Abstract: A shaft for a rigid endoscopic instrument includes an elongate outer shaft and an elongate transmission element that can be arranged movably inside the outer shaft, wherein the outer shaft includes a proximal portion and a distal portion, which can be connected releasably to each other. The invention also relates to a rigid endoscopic instrument having such a shaft.

Abstract: A load control circuit includes one or more current regulators, in particular in an electronic motor vehicle control unit, wherein one or more preferably inductive load(s) is/are connected to a circuit located outside the control unit or inside the control unit, and wherein the load current flowing through the load(s) is or can be reduced by way of one or more step-down converters to a voltage potential below the supply voltage. A step-down converter includes a clocked DC/DC converter having at least one clocked switch and an energy storage medium, in particular a capacitor, for conversion, wherein the clock control of the switch or switches is modified according to the charge state of the energy storage medium and wherein the charge state is determined according to the voltage present at the energy storage medium.

Abstract: A dilation device including a dilation instrument which includes a distal radially expandable section which is coupled via an elongate shank to a handling section, and an expandable covering with a closed distal end and an open proximal end, for the expansion section of the dilation instrument. The covering has a shank section extending along the shank of the dilation instrument. The open proximal end of the covering is detachably coupled to the distal end of the handling section of the dilation instrument. Furthermore, the covering is disclosed per se, which consists of a mesh material and has a shank section, which is connected to a coupling sleeve at the open proximal end.

Abstract: A shaft for a rigid endoscopic instrument includes an elongate outer shaft and an elongate transmission element that can be arranged movably inside the outer shaft, wherein the outer shaft includes a proximal portion and a distal portion, which can be connected releasably to each other. The invention also relates to a rigid endoscopic instrument having such a shaft.

Abstract: An electronic switching device and method for the detection of a detection element stream through a detection element and/or a temperature in said detection element. A first connection of the detection element is connected to a first transistor element and a second connection of the detection element is connected to a second transistor element. The base connections of the first and second transistor element are directly or indirectly connected to one another and the second transistor element (Q2) provides and/or modulates an electrical evaluation signal. The signal value of the electrical evaluation signal is directly or indirectly dependent on at least the detection element stream and/or the temperature in the detection element.

Abstract: A load control circuit includes one or more current regulators, in particular in an electronic motor vehicle control unit, wherein one or more preferably inductive load(s) is/are connected to a circuit located outside the control unit or inside the control unit, and wherein the load current flowing through the load(s) is or can be reduced by way of one or more step-down converters to a voltage potential below the supply voltage. A step-down converter includes a clocked DC/DC converter having at least one clocked switch and an energy storage medium, in particular a capacitor, for conversion, wherein the clock control of the switch or switches is modified according to the charge state of the energy storage medium and wherein the charge state is determined according to the voltage present at the energy storage medium.

Abstract: An electronic switching device and method for the detection of a detection element stream through a detection element and/or a temperature in said detection element. A first connection of the detection element is connected to a first transistor element and a second connection of the detection element is connected to a second transistor element. The base connections of the first and second transistor element are directly or indirectly connected to one another and the second transistor element (Q2) provides and/or modulates an electrical evaluation signal. The signal value of the electrical evaluation signal is directly or indirectly dependent on at least the detection element stream and/or the temperature in the detection element.