Rotatable and detachable electrical coupling point

US11547280B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG · DE

Inventors

• Daniel Ulmschneider · Tuttlingen, DE
• Andreas Heni · Tuttlingen, DE
• Markus Kupferschmid · Emmingen-Liptingen, DE
• Lawrence Natusch · Tuttlingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 19, 2020
• Grant date: Jan 10, 2023
• Expiry date: Jan 26, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04N23/555
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A video endoscope that includes a handle with a housing and an interface portion rotatably mounted relative to the housing, and an elongate shaft with one or more electronic image sensors, wherein a proximal end section of the shaft is detachably connected to the interface portion of the handle, where the interface portion includes a first connector element electrically connected to an electric transmission element of the interface portion and the shaft includes a second connector element electrically connected to the one or more electronic image sensors, the first and second connector elements co-operating to form a detachable electrical connection, and where the handle includes an electrical connection assembly arranged at an exterior of the interface portion forming an electrical connection to at least one stationary electric and/or electronic component of the handle in a multiplicity of rotational positions of the interface portion relative to the housing.