Endoscope scope assembly for full hemisphere view

Claim 2

A scope assembly for an endoscope for examining an internal structure of a body, which comprises: a substantially rigid guiding cannula removably attached to the endoscope, said guiding cannula having a substantially straight longitudinal axis and having a distal end bent at a first angle relative to said longitudinal axis, said guiding cannula being adapted for rotation within a stationary portal cannula adapted to be inserted into the body, thereby rotating said bent distal end through an arc about the axis of said portal cannula; a flexible scope removably attached to the endoscope, said scope being slidable and rotatable within said guiding cannula, and said scope including an illuminating means for directing light into the body and a flexible image guide for gathering reflected light from the body; a distal viewing end on said image guide, said viewing end being constrained by said bent distal end of said guiding cannula to offset the axis of said viewing end, at said first angle relative to said longitudinal axis; and a lens mounted on said distal viewing end of said image guide, said lens having an optical axis offset at a second angle relative to said axis of said viewing end.

Claim 3

The scope assembly as defined in claim 1 and wherein the distal end of said scope extends axially past said bent distal end of said guiding cannula.

Claim 4

The scope assembly as defined in claim 2 and wherein said lens is adapted to provide a generally conically shaped field of view.

Claim 5

The scope assembly as defined in claim 3 and wherein said conically shaped field of view has a total conical angle of about 70 degrees.

Claim 6

The scope assembly as defined in claim 4 and wherein said first angle is about 30 degrees.

Claim 7

The scope assembly as defined in claim 5 and wherein said second angle is about 25 degrees.

Claim 8

A scope assembly for an endoscope for viewing an internal structure of a body comprising: a stationary portal cannula adapted to be inserted into the body at a site to be examined; a disposable rigid guiding cannula detachably mounted to the endoscope, said guiding cannula adapted to be rotated within said portal cannula, and said guiding cannula having a straight longitudinal axis and an open distal end bent along a distal axis relative to said longitudinal axis; a disposable bendable scope detachably mounted to the endoscope and rotatable within said guiding cannula, said bendable scope having a distal viewing end constrained by said guiding cannula to bend along said distal axis, and said scope including an illuminating means and an image guide; and a viewing lens mounted on said image guide at said distal viewing end of said scope, said viewing lends having an optical axis offset relative to said distal axis for gathering light from said illuminating means for generating a visual image of the internal structure of the body illuminated by said illuminating means.

Claim 9

A scope assembly for an endoscope for viewing an internal structure of a body comprising: a stationary portal cannula adapted to be inserted into the body at a site to be examined; a disposable rigid guiding cannula detachably mounted to the endoscope, said guiding cannula adapted to be rotated within said portal cannula, and said guiding cannula having a straight longitudinal axis and an open distal end bent along a distal axis relative to said longitudinal axis; a disposable bendable scope detachably mounted to the endoscope and rotatable within said guiding cannula, said bendable scope having a distal viewing end constrained by said guiding cannula to bend along said distal axis, and said scope including an illuminating means and an image guide; and a viewing lens mounted on said image guide at said distal viewing end of said scope, said viewing lends having an optical axis offset relative to said distal axis for gathering light from said illuminating means for generating a visual image of the internal structure of the body illuminated by said illuminating means.

Claim 10

The scope assembly as defined in claim 7 and wherein said viewing lens of said image guide extends axially past said distal end of said guiding cannula.

Claim 11

The scope assembly as defined in claim 8 and wherein rotation of said guiding cannula relative to said portal cannula, combined with rotation of said bendable scope relative to said guiding cannula, rotates said viewing lens to provide a generally hemispherically shaped field of view.

Claim 12

The scope assembly as defined in claim 9 and wherein said distal axis of said guiding cannula is formed at an angle of about thirty degrees relative to said longitudinal axis.

Claim 13

The scope assembly as defined in claim 10 and wherein said viewing lens has a generally conical shaped field of view with a conical angle of about 70 degrees.

Claim 14

The scope assembly as defined in claim 11 and wherein said optical axis of said viewing lens is at an angle of about twenty-five degrees with said distal axis of said guiding cannula.

Claim 15

The scope assembly as defined in claim 12 and wherein said guiding cannula is detachably mounted to the endoscope using a clamp-like connector.

Claim 16

A scope assembly for an endoscope for viewing an internal structure of a body comprising: a stationary portal cannula adapted to be inserted into the body at a site to be examined; a disposable rigid guiding cannula detachably mounted to a housing of the endoscope, said guiding cannula having a straight longitudinal axis and a straight distal end offset from said longitudinal axis along a distal axis, said guiding cannula being adapted to be rotated within said portal cannula by manipulation of the housing; a disposable bendable scope detachably mounted to the housing and rotatable within said guiding cannula by manipulation of said bendable scope, with said bendable scope having a viewing end extending from said distal end of said guiding cannula, said viewing end being constrained by said distal end of said guiding cannula to bend along said distal axis; an image guide mounted within said bendable scope; and a GRIN rod lens mounted at a distal end of said image guide with said GRIN rod lens having an optical axis offset from said distal axis of said guiding cannula to form an offset viewing axis so that rotation of said guiding cannula within said portal cannula, combined with rotation of said bendable scope within said guiding cannula, moves said GRIN rod lens through a generally hemispherically shaped field of view.

Claim 17

A scope assembly for an endoscope for viewing an internal structure of a body comprising: a stationary portal cannula adapted to be inserted into the body at a site to be examined; a disposable rigid guiding cannula detachably mounted to a housing of the endoscope, said guiding cannula having a straight longitudinal axis and a straight distal end offset from said longitudinal axis along a distal axis, said guiding cannula being adapted to be rotated within said portal cannula by manipulation of the housing; a disposable bendable scope detachably mounted to the housing and rotatable within said guiding cannula by manipulation of said bendable scope, with said bendable scope having a viewing end extending from said distal end of said guiding cannula, said viewing end being constrained by said distal end of said guiding cannula to bend along said distal axis; an image guide mounted within said bendable scope; and a GRIN rod lens mounted at a distal end of said image guide with said GRIN rod lens having an optical axis offset from said distal axis of said guiding cannula to form an offset viewing axis so that rotation of said guiding cannula within said portal cannula, combined with rotation of said bendable scope within said guiding cannula, moves said GRIN rod lens through a generally hemispherically shaped field of view.

Claim 18

The scope assembly as recited in claim 14 and wherein said GRIN rod provides a generally conical shaped field of view and said distal axis of said guiding cannula forms an angle of about 30 degrees with said longitudinal axis.

Claim 19

The scope assembly as recited in claim 15 and wherein said viewing axis forms an angle of about 25 degrees with said distal axis of said guiding cannula.

Claim 20

The scope assembly as recited in claim 16 and wherein said bendable scope is bent only at a distal end.

Claim 21

The scope assembly as recited in claim 16 and wherein said bendable scope is formed of a material that is flexible but solid.

Claim 22

The scope assembly as recited in claim 16 and wherein said scope assembly is part of an arthroscope.

Claim 23

The scope assembly as recited in claim 19 and wherein said arthroscope is portable and can be hand held.