Patent · US Expired

Optical instrument, in particular an endoscope, having an interchangeable head

US7435218B2 · kind B2 · utility

167Cited by
18References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 27, 2003
Grant dateOct 14, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 27, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B23/2476
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical instrument, in particular an endoscope, has a shaft and an inter-changeable head. The interchangeable head is detachably connected to the distal end of the shaft at a coupling point. The instrument also has a first transmission system for distal transmission of illuminating power, and a second transmission system for proximal transmission of image information, the first transmission system and the second transmission system passing through the coupling point. The interchangeable head and/or the coupling point are/is designed in such a way that upon loosening of the interchangeable head image information of perceptively modified quality is transmitted by the second transmission system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.