US6383132B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Water, air and suction valves on endoscopes
Assignee: DILIGENTIA EINHUNDERTSTE VERMOGENSVERWALTUNGS GmbH
•
Filing: 1998-05-20
•
Granted: 2002-05-07
•
Expires: 2018-05-20
Abstract
Abstract The subject matter of this invention concerns an endoscope, in particular a flexible endoscope, with a minimum of one valve which is positioned at the proximal end of an endoscope housing and which comprises a valve piston and a valve cylinder with a plurality of valve openings, with the minimum of one valve provided being designed as a valve module which is detachably connected to a complementary recess in the endoscope housing.
Inventors
- 👤 Viktor Josef Wimmer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:10
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B1/00; A61B1/00064; A61B1/00066; A61B1/00068; A61B1/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
An endoscope including: (a) an endoscope housing having a module recess formed therein; (b) a valve module adapted to be detachably received in the module recess in an operating position, the valve module including at least one flow path, each flow path connected to at least one channel associated with the endoscope when the valve module is in the operating position; (c) at least one valve positioned within the valve module for controlling flow through at least one flow path included in the valve module; and (d) a sealing connecting point at each end of each flow path in the valve module, each sealing connecting point adapted to form a seal with a different channel inlet of the endoscope housing when the valve module is in the operating position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
An endoscope including: (a) an endoscope housing having a module recess formed therein; (b) a valve module adapted to be detachably received in the module recess in an operating position, the valve module including at least one flow path, each flow path connected to at least one channel associated with the endoscope when the valve module is in the operating position; (c) at least one valve positioned within the valve module for controlling flow through at least one flow path included in the valve module; and (d) a sealing connecting point at each end of each flow path in the valve module, each sealing connecting point adapted to form a seal with a different channel inlet of the endoscope housing when the valve module is in the operating position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A The endoscope of claim 1 wherein each valve includes: (a) a valve piston detachably positioned in a valve cylinder contained in the valve module.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The endoscope of claim 1 wherein the at least one valve comprises a combination air and water valve associated with a water flow channel and an air flow channel in the valve module.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The endoscope of claim 1 herein the at least one valve comprises an aspiration valve associated with an aspiration flow channel in the valve module.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The endoscope of claim 1 further comprising: (a) a combination air and water valve associated with a water flow channel and an air flow channel in the valve module; and (b) an aspiration valve associated with an aspiration flow channel in the valve module.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The endoscope of claim 1 further comprising: (a) a lock structure for locking the valve module in the operating position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
103 words
A valve module for an endoscope, the valve module comprising: (a) a module body comprising a block of material having at least one flow path formed therein; (b) at least one valve positioned within the valve module for controlling flow through at least one flow path included in the valve module; and (c) a sealing connecting point at each end of each flow path in the valve module, each sealing connecting point adapted to form a seal with a different channel inlet located in a module recess of an endoscope, the module recess adapted to receive the valve module in an operating position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
103 words
A valve module for an endoscope, the valve module comprising: (a) a module body comprising a block of material having at least one flow path formed therein; (b) at least one valve positioned within the valve module for controlling flow through at least one flow path included in the valve module; and (c) a sealing connecting point at each end of each flow path in the valve module, each sealing connecting point adapted to form a seal with a different channel inlet located in a module recess of an endoscope, the module recess adapted to receive the valve module in an operating position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The valve module of claim 7 wherein each valve includes: (a) a valve piston detachably positioned in a valve cylinder contained in the valve module.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
113 words
A valve module being adapted to be received in an operating position in a module recess of an endoscope, the valve module comprising: (a) a module body comprising a block of material having at least one flow path formed therein; (b) at least one valve positioned within the valve module for controlling flow through at least one flow path included in the valve module; and (c) a sealing connecting point at an end of one flow path in the module body, the sealing connecting point adapted to form a seal with a particular channel inlet located in the module recess when the module is received in the module recess in an operating position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
113 words
A valve module being adapted to be received in an operating position in a module recess of an endoscope, the valve module comprising: (a) a module body comprising a block of material having at least one flow path formed therein; (b) at least one valve positioned within the valve module for controlling flow through at least one flow path included in the valve module; and (c) a sealing connecting point at an end of one flow path in the module body, the sealing connecting point adapted to form a seal with a particular channel inlet located in the module recess when the module is received in the module recess in an operating position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4325362A
Cited
US4402310A
Cited
US4408598A
Cited
US4550716A
Cited
US4731222A
Cited
US4852551A
Cited
US5322506A
Cited
WO1994019030A1
Cited
US5348555A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-05-06 | 2005-11-05 | 2006-05-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-05-06 | 2009-11-05 | 2010-05-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-05-06 | 2013-11-05 | 2014-05-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |