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US-RE50885-E1 - Endoscopic probe with reduced obstruction

Abstract

An endoscopic probe includes a handle with a front end, a rear end with a rear end axis and, extending between the front end and the rear end, a straight grip portion with a grip portion axis. The probe further includes a shaft extending from the front end of the handle and having a shaft axis, and a cable issuing from the rear end. The shaft axis, the rear end axis and the grip portion axis lie within a common plane. The shaft axis encloses an angle in the range of 100 to 140 degrees with the grip portion axis, the grip portion axis encloses an angle in the range of 110 to 130 degrees with the rear end axis, and the shaft axis encloses an angle in the range of 30 to 90 degrees with the rear end axis.

Inventors

  • Martin Fanenbruck
  • Helge Jess
  • Roland Guckler

Assignees

  • CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20230213
Priority Date
20170419

Claims (19)

  1. 1 . An endoscope probe comprising: a handle with a front end, a rear end with a rear end axis (AK) and, extending between the front end and the rear end, a straight grip portion with a grip portion axis (AG); and a shaft extending from the front end of the handle and having a shaft axis (AS), wherein the shaft axis (AS), the rear end axis (AK) and the grip portion axis (AG) lie within a common plane, the shaft axis (AS) encloses an angle (α) in the a range of 100 to 140 150 degrees with the grip portion axis (AG), the grip portion axis (AG) encloses an angle (β) in the a range of 110 130 to 130 160 degrees with the rear end axis (AK), the shaft axis (AS) encloses an angle (γ) in the a range of 30 90 to 90 130 degrees with the rear end axis (AK), the straight grip portion, in a plane perpendicular to the common plane of the shaft axis (AS), the grip portion axis (AG), and the rear end axis (AK), has a cross section with: a cross-sectional upper side that forms the side of the handle facing the point of intersection of an imaginary continuation of the shaft axis (AS) with an imaginary continuation of the rear end axis (AK), and a cross-sectional underside facing away from the cross-sectional upper side, and wherein the cross-sectional upper side has a central portion and, adjoining the central portion, two straight portions which form cut-outs from limbs of an imaginary isosceles triangle whose apex lies centrally above the cross-sectional upper side, and wherein the cross-sectional underside includes a central region and, adjoining the central region, two straight portions, each one of the two straight portions of the cross-sectional underside adjoining a separate one of the two straight portions of the cross-sectional upper side to form an edge.
  2. 2 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which the angle that the shaft axis (AS) encloses with the grip portion axis (AG) is the same size as the angle that the grip portion axis (AG) encloses with the rear end axis.
  3. 3 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which the shaft has a length in thea range of 110 to 130 mm.
  4. 4 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which the shaft has a diameter in thea range of 3.0 to 4.1 mm.
  5. 5 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which the shaft has a wall thickness in thea range of 0.3 to 0.5 mm, at least in a distal portion.
  6. 6 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in whichwherein the shaft has a proximal portion with a wall thickness in thea range of 1.3 to 1.5 mm, whichand the proximal portion adjoins the front end of the handle.
  7. 7 . The endoscope probe according to claim 6 , in which the proximal portion has a length in thea range of 10 to 20 mm.
  8. 8 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which the straight grip portion has a diameter in thea range of 18 to 38 mm.
  9. 9 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which the straight grip portion and the front end together have a length (LH) in thea range of 100 to 120 mm.
  10. 10 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which the cross-sectional underside has a convexity, wherein the cross-sectional underside has a central region with a central convexity and, adjoining the central region, portions that have a lesser convexity compared to the central convexity.
  11. 11 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which thea side of the straight grip portion formed by the cross-sectional underside has a bearing surface for thea middle finger.
  12. 12 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which the shaft is arranged at the front end of the handle in such a way that the front end perpendicularly with respect to the direction of extent of the shaft axis (AS), has a maximum protrusion, over the shaft that is dimensioned such that thean angle θ between the shaft axis and an imaginary line emerging from the a distal end of the shaft extending in the plane of the shaft axis (AS), the rear end axis (AK) and the grip portion axis (AG) and tangent to the front end of the handle is not more than 8 degrees.
  13. 13 . The endoscope probe according to claim 12 , in which the interior of the shaft accommodates an image-conveying optics system with which object light emanating from an object observed by means of the endoscopic probe is conveyed to an image sensor arranged in the handle.
  14. 14 . The endoscope probe according to claim 12 , in which the interior of the handle accommodates a light source for emitting illumination light with which the object observed by means of the endoscopic probe is illuminated, and in which an optical fibre for conveying the illumination light to the object observed by means of the endoscopic probe extends through the interior of the shaft.
  15. 15 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which the shaft and the handle, including a connection between the shaft and the handle, are impervious to liquid and gas, and the shaft and the handle are made of a material that can be autoclaved.
  16. 16 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which the rear end is a cable outlet end with an emerging cable wherein the cable emerges from the cable outlet end at an angle of not more than 20 degrees with respect to the rear end axis (AK).
  17. 17 . The endoscope probe according to claim 16 , in which the connection between the cable outlet end and the cable is impervious to liquid and gas, and the cable is made of a material that can be autoclaved.
  18. 18 . The endoscope probe according to claim 1 , in which the rear end contains an antenna and/or an accumulator.
  19. 19. An endoscope probe comprising: a handle with a front end, a rear end with a rear end axis (AK) and, extending between the front end and the rear end, a straight grip portion with a grip portion axis (AG); and a shaft extending from the front end of the handle and having a shaft axis (AS), wherein the shaft axis (AS), the rear end axis (AK) and the grip portion axis (AG) lie within a common plane, the shaft axis (AS) encloses an angle (a) in a range of 100 to 150 degrees with the grip portion axis (AG), the grip portion axis (AG) encloses an angle (B) in a range of 130 to 160 degrees with the rear end axis (AK), the shaft axis (AS) encloses an angle (y) in a range of 90 to 130 degrees with the rear end axis (AK). wherein the shaft is arranged at the front end of the handle in such a way that the front end perpendicularly with respect to the direction of extent of the shaft axis (AS), has a maximum protrusion, over the shaft that is dimensioned such that an angle (0) between an imaginary line emerging from a distal end of the shaft extending in the plane of the shaft axis (AS), the rear end axis (AK) and the grip portion axis (AG) and tangent to the front end of the handle is not more than 8 degrees, and wherein the straight grip portion, in a plane perpendicular to the common plane of the shaft axis (AS), the grip portion axis (AG), the rear end axis (AK), has a cross section with: a cross-sectional upper side that forms the side of the handle facing the point of intersection of an imaginary continuation of the shaft axis (AS) with an imaginary continuation of the rear end axis (AK), and a cross-sectional underside facing away from the cross-sectional upper side, wherein the cross-sectional upper side has a central portion and, adjoining the central portion, two straight portions which form cut-outs from limbs of an imaginary isosceles triangle whose apex lies centrally above the cross-sectional upper side, and wherein the cross-sectional underside includes a central region and, adjoining the central region, two straight portions, each one of the two straight portions of the cross-sectional underside adjoining a separate one of the two straight portions of the cross-sectional upper side to form an edge.

