip 1 further comprises a (cleaning) nozzle 32. As the nozzle 32 is located below (radial outside of) the first light emitting device 5—which means within the area to be illuminated—it is also made of a transparent plastic material. Further, the nozzle 32 is preferably attached to the first housing part 9 of the tip 1 by a transparent grout 34, such that also the grout 34 does not negatively affect illumination by the first LED 5. Alternatively, the nozzle 32 and the housing may be provided integrally. The transparent nozzle 32 is designed for rinsing the tip 1, in particular an outer surface 33 of the imaging device 7. Further, the transparent nozzle 32 may be designed for insufflating a gas and/or air into a body cavity to be examined. Finally, in case of arranging a nozzle separate to the housing as described above, the (first) outside surface 18 has to be provided by the nozzle 32, itself.

[0063] As further is shown in FIGS. 2 to 7, an actuating lever (so-called Albarran lever) 36 is pivoted in the first housing part 9 as it is known in duodenum endoscope tips according to the prior art. The Albarran lever 36 is located besides the opening 35 in the longitudinal direction on the same side of the first housing 9 and also coaxial to the working channel 143 such that in a fully pivoted orientation of the Alberran lever 36 as shown in FIG. 5 a surgical instrument being shifted through the working channel 143 is deflected by the Albarran lever into the same radial direction as the lens system 24 and substantially parallel to the optical axes 25 of the lens system 24. Further, it should be noted, that in FIGS. 2 to 7 the tip 1 is shown without the PCB 21, the LEDs 5, 6 and the imaging device 7. Finally, it should be noted that the Albarran lever 36 is made of an opaque (resin) material thereby avoiding light reflections especially in case the Albarran lever is in fully pivoted orientation.

[0064] The assembly of the endoscope tip 1 for a single use duodenum endoscope is described as follows:

[0065] To begin with, the PCB 21 already carrying the LED's 5, 6 and the imaging device 7 including the imaging/camera chip 23 and the lens barrel 24 is attached to the first housing part 9 at socket-like connecting portions representing the first and second light guiding sections 14, 15 preferably by a glue layer. In this mounting/connecting position, the lens barrel penetrates the through opening within the first housing part 9 to be uncovered to the outside wherein the opaque protective ring 28 forms a light blocking layer between the lens barrel 24 and the first housing part 9.

[0066] In a following step, the light transparent nozzle 32 is connected with the first housing part 9 thereby forming a further light guiding part/section of the light emitting path below the one LED 5, wherein an outer surface of the nozzle 32 provides the first outer light emitting outside surface 18 of the respective light emitting path.

[0067] After the second housing part 11 is fluid tightly connected to the first housing part 9 at the respective housing seats 10, 12, cavities inside the housing 8 are filled with the opaque material surrounding at least the lens barrel 24, the LED's 5, 6 (including the contact area (glue layer) between the LED's 5, 6 and the first housing part 9), as well as the socket-like first and second light guiding sections 14, 15, thereby blocking light transmission through the housing 8, except the first and second outside surfaces 18, 19 at the first housing part 9 (and the nozzle 32).

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0068] 1 tip

[0069] 2 longitudinal axis of tip

[0070] 3 proximal end

[0071] 4 distal end

[0072] 5 first light emitting device

[0073] 6 second light emitting device

[0074] 7 imaging device

[0075] 8 housing

[0076] 9 first housing part

[0077] 10 housing seat

[0078] 11 second housing part

[0079] 12 housing seat

[0080] 13 connection part, connection section

[0081] 14 first light guiding section/part

[0082] 15 second light guiding section/part

[0083] 16 first inside surface

[0084] 17 second inside surface

[0085] 18 first outside surface

[0086] 19 second outside surface

[0087] 20 transparent glue

[0088] 21 printed circuit board (PCB)

[0089] 22 cavity

[0090] 23 imaging chip

[0091] 24 focusing system, lens system

[0092] 25 optical axis or LED

[0093] 26 optical axis of lens system

[0094] 27 stack of lenses

[0095] 28 opaque protective ring

[0096] 29 shoulder

[0097] 30 annular surface

[0098] 31 opaque coating

[0099] 32 nozzle

[0100] 33 outer surface of imaging device

[0101] 34 transparent grout

[0102] 35 circular opening

[0103] 36 Albarran lever

[0104] 100 endoscope

[0105] 120 connector unit

[0106] 130 endoscope handle

[0107] 131 manipulators

[0108] 133 endoscope shaft

[0109] 134 working channel