阅读说明：本技术 具有侧接可抛弃构件的便携式内窥镜 (Portable endoscope with side disposable member ) 是由 欧阳小龙 罗伯特·K·德克曼 王仕平 于 2020-11-04 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种手持式内窥镜,具有单次使用的可抛弃构件,包括前端(远端),插管,支座以及连接基本笔直的工作通道的后端(近端)端口。所述插管可绕插管的主纵轴旋转。所述内窥镜还具有可重复使用部分,包括手柄和显示模块。单次使用的可抛弃构件和可重复使用部分通过侧接结构和独立电连接器物理匹配连接并拆卸脱离。手柄装有支持手动和自动成像模式的成像系统电子设备,通过显示模块上的触摸屏选择切换。可重复使用部分使用各种O形圈和/或垫圈密封,耐流体性良好,以利于消毒和/或灭菌。(The present invention relates to a hand-held endoscope having a single-use disposable member comprising a front end (distal end), an insertion tube, a holder and a rear end (proximal end) port connecting a substantially straight working channel. The cannula is rotatable about a main longitudinal axis of the cannula. The endoscope also has a reusable portion including a handle and a display module. The single-use disposable member and the reusable portion are physically mated and unmated by the side structure and the separate electrical connector. The handle is equipped with imaging system electronics supporting manual and automatic imaging modes, selectively switched by a touch screen on the display module. The reusable portion is sealed with various O-rings and/or gaskets and is fluid resistant to facilitate sterilization and/or disinfection.)

1. An endoscope comprising a reusable handle, a single-use disposable member and control buttons;

the reusable handle comprising:

an elongated side channel on a side of the reusable handle, the side channel extending along a longitudinal axis of the endoscope;

a display module with a screen to display an image; wherein the display module is mechanically mounted on the reusable handle and is rotatable and/or pivotable relative to the reusable handle;

the signal processing circuit is positioned in the reusable handle and is matched with the display module to work;

the first electric connector is positioned on the handle and is matched with the signal processing circuit for work;

the disposable member comprising:

a socket configured to removably snap into the side channel and to be movable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope to disengage from the side channel;

a cannula extending from the hub to a forward end; wherein the cannula is configured to rotate relative to the hub along the endoscope longitudinal axis;

a first lumen extending along the endoscope longitudinal axis from a first rear port, beginning at the rear end of both the hub and the handle, and ending at the forward end portion of the cannula;

an imaging and illumination module located at the cannula front end;

a second electrical connector cooperating with said imaging and illumination module and arranged to be removably coupled to said first electrical connector to establish an electrical connection between said imaging and illumination module and said signal processing circuitry;

the control button, disposed on at least one of the handle and the display module, is coupled to the display module, the signal processing circuit, and the imaging and illumination module to selectively cause the imaging and illumination module to illuminate a field of view and capture an image, the display module displaying the image.

2. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein: the side slots extend from a rear end of the handle to a front end of the handle.

3. The endoscope of claim 2, wherein: the socket extends from a rear end of the handle to a front end of the handle when snapped into the side slot of the handle.

4. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein: the handle includes an outer wall of several parts that are sufficiently sealed to one another to enable repeated steam sterilization of the handle.

5. The endoscope of claim 4, wherein: also includes a removable plug; for repeated steam sterilization, the plug plugs the first electrical connector to seal the handle.

6. The endoscope of claim 4, wherein: also included are O-rings and/or gaskets that seal the components to one another.

7. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein: the first electrical connector is configured to be externally accessible to an external device including one or more of a workstation and an image archiving and/or transmission unit to transmit images captured by the imaging and lighting module.

8. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein: further comprising a cable electrically connecting the second electrical connector with the imaging and illumination module; wherein the cable has a front end portion inside the cannula and a rear end portion outside the cannula and the hub; the rear end portion of the cable is sufficiently long and flexible that the insertion tube can be rotated relative to the handle about the longitudinal axis of the endoscope by at least 180 degrees when the socket is snapped into the side slot of the handle and the first electrical connector is connected to the second electrical connector.

9. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein: also included is a second rear port extending proximally from the rear ends of the socket and the handle when the socket is snapped into the side slot of the handle.

10. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein: further comprising an intermediate port distal to the handle proximate the forward end of the cannula when the hub is snapped into the handle.

11. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein: a second lumen extends along the longitudinal axis of the endoscope and is fluidly connected to the first rear port and at least one port other than the first rear port.

12. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein: the first rear port is on the same vertical plane with the center of the display module, and the distance between straight lines is less than 15cm, so that the display module and the first rear port can keep the same view and angle observed by a user.

13. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein: the handle comprises a rechargeable battery; wherein the first electrical connector is electrically connected to the battery, and the battery is charged through the first electrical connector.

14. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein: the signal processing circuitry in the handle comprises WiFi circuitry; further, an antenna is included, the antenna being configured to wirelessly transmit the image captured by the imaging and illumination module.

15. A single use endoscopic disposable member comprising:

a receptacle elongated along a longitudinal axis;

a cannula extending distally from the hub; wherein the socket is configured to removably snap into an elongate side slot of a reusable handle and to be moved in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis to disengage the side slot; the cannula is configured to rotate relative to the hub along the longitudinal axis;

a first lumen extending along the longitudinal axis from a first rear port, the first lumen beginning at a location of the rear end of the hub and terminating at a front portion of the cannula;

an imaging and illumination module located at the cannula front end;

an electrical connector operatively mated with the imaging and illumination module;

a cable electrically connecting the imaging and lighting module with the electrical connector; wherein the cable has a front portion inside the cannula and a rear portion outside the cannula and the hub, the rear portion being sufficiently long and flexible to enable the cannula to rotate at least 180 degrees about the longitudinal axis relative to the hub.

16. An endoscopic device includes:

the handle with the gun-type grip can be repeatedly used, so that the handle is convenient for a user to hold;

an elongated side slot on one side of the reusable handle above the pistol grip and extending along a longitudinal axis of the handle perpendicular to the direction of the pistol grip;

a socket removably snap-fit connected with the side slot;

a cannula having an imaging module at a forward end extending distally from the socket;

a display module with a screen to display an image, the display module being mounted on an upper portion of the handle to rotate and/or pivot with respect to the handle;

the image processing circuit is positioned in the handle, works in a matching way with the display module and is used for displaying the image sent from the imaging module;

and the electric connector is positioned on the handle, works in a matching way with the image processing circuit and receives the image shot by the imaging module positioned at the front end of the cannula.

17. A method of in vivo imaging of a patient, comprising:

providing a cannula extending distally (anteriorly) from a hub along a longitudinal axis of the cannula, the cannula and hub comprising a single use disposable member of an endoscope;

providing a handle as a reusable part of an endoscope, the handle having a side slot; the side slots extend in the longitudinal axis direction from a rear end to a front end of the handle; the handle is connected with a display module, and the display module rotates and/or pivots relative to the handle;

snapping the socket into the side slot of the handle such that the socket extends from a rear end to a front end of the handle;

a circuit electrically connecting the imaging module at the front end of the cannula and the handle, the circuit being electrically connected to the display module;

the electrical connection includes: a cable connecting the imaging module and the first connector; the socket is provided with a second connector which is connected with the first connector; the cable having a distal portion passing through the cannula interior and a proximal portion external to the cannula and the hub and exposed to the environment;

transmitting the image shot by the imaging module to the display module through the cable, the first connector, the second connector and the circuit for showing to a user;

rotating the cannula relative to the hub and the handle to capture an image of the selected area and display the selected image.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein: further comprising rotating the exposed portion of the cable sufficiently to rotate the cannula at least 180 degrees relative to the hub and the handle.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein: also comprises repeated steam sterilization of the handle.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein: the handle further comprises: several parts of the outer wall of the handle are sealed to each other using O-rings and/or gaskets for steam sterilization.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein: the single-use disposable member and the reusable portion further comprise: a fluid port proximate to the handle and the receptacle; and a lumen extending along the longitudinal axis from the port to the forward end of the cannula.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to medical instruments used in human tissue examination, and endoscopic surgery for urinary and gynecological disorders. And more particularly to a portable, hand-held, low cost surgical endoscopic device having a disposable portion and a reusable portion.

Background

In conventional endoscopy, or in cases where an organ or the interior of a human body is to be examined visually, a complicated lens system is generally used to transmit an image from the front end of the endoscope to the observer. Rigid endoscopes typically use relay lens systems; flexible endoscopes typically use fiber optic bundles or objective lens systems. Conventional rigid and flexible endoscopes, lenses or fiber optic systems are relatively expensive and are reused multiple times. Therefore, each time it is used, it must be rigorously sterilized and disinfected.