Description

This is an application for reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 10,945,587. The present application claims priority to German Application No. 10 2017108 272.7 filed Apr. 19, 2017, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscopic probe with a shaft and a handle, which comprises a front end, a rear end and, extending between the front end and the rear end, a grip portion. Description of Related Art In microsurgery, for instance in neurosurgery, it is generally necessary, for example after removal of a deep-lying tumour or after treatment of an aneurysm, to view sites that lie outside the line of vision of a surgical microscope. For this purpose, endoscopic probes are then used in addition to the surgical microscope, for example endoscopic probes of the kind described in DE 10 2015 004 546 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 7,162,292 B2 and US 2011/0178395 A1. Endoscopic probes typically have a handle, from one end of which a shaft extends, and from the other end of which a cable emerges. The challenge is to design the endoscopic probe such that, on the one hand, it is highly ergonomic and, on the other hand, it is possible to reliably avoid collision between the endoscopic probe and a surgical microscope that is used together with it. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to make available an endoscopic probe which is highly ergonomic and with which it is possible to reliably avoid collision with a surgical microscope that is used together with said endoscopic probe. This object is achieved by an endoscopic probe according to Claim 1. The dependent claims contain advantageous embodiments of the invention. An endoscopic probe according to the invention comprises a handle with a front end, a rear end with a rear end axis and, extending between the front end and the rear end, a straight grip portion with a grip portion axis. Moreover, it comprises a shaft extending from the front end of the handle and having a shaft axis and, when the rear end is designed as a cable outlet end, it has a cable emerging from the rear end. The axes are each defined by the connecting line between the centre points of the cross sections at the ends of the respective portion or of the shaft. In the endoscopic probe according to the invention, the shaft axis, the rear end axis and the grip portion axis lie within one plane. The shaft axis encloses with the grip portion axis an angle in the range of 100 to 140 150 degrees, in particular in the range of 110 120 to 130 140 degrees and preferably in the range of 115 125 to 125 130 degrees. The grip portion axis encloses with the rear end axis an angle in the range of 110 130 to 130 160 degrees, in particular in the range of 115 145 to 125 155 degrees, and the shaft axis encloses with the rear end axis an angle in the range of 30 90 to 90 130 degrees , in particular in the range of 100 to 110 degrees. The angle that the shaft axis encloses with the grip portion axis can in particular be the same size as the angle that the grip portion axis encloses with the rear end axis. If present, the cable emerges from the rear end at an angle of not more than a maximum of 20 degrees, preferably not more than 10 degrees with respect to the rear end axis. In particular, the cable can emerge from the rear end in a manner parallel to the rear end axis. In the case of a cable-free endoscopic probe, the rear end can contain an antenna and/or an accumulator. The angled arrangement of the endoscopic probe according to the invention, at the stated angles, allows the total length in the direction of the grip portion axis to be kept short and at the same time minimizes the risk of the handle, or of the rear end or cable outlet, colliding with a simultaneously used surgical microscope, while a high level of ergonomic comfort is achieved at the same time. Although an angle of 90 degrees between the shaft axis and the handle axis would be optimal in the sense of minimizing the risk of collision, it has been found that such an angle does not permit good manageability in the predominantly one-handed use of the endoscopic probe. In particular, an angle of 90 degrees adversely affects the rotation in situ and the safe insertion of the probe. The angle according to the invention, between the shaft axis and the handle axis, i.e. the grip portion axis, in the range of 100 to 140 150 degrees, in particular in the range of 110 120 to 130 140 degrees and preferably in the range of 115 125 to 125 130 degrees, permits uncomplicated rotation of the shaft in situ and safe insertion into the site without at the same time substantially increasing the risk of collision with the simultaneously used surgical microscope. By virtue of the fact that the rear end axis is likewise at an angle, specifically in a range of between 110 130 and 130 160 degrees, in particular between 115 145 and 125