Electrically-operated curving control device

• US 20070150155A1
• Filed: 02/20/2007
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Kimoto, Seiichiro, Honda, Takemitsu, Kawai, Toshimasa, Kobayashi, Eiichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,938,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/009 with bending or curvature detection of the insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports

Abstract

At startup, a main CPU renders and copies various types of unique parameters stored in an SRAM card corresponding to an ID unique to endoscopes to DPRAM and SDRAM and enables the endoscopes to be used with these parameters. Also in the event of desiring to change the set parameters, the user requests a change via an HM, whereby the changed parameters are copied to the SDRAM via the DPRAM, and electrically-operated curving actions of the endoscope can be performed with the changed parameters.

Claims

1. An electrically-operated curving control device comprising:

curving driving control means for performing electrical curving driving control of a curving portion of an endoscope; and

parameter setting means for setting static parameters relating to the curving driving control.

2. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 1, wherein the parameter setting means are capable of changeably setting parameters that have been set.

3. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 1, wherein the parameter setting means perform setting of static parameters relating to a curving operation input unit for performing operating input of curving instructions.

4. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 3, wherein static parameters relating to the curving operation input unit include static parameters relating to at least one of an operating range for curving the curving portion, a dead band, sensitivity, and force sense feedback properties.

5. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 1, wherein the parameter setting means perform setting of static parameters relating to actions of electrically performing curving driving of the curving portion, in response to user operations.

6. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 5, wherein static parameters set according to the user operations include static parameters relating to at least one of standby time for clutch On and OFF and standby time for servo ON and OFF of a servo control system for electrically performing curving driving of the curving portion.

7. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 1, wherein the parameter setting means perform setting of static parameters relating to a curving driving mechanism for electrically performing curving driving of the curving portion.

8. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 7, wherein the static parameters relating to the curving driving mechanism include static parameters relating to at least one of properties of a curving driving motor, properties of an encoder for performing rotational position detection of the curving driving motor, properties of a potentiometer which performs positional detection of a member which pulling or relaxing of a curving wire rotationally driven by the curving driving motor, and a loop gain for performing servo control of the curving driving motor.

9. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 1, wherein the parameter setting means perform setting of static parameters relating to a servo control system for electrically performing curving driving of the curving portion.

10. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 9, wherein static parameters relating to the servo control system include static parameters relating to at least one of a sampling cycle for performing sampling at the time of performing servo control, amplitude of motor pulses for driving a curving driving motor, selection of servo algorithm, and gain.

11. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 1, wherein the parameter setting means perform setting of static parameters relating to actions of air/water feed and suction.

12. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 11, wherein static parameters relating to the air/water feed and suction include static parameters relating to changing the amount of air feed, the amount of water feed, and the amount of suction;

and wherein the parameter setting means set static parameters relating to the actions of the air/water feed and suction for each sequence of air feed, water feed, and suction.

13. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 1, wherein the electrically-operated curving control device is configured so as to be selectively connectable to multiple endoscopes.

14. An electrically-operated curving control device according to claim 13, wherein the parameter setting means read out unique parameters corresponding to unique information of an endoscope actually connected thereto at the time of startup, and sets the unique parameters as static parameters to be used.