Patent ID: 6551240
Filing Date: 2003-04-22
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An endoscope comprising:a shaft with coaxial outer and inner sheath pipes (1, 2); an optic system provided in the inner sheath pipe (2); a lens system (5) provided at the distal end; and illumination units (10) provided in the shaft with ring-like light emitting diodes (25) (LED's) surrounding the inner sheath pipe (2) for producing the light of illumination, wherein the LED's (25) are provided on ring-shaped light-transmissive carriers (10), which carriers (10) are provided between the inner and outer sheath pipes (1, 2), and wherein multiple carriers (10) are provided between the proximal and distal ends of the shaft in the ring space between the inner and outer sheath pipes (1, 2) cascade-like, axially sequentially.