DISTAL PORTION OF RIGID ENDOSCOPE AND METHOD OF APPLYING ILLUMINATION FIBERS

An endoscope distal tip and method of assembling same, the method including providing an endoscope tip tubular assembly including an outer tube rigidly coupled to an inner tube by at least one rib extending there between and providing a plurality of optical fibers within a space formed between the outer tube and the inner tube. The plurality of optical fibers are extended longitudinally within the outer tube and thereby divided by the at least one rib into at least two optical fiber bundles. The distal end sections of the at least two optical fiber bundles are aggregated into a single optical fiber bundle by inserting an aggregating member into a recess formed between a distal end of the at least one rib and a distal end of the endoscope tip tubular assembly. The aggregating member can be provided to encircle or partially encircle the inner tube or encircle or partially encircle the single optical fiber bundle.