U.S. Philips Corporation

United States Surgical Corporation

Willem Jan Voormolen

Dennis C Leiner

Jorg Brambring

William G Peck

Theodorus Wynandus Van Den Berg

An arthroscope includes an frame member, an illumination system and a light guide connection port associated with the frame member for connecting to a light guide to transfer illumination light to the illumination system. The light guide connection port includes a support member having a tapered inner wall portion for supporting a transmissive element having a tapered portion. The support member includes a plurality of inner mounting projections extending from the tapered inner wall portion and being radially arranged and positioned to contact the outer surface of the light transmissive element to maintain the light transmissive element in spaced relation relative to the tapered inner wall portion.

Light guide connection port for a disposable arthroscope

A method for forming an arthroscope having an inclined angle of view includes providing an inner lens tube member, an outer tube member, and an annular shim member. The annular shim member is positioned about an outer peripheral portion of the inner lens tube member and includes an upper portion defining an outer positioning surface and side edges angularly offset relative to an optical axis. The inner lens tube member and annular shim member are positioned within the outer tube member while a plurality of optical fibers are positioned therebetween. The optical fibers are oriented about the outer positioning surface and side edges such that the optical fibers are angularly offset relative to the optical axis. Alternatively, a shim member may be provided that is arcuate and defines a cross-sectional dimension approximating a maximum inner dimension of the outer tube member, wherein the shim member engages the outer tube member to stabilize the inner lens tube member therein.

Method of making arthroscope having a shim for angularly orienting

A disposable rigid arthroscope having an inclined angle of view includes a frame member, an outer tube member extending distally from the frame member, an inner lens tube member eccentrically disposed within the outer tube member, an optical system disposed within the inner lens tube member and having a mechanism for altering the field of view of the optical system with respect to the optical axis and an illumination system including a plurality of optical fibers. The optical fibers of the illumination system are oriented by a shim member to emit light in the general direction of the inclined field of view to sufficiently illuminate the surgical field. The shim member includes opposed side edges that are angularly oriented relative to the optical axis and a proximal end portion extending along an inner periphery of the outer tube member to define a major cross-sectional dimension approximating a maximum inner dimension of the outer tube member.

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Mierlo, Netherlands

Willem Jan Voormolen