US 11,937,781 B2
Endoscope comprising an articulated bending section body
Kaspar Mat Matthison-Hansen, Helsingør (DK)
Assigned to AMBU A/S, Ballerup (DK)
Filed by AMBU A/S, Ballerup (DK)
Filed on Jun. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/344,526.
Claims priority of application No. 20181064 (EP), filed on Jun. 19, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0393113 A1, Dec. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 1/005 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/008 (2006.01); A61B 1/012 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 1/0055 (2013.01) [A61B 1/0057 (2013.01); A61B 1/008 (2013.01); A61B 1/012 (2013.01); A61B 1/00045 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An endoscope comprising: a bending section body including:
segments including a proximal end segment, a distal end segment and intermediate segments arranged between the proximal end segment and the distal end segment, and hinges connecting adjacent of the segments, the bending section body being a single-piece item comprising the hinges and the segments,
wherein each intermediate segment has a transverse wall having a central passage with a cross-section shape comprising a bendable tube support sector adjacent to a lobe sector, the bendable tube support sector having a periphery, the lobe sector having a periphery, the transverse wall comprising a pull-wire aperture and opposite protrusions creating a gap, the gap being between the bendable tube support sector and the lobe sector, a solid portion of the wall extending from an outer periphery of the wall to the bendable tube support sector comprising the pull-wire aperture, wherein a transverse plane passing through a shortest distance between the opposite protrusions does not traverse the pull-wire aperture, and
wherein the periphery of the bendable tube support sector has a length and is sized and shaped to receive a bendable tube having an outer circumference and providing a working channel of the endoscope, the length of the periphery of the bendable tube support sector being longer than half of the outer circumference of the bendable tube so as to support the bendable tube against outward deformation.