Disposable endoscopes are an emerging class of endoscopic instruments. In some cases, the manufacturing cost of the endoscope may become inexpensive enough to be used for only a single patient. Disposable or single use endoscopes reduce the risk of cross-contamination and nosocomial diseases. Some disposable endoscope systems are described in U.S. patent nos. 9, 895, 048, 9, 895, 848, 10, 278, 563 and 10, 292, 571.

The subject matter described or claimed in this patent specification is not limited to what has been described in terms of solving any particular disadvantages or to only what has been described in particular embodiments operating in environments such as those described above. Rather, the above background is provided merely to illustrate the feasibility of some embodiments described herein in an exemplary technology area.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable endoscope having a side disposable member comprising: (a) a reusable handle comprising: an elongated side channel on a side of the reusable handle, the side channel extending along a longitudinal axis of the endoscope; a display module with a screen to display an image; the display module is mechanically mounted on the reusable handle and is rotatable and/or pivotable relative to the reusable handle; the signal processing circuit is positioned in the reusable handle and is matched with the display module to work; the first electric connector is positioned on the handle and is matched with the signal processing circuit for work; (b) a single-use disposable member comprising: a socket configured to removably snap into the side channel and to be movable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope to disengage from the side channel; a cannula extending from the hub to a forward end; wherein the cannula is configured to rotate relative to the hub along the endoscope longitudinal axis; a first lumen extending along the endoscope longitudinal axis from a first rear port, beginning at the rear end of both the hub and the handle, and ending at the forward end portion of the cannula; an imaging and illumination module located at the cannula front end; a second electrical connector cooperating with said imaging and illumination module and arranged to be removably coupled to said first electrical connector to establish an electrical connection between said imaging and illumination module and said signal processing circuitry; (c) a control button disposed on at least one of the handle and the display module and coupled to the display module, the signal processing circuit, and the imaging and illumination module to selectively cause the imaging and illumination module to illuminate a field of view and capture an image, the display module displaying the image.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the side slot in the reusable handle extends from the rear end of the handle to the front end of the handle; the socket extends from the rear end of the handle to the front end of the handle when snapped into the side slot of the handle;

in some embodiments, the handle includes an outer wall of a plurality of components that are sufficiently sealed to one another to repeatedly steam sterilize the handle. The portable endoscope with the pendant disposable member further comprises a removable plug that plugs the first electrical connector to seal the handle for repeated steam sterilization; sealing the components of the handle to each other using O-rings and/or gaskets;

in some embodiments, the first electrical connector is configured to be externally accessible to an external device to transmit images captured by the imaging and lighting module, the external device being one or more of a workstation and an image archiving and/or transmission unit;

in some embodiments, the portable endoscope with a side disposable member further comprises a cable electrically connecting the second electrical connector with the imaging and illumination module; wherein the cable has a front end portion inside the cannula and a rear end portion outside the cannula and the hub; the rear end portion of the cable is sufficiently long and flexible that the cannula can rotate at least 180 degrees about the longitudinal axis of the endoscope relative to the handle when the socket is snapped into the side slot of the handle and the first electrical connector is connected to the second electrical connector;

in some embodiments, the portable endoscope with side disposable member further comprises a second rear end port extending proximally from the rear ends of the hub and the handle when the hub is snapped into the side slot of the handle.

In some embodiments, the portable endoscope with the side disposable member further comprises an intermediate port distal to the handle, proximal to the front end of the cannula, when the hub is snapped into the handle.

In some embodiments, the portable endoscope with the side disposable member further comprises a second lumen extending along the endoscope longitudinal axis and connected to the first rear port and at least one port fluid conduit other than the first rear port.

In some embodiments, the first port and the first rear port are on the same vertical plane as the center of the display module and are linearly spaced less than 15cm apart, so that the display module and the first rear port are maintained at the same view and angle as viewed by a user.

In some embodiments, the handle comprises a rechargeable battery; wherein the first electrical connector is electrically connected to the battery, and the battery is charged through the first electrical connector.

