DE3928515A1 - Endoscope esp. flexible blood vessel endoscope - achieves reduced dia. using bundled fibre conductors and objective made of individual elements - Google Patents

Abstract

The endoscope has a bundled fibre light conductor, a bundled fibre image conductor and an objective made up of individual elements. The image transfer system (1.1,1.2,2) is concentrically enclosed by a bundled fibre light conductor (3) without an intermediate arrangement of flexible casing elements. The enclosing light conductor is stiffened by adhesive and forms a holder for the objective. ADVANTAGE - Thin calibre, objective can be efficiently constructed without additional supports)supporting elements, reliable operation, dia. is reduced w.r.t. compared to conventional ones without loss of image quality.

Description

The invention relates in particular to a thin-caliber flexible blood vessel endoscope, consisting essentially of a fiber bundle light guide and an image guidance system where the latter consists of a windscreen, a lens and an egg there is a fiber bundle image guide.

Show known endoscopes with a non-deflected line of sight distal one concentrically around the lens or partially light guides arranged around the image guide (medical technology Issue 3 of 1967).

This light and image transmission system is located inside half a rigid or flexible envelope.

Newer solutions are characterized in that full-walled flexible shafts, built-in channels, especially for opening have fiber optic and fiber image guides (DE-OS 34 43 337 - A 61 B 1/00; DE-OS 3 77 889 - A 61 B, 1/00).

To avoid the risk of misalignment of individual glass lenses to eliminate existing lens was the last called Scripture suggested the distal end piece again with an additional rigid element to hold the Ob equip jective

So the actually intended space gain goes to educate a smaller outside diameter is lost again.

The clear fixation of the lens is thus provided thin-caliber, flexible endoscopes as a problem, wel ches the constant striving to reduce the diameter of endoscopes or endoscopic catheters.

The aim of the invention is to achieve this goal maintaining existing usage properties with regard to the image quality (permanently fixed lens) to propose a solution gene, with which the diameter of the endoscope can be reduced.

It is an object of the invention, the one already shown Weg, a lens without additional frame elements, for the first time  feasible and reliable.

According to the invention the object is achieved in that the Image guidance system concentric from a distal using adhesive stiffened fiber image guide is surrounded.

The glued fiber image guide thus serves as the lens Socket element and the fiber image guide as a receiving sleeve.

The gluing is carried out by means of an insert, which consists of a special material and its own shaft has no connection with the adhesive used enter into.

After the adhesive has hardened, the ring surface on the forehead side ground and polished. The seat is the lens Components filled with a mandrel, which is removed later becomes.

In this way you get a virtually dimensionless guidance for the lens elements.

The fiber bundle image guide is behind the lens elements assembled. It exists between the light guide and the image guide According to the invention, no flexible envelope elements.

To the outside, the system then receives an envelope, which the Connects to the other flexible part.

The invention will be based on an embodiment are explained in more detail. In the drawings represents

Fig. 1 end face of the distal end piece acc. Invention,

Fig. 2 side sectional view through a larger portion of the distal end.

In the figures, the essential components lens 1 , be standing from the front window 1.1 , and the two plan convex lenses 1.2 , fiber bundle image guide 2 , fiber bundle light guide 3 and sheathing 4 are shown.

It can be seen that the lens 1 is arranged directly in the fiber bundle light guide 3 without a conventional mount element and can be permanently fixed therein by the resin-stiffened design of the fiber bundle light guide inner wall.

List of the reference numerals used

1 - lens
1.1 - windscreen
1.2 - Plano-convex lenses
2 - fiber bundle image guide
3 - fiber bundle light guide
4 - serving

Claims (1)

Endoscope, in particular flexible blood vessel endoscope, with a fiber bundle light guide, a fiber bundle image guide and a lens formed from individual elements, characterized in that the image transmission system ( 1; 2 ) is surrounded concentrically by a fiber bundle light guide ( 3 ) without intermediate arrangement of flexible enveloping elements which is adhesive-stiffened distally as a lens mount.