US 12,082,783 B2
Endoscopic devices and related methods
Catherine M. Herriges, Shelton, CT (US); Xiao Wu, Hamden, CT (US); and Richard I. Farrington, Waterbury, CT (US)
Assigned to CooperSurgical, Inc., Trumbull, CT (US)
Filed by CooperSurgical, Inc., Trumbull, CT (US)
Filed on Mar. 5, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/809,665.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/825,962, filed on Mar. 29, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0305699 A1, Oct. 1, 2020
Int. Cl. A61B 1/05 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/018 (2006.01); A61B 1/06 (2006.01); A61B 10/04 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 1/05 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00052 (2013.01); A61B 1/00087 (2013.01); A61B 1/00114 (2013.01); A61B 1/00124 (2013.01); A61B 1/00128 (2013.01); A61B 1/018 (2013.01); A61B 1/0676 (2013.01); A61B 1/0684 (2013.01); A61B 10/04 (2013.01); A61B 2562/166 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An endoscopic device, comprising:
a housing;
a cannula configured to be inserted through a cervix into a uterus, the cannula having a lumen that extends from a proximal end of the cannula to a distal end of the cannula, the proximal end of the cannula being secured within the housing, wherein the lumen is configured to provide a passage for a working tool;
an imaging system arranged at the distal end of the cannula, the imaging system comprising:
a camera, and
one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to provide light for the camera to acquire images of the uterus; and
a flexible printed circuit (FPC) that extends within the lumen of the cannula and electrically connects the camera and the one or more LEDs to electrical components located in the housing;
a tip element that holds the camera at the distal end of the cannula, wherein the tip element is designed to move through the cervix in a forward direction, and has a forward facing surface that faces the forward direction, the forward facing surface having at least one opening that exposes the camera at the distal end of the cannula; and
a guiding element placed inside the cannula and proximate the tip element, the guiding element having a cavity that forms a channel configured for passing the working tool, wherein at least a portion of the guiding element has a ramp-shaped profile formed by a thickness difference between a distal thickness of the portion that is proximate the tip element and a proximal thickness of the portion that is farther away from the tip element than the distal thickness, wherein the thickness difference between the distal thickness and the proximal thickness causes the ramp-shaped profile to guide the working tool away from electrical contacts of the camera to the FPC.