Warner Lambert Technologies, Inc.

William J Revell

Ian P Collins

An endoscope has an eyepiece with an optical system (16) comprising a series of lenses (18) housed in a sleeve (20) which is movable longitudinally in the endoscope casing for focusing an image. An adjusting ring (26) is rotated to adjust the position of the sleeve (20), to focus the image for viewing by the eye. For viewing of the image by a camera, an adaptor (38) is fitted on the end of the endoscope eyepiece. The adaptor (38) has a slot (44) which receives a fixed projection (36) and a movable projection (30) on the adjusting ring (26). Rotation of the adaptor (38) rotates the ring (26) and thereby shifts the sleeve to a predetermined longitudinal position suitable for viewing of the image by a camera.

Endoscope

A shaft which is capable of flexing or articulation under remote control comprises a plurality of identical vertebrae each having a generally circular outer rim (1), an inner hub region (2), and a plurality of webs or spokes (3) interconnecting the outer rim and the inner hub region. The inner hub region presents a projection (6) on one face of the vertebra and a recess (5) on the other face of the vertebra, the projection and recess being of complementary shape and being such that the projections and recesses of adjacent vertebrae arranged in series inter-engage to permit rocking of one vertebra on the adjacent vertebra to provide flexing or articulation. The flexible shaft may form part of an endoscope or other similar medical instrument, or may be the shaft of an industrial instrument such as a bore-scope.

Vertebra for articulatable shaft

A valve body (20) for an endoscope is moulded from polypropylene and has a straight through bore (27) to aid cleaning of the valve body. The valve body (20) has spaced external ribs (48, 50) which locate the valve body (20) with respect to the casing of a handle (10) of the endoscope. At one end the valve body (20) receives a threaded sleeve (30) which retains a slidable valve member (34) in position, a cap (42) being manually depressed against spring loading to open the valve and place a source of suction in communication with a side stem (38) which is intended to be connected to a passageway leading to the distal end of the endoscope shaft.

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Great Dunmow, United Kingdom

William J Revell