Endoscope, endoscopic head, and method for producing an endoscope

Abstract

An endoscope according to the invention comprises an endoscope shaft (3), which has a cylindrical shaft tube (4), and an endoscope head (2), which is arranged at a proximal end of the endoscope shaft (3) and, in a distal end region (11), has a cylindrical interior (13) with a peripheral groove (15), wherein the shaft tube (4) is inserted into the cylindrical interior (13) and folded into the peripheral groove (15). According to the invention, the groove (15) is not rotationally symmetrical. The invention further relates to an endoscope head and to a method for producing an endoscope.

1 . Endoscope with an endoscope shaft ( 3 ), which has a cylindrical shaft tube ( 4 ), and with an endoscope head ( 2 ), which is arranged at a proximal end of the endoscope shaft ( 3 ) and, in a distal end region ( 11 ), has a cylindrical interior ( 13 ) with a peripheral groove ( 15 ), wherein the shaft tube ( 4 ) is inserted into the cylindrical interior ( 13 ) and folded into the peripheral groove ( 15 ), characterized in that the groove ( 15 ) is not rotationally symmetrical. 
     
     
         2 . Endoscope according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the groove ( 15 ) has a non-uniform depth about the circumference. 
     
     
         3 . Endoscope according to  claim 2 , characterized in that a maximum depth of the groove ( 15 ) is about twice as great as a minimum depth. 
     
     
         4 . Endoscope according to  claim 2  or  3 , characterized in that the groove ( 15 ) has a plurality of depth maxima ( 21 ,  21 ′,  21 ″) distributed uniformly about its circumference and, lying between these, a plurality of depth minima ( 22 ,  22 ′,  22 ″). 
     
     
         5 . Endoscope according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the groove ( 15 ) has three depth maxima ( 21 ,  21 ′,  21 ″) and three depth minima ( 22 ,  22 ′,  22 ″). 
     
     
         6 . Endoscope according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a bottom ( 17 ) of the groove ( 15 ) forms a closed, continuously concave curve. 
     
     
         7 . Endoscope according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the groove ( 15 ) has a trapezoid shape in a cross section of the groove ( 15 ). 
     
     
         8 . Endoscope according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the groove ( 15 ) has a bottom ( 17 ) and, arranged on both sides, flanks ( 18 ,  19 ), wherein an inclination of the flanks measures approximately 60°. 
     
     
         9 . Endoscope according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a fold ( 23 ) of the shaft tube ( 4 ) substantially fills the groove ( 15 ). 
     
     
         10 . Endoscope according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cylindrical interior ( 13 ) has a longitudinal groove ( 16 ) which is connected to the peripheral groove ( 15 ) and extends beyond the latter in the axial direction, wherein the longitudinal groove ( 16 ) is deeper than the peripheral groove ( 15 ) in the connecting region. 
     
     
         11 . Endoscope head, in particular for a rigid endoscope ( 1 ), with a housing ( 6 ) which, in a distal end region ( 11 ), has a cylindrical interior ( 13 ) with a peripheral groove ( 15 ), characterized in that the peripheral groove ( 15 ) is not rotationally symmetrical. 
     
     
         12 . Method for producing an endoscope, wherein a cylindrical shaft tube ( 4 ) and an endoscope head ( 2 ) are made available, the latter having, in a distal end region ( 11 ), a cylindrical interior ( 13 ) with a peripheral, non-rotationally symmetrical groove ( 15 ), a proximal end region ( 5 ) of the shaft tube ( 4 ) is pushed into the cylindrical interior ( 13 ) of the endoscope head ( 2 ), and the proximal end region ( 5 ) of the shaft tube ( 4 ) is press-fitted to the distal end region ( 11 ) of the endoscope head ( 2 ).