Rotary self-propelled endoscope system

• US 20080086029A1
• Filed: 10/03/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: ITO, Mitsuhiro, UCHIYAMA, Akio, ITO, Seiichi, TANII, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,177,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00006 of control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00055 for alerting the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00148 using anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00154 using guiding arrangements for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/01 Guiding arrangements therefore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes

Abstract

A rotary self-propelled endoscope system includes an insertion section body, an insertion section, a drive unit, a torque detection unit, and a control unit. In a distal end portion of the insertion section body, a rigid distal end portion including an image pickup apparatus is disposed. The insertion section is rotatably fit to the outside of the insertion section body, and includes a rotary tubular member having a helical portion formed by a helical concave-convex portion. The drive unit applies the rotary tubular member with axial and rotational drive force. The torque detection unit detects torque information of the rotary tubular member. On the basis of the torque information detected by the torque detection unit, the control unit compares a present value with a preset limit value for controlling the torque of the rotary tubular member, and controls the drive unit on the basis of the comparison result.

Claims

1. A rotary self-propelled endoscope system comprising:

a flexible insertion section body which includes, in a distal end portion thereof, a rigid distal end portion including an image pickup apparatus, and which is inserted into a body cavity;

an insertion section rotatably fit to the outside of the insertion section body and including a rotary tubular member having a helical portion formed by a helical concave-convex portion;

a drive unit for applying the rotary tubular member with axial and rotational drive force;

a torque detection unit for detecting torque information of the rotary tubular member; and

a control unit for comparing, on the basis of the torque information detected by the torque detection unit, a present value with a preset limit value for controlling the torque of the rotary tubular member, and controlling the drive unit on the basis of the result of the comparison.

2. The rotary self-propelled endoscope system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an insertion amount detection unit for detecting the insertion amount of the insertion section into the body cavity,

wherein the control unit changes and sets the preset limit value in accordance with the insertion amount of the insertion section into the body cavity detected by the insertion amount detection unit, and compares the set limit value with the torque information detected by the torque detection unit.

3. The rotary self-propelled endoscope system according to claim 1,

wherein the torque information is the change amount of the torque during a preset period, and

wherein the control unit changes and sets the preset limit value of the change amount in accordance with the change amount of the torque, and compares the set limit value of the change amount with the change amount of the torque detected by the torque detection unit.

4. The rotary self-propelled endoscope system according to claim 3,

wherein, if the torque information detected by the torque detection unit exceeds the limit value, or if the change amount of the torque detected by the torque detection unit exceeds the limit value of the change amount, the control unit controls the drive unit to stop the rotation of the rotary tubular member or to reduce the torque of the rotary tubular member.

5. The rotary self-propelled endoscope system according to claim 2,

wherein the limit value is set in a plurality of patterns of different dimensions in accordance with the state inside the body cavity.

6. The rotary self-propelled endoscope system according to claim 3,

wherein the limit value of the change amount is set in a plurality of patterns of different dimensions in accordance with the state inside the body cavity.

7. The rotary self-propelled endoscope system according to claim 1,

wherein the limit value used in a withdrawal operation of withdrawing the insertion section inserted into the body cavity is set to be larger than the limit value used in an insertion operation of inserting the insertion section into the body cavity.

8. The rotary self-propelled endoscope system according to claim 1,

wherein the limit value is stored in a storage unit which is controllable by the control unit in data writing and data reading.

9. The rotary self-propelled endoscope system according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit controls the drive unit to rotate the rotary tubular member to rotate at a predetermined rotation speed.