Method of controlling endoscopes, and endoscope system

• US 10,441,132 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Neal, Timothy J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woo, Jae
• Application Number:
  US15/172,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00006 of control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00057 provided with means for testing or calibration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00071 Insertion part of the endoscope body A61B1/0055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0014 Fastening element for attaching accessories to the outside of an endoscope, e.g. clips, clamps or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00154 using guiding arrangements for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2059 Mechanical position encoders
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/062 penetration depth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/24 Instruments or systems for viewing the inside of hollow bodies, e.g. fibrescopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports

Abstract

A method of controlling an endoscope includes,

• • inserting an insert part having an imaging unit at a distal end through the body;
  • making an imaging direction of the imaging unit variable by bending of a bending part,
  • wherein the bending part is included in the insert part;
  • detecting an amount of insertion of the insert part through the body; and
  • determining whether the bending part is to be bent or not on the basis of operation of a direction input part depending on the amount of insertion.

Claims

1. An endoscope system comprising:

an insert part configured to be inserted into a body, the insert part comprising;

an imaging unit;

a first bending part provided proximally relative to the imaging unit; and

a second bending part provided proximally relative to the first bending part;

an actuator configured to bend the first bending part and to bend the second bending part;

an input unit configured to operate the first bending part and to operate the second bending part by an operator;

a trocar configured for insertion of a shaft assembly, the shaft assembly comprising the imaging unit, the first bending part and the second bending part;

a movement sensor provided at the trocar, the movement sensor being configured to detect a quantity of insertion or withdrawal of the shaft assembly; and

a controller configured to control the actuator based on an input signal from the input unit;

wherein the input unit further comprises a mode switch unit configured to switch between a normal mode and a cooperative mode;

the controller comprising one or more processors, the controller being configured to;

receive an amount of insertion or withdrawal of the insert part from the movement sensor;

receive the input signal from the input unit; and

generate a drive command of the actuator based on the amount of insertion of the shaft assembly and the input signal, wherein in response to switching to the cooperative mode, the drive command is configured to cooperatively actuate at least one of the first bending part and the second bending part so as to keep a cooperative relationship between the first bending part and the second bending part, the cooperative relationship being a drive command configured to control an angle of bending of the first bending part on the basis of a bending angle of the second bending part; and

send the drive command to the actuator.

2. The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether a current operation is configured to insert or withdraw the shaft assembly on the basis of a change in the amount of insertion, wherein when the current operation is configured for withdrawal of the shaft assembly, the controller generates a command of the actuator and sends the command to the actuator such that, on the basis of the received amount of insertion, the first bending part and the second bending part return to an initial state with no bending of the first bending part or no bending of the second bending part, or alternatively an amount of torque of the actuator on the first bending part or on the second bending part decreases.

3. The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein:

the input unit comprises a mode switch part, a distal-end direction input part configured to operate the first bending part, and a direction input part configured to operate the second bending part, and

the controller is configured to;

in response to switching to the normal mode, receive signals from the distal-end direction input part and the direction input part, generate commands for actuation of the first bending part and the second bending part based on the commands from the distal-end direction input part and the direction input part, and send the commands to the actuator.

4. The endoscope system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to:

in response to switching the cooperative mode, disable a command from the distal-end direction input part.