초록 ▼

An improved endoscope of the variety which includes an endoscope slideably nested inside of a guiding tube, including an improvement that renders on demand either the guiding tube more flexible than the endoscope or the endoscope more flexible than the guiding tube. The improvement may be one of sev

An improved endoscope of the variety which includes an endoscope slideably nested inside of a guiding tube, including an improvement that renders on demand either the guiding tube more flexible than the endoscope or the endoscope more flexible than the guiding tube. The improvement may be one of several embodiments, namely: (a) channels in a thermosensitive guiding tube or endoscope for circulating warm or cold fluid therein; (b) a plurality of sphere-like bodies disposed in a chamber in the guiding tube or endoscope and a vacuum system adapted to remove air or a fluid medium from the chamber; (c) a pump connected to one or more channels in a guiding tube or endoscope for providing pressurized fluid in the channels; or, (d) a flexible covering connected to and surrounding at least a part of a guiding tube delimiting a space between the covering and the guide tube, the space being in communication with a means to supply fluid of a predetermined temperature and pressure to the space.

대표청구항 ▼

An endoscope comprising: (a) a control unit; (b) a first flexible tube having a first end portion connected to the control unit and a second end portion having a free end; (c) an optical means disposed in said first flexible tube and communicating with said control unit and said free end for illumin

An endoscope comprising: (a) a control unit; (b) a first flexible tube having a first end portion connected to the control unit and a second end portion having a free end; (c) an optical means disposed in said first flexible tube and communicating with said control unit and said free end for illuminating and viewing images outside of the first flexible tube; (d) a second flexible tube circumscribing the first flexible tube; (e) either the first or second flexible tube having a wall made from a material adapted to be rendered more flexible than the other flexible tube when brought into contact with a fluid; and, (f) a device in communication with either the first or the second flexible tube for supplying fluid of a predetermined temperature thereto.