Endoscope control unit with braking system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An endoscope system comprising:
- a first articulation actuator;
a first shaft coupled to the first articulation actuator;
a first sleeve, wherein the first shaft is received in the first sleeve; and
a braking system, comprising;
a first braking actuator, wherein the first braking actuator includes a pin received in the first shaft,at least one brake body, wherein the at least one brake body is received in the first shaft, and wherein the at least one brake body extends radially outward from said pin;
wherein the pin and the at least one brake body are engaged, such that movement of the pin, via actuation of the first braking actuator, is configured to move the at least one brake body between a retracted position and an extended position,wherein the at least one brake body presses against the first sleeve when the at least on brake body is in the extended position, andwherein the at least one brake body is retracted away from the first sleeve when the at least one brake body is in the retracted position.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control unit that includes a braking system for fixing the position of an endoscope tip is provided. The control system includes an up-down control knob and a right-left control knob. The brakes are engaged by rotating the control knob itself counter-clockwise from a free wheeling position. After the brakes have been engaged, a sufficient amount of force applied to the control knobs will move the endoscope tip slightly in the corresponding direction, allowing for fine tuning of tip position after braking.
334 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An endoscope system comprising:
-
a first articulation actuator; a first shaft coupled to the first articulation actuator; a first sleeve, wherein the first shaft is received in the first sleeve; and a braking system, comprising; a first braking actuator, wherein the first braking actuator includes a pin received in the first shaft, at least one brake body, wherein the at least one brake body is received in the first shaft, and wherein the at least one brake body extends radially outward from said pin; wherein the pin and the at least one brake body are engaged, such that movement of the pin, via actuation of the first braking actuator, is configured to move the at least one brake body between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the at least one brake body presses against the first sleeve when the at least on brake body is in the extended position, and wherein the at least one brake body is retracted away from the first sleeve when the at least one brake body is in the retracted position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An endoscope system, comprising:
-
an articulation actuator; a shaft coupled to the articulation actuator; a braking system, comprising; a braking lid, wherein said shaft is received in said braking lid, a braking disc configured to move between an extended position, wherein the braking disc is engaged with the braking lid, and a retracted position, wherein the braking disc is disengaged from the braking lid, a braking bushing, wherein said braking bushing receives said shaft and said braking disc, a biasing member configured to bias the braking bushing, wherein the biasing member is in a compressed state when said braking disc is in said retracted position, and wherein the biasing member is in a decompressed state when said braking disc is in said extended position, a braking actuator, wherein the braking actuator is configured to provide relative rotation between said braking bushing and said braking lid to align the braking bushing with the braking lid, such that decompression of said biasing member pushes said braking disc into the extended position; wherein said braking bushing is received within said biasing member. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An endoscope system, comprising:
-
an insertion tube; a steering knob for articulating a section of said insertion tube; a steering shaft coupled to said steering knob, wherein said steering knob and said steering shaft are fixedly coupled, such that rotation of said steering knob causes rotation of said steering shaft; a braking system received in said steering knob, wherein said braking system is movable relative to said steering knob and said steering shaft, said braking system comprising; a lid, wherein said shaft is received in said lid, a disc configured to move between an extended position, wherein said disc is engaged with said lid, and a retracted position, wherein said disc is disengaged from said lid, a bushing, wherein said bushing receives said shaft and said disc, a biasing member configured to bias said bushing, wherein said biasing member is in a compressed state when said disc is in said retracted position, and wherein said biasing member is in a decompressed state when said disc is in said extended position, an actuator, wherein said actuator is configured to provide relative rotation between said bushing and said lid to align said bushing with said lid, such that decompression of said biasing member pushes said disc into said extended position; wherein said actuator is configured to rotate said lid. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
-
Specification