In some embodiments, the signal processing circuitry in the handle comprises WiFi circuitry; further, an antenna is included, the antenna being configured to wirelessly transmit the image captured by the imaging and illumination module.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a single use endoscopic disposable member comprising: a receptacle elongated along a longitudinal axis; a cannula extending distally from the hub; wherein the socket is configured to removably snap into an elongate side slot of a reusable handle and to be moved in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis to disengage the side slot; the cannula is configured to rotate relative to the hub along the longitudinal axis; a first lumen extending along the longitudinal axis from a first rear port, the first lumen beginning at a location of the rear end of the hub and terminating at a front portion of the cannula; an imaging and illumination module located at the cannula front end; an electrical connector operatively mated with the imaging and illumination module; a cable electrically connecting the imaging and illumination module with the electrical connector, wherein the cable has a front end portion inside the cannula and a rear end portion outside the cannula and the hub, the rear end portion being sufficiently long and flexible to enable the cannula to rotate at least 180 degrees about the longitudinal axis relative to the hub.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable endoscope having a side disposable member comprising: the handle with the gun-type grip can be repeatedly used, so that the handle is convenient for a user to hold; an elongated side slot on one side of the reusable handle above the pistol grip and extending along a longitudinal axis of the handle perpendicular to the direction of the pistol grip; a socket removably snap-fit connected with the side slot; a cannula having an imaging module at a forward end extending distally from the socket; a display module with a screen to display an image, the display module being mounted on an upper portion of the handle to rotate and/or pivot with respect to the handle; the image processing circuit is positioned in the handle, works in a matching way with the display module and is used for displaying the image sent from the imaging module; and the electric connector is positioned on the handle, works in a matching way with the image processing circuit and receives the image shot by the imaging module positioned at the front end of the cannula.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of in vivo imaging of a patient comprising: providing a cannula extending distally from a hub along a longitudinal axis of the cannula, the cannula and the hub comprising a single use disposable member of an endoscope; providing a handle as a reusable part of an endoscope, the handle having a side slot; the side slots extend in the longitudinal axis direction from a rear end to a front end of the handle; the handle is connected with a display module, and the display module rotates and/or pivots relative to the handle; snapping the socket into the side slot of the handle such that the socket extends from a rear end to a front end of the handle; a circuit electrically connecting the imaging module at the front end of the cannula and the handle, the circuit being electrically connected to the display module; the electrical connection includes: a cable connecting the imaging module and the first connector; the socket is provided with a second connector which is connected with the first connector; the cable having a distal portion passing through the cannula interior and a proximal portion external to the cannula and the hub and exposed to the environment; transmitting the image shot by the imaging module to the display module through the cable, the first connector, the second connector and the circuit for showing to a user; rotating the cannula relative to the hub and the handle to capture an image of the selected area and display the selected image.

In some embodiments, the method of in vivo imaging of a patient further comprises: the exposed portion of the cable is made sufficiently long to allow the cannula to be rotated at least 180 degrees relative to the hub and the handle.

In some embodiments, the handle is repeatedly sterilized with steam.

In some embodiments, the handle further comprises portions of the outer wall that are sealed to each other using O-rings and/or gaskets for steam sterilization.

In some embodiments, a fluid port is provided proximate the handle and the receptacle; and a lumen extending along the longitudinal axis from the port to the forward end of the cannula.

As used herein, the grammatical conjunctions "and", "or" and/or "are intended to indicate that one or more alternatives may or may already exist for the situation, object or subject matter to which they are connected. In this manner, as used herein, the term "or" in all cases means an inclusive or rather than an exclusive or.

As used herein, the term "surgical" or "operation" refers to any physical intervention on a patient's tissue, and does not necessarily involve cutting the patient's tissue or closing a previously existing wound.

Drawings

To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the subject matter of this patent specification, a specific embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The drawings are to be understood as depicting exemplary embodiments only, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the patent specification or the appended claims. The subject matter of the invention will be described and explained with specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are right and top views, respectively, of a portable endoscope having a side-mounted disposable member, in some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portable endoscope having a side-mounted disposable member in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are further perspective views of a portable endoscope with a side-mounted disposable member in some embodiments;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the sealing structure and other aspects of a portable endoscope having a side-mounted disposable member and a fluid-resistant handle member in some embodiments;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a sealing structure and other portions of a portable endoscope with a side-mounted disposable member in some embodiments;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the cannula rotation structure and other portions of the portable endoscope with side disposable members in some embodiments;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are a cross-sectional view and a front view of a rotating structure and other portions of a portable endoscope insertion tube with a side-mounted disposable member in some embodiments;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a portable endoscope WiFi antenna arrangement and other portions with side-mounted disposable members in some embodiments;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a touch sensitive video display screen in some embodiments;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are a cross-sectional view of a cannula in some embodiments and a front portion of a portable endoscope with a side-mounted disposable member.

