JP-2021526419-A5 -

Dates

Publication Date

20230525

Application Date

20190607

Description

This application claims priority based on U.S. Provisional Applications 62/850,326, filed on 20 May 2019, entitled “Endosscope with Disposable Camera Shaft,” 62/722,150, filed on 23 August 2018, and 62/682,585, filed on 8 June 2018, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application relates to endoscopes, laparoscopes, arthroscopes, colonoscopes, and similar devices, instruments, implementations, or processes specifically adapted or intended for use in evaluating, examining, measuring, monitoring, studying, or testing the bodies of living or dead humans and animals for medical purposes. In general, in the first aspect, the present invention features an endoscope. The endoscope has a handle and an insertion shaft. The insertion shaft has a solid-state illumination circuit and an imaging circuit located at or near the tip, designed to provide the surgeon with illumination and imaging of the inside of a body cavity during surgery . The proximal portion of the handle has an electronic device for driving the illumination circuit and receiving imaging signals from the imaging circuit, and the proximal handle portion is designed to allow sterilization between uses . A joint between the proximal handle portion and the insertion shaft is designed to detachably connect the insertion shaft to the proximal handle portion. When detached, the joint allows the removal of the insertion shaft for disposal and replacement. When connected, the joint is designed to allow mechanical force to be transmitted from the surgeon's hand to the insertion shaft and provides electrical connectivity between the proximal handle circuit and the illumination and imaging circuits. In general, in a second aspect, the present invention features a method of execution using an endoscope having a handle and an insertion shaft. The insertion shaft has a solid-state illumination and imaging circuit located at or near the tip, designed to provide illumination and imaging of the inside of a body cavity for the surgeon during surgery ; the proximal portion of the handle has an electronic device for driving the illumination circuit and receiving imaging signals from the imaging circuit; the proximal handle portion is designed to allow sterilization between uses ; and a joint between the proximal handle portion and the insertion shaft is designed to detachably connect the insertion shaft to the proximal handle portion. The joint is detachable to allow removal of the insertion shaft for disposal and replacement. The joint is reconnected to a new insertion shaft, and the connection is designed to provide transmission of mechanical force between the surgeon's hand and the insertion shaft, and electrical connectivity between the proximal handle circuit and the illumination and imaging circuits. Embodiments of the present invention may include one or more of the following features: The handle may have a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion may be positioned between the insertion shaft and the proximal handle portion. The insertion shaft may be rigidly attached to the distal handle portion. A joint may be arranged to connect and disconnect the distal and proximal portions of the handle. The distal handle portion may be designed to indirectly transmit mechanical force between the surgeon's hand and the insertion shaft and to provide indirect electrical connectivity between the proximal handle circuit and the illumination and imaging circuits. The handle may have a rotating collar with surface features designed to assist the surgeon in rotating the insertion shaft in a roll dimension around the axis of the insertion shaft relative to the proximal handle portion. An electronic device inside the proximal handle portion may be designed to sense the roll of the insertion shaft and provide an angular rotation signal which may be designed to allow the display image received from the imaging circuit to be righted. The mounting of the image sensor may be designed to allow panning of the image sensor around a pitch or yaw axis perpendicular to the central axis of the insertion shaft. One or more ultraviolet LEDs inside the endoscope may be designed to sterilize areas inside the endoscope. A hose for blown fluid or gas may be designed to be located on or near the central axis of the proximal handle portion. Two or more insertion shafts, each having different dimensions from the others, may be connectable to the proximal handle portion at the joint, allowing the use of proximal handles in surgeries with different requirements for the insertion shafts. A sterilization cabinet may be designed to sterilize the components of the endoscope. The advantages and features described above are representative of typical embodiments and are presented solely to aid in understanding the invention. It should be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention as defined by the claims. Additional features and advantages of embodiments of th