Flexible multichannel endoscope having axial shaft portions of different flexibility

US4615332A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• RICHARD WOLF GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Gerd Buess · Lörrach, DE
• Siegfried Hiltebrandt · Knittlingen, DE
• Manfred Boebel · Bauschlott, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 14, 1985
• Grant date: Oct 7, 1986
• Expiry date: Mar 14, 2005

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B1/00193
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A flexible or partially flexible endoscope comprising several passages and image guides passing through the shaft has the features that its distal omnilaterally steerable shaft is proximally constructed semirigidly or rigidly, is secured in a coupling element situated on the control housing and is traversed by several image guides which have allocated to them at the proximal control housing several monoculars and/or binoculars via rigid or flexible longitudinal elements. It is possible thereby to replace numerous separate endoscopes by a single endoscope.