Flexible optical surgical instrument

Abstract

Abstract 993,324. Endoscopes. AMERICAN CYSTOSCOPE MAKERS Inc. April 4, 1962 [April 14, 1961], No. 12925/62. Heading A5R. [Also in Division G2] A flexible endoscope for intestinal examination comprises elongated flexible means 12 including an elongated bundle 28 or 104 of a very large number of extremely fine lightconducting fibres mutually oriented at the ends 20 that an image presented by means 13 or 102 to the end face 32 or 108 is conducted to the end face 31 to be viewed through the eyepiece assembly 11 and a member 78 mounted externally of the means 13 or 102 can be inflated by way of means extending along the means 12. The air for inflation may pass along a tube 75 or just through the spaces around the bundle. The means 12 consists of from one to three stainless steel spirals 44, or alternatively a polyvinylchloride tube, from five to six feet in length and covered with a resilient sheath 79. The spirals or tube are fastened at their distal end to a connector 35 and at their proximal end to a sleeve 26. The sleeve 26 is joined by a collar 22 to a body 15 in which the fibrebundle endface 31 is held at 29 and in which the eyepiece 11 with its lenses 33 screws telescopically. The connector 35 holds the fibre-bundle end-face 32 at 34 (Fig. 2) and is connected flexibly by a metallic spring 45 to a tube 47 which carries a panoramic lens 49 and a lamp 61 surrounded by a fuzed quartz window 62 to illuminate the inside of the large intestine or other surface to be examined. Electrical connections for the lamp are provided through an axial spring 57 and an insulated wire 64 which connect with a source at the proximal end by way of split rings 38 insulated at 40. The annular image from the lens 48 is received by lenses 52 and 53 and focused on to the end face 32 of the bundle 28. Fig. 7 shows the distal end of an alternative embodiment with a lens 113 giving forward vision along the interior of the large intestine. The lamp is omitted and illumination is provided through an annular ring 106 of light-conducting fibres which surrounds the image-conducting bundle 104 and has its end-face 107 in contact with a glass cylinder 115 silvered inside and out which transmits the light around the lens system 112. This latter embodiment has a proximal end similar to that shown in Fig. 3 except that the annular fibres 106 are gathered into a single bundle and brought out through the side of the collar 22 to receive light from an external source. Specifications 993,322 and 993,323 are referred to.

Inventors

• 👤 John H Hett

Bibliographic Details