Detailed Description

A detailed description of the preferred embodiments is provided below. While several embodiments have been described, it should be understood that the novel subject matter described in this patent specification is not limited to any one embodiment or combination of embodiments described herein, but includes many alternatives, modifications, and equivalents. In addition, while numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding, some embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. Moreover, for the purpose of clarity, certain technical material that is known in the prior art has not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the new subject matter described herein. It is to be understood that each feature of one or more specific embodiments described herein may be used in combination with other features of other described embodiments. Further, like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. All issued and applied patents mentioned in the detailed description are given in this patent specification with reference to the index.

Fig. 1 and 2 are right and top views of a portable endoscope having a disposable member according to some embodiments. Portable endoscope 100 includes an elongated insertion tube 120 having a forward end 110 insertable into a hollow organ or cavity of the body. According to some embodiments, the front end 110 is connected to the cannula 120 as a separate front terminal assembly. According to some embodiments, the diameter of the front end 110 is greater than about 4.55 mm. For more details on the self-contained front terminal assembly of a hand-held endoscope, see: U.S. patent No.9, 895, 048 (hereinafter referred to as the "048 patent"); an application patent with application number 15/462, 331, filed on 2017, 3, 17 and publication number u.s.2017-0188793 a1 (hereinafter referred to as "331 application"); and international patent application No. PCT/US18/14880, international publication No. wo0/2018/136950 (hereinafter referred to as "880 application"), filed on 23/1/2018. The front end 110 includes an imaging module and at least one LED light source for viewing inside an organ or lumen into which the front end 110 is inserted. The front end 110 also includes one or more fluid ports.

According to some embodiments, cannula 120 is rigid, flexible, or semi-flexible, and includes one or more fluid channels that are fluidly connected to port 132. Port 132 includes a luer fitting to allow leak-free connection of port 132 to various medical fluid components (not shown). One or more fluid channels or lumens in cannula 120 connect to one or more forward facing fluid ports of front end 110. According to some embodiments, one or more fluid channels or lumens in the cannula 120 are also connected to the rear ports 130 and 430. The rear ports 130 and 430 also include luer fittings to allow leak-free connection to various medical fluid components (not shown). According to some embodiments, the rear port 130 is substantially aligned with the major longitudinal axis 124 of the cannula 120, thereby providing a substantially straight passage for a rigid or semi-rigid instrument. According to some embodiments, only one backend port 130 is provided, and the second backend port 430 is omitted. The ease of insertion and manipulation of instruments may be enhanced by the passage of the port 130 through an instrument channel having a straight rear end portion. It has been found that the instrument ports (i.e., ports 130 and/or 430) can, for example, substantially match the display module 150 and be perpendicular to the center of the display module 150 with significant ergonomic benefit. This arrangement makes it easier to insert surgical instruments into the port 130 or 430 and to manipulate the instruments because the instruments are in the same field of view and at the same angle to the display screen with respect to the user's eyes. In particular, the short distance between the port and the display screen allows the operator to limit his/her visual range to a relatively small area. According to some embodiments, the distance d between the back port (in this case, port 130) and the center of the screen 350 of the display module 150 is less than about 15 cm. According to some embodiments, the distance d is less than about 12 cm. According to some embodiments, the distance d is less than about 10 cm.

According to some embodiments, all three ports 130, 132, and 430 are connected to the same lumen or channel within cannula 120; in other embodiments, the ports are connected to two or more separate lumens. When two or more ports are connected to the same lumen in cannula 120, one or more "duck bill valves" or similar valves may be used to prevent backflow or leakage. According to some embodiments, wires extending from the LED light source and camera module in the front end assembly 110 pass through a separate channel connection electrical connector 136 in one cannula 120, with at least 1 fluid channel in the cannula 120. The electrical connector 136 is configured to form a removable electrical connection with a handle electrical connector 144 on the handle 140. Adjacent to the fluid port 132 is a seat 134 and a receptacle 138. According to some embodiments, the receptacle 138 is a sliding (i.e., snap) fit with a side slot in the handle 140 (see side slot or slot 440 in fig. 4A).

