Surgery – Endoscope – With camera or solid state imager
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-14
2002-12-17
Leubecker, John P. (Department: 3739)
Surgery
Endoscope
With camera or solid state imager
C600S117000, C600S156000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494826
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a coupling for a mechanical, a light-guiding, and an image-guiding connection of an endoscope to a camera module, the endoscope having a long cylindrical shaft of approximately constant diameter, the shaft receiving an image guiding system and a light guiding system.
Endoscopes are now widely used in minimally invasive surgery. Endoscopes typically contain an image guiding system, for example in the form of a rod lens system, arranged in the shaft of the endoscope, like the one marketed by the Applicant. The image guiding system can also be configured as an ordered fiber optic bundle. A light guiding system, usually in the form of fiber optic cables, is also present in order to bring light to the surgical area.
At the proximal end, the endoscope or its image guiding system is usually equipped with an eyepiece. The light guiding system usually leads off at right angles from the image guiding system or eyepiece and is connected to a light source via an external light guide.
In a development of this technology, it has become known to equip the proximal end of the endoscope not with an eyepiece but with a camera module that converts the image generated by the endoscope, via an image sensor unit, into a video image that is reproduced, for example, on a monitor. In this case the operator can observe the image generated by the endoscope on a large-screen monitor.
The camera module that is attached at the proximal end of the endoscope usually contains a so-called CCD (charge coupled device) sensor, in the form of a light-sensitive chip that converts the optical signals into electrical signals that are conveyed from the image-sensing camera module to a remotely located image processing system.
To facilitate handling, it has become known to couple the camera. module to an endoscope so that, for example, firstly the endoscope is introduced through a trocar into the surgical area in the body, and the camera module is attached only for the actual operation.
There thus exists a need to couple these two elements in image-guiding fashion. In addition, these elements must also be coupled mechanically to one another so that the attachment does not loosen during the operation or while being handled. At the same time, a light-guiding coupling must be present so that the endoscope or its light guiding system can be connected to a light source.
Not only is a reliable mechanical, light-guiding, and image-guiding connection demanded of such a coupling system, but it should also be possible to perform the coupling procedure with as little close attention as possible, but nevertheless reliably. Provision must therefore be made for the coupling elements of the endoscope on the one hand and of the camera module on the other hand to be coordinated with one another in such a way that they fit into one another and that this is accomplished so that mistakes cannot occur and so that close attention by the operation is not required.
A certain flexibility in terms of other applications is also demanded of such a coupling system.
As mentioned earlier, in many surgical techniques the endoscope is first put into position under direct visual observation, while the camera module is not coupled on. Because an endoscope of this kind possesses no mechanical eyepiece attachment—since this function is of course performed by the camera module—it is difficult for the operator to put the endoscope into position, so that it would be helpful to equip the endoscope briefly with an eyepiece attachment for this procedure.
A variety of approaches have been suggested for creating the mechanical, light-guiding, and image-guiding coupling or connection between endoscope and camera module.
One known approach, in which separate coupling components are provided for each of the three coupling procedures (mechanical, light-guiding, image-guiding), results in a bulky design, for example in the case of the coupling mentioned above having an image guiding system guide that leads off at right angles to the optical axis.
Different coupling directions are present in this case for the individual systems that are to be coupled, so that increased attention is necessary when connecting, and a bulky assemblage results.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to propose a coupling system with which, in a simple, easily handled, and reliable manner, a mechanical, light-guiding, and image-guiding connection can be created between an endoscope and a camera module; this is to be achieved with little design outlay and small dimensions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, the object is achieved in that a first cylindrical stem of specific diameter and specific length, in whose interior is received a proximal end segment of the light guiding system, projects from one coupling end of the endoscope in the coupling direction; that there projects from the coupling end of the endoscope, in the coupling direction, a second cylindrical stem whose length and diameter are greater than the length and diameter of the first stem, a proximal end segment of the image guiding system being received in the interior of the second stem, the second stem coacting with an interlock system arranged on the camera module for mechanical coupling, and the first and second stems extending at a distance next to one another; and that complementary receptacles corresponding to the two stems, into which the stems penetrate, are provided at the coupling end of the camera module, a base of the receptacle into which the second stem penetrates being optically connected to the image sensing system of the camera module, and the receptacle in which the shorter first stem is receivable having a light guide.
These features have many considerable advantages in terms of achieving the stated object.
The mechanical, light-guiding, and image-guiding coupling is to be accomplished by way of a single simple linear displacement operation, in which specifically the two stems are pushed into the corresponding receptacles of the camera module. Because the camera module now has a receptacle for a light guide, both the light-guiding connection and the image-guiding connection can be created simultaneously by inserting the components into one another. Because one of the two stems is thicker and longer than the other, incorrect (i.e. reversed) insertion is not possible. Because the thicker stem is also simultaneously the longer one, it is possible, without particular attention, to feel for the correspondingly larger receptacle on the camera module with this thicker and longer stem, and then to close the coupling with an insertion movement. Incorrect attachment is thus no longer possible, since the thicker and longer stem cannot be attached to the smaller-diameter receptacle for the smaller and shorter stem.
The mechanical interlock or coupling is effected simultaneously with this insertion. The fact that this takes place with the larger and thicker stem has the considerable advantage that a stable mechanical join is made to a stable component of the endoscope, namely the long, larger-diameter stem. As a result, the mechanical forces that act on the coupling point can then be absorbed by a very large, stable, and compact component, namely the large and long stem, thus bringing about a coupling with long-term mechanical stability. Because the larger stem is also the longer stem, and it carries the image guiding system, the image-guiding connection occurs at an axial spacing from the light-guiding connection. This feature has the advantage that any stray light that might emerge from the light connection cannot directly come into contact with the image-guiding connecting point located at an axial distance therefrom. The disadvantages of connecting image and light at the same level, or those, for example, of a coaxial arrangement, are thus eliminated.
All that is now present are two compact coupling elements, namely on the one hand the coupling end of the endoscope with the protruding stems arranged parallel to and at a distance
Chatenever David
Ehrhardt Andre
Irion Klaus M.
Mattsson-Boze Daniel
Rudischhauser Jürgen
Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
Leubecker John P.
St. Onge Steward Johnston & Reens LLC
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