Abstract: A video endoscope that includes a handle with a housing and an interface portion rotatably mounted relative to the housing, and an elongate shaft with one or more electronic image sensors, wherein a proximal end section of the shaft is detachably connected to the interface portion of the handle, where the interface portion includes a first connector element electrically connected to an electric transmission element of the interface portion and the shaft includes a second connector element electrically connected to the one or more electronic image sensors, the first and second connector elements co-operating to form a detachable electrical connection, and where the handle includes an electrical connection assembly arranged at an exterior of the interface portion forming an electrical connection to at least one stationary electric and/or electronic component of the handle in a multiplicity of rotational positions of the interface portion relative to the housing.

Abstract: A medical instrument for providing access to the interior of the body comprises a shaft having an elongated base body and a handle. The base body extends between a distal end and a proximal end of the shaft. The handle is coupled to the base body of the shaft at the proximal end. The shaft defines at least a first channel and a second channel that extend through the shaft. The first channel provides a passage for surgical instruments through the shaft. The second channel is adapted to accommodate an observation optics. The second channel is adjacent to at least one secondary channel that is connected to the second channel.

Abstract: An endoscope according to the technology, especially a mediastinoscope, comprises an elongated shaft and a head piece situated at a proximal end section of the shaft, wherein a heat source is arranged in the head piece, wherein at least one heat pipe extends inside the shaft, wherein a proximal end section of the at least one heat pipe is thermally coupled to the heat source and wherein the endoscope comprises an optical system which is closed by a cover glass arranged in a distal end section of the shaft. The heat source is a light source for generating an illumination radiation. The at least one heat pipe extends in the distal direction as far as the distal end section of the shaft, and at least one distal end section of the heat pipe is thermally coupled to the distal end section of the shaft. The technology also relates to a method for operating an endoscope and a method for producing an endoscope.

Abstract: A video endoscope, in particular a video mediastinoscope, comprises an elongate rigid shaft and a handle detachably attached to a proximal end section of the shaft, wherein the shaft comprises an optics shaft comprising an imaging optics and an electronic image sensor, wherein the optics shaft and a plug connector housing arranged at a proximal end of the optics shaft form a hermetically sealed unit enclosing the imaging optics and the image sensor, and wherein the handle comprises a handle housing in which an electronics unit is accommodated, wherein the electronics unit is hermetically sealed. The invention also relates to a method for configuring a video endoscope.

Abstract: An apparatus for capturing a stereo image includes a first objective for producing a first image, a second eye objective for producing a second eye image, a first viewing direction device rotatable about a first axis assigned the first objective, and a second viewing direction device rotatable about a second axis assigned the second objective. The viewing direction of the apparatus is rotatable by simultaneous rotation of the first and second viewing direction devices. The first objective or part is movable in a translational fashion. A cam mechanism is provided and embodied to couple a rotation of the first viewing direction device to a translational movement of the first objective or part.

Abstract: An apparatus for capturing a stereo image includes a first objective for producing a first image, a second eye objective for producing a second eye image, a first viewing direction device rotatable about a first axis assigned the first objective, and a second viewing direction device rotatable about a second axis assigned the second objective. The viewing direction of the apparatus is rotatable by simultaneous rotation of the first and second viewing direction devices. The first objective or part is movable in a translational fashion. A cam mechanism is provided and embodied to couple a rotation of the first viewing direction device to a translational movement of the first objective or part.

Abstract: An endoscope or exoscope having a shaft and at least one objective and at least one electronic image recorder for recording an image of an object field, wherein the objective and image recorder are arranged in a distal end region of the endoscope or exoscope, and includes at least one cable, routed within the endoscope or exoscope, for supply of and/or image transmission from the electronic image recorder, wherein the electronic image recorder includes an optical unit, which is rotatable about a first axis of rotation identical or approximately parallel to a direction of view of the scope, and on which the cable is connected and can be wound on a circumferential surface of the optical unit, and wherein the distal end region includes a cavity, in which storage for holding a section of the cable is held.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an imaging scope, a controller, a camera, and a processor. The imaging scope is selectively rotatable about a longitudinal axis relative to a horizon plane. The imaging scope has at least three optical channels, each including a respective objective that captures light. The objectives are positioned such that respective viewing direction axes of the optical channels extend at least substantially parallel to one another. The controller activates a pair of optical channels that is at least as parallel relative to the horizon plane as any other pair of optical channels. The camera generates a first image representative of light captured by a first optical channel of the activated pair of optical channels, and a second image representative of light captured by a second optical channel of the activated pair of optical channels. The processor generates a 3D image using the first and second images.

