Assembly with Imaging Electronics

Abstract

A catheter with an imaging assembly is disclosed. The catheter is used with a console for viewing and/or storing images obtained from the catheter. The catheter may be a feeding tube assembly. The imaging assembly on the feeding tube assembly allows a user to confirm placement of the feeding tube assembly in the patient's alimentary canal.

1 .- 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A feeding tube assembly comprising:
 a flexible feeding tube having opposite first and second longitudinal ends, a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second longitudinal ends, and a feeding passage defined therein extending along the longitudinal axis between the first and second longitudinal ends;   an inlet adaptor adjacent the second longitudinal end of the tube in fluid communication with the feeding passage, the inlet adaptor configured for fluid connection to a source of enteral feeding liquid to fluidly connect the source of enteral feeding liquid to the feeding passage;   an imaging assembly including an imaging device, the imaging assembly configured for generating and transmitting imaging signals indicative of images of the alimentary canal of a subject, wherein the imaging assembly is secured to the tube adjacent the first longitudinal end of the tube and is sealed from the feeding passage to inhibit enteral feeding liquid in the feeding passage from entering the imaging assembly;   a feeding outlet proximate the imaging assembly and in fluid communication with the feeding passage for delivering enteral feeding liquid to the subject; and   a console connector communicatively connected to the imaging assembly, the console connector configured for use in connecting to the imaging assembly to a console to allow transmission of the imaging signals to the console.   
     
     
         9 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the tube passes through the feeding passage. 
     
     
         10 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising a signal transmission component extending longitudinally along the tube from the imaging assembly to the console connector to provide communication between the imaging assembly and the console connector. 
     
     
         11 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the tube includes a tube wall having an interior surface defining the feeding passage and an exterior surface defining the exterior surface of the tube, wherein the signal transmission component is received in a signal transmission passage in the tube wall and sealed from the fluid passage. 
     
     
         12 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the signal transmission component is embedded in the tube wall. 
     
     
         13 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the signal transmission component comprises a plurality of signal lines. 
     
     
         14 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the signal lines consist of a power supply line, a ground line, and a pair of differential signal lines. 
     
     
         15 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising an imaging assembly connector interconnecting the feeding tube and the imaging assembly, wherein the imaging assembly connector defines the feeding outlet. 
     
     
         16 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the imaging assembly connector is more rigid than the feeding tube. 
     
     
         17 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the imaging assembly comprises a deformable circuit element, wherein the imaging device and a light source are mounted on the deformable circuit element. 
     
     
         18 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the deformable circuit element includes a planar longitudinal portion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the feeding tube, and a planar transverse portion extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the feeding tube, wherein the imaging device and the light source are mounted on the transverse portion of the deformable circuit element. 
     
     
         19 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the deformable circuit element comprises a proximal end secured to the feeding tube, a distal end remote from the feeding tube, the proximal end and the distal end defining a longitudinal axis of the deformable circuit element therebetween, a camera mounting surface oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the deformable circuit element, a light source mounting surface oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the deformable circuit element and to the camera mounting surface, wherein the imaging device is mounted on the camera mounting surface, and the light source is mounted on the light source mounting surface at a position that is distal from the imaging device. 
     
     
         20 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the deformable circuit element has a proximal end adjacent the feeding tube, a distal end remote from the feeding tube, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends, wherein the deformable circuit element includes a camera mounting portion, on which a camera is mounted, extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the deformable circuit element, and a light source mounting portion being laterally disposed relative to the camera mounting portion, wherein the light source is mounted on the light source mounting portion such that the light source is laterally disposed relative to the camera. 
     
     
         21 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the imaging assembly is sized and shaped for nasogastric intubation. 
     
     
         22 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the console connector includes an electronic memory component having feeding tube data relating to the feeding tube assembly written thereon, wherein the electronic memory component and the feeding tube data are accessible by an external microprocessor. 
     
     
         23 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the console connector includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having an edge connector adapted to connect to an interface cable, wherein the electronic memory component is mounted on the PCB and electrically connected to the edge connector. 
     
     
         24 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the feeding tube data includes a predefined identifier associated with the connector assembly that distinguishes the feeding tube assembly from other feeding tube assemblies. 
     
     
         25 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the feeding tube data includes a date of manufacture of the feeding tube assembly. 
     
     
         26 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the console connector is intermediate the inlet adaptor and the imaging assembly. 
     
     
         27 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the console connector extends laterally outward from the feeding tube. 
     
     
         28 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the feeding passage passes through the console connector. 
     
     
         29 . The feeding tube assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the imaging assembly includes a rigid-flex circuit, wherein the imaging device is mounted on the rigid-flex circuit. 
     
     
         30 .- 76 . (canceled)