Endoscopic device

Abstract

An endoscopic device includes an endoscopic tube for insertion into a cavity to be viewed; an optical system including a video camera and illuminating means for viewing the cavity, the image on the screen being a noninverted image; and a removable, rigid, sterilizable or discardable sheath completely enclosing the endoscopic tube and the illuminating means to prevent their exposure to the cavity environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An endoscopic device for viewing a field within a cavity comprising: a handle;   a solid state video detector within said handle;   a rigid optics tube extending distally from said handle and closed at its distal end;   illuminating means for illuminating the field to be viewed;   optical means within said optics tube for conveying light from the illuminated field to the video detector in a manner so as to provide a non-reversed image at the detector; and   a .[.rigid,.]. removable, sterilizable or discardable sheath encasing said rigid tube and said illuminating means so as to completely isolate them from contact with the field or wall of the cavity.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1 wherein said illuminating means is within said rigid tube. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 2 wherein said illuminating means is a fiber optic bundle. 
     
     
       4. The device recited in claim 1 wherein said illuminating means is external to said rigid tube. 
     
     
       5. The device recited in claim 1 wherein the said solid state detector is part of a video camera interchangeably mounted in the handle at the proximal end of said handle. 
     
     
       6. The endoscopic device recited in claim 1 wherein the optical means creates a straight optical path coaxial with the optics tube. 
     
     
       7. An endoscopic device for viewing a field within a cavity comprising: a handle;   means associated with said handle for mounting a video camera;   a rigid optics tube mounted to said handle, said optics tube being closed at its distal end;   illuminating means for illuminating the field to be viewed;   optical means contained within the rigid optics tube for transmitting and focusing a non-reversing image of light reflected from the illuminated field to the video camera;   a .[.rigid,.]. removable, sterilizable or discardable sheath positioned over both said rigid optics tube and illuminating means and completely isolating said tube and illuminating means from contact with the field or wall of the cavity; and   means for allowing light to pass from said illuminating means out of said sheath and means for allowing light reflected from the field to pass through said sheath and rigid tube and into said optical means.   
     
     
       8. The endoscopic device recited in claim 7 wherein the handle is of a size and shape which allows the user to comfortably hold and manipulate the device without touching the portion of the sheath which is inserted into the cavity to be viewed. 
     
     
       9. The endoscopic device recited in claim 7 wherein the sheath is removably mounted on the handle in a manner such that the sheath cannot rotate. 
     
     
       10. The endoscopic device recited in claim 9 wherein the optical means includes a roof prism, a rod lens at least one objective lens and a relay lens. 
     
     
       11. The endoscopic device recited in claim 9 wherein the illuminating means comprises a fiber optic bundle contained within said optic tube. 
     
     
       12. The endoscopic device recited in claim 9 wherein the sheath is comprised of a metal or metal alloy. 
     
     
       13. The endoscopic device recited in claim 12 wherein said sheath is stainless steel. 
     
     
       14. An endoscopic device for creating a three dimensional image of an object on a video screen comprising: a handle;   a solid state video detector within said handle;   a rigid optics tube extending distally from said handle;   illuminating means;   optical means contained within said optics tube for focussing light reflected form the object onto a video detector means such that two images, one displaced from the other, are focussed upon said video detection means, at least one such image being non-reversed; and   a .[.rigid.]. sterilizable or discardable sheath completely encasing said optics tube which sheath includes means for transmitting light therethrough.