ENDOSCOPE

• US 20080200763A1
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: UENO, Haruhiko
• Application Number:
  US12/109,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20080200763A1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0057 Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances

Abstract

An endoscope includes an elongated insertion section inserted into a body cavity from a distal end portion, a hard base section provided on a proximal end side of the insertion section, a transmission line, a holding portion, and a connector portion. The transmission line is extended from the inside of the insertion section to the base section and signals or light is transmitted through thereof. The holding portion is disposed in the base section and holds the transmission line while restricting movement of the insertion section and the base section in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction thereof. The connector portion is provided in the base section and connects an end portion of the extended transmission line to an external device through the holding portion.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising:

an elongated insertion section having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion is inserted into a body cavity from the distal end portion;

a hard base section provided at the proximal end portion of the insertion section;

a transmission line which is extended from the inside of the insertion section to the base section and through which signals or light is transmitted;

a holding portion which is disposed in the base section and holds the transmission line while restricting movement of the insertion section and the base section in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction thereof; and

a connector portion which is provided in the base section and connects an end portion of the extended transmission line to an external device through the holding portion.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a tube body having a path formed therein is arranged between the base section and the connector portion, and

the transmission line is arranged in the path of the tube body.

3. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the insertion section includes a bendable bending portion, and

the base section includes a drive mechanism driven when operating the bending portion to be bent and a frame body which holds the drive mechanism.

4. The endoscope according to claim 3, comprising an operation wire whose distal end is connected with the bending portion of the insertion section and whose proximal end is connected with the drive mechanism of the base section, and

the drive mechanism includes a drive source which generates a driving force, a transmission mechanism which is connected with the proximal end of the operation wire and transmits the driving force of the drive source to the operation wire, and a control device which operates the drive source.

5. The endoscope according to claim 4, wherein the operation wire includes an up-and-down bending operation wire for an up-and-down direction which bends the bending portion in the up-and-down direction and a right-and-left bending operation wire for a right-and-left direction which bends the bending portion in the right-and-left direction,

the transmission mechanism includes a first transmission mechanism connected with the up-and-down operation wire and a second transmission mechanism connected with the right-and-left bending operation wire, and

the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism are arranged on the outer side of the holding portion.

6. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion is formed of an electroconductive material.

7. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion has a cylindrical shape and includes a layered electroconductive material in at least a part of a space between an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface thereof.

8. An endoscope comprising:

an elongated insertion section having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion is inserted into a body cavity from the distal end portion;

a hard base section which is provided at the proximal end portion of the insertion section and has a drive mechanism;

a tubular body which is extended from the base section toward the proximal end side, has a connector portion connected with an external device at an extended end portion, and has a path formed therein;

a transmission line which is arranged from the inside of the insertion section to the path of the tubular body to be connected with the connector portion and through which signals or light is transmitted; and

a holding portion which is disposed in the base section and holds the transmission line while restricting movement of the insertion section and the base section in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction thereof and avoiding coming under an influence of noise when the noise is produced from the drive mechanism.

9. The endoscope according to claim 8, wherein the insertion section includes a bendable bending portion,

the endoscope includes an operation wire which has a distal end connected with the bending portion of the insertion section and a proximal end connected with the drive mechanism of the base section, and

the drive mechanism includes a drive source which generates a driving force, a transmission mechanism which is connected with the proximal end of the operation wire and transmits the driving force from the drive source to the operation wire, and a control device which operates the drive source.

10. The endoscope according to claim 9, wherein the operation wire includes an up-and-down bending operation wire for an up-and-down direction which bends the bending portion in the up-and-down direction and a right-and-left bending operation wire for a right-and-left direction which bends the bending portion in the right-and-left direction,

the transmission mechanism includes a first transmission mechanism connected with the up-and-down bending operation wire and a second transmission mechanism connected with the right-and-left bending operation wire, and

the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism are arranged on the outer side of the holding portion.

11. The endoscope according to claim 8, wherein the holding portion is formed of an electroconductive material.

12. The endoscope according to claim 8, wherein the holding portion has a cylindrical shape and includes a layered electroconductive material in at least a part of a space between an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface thereof.