Patent ID: 11864735
Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A continuous flow endoscope device comprising:
an elongated tubular member defining a lumen and a longitudinal axis;
a first channel disposed within the lumen of the elongated tubular member, the first channel defining a first cross-sectional area substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
a second channel disposed within the lumen of the elongated tubular member externally of and separately from the first channel, the second channel configured to receive an instrument having a circular cross-section during a first portion of an operation, the second channel defining a second cross-sectional area substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the second cross-sectional area of the second channel is different from the first cross-sectional area of the first channel, and wherein the second cross-sectional area of the second channel includes a first portion configured to complement the circular cross-section of the instrument and a second portion that extends away from the circular cross-section of the instrument such that, with the instrument inserted through the second channel, the second portion of the second cross-sectional area defines additional space not occupied by the instrument; and
an optics device disposed in a first free space of the lumen of the elongated tubular member, the first free space being a space within the lumen of the elongated tubular member not occupied by either the first channel or the second channel,
wherein the lumen of the elongated tubular member defines a second free space, the second free space separated from the first free space by the first and second channels and being a space within the lumen of the elongated tubular member not occupied by either the first channel or the second channel,
wherein the first channel is arranged to pass a fluid in a first direction and the second channel is arranged, with the instrument inserted through the second channel, to pass the fluid through the additional space in a second direction different from the first direction, the first and second channels arranged to isolate the fluid from the first free space of the lumen of the elongated tubular member.