The endoscope 100 includes a handle 140 that is sized and shaped as a pistol to be easily grasped by an endoscope operator (e.g., a doctor or other medical professional) in a pistol-like manner. The display module 150 is rotatably and/or pivotably mounted on the handle 140 by bearings, which may be slide bearings made of plastic and rubber-wrapped hinges. Also visible on the handle 140 is an image capture button 142. According to some embodiments, the handle 140 and display module 150 may be reused and make up a reusable portion 402 (shown in fig. 4A and 4B). According to some embodiments, the handle 140 includes one or more electronics modules 146 containing at least one of the following electronics: camera control, video capture, video processing, video/data storage, battery charging and control, touch screen processing, and WiFi communication. According to some embodiments, the electronics module 146 includes an electronic imaging system that supports automatic adjustment of parameters such As Exposure Control (AEC), gain control (AGO), and white balance (AWB). In addition, the electronics module 146 provides Automatic Light Control (ALC) to control the illumination of the object to be imaged. The camera and illumination modules in the front end 110, together with the imaging and control in the electronics module 146, are configured as a "well-conditioned" imaging system, providing a useful "auto mode". According to some embodiments, the handle 140 is similar to that shown and described in the ' 048 patent, the ' 331 application, and the ' 880 application, all generally gun-style handles, may contain electronics and work in conjunction with a display, but the significant difference in this application is the detachable connection and interaction of the handle 140 with the disposable member 400.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portable endoscope with a side disposable member of some embodiments. The endoscope 100 shown in the figures includes only one rear port 130. In other embodiments, different disposable members 400 may be made according to the particular needs of the user. In some embodiments, the injection needle of the disposable member emerges from the cannula tip in a manner similar to that described in U.S. patent No.10,278,563; or similar to that described in us patent No. 16/447, 251 filed on 2019, 20/6, the cannula of the disposable member has a bendable front end; or similar to that described in US2019/0282071a1, the cannula of the disposable member includes a working channel through which a surgical instrument may be passed; or the cannula forward end of the disposable member is made to scrape or otherwise collect a tissue sample similar to that described in U.S. patent No.8,460,182. As shown by the dashed arrow, according to some embodiments, cannula 120 may be rotated about its longitudinal axis 124.

Fig. 4A and 4B are further perspective views of a portable endoscope with a side-mounted disposable member in some embodiments. Fig. 4A more clearly shows a single use disposable member 400 and a multiple use reusable portion 402 of the endoscope 100. Single-use portion 400 includes cannula 120, front end 110, electrical connector 136, ports 130, 132, and 430, and receptacle 138. The reusable part 402 includes the handle 140 and the display module 150. As indicated by the dashed arrows, the single-use portion 400 slides or snaps into the side of the reusable portion 402 in a radial direction from the longitudinal axis 124. In particular, the receptacle 138 of the single-use portion 400 is sized to fit snugly but removably with the side slot 440 in the handle 140 of the reusable portion 402. The mating connection of the insert housing 138 with the side slots 440 provides a secure physical connection between the single-use portion 400 and the reusable portion 401. The electrical connection between the two portions 400 and 402 is established using the electrical connector 136 and the handle electrical connector 144. It has been found that advantages of separating the physical connection from the electrical connection include better fluid contamination resistance of the electronic components, and easier, more intuitive mating of the single use and reusable portions. In addition, this type of electrical connection may conveniently select the single use portion 402 to be connected to an electronics unit, such as a cabinet, rather than the handle 140. The cabinet may contain computing equipment and a display, or other image processing and/or image storage equipment, or equipment that transmits images from section 402 to a remote location (e.g., a hospital workstation or remote medical facility). According to some embodiments, electrical connector 136 connects single-use portion 400 via flexible cable 414 and enables the cannula to rotate as shown by the dashed arrow in fig. 3. The forward portion of cable 414 is inside cannula 120, but the rear portion is outside, exposed to the environment, and of sufficient length and flexibility to allow cannula 120 to rotate relative to holder 134 and handle 140.

