TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an endoscope with a shaft, in which at least one working channel is arranged, and with an endoscope head arranged at the distal end of the shaft, wherein a deflection lever is arranged in the endoscope head and is adjustable between a non-deflected starting position and a deflected working position relative to the shaft, and wherein the deflection lever is adjustable via a Bowden wire, the proximal end of which is mounted via a collet on a control handle arranged at the proximal end of the shaft, wherein the collet fixing the proximal end of the Bowden wire is arranged on a slide that is movable proximally out of a housing of the control handle, which slide is coupled to the control handle via a rod.

BACKGROUND

Endoscopes of this kind, for example duodenoscopes, with a lens system usually arranged laterally at the endoscope head have a deflection mechanism known as an Albarran lever, by which the probes or other medical instruments inserted through the at least one working channel into the endoscope are deflected laterally from the endoscope head and moved in the viewing angle of the lens system.

An endoscope of the type in question is known, for example, from EP 1 112 019 B1. Although this known endoscope has indeed proven itself in practice, it has the disadvantage that, in order to clean the at least one working channel and guide the Bowden wire, parts of the endoscope have to be dismantled by means of tools, for example screwdrivers, which procedure is time-consuming and, on account of the small component parts, also complicated.

SUMMARY

Proceeding from this, the object of the invention is to create an endoscope of the type mentioned at the outset which, having a simple structure, can be easily dismantled, in particular for cleaning purposes, and reassembled.

This object is achieved, according to the invention, by the fact that the slide can be coupled to the rod via a clamping connection.

Since the coupling between the rod, which serves to move the slide, and the slide itself is designed as a screwless clamping connection, it is easily possible to remove the slide for cleaning purposes from the housing of the control handle and reattach it after cleaning. The design as a clamping connection even permits dismantling and reattachment with just one hand.

According to a preferred embodiment for forming this clamping connection, the invention proposes that a longitudinal slit is formed in the rod and extends as far as that end of the rod couplable to the slide, and that a latching element that can be pushed into the longitudinal slit is formed on the slide. By means of the longitudinal slit formed in the rod, the rod can be bent resiliently apart in order to receive the latching element arranged on the slide. The restoring force of the two spring arms of the rod that are formed by the longitudinal slit then fixes and clamps the latching element of the slide pushed into the longitudinal slit.

In order to improve the clamping and fixing of the latching element of the slide in the longitudinal slit of the rod, it is proposed, in a practical embodiment of the invention, that a latching recess for receiving the latching element of the slide is formed in the longitudinal slit of the rod.

In order to form the latching element of the slide and to form the latching recess of the longitudinal slit, it is proposed according to the invention that the latching element on the slide is designed as a pin with a cross section in the shape of a mushroom and with a stem protruding at right angles from the slide, and with a head formed at the free end of the stem and exceeding the diameter of the stem, and that the latching recess of the longitudinal slit is designed as a recess adapted to a stem of the mushroom-shaped pin. The configuration of the latching element of the slide in the shape of a mushroom ensures that the rod cannot simply be pulled away from the latching element transversely with respect to the direction of the longitudinal slit.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the endoscope head can be coupled to the distal end of the shaft via a clamping connection.

Since the coupling between the endoscope head and the distal end of the shaft is designed as a screwless clamping connection, it is easily possible to separate the endoscope head for cleaning purposes from the shaft and reattach it after cleaning. The design as a clamping connection even permits dismantling and reattachment with just one hand.

According to a preferred embodiment for forming this clamping connection, the invention proposes that a clamping slit is formed in the proximal end of the endoscope head, and that a latching element that is insertable into the clamping slit of the endoscope head is formed at the distal end of the shaft.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latching element at the distal end of the shaft is designed as a latching lug that continues the shaft in the distal direction.

The design of the connection of the endoscope head to the shaft as purely a clamping connection is particularly advantageous in the case where the module forming the endoscope head is produced as a disposable article made of a plastics material.

Finally, the invention proposes both that the endoscope head can be coupled to the distal end of the shaft via a clamping connection and also that the slide can be coupled to the rod via a clamping connection.

The structural design of these two connections as clamping connections permits simple dismantling and reattachment of the component parts and is particularly advantageous in respect of rapid, easier and complete cleaning of the endoscope.

