US20100280323A1 - Ceramic Fiber Optic Taper Housing For Medical Devices - Google Patents
Ceramic Fiber Optic Taper Housing For Medical Devices Download PDFInfo
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- US20100280323A1 US20100280323A1 US12/834,588 US83458810A US2010280323A1 US 20100280323 A1 US20100280323 A1 US 20100280323A1 US 83458810 A US83458810 A US 83458810A US 2010280323 A1 US2010280323 A1 US 2010280323A1
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- Prior art keywords
- bundle
- ceramic housing
- ceramic
- light
- tapered portion
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
- A61B1/06—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements
- A61B1/07—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
- A61B1/00064—Constructional details of the endoscope body
- A61B1/00071—Insertion part of the endoscope body
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
- A61B1/00064—Constructional details of the endoscope body
- A61B1/00071—Insertion part of the endoscope body
- A61B1/0008—Insertion part of the endoscope body characterised by distal tip features
- A61B1/00096—Optical elements
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
- A61B1/00163—Optical arrangements
- A61B1/00165—Optical arrangements with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics
- A61B1/00167—Details of optical fibre bundles, e.g. shape or fibre distribution
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
- A61B1/12—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with cooling or rinsing arrangements
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a system for transmitting the light required for a medical device. More specifically, the invention relates to a ceramic housing around a tapered portion of a fiber optic bundle for insulating other parts of the medical device from energy radiated therefrom.
- an endoscope is a medical device for insertion into a body passageway or cavity that enables an operator to view and/or perform certain surgical procedures at a site inside a patient's body.
- endoscopes may be either rigid or flexible, and generally include a long tubular member equipped with, for example, a miniature viewing device, and in some cases, a working channel for a surgical instrument.
- the endoscope has a proximal end that remains external to the patient, from which the operator can view the site and/or manipulate a surgical instrument, and a distal end having an endoscope tip for insertion into the body cavity of the patient.
- the endoscope typically includes a source of light for illuminating the area the medical practitioner is trying to view and/or work upon.
- This illumination is usually supplied by an external light source, which typically comprises high powered lamps, such as, for example, a Xenon lamp.
- a waveguide such as a fiber optic light cable
- Such cables typically incorporate a fiber optic bundle, which comprises a plurality of thin optical fibers made of glass or optical plastic.
- a general disadvantage of some scopes of this type is that the transfer of energy from these light sources through these light guides can cause undesired heating of the exterior components of the device.
- Conventional remedies for this problem involve the use of an infrared filter for the light source. However, in cases where large amounts of energy are involved, undesired heating can still occur even in the absence of excessive infrared radiation.
- a taper allows the light guide to receive the light from the external light source at a low numerical aperture and then increase the numerical aperture in order to enlarge the light angle.
- the taper allows the light to be received at a large diameter, and then reduces this diameter and increases the power density.
- the invention comprises a medical device, including an endoscope body, a light source, a light guide for transmitting light from the light source to the endoscope body, wherein the light guide comprises a bundle of optical fibers, the bundle having a tapered portion, and a ceramic housing disposed around at least part of the tapered portion of the bundle.
- the invention comprises a medical device, including, an instrument body, a light guide for transmitting light to the instrument body, wherein the light guide comprises a bundle of optical fibers, the bundle having a tapered portion, and a ceramic housing disposed around at least part of the tapered portion of the bundle.
- the invention comprises a medical device, including a housing, a fiber optic bundle for transmitting light disposed in the housing, wherein the bundle includes a tapered portion for altering an attribute of the light transmitted therethrough, and a ceramic disposed around at least part of the tapered portion of the bundle for at least partially insulating the housing from energy radiating from the tapered portion of the bundle.
- the bundle includes an outer surface having a diameter that decreases in the direction of light transmission
- the ceramic housing has an inner surface adjacent the outer surface of the bundle that increases in the direction of light transmission
- the diameter increase of the inner surface of the ceramic housing is substantially equal to the diameter decrease of the outer surface of the bundle.
