Tip Protector for a Multi-Viewing Elements Endoscope
A tip protector for a multiple viewing element endoscope is provided, that protects the front as well as side viewing elements in the tip. In one embodiment, the protector comprises wings that act as shock absorbers. The protector is further designed such that the endoscope can washed without having to remove the protector from the tip.
1 . A protective apparatus for protecting the components in a tip section of an endoscope from damage, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical body, having a first end and a second end, wherein the tip section of the endoscope is inserted through the first end;
at least two sets of windows placed along an axial length of the cylindrical body, wherein the axial length is measured from said first end to said second end; and,
at least one shock absorbing structure positioned between adjacent at least two sets of windows.
2 . The protective apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a finger tab mechanism at the first end that is used to open or close the protective apparatus over the endoscope tip section so that the apparatus is secured on the tip section.
3 . The protective apparatus of claim 1 wherein the internal diameter of the substantially cylindrical body ranges from 3 mm to 20 mm.
4 . The protective apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two set of windows comprise three windows.
5 . The protective apparatus of claim 1 wherein the windows are of equal dimensions.
6 . The protective apparatus of claim 1 wherein the windows are of different dimensions.
7 . The protective apparatus of claim 1 wherein the windows have a length in the range of approximately 2 mm to 12 mm and a width in the range of approximately 3 mm to 13 mm.
8 . The protective apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least two shock absorbing structures.
9 . The protective apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shock absorbing structures are substantially rectangular.
10 . The protective apparatus of claim 9 wherein the shock absorbing structures have a length in the range of 20 mm to 40 mm and a width in the range of 2 mm to 12 mm.
11 . The protective apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shock absorbing structures are rectangular in shape with rounded corners.
12 . The protective apparatus of claim 1 wherein each shock absorbing structure comprises at least two subsections of equal or different dimensions.
13 . A protective apparatus for protecting components positioned in a tip section of an endoscope from damage, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical body having a first portion comprising a first end and a second end and a second portion comprising a third end and a fourth end, wherein said first portion is, at its second end, structurally connected to said second portion at its third end using at least one connection point and wherein the protective apparatus can be opened or closed along the connection point;
at least one set of windows placed along an axial length of the first portion, wherein said axial length is measured from the first end to the second end and wherein at least one set of windows is placed along an axial length of said second portion, wherein said axial length is measured from the third end to the fourth end; and,
at least one shock absorbing structure positioned on each of said first portion and said second portion.
14 . The protective apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said first portion and the second portion are substantially semi-cylindrical in shape.
15 . The protective apparatus of claim 13 wherein the axial length of the first and second portions ranges from 30 mm to 40 mm.
16 . The protective apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first end of the first portion comprises a half-ring and the fourth end of the second portion comprises a half-ring that join together, when the protective apparatus is closed, to form a single collar for securing the tip protector on the tip section of an endoscope.
17 . The protective apparatus of claim 13 further comprising at least one locking element for securing the apparatus in a closed position when placed on the endoscope tip section.
18 . The protective apparatus of claim 13 wherein an internal diameter of the substantially cylindrical tip protector, when in a closed position, ranges from 3 mm to 20 mm.
19 . The protective apparatus of claim 13 wherein each set of windows comprises two windows.
20 . The protective apparatus of claim 19 wherein the windows have a length in the range of approximately 2 mm to 12 mm and a width in the range of approximately 3 mm to 13 mm.
21 . The protective apparatus of claim 13 further comprising three shock absorbing structures on each of the first and second portions positioned between adjacent sets of windows.
22 . The protective apparatus of claim 21 , wherein when the apparatus is in a closed position, at least one of the shock absorbing structures on each of the first and second portions clasp together to form a single structure.
23 . The protective apparatus of claim 22 , wherein when the apparatus is in a closed position, a total number of shock absorbing structures is four.
24 . The protective apparatus of claim 21 wherein the shock absorbing structures are rectangular in shape.
25 . The protective apparatus of claim 24 wherein the shock absorbing structures have a length in the range of 20 mm to 40 mm and a width in the range of 2 mm to 12 mm.
26 . A protective apparatus for protecting the components in the tip section of an endoscope from damage, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical body, having a first end, a second end, an inner surface, and an outer surface, wherein the tip section of the endoscope can be inserted therethrough at the first end;
at least two sets of windows placed along an axial length of the outer surface of the substantially cylindrical body, wherein said axial length is measured from said first end to said second end;
at least one shock absorbing structure positioned between adjacent at least two sets of windows; and,
at least one set of flanges and associated grooves positioned along a circumference of the inner surface of the substantially cylindrical body, for aiding in inserting and securing the tip section of the endoscope inside the protective apparatus.
27 . The protective apparatus of claim 26 wherein said flanges are made of an elastic material that bend backward when the tip section of endoscope is inserted inside the apparatus and retract back to secure the tip section in its place once the tip section is inserted.
