Endoscope system

• US 20030078475A1
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Takizawa, Hironobu, Hirata, Yasuo, Adachi, Hideyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,104,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/152
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres

Abstract

In this invention, a drum around which an insertion portion is wound is integrally housed in a carrying case, and a cylinder for supplying a fluid to a hydropneumatic actuator and a solenoid valve unit for controlling the application of a hydropneumatic pressure are housed in the carrying case or drum. In addition, a joystick for operating the controlled variables of the solenoid valve unit can be housed in the carrying case.

Claims

1. An endoscope system having image sensing means at a distal end of an insertion portion to be inserted into a tubular cavity under examination, a bending portion behind said image sensing means, and a hydropneumatic actuator for bending said bending portion with a hydropneumatic pressure,

said hydropneumatic actuator having a multi lumen tube, and

said multi lumen tube being constituted by

a central hole housing a built-in member, and

a plurality of pressurization chambers arranged around the central hole, comprising:

a syringe for supplying a fluid to said hydropneumatic actuator;

an actuator for driving said syringe back and forth;

a control unit for controlling said actuator; and

an operating portion for operating a controlled variable of said control unit.

2. An endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein

said hydropneumatic actuator includes first and second pressurization chambers with which said bending portion bends in opposite directions when said pressurization chamber is pressurized, and comprises

first and second syringes which are respectively connected to said first and second pressurization chambers and compress the fluid,

first and second pistons which move in said first and second syringes, and

a motor for driving both said first and second pistons.

3. An endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein

said first and second syringes are arranged in line in opposite directions,

said first and second pistons are connected to each other through a coupling member, and

said motor causes said coupling member to slide over said syringe.

4. An endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein said control unit includes a control circuit for driving said motor to cancel out a hysteresis with respect to an increase/decrease in pressure in said pressurization chamber.

5. An endoscope system according to claim 1, further comprising fluid supply means for supplying a fluid into said syringe before said actuator is driven.

6. An endoscope system according to claim 5, wherein said fluid supply means is a gas cylinder.

7. An endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said actuator comprises

an origin position detecting portion for detecting an origin position of said piston in said syringe, and

valve means for supplying a compressed fluid from said gas cylinder into said syringe upon detection of the origin position.

8. An endoscope system having image sensing means at a distal end of an insertion portion to be inserted into a tubular cavity under examination, a bending portion behind said image sensing means, and a hydropneumatic actuator for bending said bending portion with a hydropneumatic pressure,

said hydropneumatic actuator having a multi lumen tube, said multi lumen tube being constituted by

a central hole housing a built-in member, and

a plurality of pressurization chambers arranged around the central hole, and

said bending portion having a cylindrical member that is extensible in an axial direction, and

bending portion protecting means mounted on an outer surface between front and rear ends of said bending portion while said cylindrical member is made shorter than a natural length in an axial direction of said bending portion.

9. An endoscope system according to claim 8, wherein said insertion portion includes a spare built-in part having a plurality of bend tubes, each having the same structure as that of said hydropneumatic actuator placed in said bending portion, arranged in line behind said end portion.

10. An endoscope system according to claim 9, wherein said bend tube is a continuous tube several times longer than said bending portion.

11. An endoscope system according to claim 8, wherein said pressurization chamber has a cross-sectional shape obtained by forming circular holes at two end portions of a slit having no thickness.

12. An endoscope system having image sensing means at a distal end of an insertion portion to be inserted into a tubular cavity under examination, a bending portion behind said image sensing means, and a hydropneumatic actuator for bending said bending portion with a hydropneumatic pressure,

said hydropneumatic actuator having a multi lumen tube, said multi lumen tube being constituted by

a central hole housing a built-in member, and

a plurality of pressurization chambers arranged around the central hole, comprising:

a take-up drum which can take up the insertion portion and in which said hydropneumatic actuator is housed;

a cylinder for supplying a fluid to said hydropneumatic actuator in said drum;

a housing case for integrally housing said insertion portion and said drum;

a control unit for controlling a fluid amount in said cylinder housed in said housing case or said drum; and

an operating portion which can be housed in said housing case and operates a controlled variable of said control unit,

wherein said operating portion includes

a monitor for displaying a picture from said image sensing means,

controlled variable display means, placed on a display screen of said monitor or near said monitor, for displaying a controlled variable of said control unit, and

a touch panel which is placed on the display screen of said monitor to display a press on a surface of said monitor and a position of the press, and

a controlled variable of said control unit is adjusted in accordance with a press position signal from said touch panel.

13. An endoscope system according to claim 12, further comprising control means, having switches equal in number to said pressurization chambers of said hydropneumatic actuator, for, when said switch is pressed, stopping supply of a fluid to a corresponding one of said pressurization chambers.

14. An endoscope system according to claim 12, wherein said housing case or drum includes a release valve for simultaneously releasing pressures in all said fluid supply tubes to the atmosphere.

15. An endoscope system according to claim 12, wherein

said insertion portion includes a hydropneumatic pressure supply port connected to said fluid supply tube,

said housing case includes an auxiliary fluid supply tube coupled to said cylinder, and

said auxiliary fluid supply tube includes a hydropneumatic pressure supply connector detachably connected to the hydropneumatic pressure supply port.

16. An endoscope system according to claim 15, wherein said hydropneumatic pressure supply connector is placed on said housing case.

17. An endoscope system according to claim 15, wherein the hydropneumatic pressure supply port is placed at a substantially middle position of said insertion portion.