Patent ID: 8128557

Claim:
An endoscope comprising a handle ( 2 ) and a probe part ( 3 ) which can be connected thereto, an illumination system having at least one light emitting diode ( 5 ) and a video system with an image receiver arranged in the handle ( 2 ), a carrier element ( 12 ) arranged inside the handle ( 2 ) is provided for the at least one light diode ( 6 ) comprising a heat dissipating material, to which the light diode ( 6 ) is directly connected, and with the carrier element ( 12 ) is in a thermal contact with at least one of housing parts or installation parts of the handle ( 2 ) and the probe part ( 3 ), the carrier element ( 12 ) is rod-shaped and extends from an installation site of the light emitting diode ( 6 ) towards a proximal end of the handle ( 2 ) to such an extent that a sufficient dissipation and cooling surface is formed for cooling the light emitting diode ( 6 ), at least one of a volume or a surface of all thermally contacted elements serve for heat dissipation and cooling of the at least one light emitting diode ( 6 ), the at least one light emitting diode ( 6 ) has one pole of its electric connections connected to the carrier element ( 12 ), a holder ( 16 ) is in a thermal contact to the carrier element ( 12 ) and a lens cartridge ( 11 ) and acts as a heat bridging part, and a coupling ( 7 ) is arranged between the handle ( 2 ) and the probe part ( 3 ), which includes bayonet-like engaging coupling parts ( 4 , 5 ), the coupling parts ( 4 , 5 ) are in thermal contact with the carrier element ( 12 ) of the light emitting diode via a holding plate ( 20 ) and the holder ( 16 ) as a heat bridging part.