Patent ID: 8016751

Claim:
An optical instrument comprising: an outer shank ( 15 ) having a viewing window ( 31 ) arranged close to a free end of the outer shank and a handle part ( 1 ) on an opposite end of the outer shank; a longitudinal axis of the outer shank extending from the free end of the outer shank to the opposite end of the outer shank; an opto-electrical transducer ( 26 ) rotatably arranged within the outer shank ( 15 ) and attached on an inner shank ( 12 ), the inner shank being rotatably mounted within the outer shank; the outer shank being fixed in the handle part and the inner shank projecting proximally beyond the outer shank in a region of the handle part; actuation means ( 10 ) for rotating the transducer ( 26 ) in the outer shank ( 15 ); and an axial bearing ( 20 ) and at least one spring element ( 18 ); a longitudinal axis of the at least one spring element ( 18 ) extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the outer shank, the at least one spring element ( 18 ) impinging the inner shank ( 12 ) with force in a direction of the axial bearing ( 20 ) and the longitudinal axis of the outer shank; the axial bearing and the at least one spring element being arranged between the outer shank ( 15 ) and the inner shank ( 12 ).