- the ceramic housing is located in a handle coupled to the endoscope body.
- the endoscope body has an input post extending away from the longitudinal axis of the body in a radial direction, and the handle is coupled to the endoscope body via the input post.
- FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away, isometric view of an endoscopic system in accordance with the invention.
- FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away, isometric view in partial cross-section showing additional detail of the fiber optic bundle and ceramic housing of the system of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away, isometric view in partial cross-section showing additional detail of the fiber optic bundle and ceramic housing of the system of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 1 The basic components of one embodiment of a system 10 for transmitting the light required for a medical device in accordance with the invention are illustrated in FIG. 1 .
- the terms “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below,” “over,” “under,” “above,” “beneath,” “on top,” “underneath,” “up,” “down,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” “back,” “forward” and “backward” refer to the objects referenced when in the orientation illustrated in the drawings, which orientation is not necessary for achieving the objects of the invention.
- the system 10 includes a light source 12 such as, for example, a 300 watt Xenon lamp, for generating a light beam.
- the light source 12 is connected to a medical device 14 , such as an endoscope, via a light guide 16 , such as a bundle of optical fibers 18 that collectively operate as a waveguide for the light supplied by the source 12 .
- This bundle 18 is housed within at least one outer housing, typically in the form of a cable 30 connected to the source 12 or a portion of the instrument, such as light guide stem 28 , which may, in some embodiments, also serve as a handle. It should be noted, however, in other embodiments, a separate handle (not shown), separate from the light guide stem 28 , may be provided.
- the endoscope 14 includes an elongated endoscope body 20 having a longitudinal axis 22 , which houses various mechanical, electrical and optical components, and includes a flexible insertion shaft 24 that extends from the body 20 .
- the endoscope body 20 further includes an input post 26 that extends away from the longitudinal axis 22 in a radial direction.
- a handle 28 is coupled to the endoscope body 20 via the input post 26 .
- the fiber optic cable 30 is, in turn, connected to the handle 28 , usually via a detachable coupling 32 . By this arrangement, the light beam is transmitted from the source 12 to the endoscope 14 via the fiber optic bundle 18 .
- the fiber optic bundle 18 includes a tapered portion 40 for altering at least one attribute of the light transmitted therethrough. Accordingly, the outer surface 42 of this portion of the bundle 18 decreases in the direction in which the light is transmitted. As a result, the numerical aperture of the light transmitted therethrough is increased. Additionally, by using this arrangement, the diameter of the light beam, which originally is large, can be decreased prior to transmission through the necessarily thin insertion shaft 24 , simultaneously increasing the power density of the light.
- a ceramic 52 is disposed around at least part of the tapered portion 40 , thereby insulating other components of the device from energy radiating from this portion of the bundle 18 , and, in some embodiments, is disposed around the entire taper 40 . Accordingly, the space between the outer housing in which the taper resides—such as handle 28 —is filled with ceramic, such that the rate of heat transfer from the tapered portion 40 to the handle 28 is sufficiently slowed in order to allow the handle 28 to operate as an efficient heat sink.
- the tapered portion 40 as depicted in the drawings and described herein is located within an endoscope handle 28 , in other embodiments, the tapered portion 40 may exist in other portions of light guide 16 , and thus, may be disposed within other types of housings. For example, in some embodiments, the tapered portion may simply be located along a portion of a cable 30 leading directly to the device 14 .
- a gap 53 exists between the taper and the inner surface 54 of the ceramic 52 , which may be preferable for machining purposes.
- the inner surface 54 of the ceramic housing 52 is adjacent the outer surface 42 of the taper 40 and decreases in the direction in which the light is transmitted therethrough, such that the increase in diameter of the ceramic housing 52 is substantially equal to the decrease in diameter of the tapered portion 40 .
- the ceramic housing 52 is shaped such that an upper section of ceramic 52 provides a thermal break between the tapered portion 40 and the input post 26 and endoscope body 20 .
