US 12,226,075 B2
Endoscope with variable profile tip
Robert C. Kucharski, Denver, CO (US); Paul I. Bloom, New York, NY (US); Giacomo Basadonna, Haddam, CT (US); Larry O. Blankenship, Boudler, CO (US); and Laura E. Bucknam, Arvada, CO (US)
Assigned to Enlightenvue, Inc., Denver, CO (US)
Filed by Enlightenvue, Inc., Denver, CO (US)
Filed on Sep. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/448,030.
Application 17/448,030 is a continuation of application No. 15/885,527, filed on Jan. 31, 2018, granted, now 11,141,045.
Application 15/885,527 is a continuation of application No. 14/821,579, filed on Aug. 7, 2015, granted, now 9,913,570, issued on Mar. 13, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0211249 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/005 (2006.01); A61B 1/012 (2006.01); A61B 1/015 (2006.01); A61B 1/018 (2006.01); A61B 1/05 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 1/0008 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00103 (2013.01); A61B 1/005 (2013.01); A61B 1/012 (2013.01); A61B 1/015 (2013.01); A61B 1/018 (2013.01); A61B 1/05 (2013.01); A61B 1/00078 (2013.01); A61B 1/00082 (2013.01); A61B 1/00135 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electronic endoscope comprising:
a hub at a proximal end of the endoscope;
a non-expandable shaft extending distally from the hub;
an expandable distal tip extending from the shaft;
an image sensor within the distal tip and having a field of view external from the endoscope;
an illuminating element within the distal tip and configured to emit light within the field of view of the image sensor; and
at least one variable profile working channel tube extending continuously from the proximal end to the distal tip, where a proximal portion of the at least one variable profile working channel tube is positioned inside the non-expandable shaft and a distal portion of the at least one variable profile working channel tube fits between the image sensor and an expandable outer sheath of the distal tip, the distal portion of the at least one variable profile working channel tube adapted to change within the distal tip from a low-profile configuration to an enlarged-profile configuration to accommodate passage of a tool, the expandable outer sheath also configured to expand relative to the non-expandable shaft to a generally noncircular shape at the distal tip when the distal portion of the at least one variable profile working channel tube is in the enlarged profile configuration.