28 . The protective apparatus of claim 26 comprising two sets of flanges and associated grooves positioned along the circumference of the inner surface of the substantially cylindrical body wherein a first set is positioned at a first end within which the endoscope tip is inserted and a second set is positioned near a middle portion of the apparatus.
29 . The protective apparatus of claim 28 wherein the flanges in said first set and said second set are of equal size.
30 . The protective apparatus of claim 28 wherein the size of the flanges in said first set is larger than the size of the flanges in said second set.
31 . The protective apparatus of claim 28 wherein the size of the flanges in said first set is smaller than the size of the flanges in said second set.
32 . The protective apparatus of claim 26 wherein the internal diameter of the substantially cylindrical body ranges from 3 mm to 20 mm.
33 . A protective device for protecting a tip of an endoscope from damage, wherein the endoscope has a distal face with a first optical element and a first discrete illuminator and curved sides with a second optical element and a second discrete illuminator, comprising:
a cylindrical body having a distal face, curved sides, and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end is open to receive said tip, wherein the distal face comprises a first void to expose said first optical element and first discrete illuminator, and wherein the curved sides comprises a plurality of second voids placed along an axial length of the cylindrical body; and
a plurality of shock absorbing structures positioned along the axial length of the cylindrical body and extending outward from said cylindrical body.
34 . The protective device of claim 33 wherein the cylindrical body comprises four substantially equal-sized quadrants defined by the intersection of a first plane that extends along the axial length of the cylindrical body and a second plane that extends along the axial length of the cylindrical body, wherein said second plane is perpendicular to the first plane and wherein each quadrant comprises at least one of said plurality of second voids to expose said second optical element and said second discrete illuminator and wherein each quadrant comprises at least one of said plurality of shock absorbing structures.
35 . The protective device of claim 34 wherein each quadrant comprises at least two of said plurality of second voids and wherein said at least two voids are positioned serially along the axial length of the cylindrical body.
36 . The protective device of claim 35 wherein the at least two voids have equal surface areas and have equal peripheries.
37 . The protective device of claim 35 wherein each of the at least two voids have a length in the range of approximately 2 mm to 12 mm and a width in the range of approximately 3 mm to 13 mm.
38 . The protective device of claim 35 wherein the at least two voids are separated by a portion of the cylindrical body having a width in a range 1 mm to 3 mm.
39 . The protective device of claim 33 wherein the at least one of said plurality of shock absorbing structures is rectangular in shape.
40 . The protective device of claim 39 wherein the at least one of said plurality of shock absorbing structures has a length in the range of 20 mm to 40 mm and a width in the range of 2 mm to 12 mm.
41 . The protective device of claim 33 wherein the first void is circular, has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the distal face, and is positioned substantially in a center of the distal face.
42 . A protective device for protecting a tip of an endoscope from damage, wherein the endoscope has a distal face with a first optical element and a first discrete illuminator, a first curved side with a second optical element and a second discrete illuminator, and a second curved side with a third optical element and a third discrete illuminator, comprising:
a cylindrical body having a distal face, curved sides, and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end is open to receive said tip and wherein the distal face comprises a first void to expose said first optical element and first discrete illuminator; and
a plurality of shock absorbing structures positioned along the axial length of the cylindrical body and extending outward from said cylindrical body, wherein the cylindrical body comprises four substantially equal-sized quadrants defined by the intersection of a first plane that extends along the axial length of the cylindrical body and a second plane that extends along the axial length of the cylindrical body, wherein said second plane is perpendicular to the first plane and wherein at least two of said quadrants comprise a plurality of second voids one of said plurality of shock absorbing structures.
43 . The protective device of claim 42 wherein each of said at least two quadrants comprise at least two of said plurality of second voids and wherein said at least two voids are positioned serially along the axial length of the cylindrical body.
44 . The protective device of claim 43 wherein in a first of the at least two quadrants, the at least two of said plurality of second voids are positioned to expose the second optical element and the second discrete illuminator.
45 . The protective device of claim 44 wherein in a second of the at least two quadrants, the at least two of said plurality of second voids are positioned to expose the third optical element and the third discrete illuminator.
46 . The protective device of claim 43 wherein the at least two voids have equal surface areas and have equal peripheries.
47 . The protective device of claim 43 wherein each of the at least two voids has a length in the range of 2 mm to 12 mm and a width in the range of 3 mm to 13 mm.
48 . The protective device of claim 43 wherein the at least two voids are separated by a portion of the cylindrical body having a width in a range of 1 mm to 3 mm.
49 . The protective device of claim 42 wherein at least one of said plurality of shock absorbing structures is rectangular in shape.
50 . The protective device of claim 42 wherein at least one of said plurality of shock absorbing structures has a length in the range of 20 mm to 40 mm and a width in the range of 2 mm to 12 mm.