US Patent 7758498 Endoscope with relief of axial loading

A rigid endoscope includes an outer housing subassembly that supports an optics subassembly. The outer housing subassembly includes concentric tubes with optical fiber for providing object illumination. The optics subassembly includes a tubular sheath sealed at both ends for carrying lenses and other optical elements. First and second positioners associated with the optics subassembly and the outer housing subassembly, respectively, limit the transfer of axial forces from the proximal end of the endoscope to the tubular sheath.