Abstract: A device for recording an image of an object field on a human or animal body from outside of the body including a shaft and an observation optical system, arranged at a distal end of the shaft, for recording the image of the object field, wherein the observation optical system is embodied as a stereo optical system including an electronic image recorder for recording a stereo image of the object field and wherein the device includes an optical unit, which includes the observation optical system and is rotatable about a first axis of rotation approximately parallel to a direction of view of the observation optical system.

Abstract: An endoscope has an elongate shaft, with a housing that is arranged in the endoscope and has a fluid-tight embodiment and a sensor for capturing a physical measurement variable, the sensor being arranged in the shaft. The sensor is situated outside of the fluid-tight housing. A signal line extends from the sensor to a coupling point at the fluid-tight housing. The coupling point connects the signal line to an evaluation unit that is arranged in an interior of the housing for the purposes of evaluating the measurement signal.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an imaging scope, a controller, a camera, and a processor. The imaging scope is selectively rotatable about a longitudinal axis relative to a horizon plane. The imaging scope has at least three optical channels, each including a respective objective that captures light. The objectives are positioned such that respective viewing direction axes of the optical channels extend at least substantially parallel to one another. The controller activates a pair of optical channels that is at least as parallel relative to the horizon plane as any other pair of optical channels. The camera generates a first image representative of light captured by a first optical channel of the activated pair of optical channels, and a second image representative of light captured by a second optical channel of the activated pair of optical channels. The processor generates a 3D image using the first and second images.

Abstract: An image relaying device comprises a shaft, an objective lens at a distal end of the shaft, an optically transparent window region in a proximal end region of the image relaying device, an optical system in the shaft, the optical system relaying an image produced by the objective lens to the proximal end region in a way that the relayed image can be captured through the window region. The optical system's optical axis at the window region is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the optical system's optical axis in the shaft. An optical instrument makes use of a plurality of these image relaying devices and a corresponding plurality of image sensors where the optical path length of each image relaying device may be independently adjusted to correct for optical inconsistencies in the elements of each relaying device.

Abstract: An apparatus for capturing a stereo image includes a first objective for producing a first image, a second eye objective for producing a second eye image, a first viewing direction device rotatable about a first axis assigned the first objective, and a second viewing direction device rotatable about a second axis assigned the second objective. The viewing direction of the apparatus is rotatable by simultaneous rotation of the first and second viewing direction devices. The first objective or part is movable in a translational fashion. A cam mechanism is provided and embodied to couple a rotation of the first viewing direction device to a translational movement of the first objective or part.

Abstract: An optical medical instrument, in particular an endoscope or exoscope, has an elongate tubular shaft, a heat source generating lost heat, and a heat pipe which extends inside the shaft, in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, and has a distal heat pipe end and a proximal heat pipe end, wherein the heat pipe is thermally coupled to the heat source in order to collect heat from the latter and remove the heat from the heat source. Between the distal heat pipe end and the proximal heat pipe end, the heat pipe is coupled thermally conductively and two-dimensionally to the shaft over at least a partial length of the heat pipe and over at least a partial circumference of the heat pipe, in order to remove heat from the heat pipe, over at least a partial length and over at least a partial circumference of the shaft, to the environment.

Abstract: An optical medical instrument, in particular an endoscope or exoscope, has an elongate tubular shaft, a heat source generating lost heat, and a heat pipe which extends inside the shaft, in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, and has a distal heat pipe end and a proximal heat pipe end, wherein the heat pipe is thermally coupled to the heat source in order to collect heat from the latter and remove the heat from the heat source. Between the distal heat pipe end and the proximal heat pipe end, the heat pipe is coupled thermally conductively and two-dimensionally to the shaft over at least a partial length of the heat pipe and over at least a partial circumference of the heat pipe, in order to remove heat from the heat pipe, over at least a partial length and over at least a partial circumference of the shaft, to the environment.

Abstract: An endoscope or exoscope having a shaft and at least one objective and at least one electronic image recorder for recording an image of an object field, wherein the objective and image recorder are arranged in a distal end region of the endoscope or exoscope, and includes at least one cable, routed within the endoscope or exoscope, for supply of and/or image transmission from the electronic image recorder, wherein the electronic image recorder includes an optical unit, which is rotatable about a first axis of rotation identical or approximately parallel to a direction of view of the scope, and on which the cable is connected and can be wound on a circumferential surface of the optical unit, and wherein the distal end region includes a cavity, in which storage for holding a section of the cable is held.

Abstract: A device for recording an image of an object field on a human or animal body from outside of the body including a shaft and an observation optical system, arranged at a distal end of the shaft, for recording the image of the object field, wherein the observation optical system is embodied as a stereo optical system including an electronic image recorder for recording a stereo image of the object field and wherein the device includes an optical unit, which includes the observation optical system and is rotatable about a first axis of rotation approximately parallel to a direction of view of the observation optical system.