FIG. 4B shows more detail of the physical and electrical connections between the single use and reusable portions of the portable endoscope 100. According to some embodiments, the electrical connectors 136 and 144 use a standard electrical connection scheme, such as a micro display port (type DP20), for the generation 1 and 2 lightning interfaces. Fig. 4B shows a male connector 410 that may mate with the female connector 144 on the handle 140. With respect to the mechanical connection, the receptacle 138 may include positioning aids, such as positioning balls 460, 462, and 464, which are spring loaded and may engage the internal grooves 442 and 444 formed in the side groove 440. In addition, posts 450 and 452 are provided on the receptacle 138 and holes 470 and 472 are provided on the inner side of the side channel 440 of the handle 140 to mate with.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of a portable endoscope having a side disposable member and a fluid-resistant handle portion, depicting a sealing component and other aspects, in accordance with some embodiments. Many of the components of the reusable part 402 are sealed using O-rings and/or gaskets, including the left and right handle cover flaps 542 and 540, which are sealed to each other using corresponding O-rings or gaskets 532. Similarly, the front cover 550 and the rear cover 552 of the display module 150 are sealed using O-rings 534. The display module 150 is sealed with the left handle cover plate 542 using an O-ring 551. Various other openings are sealed with O-rings (e.g., O-ring 530). Similarly, the front cover 581 and bottom cover or flap 583 may be sealed to the left and right handle cover flaps 540 and 542 by O-rings and/or gaskets.

Fig. 5 also shows a main printed circuit board 570 on which the electronic module 146 is mounted. The lithium ion rechargeable battery 580 supplies power to the electronic components, the display module 150, and the front-end camera module and LED lamp through the electrical connector 144. In some embodiments, Wi-Fi functionality is also included, as shown in FIG. 5 for a WiFi motherboard 582 and a WiFi antenna 584.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a sealing structure and other aspects of a portable endoscope having a side disposable member according to some embodiments. O-ring seals 532 and 534 are shown in this view. The O-ring seal shown and described in fig. 5 and 6 provides a highly water resistant reusable portion 402 of the portable endoscope. For example, the handle 140 may conform to the IXP 7 standard and may be submerged 0.15 to 1 meter below the liquid level for up to 30 minutes. After use, the reusable portion of the endoscope is sterilized and/or disinfected to prevent cross-contamination prior to reuse. According to some embodiments, the seal shown and described, which may be employed with the reusable portion 402, may also have a level of fluid resistance in fluid insults such as alcohol for cleaning, disinfection, and/or sterilization. According to some embodiments, the reusable portion 402 may be sterilized by immersion in Ethylene Oxide (EO) using a removable silicone plug (not shown) or otherwise sealing the electrical connector 144. According to some other embodiments, the reusable portion 402 can withstand repeated high pressure environments, such as a hot steam environment at 134 ℃.

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of an insertion tube rotation structure and other portions of a portable endoscope with a side-mounted disposable member according to some embodiments. At the front end, the illustrated front end 110 includes a header 710, two or more LEDs (only LEDs 720 and 722 are shown as examples) and a camera module 730. The rear end of the cannula 120 is inserted into the front end of the fluid collection chamber 732. The rear end of the collection chamber 732 is secured to the support 134, and the rear end of the support 134 is secured to the base 750. Within seat 134 is a cannula connector 746, the forward end of cannula connector 746 being configured to be inserted into the rearward end of cannula 120. The connector 746 is connected at a rear end to a connector 744, which connector 744 may be attached to the connector 746 by threads and/or epoxy. Connection 744 connects to working channel connection 742. The base 750 is held in place by being "sandwiched" between the rear end of the channel connector 742 and a flange on the connector 740. The connector 740 is connected to the tube 754. The rear end of the tube 754 is secured to a luer port 756. The tube 754 is configured to rotate freely within the receptacle 138. The receptacle 138 and electrical connector 136 remain stationary relative to the handle 140, while most other components rotate about the axis 124. In particular, according to some embodiments, the following components rotate together as a unit about axis 124: front end 110, cannula 120, collection chamber 732, seat 134, connectors 746 and 744, working channel connector 742, base 750, connector 740, tube 744, and luer 756. According to some embodiments, the rotational range of the cannula 120 and other components is limited to slightly less than 360 degrees (e.g., 350 degrees as shown in fig. 8B, or at least 180 degrees) so that the flexible cable 414 does not become too tight from over-rotation. The base 750 may include tabs 752 that may be tucked into the circular grooves 810 (shown in fig. 8A) on the front face of the flange of the receptacle 138.