- the ceramic housing 52 serves as a protective shell for the tapered portion 40 , which is otherwise more vulnerable to fractures or breaks due to it's thinning diameter.
- the housing 52 may be comprised of any ceramic with good insulative properties, such as, for example, Macor®, alumina silicate, steatite, alumina bisque, zirconia phosphate, or cordierite.
- an additional ceramic paint or coating 41 may be applied to the outer surface 42 of the taper to provide further insulation.
- the ceramic may exist in either a fired or non-fired state.
- the ceramic 52 has a pigment, such as a light gray or brown color, in order to maximize the insulative properties of the ceramic against both light and heat.
- the bundle 18 is affixed to the ceramic housing 52 with a durable adhesive.
- this adhesive is non-conductive in order to further maximize insulation.
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- Surgery (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Biomedical Technology (AREA)
- Medical Informatics (AREA)
- Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
- Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Biophysics (AREA)
- Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
- Pathology (AREA)
- Molecular Biology (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Endoscopes (AREA)
- Instruments For Viewing The Inside Of Hollow Bodies (AREA)
Abstract
A system for transmitting the light required for a medical device is disclosed generally comprising an endoscope body, a light guide for transmitting light from a light source to the instrument body, where the light guide includes a bundle of optical fibers having a tapered portion, and a ceramic housing disposed around at least part of the tapered portion of the bundle. In certain embodiments, the ceramic has a pigment for improving insulation. In some embodiments, the taper and ceramic housing are located in an endoscope handle, which may be coupled to the endoscope body via an input post, and in certain embodiments, the inner diameter of the ceramic housing has an increase substantially equal to the decrease of diameter of the taper.
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/287,908, filed Nov. 28, 2005, which application is currently pending and which application is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
- The present invention relates to a system for transmitting the light required for a medical device. More specifically, the invention relates to a ceramic housing around a tapered portion of a fiber optic bundle for insulating other parts of the medical device from energy radiated therefrom.
- Systems for supplying light to a medical device in order to illuminate an area that a medical practitioner is viewing or working upon are generally well known in the art. For example, conventional endoscopes are often supplied with such a system.
- Generally, an endoscope is a medical device for insertion into a body passageway or cavity that enables an operator to view and/or perform certain surgical procedures at a site inside a patient's body. As is known, endoscopes may be either rigid or flexible, and generally include a long tubular member equipped with, for example, a miniature viewing device, and in some cases, a working channel for a surgical instrument. The endoscope has a proximal end that remains external to the patient, from which the operator can view the site and/or manipulate a surgical instrument, and a distal end having an endoscope tip for insertion into the body cavity of the patient.
- In order to facilitate proper operation, the endoscope typically includes a source of light for illuminating the area the medical practitioner is trying to view and/or work upon. This illumination is usually supplied by an external light source, which typically comprises high powered lamps, such as, for example, a Xenon lamp. Light is transmitted from this light source to the distal portion of the endoscope inserted in the body by a waveguide, such as a fiber optic light cable, in order to guide the light to the scope. Such cables typically incorporate a fiber optic bundle, which comprises a plurality of thin optical fibers made of glass or optical plastic.
- A general disadvantage of some scopes of this type is that the transfer of energy from these light sources through these light guides can cause undesired heating of the exterior components of the device. Conventional remedies for this problem involve the use of an infrared filter for the light source. However, in cases where large amounts of energy are involved, undesired heating can still occur even in the absence of excessive infrared radiation.
- As further described herein, it is desirable to use in some endoscopes a fiber optic bundle that has a tapered section, for several reasons. First, the use of a taper allows the light guide to receive the light from the external light source at a low numerical aperture and then increase the numerical aperture in order to enlarge the light angle. Second, the taper allows the light to be received at a large diameter, and then reduces this diameter and increases the power density.
- However, a disadvantage of these arrangements is that there is a significant loss of power that radiates from the external glass surface of the taper. This contributes significantly to the generation of undesirable heat as discussed above.
- Additionally, another disadvantage of these arrangements is that this thinner section of the fiber optic bundle is even more prone to breaking or fracturing during assembly of the instrument.
