Endoscope having a distal tip unit with a bulged portion
An endoscope including a handle or interface; and an insertion cord configured to be inserted into a patient's body cavity and including a distal tip; the distal tip including a distal tip housing and a camera module configured to be inserted into and accommodated in the distal tip housing; the distal tip housing including a tubular wall portion having an inner wall surface, an outer wall surface and a wall thickness, wherein the tubular wall portion comprises at least one bulged portion of increased wall thickness, the at least one bulged portion being formed on the outer wall surface in an area, where on the inner wall surface the camera module is arranged.
1 . An endoscope comprising:
a handle; and
an insertion cord comprising a distal tip;
the distal tip comprising a distal tip housing and a camera module positioned inside the distal tip housing, the camera module comprising an image sensor, a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode, a symmetry plane of the distal tip housing traversing the camera module, the first light emitting diode being located on one side of the symmetry plane and the second light emitting diode being located on an opposite side of the symmetry plane, a horizontal plane being orthogonal to the symmetry plane and encompassing a center axis of the distal tip housing, the distal tip housing including a tubular wall portion and a distal wall portion distal of the tubular wall portion, the tubular wall portion having an inner wall surface, an outer wall surface, and a wall thickness, and the distal wall portion comprising a window longitudinally aligned with the camera module,
wherein the tubular wall portion comprises a first bulged portion, a second bulged portion, and a main portion coextensive at least in part with the first bulged portion and the second bulged portion, the wall thickness at the first bulged portion and the second bulged portion being greater than the wall thickness at the main portion, the first bulged portion and the second bulged portion extending distally from a proximal end of the distal tip housing toward but no further than the window,
wherein the first bulged portion and the second bulged portion are located on opposite sides of the symmetry plane and on a side of the horizontal plane, the main portion extending from the first bulged portion to the second bulged portion on an opposite side of the horizontal plane,
wherein the tubular wall portion is not circular, as seen in a cross section, at least due to the presence of the first bulged portion and the second bulged portion, and
wherein the first bulged portion extends distally at least as far as the image sensor.
2 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein the distal tip housing comprises a transition portion between the tubular wall portion and the distal wall portion, and wherein the first bulged portion and the second bulged portion end in the transition portion.
3 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness at the first bulged portion of the tubular wall portion is at least 25% greater than the wall thickness at the main portion.
4 . The endoscope of claim 3 , wherein the wall thickness at the first bulged portion is at least 35% greater than the wall thickness at the main portion.
5 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein the first bulged portion and the second bulged portion are distanced by an angle of 45° to 135° in the circumferential direction of the distal tip.
6 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein a distance between a point on the outer wall surface of the main portion and a central axis of the tubular wall portion defines a first radius of a first circle and a distance between a radially outermost point on the outer wall surface of the first bulged portion and the central axis defines a second radius of a second circle, wherein the second radius is greater than the first radius.
7 . The endoscope of claim 6 , wherein the first radius is between 2.0 and 3.0 mm and the second radius is between 3.0 and 3.1 mm.
8 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein the distal tip housing forms or comprises a portion of a working channel being provided for insertion of a surgical tool or instrument into a patient's body cavity.
9 . The endoscope of claim 8 , wherein distal tip housing comprises a camera module side and a working channel side diametrically opposite the camera module side, the first bulged portion being formed on the camera module side.
10 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein the tubular wall portion has a non-circular cross-section, the first bulged portion is formed in a first quadrant, the second bulged portion is formed in a second quadrant, and a working channel is formed in a third quadrant and a fourth quadrant, of the cross-section when viewed from a distal end of the distal tip.
11 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is arranged across an image sensor plane traversing the first bulged portion, the image sensor plane being orthogonal to the center axis of the distal tip housing.
12 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein the distal wall portion comprises a slanted portion.
13 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein the distal tip housing comprises a first, transparent, portion and a second, opaque, portion, the second portion comprising the tubular wall portion.
14 . A visualization system comprising:
the endoscope of claim 1 ; and
a monitor connectable to the endoscope.
15 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness at the main portion is between 0.10 mm and 0.20 mm, and wherein a maximum wall thickness at the first bulged portion is between 0.20 mm and 0.30 mm.
16 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein a difference between the wall thickness at the main portion and a maximum wall thickness at the first bulged portion is between 0.05 mm and 0.10 mm.
17 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein a distance between a point on the outer wall surface of the main portion and the center axis defines a first radius of a first circle, and wherein the first radius is constant along the main portion.
18 . An endoscope comprising:
a handle; and
an insertion cord comprising a distal tip;
the distal tip comprising a distal tip housing and a camera module positioned inside the distal tip housing, the camera module comprising an image sensor, a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode, a symmetry plane of the distal tip housing traversing the camera module, the first light emitting diode being located on one side of the symmetry plane and the second light emitting diode being located on an opposite side of the symmetry plane, a horizontal plane being orthogonal to the symmetry plane and encompassing a center axis of the distal tip housing, the distal tip housing including a tubular wall portion and a distal wall portion distal of the tubular wall portion, the tubular wall portion having an inner wall surface, an outer wall surface, and a wall thickness, and the distal wall portion comprising a window longitudinally aligned with the camera module,
wherein the tubular wall portion comprises a first bulged portion, a second bulged portion, and a main portion coextensive at least in part with the first bulged portion and the second bulged portion, the wall thickness at the first bulged portion and the second bulged portion being greater than the wall thickness at the main portion, the first bulged portion and the second bulged portion extending distally from a proximal end of the distal tip housing toward but no further than the window, and
wherein a distance between a point on the outer wall surface of the main portion and a central axis of the tubular wall portion defines a first radius of a first circle and a distance between a radially outermost point on the outer wall surface of the at least one bulged portion and the central axis defines a second radius of a second circle, wherein the second radius is greater than the first radius, and
wherein the second bulged portion extends distally at least as far as the image sensor.
19 . The endoscope of claim 18 , wherein the wall thickness at the first bulged portion of the tubular wall portion is at least 25% greater than the wall thickness at the main portion.
20 . The endoscope of claim 18 , wherein the distal tip housing comprises a portion of a working channel, wherein the distal tip housing comprises a camera module side and a working channel side diametrically opposite the camera module side, the portion of the working channel positioned in the working channel side, the second bulged portion being formed on the camera module side, wherein the endoscope bends in two directions and a diameter of the distal tip housing is less than 3.0 mm.
21 . The endoscope of claim 18 , wherein the distal tip housing comprises a portion of a working channel, wherein the distal tip housing comprises a camera module side and a working channel side diametrically opposite the camera module side, the portion of the working channel positioned in the working channel side, the second bulged portion being formed on the camera module side, wherein the endoscope bends in four directions and a diameter of the distal tip housing is between 4.0 and 4.5 mm.