Articulated Section of an Endoscope Shaft

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent describes a jointed section for an endoscope shaft that enables improved bending and angulation of the endoscope's distal tip. The design uses two rigid joint bars of different lengths to connect the shaft's distal and proximal parts, allowing the distal section to move in a more versatile and controlled way. The unique linkage lets the endoscope tip be precisely angled for better visualization or manipulation in hard-to-reach areas, especially close to the endoscope shaft itself.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Medical endoscopy procedures, such as gastroscopy, colonoscopy, laparoscopy, or bronchoscopy, where detailed navigation and visualization of internal body cavities are necessary.
• Industrial inspection endoscopes for examining machinery, pipes, or confined structures where maneuvering the tip near obstacles is essential.
• Veterinary diagnostics and surgeries requiring flexible internal visualization.
• Robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgeries: enabling more precise manipulation of endoscopic tools.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Allows for finer and more controlled bending of the endoscope tip, improving access to areas close to the endoscope shaft and enhancing viewing angles.
• Enables viewing and operating in regions that standard pivot joints cannot reach, thus expanding the clinical and technical utility of the endoscope.
• The mechanical design enables precise, intuitive control via the user interface, translating to safer and more effective procedures.
• Improved protection of internal cables, fibers, and channels by incorporating flexible, sealed housings, enhancing instrument robustness and cleanliness.
• Design facilitates easier cleaning and sterilization, supporting hospital hygiene requirements.
• Minimizes risk of mechanical blockages or cable kinking during articulation, reducing instrument failure rates.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

An endoscopic instrument, in particular an endoscope, with a jointed portion of a shaft for an endoscopic instrument, in particular for an endoscope, for bendably connecting a distal part of the shaft with a proximal part of the shaft. For this purpose the distal shaft part is connected with the proximal shaft part by two rigid jointed bars of different lengths, which each attaches with a joint on the distal and on the proximal shaft part.