- What is desired, therefore, is a system for transmitting the light required for a medical device that can increase the numerical aperture of the light and can increase the power density of the light. What is further desired is a system for transmitting this light that does not transfer excessive heat to the exterior components of the medical device. What is also desired is a system for transmitting this light that does not easily become damaged during assembly.
- Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for transmitting the light required for a medical device where the diameter of a portion of the light path decreases.
- It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for transmitting the light required for a medical device that insulates the exterior components of the device from energy radiated from the light guide transmitting the light.
- It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system for transmitting the light required for a medical device that is protected from breakage.
- In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and to achieve at least some of the objects and advantages listed, the invention comprises a medical device, including an endoscope body, a light source, a light guide for transmitting light from the light source to the endoscope body, wherein the light guide comprises a bundle of optical fibers, the bundle having a tapered portion, and a ceramic housing disposed around at least part of the tapered portion of the bundle.
- In another embodiment, the invention comprises a medical device, including, an instrument body, a light guide for transmitting light to the instrument body, wherein the light guide comprises a bundle of optical fibers, the bundle having a tapered portion, and a ceramic housing disposed around at least part of the tapered portion of the bundle.
- In yet another embodiment, the invention comprises a medical device, including a housing, a fiber optic bundle for transmitting light disposed in the housing, wherein the bundle includes a tapered portion for altering an attribute of the light transmitted therethrough, and a ceramic disposed around at least part of the tapered portion of the bundle for at least partially insulating the housing from energy radiating from the tapered portion of the bundle.
- In some embodiments, the bundle includes an outer surface having a diameter that decreases in the direction of light transmission, the ceramic housing has an inner surface adjacent the outer surface of the bundle that increases in the direction of light transmission, and the diameter increase of the inner surface of the ceramic housing is substantially equal to the diameter decrease of the outer surface of the bundle.
- In certain embodiments, where the device is an endoscope, the ceramic housing is located in a handle coupled to the endoscope body. In some of these embodiments, the endoscope body has an input post extending away from the longitudinal axis of the body in a radial direction, and the handle is coupled to the endoscope body via the input post.
-
FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away, isometric view of an endoscopic system in accordance with the invention. -
FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away, isometric view in partial cross-section showing additional detail of the fiber optic bundle and ceramic housing of the system ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away, isometric view in partial cross-section showing additional detail of the fiber optic bundle and ceramic housing of the system ofFIG. 1 . - The basic components of one embodiment of a system 10 for transmitting the light required for a medical device in accordance with the invention are illustrated in
FIG. 1 . As used in the description, the terms “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below,” “over,” “under,” “above,” “beneath,” “on top,” “underneath,” “up,” “down,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” “back,” “forward” and “backward” refer to the objects referenced when in the orientation illustrated in the drawings, which orientation is not necessary for achieving the objects of the invention. - The system 10 includes a
light source 12 such as, for example, a 300 watt Xenon lamp, for generating a light beam. Thelight source 12 is connected to a medical device 14, such as an endoscope, via alight guide 16, such as a bundle ofoptical fibers 18 that collectively operate as a waveguide for the light supplied by thesource 12. Thisbundle 18 is housed within at least one outer housing, typically in the form of acable 30 connected to thesource 12 or a portion of the instrument, such aslight guide stem 28, which may, in some embodiments, also serve as a handle. It should be noted, however, in other embodiments, a separate handle (not shown), separate from thelight guide stem 28, may be provided. - The endoscope 14 includes an elongated endoscope body 20 having a
longitudinal axis 22, which houses various mechanical, electrical and optical components, and includes aflexible insertion shaft 24 that extends from the body 20. The endoscope body 20 further includes aninput post 26 that extends away from thelongitudinal axis 22 in a radial direction. Ahandle 28 is coupled to the endoscope body 20 via theinput post 26. The fiberoptic cable 30 is, in turn, connected to thehandle 28, usually via adetachable coupling 32. By this arrangement, the light beam is transmitted from thesource 12 to the endoscope 14 via the fiberoptic bundle 18. - As shown more clearly in