Fig. 8A and 8B are a cross-sectional view and a front view of a portable endoscope cannula rotation structure with a side-mounted disposable member and other portions according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the circular slot 810 can limit rotation of the cannula 120 and other components by limiting movement of the tabs 752 of the base 750 (shown in fig. 7). Note that since the cannula contains multiple lumens, the working channel in the cannula may be slightly off-center or off-axis 124. The connector 744 enables the working channel to be more closely located to the centrally located longitudinal axis 124.

Fig. 9 is a side view of a WiFi antenna arrangement and other aspects of a portable endoscope with a side-mounted disposable member according to some embodiments. The location of the WiFi motherboard 582 and WiFi antenna 584 is shown. Note that the WiFi antenna 584 may extend to and along the back of the touch screen of the display module 150 to reduce the shielding effect of the metal portion of the handle 140. According to some embodiments, a WiFi module and antenna 584 on the motherboard 582 may transmit video to a WiFi receiver (not shown), such as in another external monitor or workstation.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a touch sensitive video display screen according to some embodiments. As described above, the electronics module 146 in the handle 140 includes an electronic imaging system that supports automatic adjustment of parameters such As Exposure Control (AEC), gain control (AGC), and white balance (AWB). In addition, automatic illumination control (ALC) also integrates ALC (automatic illumination control) for controlling the illumination of the imaged object. The camera and illumination module in the front end 110 and the imaging and control in the electronics module 146 together are configured as a "well-conditioned" imaging system, providing a useful "auto mode". However, in some cases, it is sometimes advantageous to use the "manual mode" especially in endoscopy. In a hand-held portable endoscope 100, the automatic mode works well in most cases when the front end 110 is within the lumen. However, in some cases, for example, when the camera on the front end 110 is close to the inner wall of the tissue that is tangential to the line of sight of the camera module, part of the image field (due to the proximity of the inner wall to the illumination LEDs) is very bright compared to other areas that are further from the LEDs. To better visualize the inner wall (or the part close to the camera), a "manual mode" can be used, while all automatic imaging functions are switched off. In fig. 10, a switching button, such as one of the rotational position buttons 1020, 1022, 1024, and 1026 on the touch screen 350, can switch or switch the automatic mode and the manual mode. According to some other embodiments, hardware buttons on the handle 140 may be used in addition to or instead of touch screen buttons to switch between automatic and manual modes. In addition, the "manual mode" may have 2 or 3 steps to reduce the LED brightness to facilitate visualization of the target surface. The setting of such automatic and manual modes is described in U.S. patent No.10,292,571.

According to some embodiments, the automatic mode is configured to fully auto AGC, AEC, and ALC, while the manual mode turns AGC, AEC, and ALC off and sets the LED brightness to 50% of its default brightness (or other predetermined brightness, e.g., 75%). The screen 350 is a touchless or touchless operation so that the clinical operator does not have to remove the glove to press and activate the buttons on the screen 150. According to some embodiments, buttons 1020, 1022, 1024, and 1026 are virtual touch buttons that appear above display screen 350. They may be located near the corners or edges of the screen as shown. The user can move (slide) the "X" or "+" pattern laterally at location 1030 on screen 350 to close and hide the floating button. The user may bring up the float button in a circular motion (not shown) on the screen.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are a cross-sectional view of a cannula in some embodiments and a front portion of a portable endoscope with a side-mounted disposable member. Fig. 11A illustrates some example dimensions of a cannula 120. Cannula 120 has an outer diameter of 4.1 millimeters. The working channel lumen inner diameter is 2.2 mm and the cable lumen 1102 is oval in shape and is sized as shown. The cable lumen 1102 may be used to carry cables to the camera module and LEDs on the front end 110. In FIG. 11B, the size and position of camera module 730, LEDs 720 and 722 are shown. The camera module 730 has a square area with a side length of 1.05mm, and the LEDs 720 and 722 are rectangles whose long side lengths are approximately the same as the side length of the camera module 730.

According to some embodiments, the endoscope 100 described herein may be applied to gynecological diseases. For example, endometrial biopsy devices such as Pipelle, endometrial biopsy cannulae such as SoftFlex available from Integra Live Sciences Corp, N.J., endometrial samplers such as the EndoSampler available from Meddy, Illinois, surgical curettes, etc., can be inserted into the body through the working channel to perform an endometrial biopsy.

Although the foregoing has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be made without departing from the principles of the invention. It should be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the processes and apparatuses described herein. Accordingly, the present embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the subject matter described herein is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the appended claims.