Endoscope with flexible light guide having offset distal end
US6814698B2 · kind B2 · utility
14Cited by
32References
19Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 5, 2001 |
| Grant date | Nov 9, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 5, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B1/07
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical fiber viewing assembly for an endoscope has a light guide with an elastically flexible portion and a substantially rigid pre-curved distal portion. The viewing assembly is particularly suited for traversing bends of relatively small radii in an endotracheal breathing tube without scraping accumulated biological material from the inner surface of the breathing tube that could collect on the distal end of the light guide and obscure the endoscopic view.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.