FIG. 2 , the fiberoptic bundle 18 includes atapered portion 40 for altering at least one attribute of the light transmitted therethrough. Accordingly, theouter surface 42 of this portion of thebundle 18 decreases in the direction in which the light is transmitted. As a result, the numerical aperture of the light transmitted therethrough is increased. Additionally, by using this arrangement, the diameter of the light beam, which originally is large, can be decreased prior to transmission through the necessarilythin insertion shaft 24, simultaneously increasing the power density of the light. - A ceramic 52 is disposed around at least part of the
tapered portion 40, thereby insulating other components of the device from energy radiating from this portion of thebundle 18, and, in some embodiments, is disposed around theentire taper 40. Accordingly, the space between the outer housing in which the taper resides—such ashandle 28—is filled with ceramic, such that the rate of heat transfer from thetapered portion 40 to thehandle 28 is sufficiently slowed in order to allow thehandle 28 to operate as an efficient heat sink. - It should be noted that, though the
tapered portion 40 as depicted in the drawings and described herein is located within anendoscope handle 28, in other embodiments, thetapered portion 40 may exist in other portions oflight guide 16, and thus, may be disposed within other types of housings. For example, in some embodiments, the tapered portion may simply be located along a portion of acable 30 leading directly to the device 14. - As shown in
FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, agap 53 exists between the taper and theinner surface 54 of the ceramic 52, which may be preferable for machining purposes. As illustrated inFIG. 3 , in other advantageous embodiments, theinner surface 54 of theceramic housing 52 is adjacent theouter surface 42 of thetaper 40 and decreases in the direction in which the light is transmitted therethrough, such that the increase in diameter of theceramic housing 52 is substantially equal to the decrease in diameter of thetapered portion 40. Regardless of the correspondence betweensurfaces ceramic housing 52 is shaped such that an upper section of ceramic 52 provides a thermal break between thetapered portion 40 and theinput post 26 and endoscope body 20. - Additionally, the
ceramic housing 52 serves as a protective shell for the taperedportion 40, which is otherwise more vulnerable to fractures or breaks due to it's thinning diameter. - The
housing 52 may be comprised of any ceramic with good insulative properties, such as, for example, Macor®, alumina silicate, steatite, alumina bisque, zirconia phosphate, or cordierite. In some embodiments, an additional ceramic paint orcoating 41 may be applied to theouter surface 42 of the taper to provide further insulation. The ceramic may exist in either a fired or non-fired state. In certain advantageous embodiments, the ceramic 52 has a pigment, such as a light gray or brown color, in order to maximize the insulative properties of the ceramic against both light and heat. - In certain advantageous embodiments, the
bundle 18 is affixed to theceramic housing 52 with a durable adhesive. In some of these embodiments, this adhesive is non-conductive in order to further maximize insulation. - It should be understood that the foregoing is illustrative and not limiting, and that obvious modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, reference should be made primarily to the accompanying claims, rather than the foregoing specification, to determine the scope of the invention.
Claims (24)
1. A medical device, comprising:
an endoscope body;
a light source;
a light guide for transmitting light from said light source to said endoscope body;
wherein said light guide comprises a bundle of optical fibers, said bundle having a tapered portion; and
a ceramic housing disposed around at least part of the tapered portion of said bundle.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said ceramic housing is disposed along the whole length of the tapered portion of said bundle.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said bundle includes an outer surface having a ceramic coating applied thereon.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein said bundle includes an outer surface having a diameter that decreases in the direction of light transmission and said ceramic housing has an inner surface with a diameter that increases in the direction of light transmission, further comprising a gap between the outer surface of said bundle and the inner surface of said ceramic housing.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein said light source is a Xenon lamp.
6. A medical device, comprising:
an instrument body;
a light guide for transmitting light to the instrument body;
wherein said light guide comprises a bundle of optical fibers, said bundle having a tapered portion; and
a ceramic housing disposed around at least part of the tapered portion of said bundle.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein said body includes an endoscope body.
