Electric bending endoscope

• US 20040267093A1
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Ikeda, Yuichi, Arai, Keiichi, Miyagi, Takayasu, Maeda, Toshinari
• Granted Patent: US 7,662,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/146
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles

Abstract

An electric bending endoscope according to the present invention includes a bending portion arranged to an inserting portion, a bending driving mechanism which electrically bends the bending portion, an operation input member which instructs an operation to the bending driving mechanism so that the bending driving mechanism bends the bending portion, and a bending angle holding mechanism which holds the bending angle of the bending portion.

Claims

1. An electric bending endoscope comprising:

a bending portion arranged to an inserting portion;

a bending driving mechanism which electrically bends the bending portion;

an operation input member which instructs an operation to the bending driving mechanism so that the bending driving mechanism bends the bending portion; and

a bending angle holding mechanism which holds the bending angle of the bending portion.

2. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the bending angle holding mechanism comprises a brake member which applies friction force to the operation input member or a member that is operated interlockingly to the operation input member, and holds the operation input member in a state of an inputted operation amount.

3. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the bending angle holding mechanism further comprises an engaging member which applies friction force to the operation input member or a member that is operated interlockingly to the operation input member, and holds it.

4. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 3, further comprising:

a return mechanism which returns the operation input member to a predetermined position.

5. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 2, further comprising:

an engaging member which selectively operates the brake member.

6. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 5, wherein the engaging member includes an electromagnet.

7. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of the operation input members for operating the engaging member are arranged.

8. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the bending angle holding mechanism electrically holds the bending angle of the bending portion.

9. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 8, wherein the bending angle holding mechanism prevents a bending control unit for controlling the bending driving mechanism from changing control of the bending driving mechanism when an instruction for holding the bending angle of the bending portion is provided.

10. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 9, wherein the bending angle holding mechanism shuts out an instruction signal for changing the bending angle, which is inputted to the bending control unit when an instruction for holding the bending angle of the bending portion is provided.

11. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 9, wherein an input member for instructing to hold the bending angle of the bending portion is arranged to an operating portion that operates the electric bending endoscope.

12. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 9, further comprising:

a notifying mechanism which notifies that the bending angle of the bending portion is held by the bending angle holding mechanism.

13. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the notifying mechanism displays, on a display which displays the image from the endoscope, that the bending angle is held.

14. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the operation input member has an identifying portion for instructing a bending direction of the bending portion.

15. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the operation input member includes a joystick member.

16. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 15, wherein the joystick member is covered with a cover member and the joystick member is movably provided in the axial direction such that the cover member is extended in the axial direction of the joystick.

17. An electric bending endoscope comprising:

electric bending driving means which electrically bends a bending portion arranged to the distal-end side of an inserting portion;

bending operation input means which inputs an instruction for a bending operation of the bending portion; and

bending angle holding means which holds the bending angle of the bending portion.

18. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 17, wherein the bending operation input member includes a joystick member.

19. An electric bending endoscope comprising:

a bending portion which is arranged to an inserting portion;

a bending control unit for bending the bending portion by electromotive power;

an operation input member which instructs an operation to the bending control unit so that the bending control unit bends the bending portion; and

a bending angle holding mechanism which holds the bending angle of the bending portion until an instruction for releasing the holding of the bending angle of the bending portion is provided.

20. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 19, wherein the bending angle holding mechanism shuts out an instructing signal for changing the bending angle inputted to the bending control unit, when the instruction for holding the bending angle of the bending portion is provided.