8. The device of claim 6 , wherein said ceramic housing is disposed along the whole length of the tapered portion of said bundle.
9. The device of claim 6 , wherein said bundle includes an outer surface having a ceramic coating applied thereon.
10. The device of claim 6 , wherein said bundle includes an outer surface having a diameter that decreases in the direction of light transmission and said ceramic housing has an inner surface with a diameter that increases in the direction of light transmission, further comprising a gap between the outer surface of said bundle and the inner surface of said ceramic housing.
11. The device of claim 6 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises macor.
12. The device of claim 6 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises alumina silicate.
13. The device of claim 6 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises steatite.
14. The device of claim 6 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises alumina bisque.
15. The device of claim 6 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises zirconia phosphate.
16. The device of claim 6 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises cordierite.
17. A medical device, comprising;
a housing;
a fiber optic bundle for transmitting light disposed in said housing;
wherein said bundle includes a tapered portion for altering an attribute of the light transmitted therethrough; and
a ceramic disposed around at least part of the tapered portion of said bundle for at least partially insulating the housing from energy radiating from the tapered portion of said bundle.
18. The device of claim 17 , wherein said ceramic is disposed along the whole length of the tapered portion of said bundle.
19. The device of claim 17 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises macor.
20. The device of claim 17 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises alumina silicate.
21. The device of claim 17 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises steatite.
22. The device of claim 17 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises alumina bisque.
23. The device of claim 17 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises zirconia phosphate.
24. The device of claim 17 , wherein said ceramic housing comprises cordierite.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US12/834,588 US20100280323A1 (en) | 2005-11-28 | 2010-07-12 | Ceramic Fiber Optic Taper Housing For Medical Devices |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/287,908 US7824330B2 (en) | 2005-11-28 | 2005-11-28 | Ceramic fiber optic taper housing for medical devices |
US12/834,588 US20100280323A1 (en) | 2005-11-28 | 2010-07-12 | Ceramic Fiber Optic Taper Housing For Medical Devices |
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US11/287,908 Continuation US7824330B2 (en) | 2005-11-28 | 2005-11-28 | Ceramic fiber optic taper housing for medical devices |
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US20100280323A1 true US20100280323A1 (en) | 2010-11-04 |
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US11/287,908 Expired - Fee Related US7824330B2 (en) | 2005-11-28 | 2005-11-28 | Ceramic fiber optic taper housing for medical devices |
US12/834,588 Abandoned US20100280323A1 (en) | 2005-11-28 | 2010-07-12 | Ceramic Fiber Optic Taper Housing For Medical Devices |
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US11/287,908 Expired - Fee Related US7824330B2 (en) | 2005-11-28 | 2005-11-28 | Ceramic fiber optic taper housing for medical devices |
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Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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JP2008011992A (en) * | 2006-07-04 | 2008-01-24 | Olympus Medical Systems Corp | Endoscope |
DE102007032200B4 (en) * | 2007-07-11 | 2010-09-09 | Schölly Fiberoptic GmbH | endoscope |
JP2011000258A (en) * | 2009-06-18 | 2011-01-06 | Fujifilm Corp | Endoscope system, endoscope, and distance-irradiation angle measuring method |
JP2011224042A (en) * | 2010-04-15 | 2011-11-10 | Fujifilm Corp | Light source device and endoscope apparatus using the same |
DE102012110143A1 (en) * | 2012-10-24 | 2014-04-24 | Karl Storz Gmbh & Co. Kg | Medical instrument e.g. endoscope has heat-dissipating element that is provided with opening on both sides so that cooling air flows through heat dissipating element in axial direction of handle portion |
EP3760099B1 (en) * | 2019-07-04 | 2024-02-28 | Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. | Optic light guide, endoscope, method for producing and using an optic light guide |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US7824330B2 (en) | 2010-11-02 |
US20070123752A1 (en) | 2007-05-31 |
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