ROTARY SELF-PROPELLED ENDOSCOPE

• US 20090209812A1
• Filed: 01/27/2009
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: OMOTO, Keijiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,876,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/110
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00094 Suction openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00148 using anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes

Abstract

A rotary self-propelled endoscope, including: a tubular outer shaft having an elongated insertion section main body with a distal end portion which is rotatable around a longitudinal axis and has at least partially a surface formed to have a helical configuration; an inner shaft which is rotatably inserted through the outer shaft and is coupled to the distal end portion of the insertion section main body; and a motor unit which causes the inner shaft to rotate around the longitudinal axis from the proximal end side.

Claims

1. A rotary self-propelled endoscope, comprising:

a tubular insertion section with a distal end portion which is rotatable around a longitudinal axis and has at least partially a surface formed to have a helical configuration;

a torque transmitting member which is rotatably inserted through the insertion section and is coupled to the distal end portion;

a first drive section which causes the torque transmitting member to rotate around the longitudinal axis; and

a second drive section which causes the insertion section to rotate around the longitudinal axis.

2. The rotary self-propelled endoscope according to claim 1, wherein

the insertion section includes a tubular rotary cylindrical body which has at least partially a surface formed to have a helical configuration and is rotatable around the longitudinal axis, and

the second drive section causes the rotary cylindrical body to rotate.

3. The rotary self-propelled endoscope according to claim 2, wherein

the first drive section is disposed on the proximal end side of the insertion section, and causes the torque transmitting member to rotate from the proximal end side, so that the rotary cylindrical body is rotated via the distal end portion, and

the second drive section is disposed on the outer periphery of the rotary cylindrical body on the distal end portion side of the first drive section, and causes the rotary cylindrical body to rotate from the proximal end side.

4. The rotary self-propelled endoscope according to claim 3, further comprising:

a control section for controlling the first drive section and the second drive section so that that the rotation number of the rotary cylindrical body near the first drive section which is caused by the first drive section and the rotation number of the torque transmitting member caused by the second drive section are synchronized with each other.

5. The rotary self-propelled endoscope according to claim 4, wherein

the distal end portion includes an image pickup device, and the rotary self-propelled endoscope further comprises:

a cable inserted through the torque transmitting member for sending and receiving a signal from the image pickup device.

6. The rotary self-propelled endoscope according to claim 4 which is a rotary self-propelled endoscope to be inserted in large intestine.

7. A rotary self-propelled endoscope, comprising:

an insertion section with a distal end portion and a tubular rotary cylindrical body which has a surface formed to have a helical configuration and is rotatable around a longitudinal axis;

a torque transmitting member which is rotatably inserted through the insertion section and is coupled to the distal end portion;

a first drive section which has a second motor and is disposed on the proximal end side of the insertion section for rotating the rotary cylindrical body via the distal end portion by rotating the torque transmitting member from the proximal end side;

a second rotation number detection section for detecting a rotation number of the torque transmitting member;

a second drive section having the first motor and a roller which is disposed on the outer periphery of the rotary cylindrical body on the distal end portion side of the first drive section and is pressed against the rotary cylindrical body for rotating the rotary cylindrical body from the proximal end side;

a first rotation number detection section for detecting a rotation number of the first motor;

a third rotation number detection section for detecting a rotation number of the rotary cylindrical body near the roller; and

a control section for controlling the first drive section and the second drive section so that the rotation number of the rotary cylindrical body caused by the first drive section and the rotation number of the rotary cylindrical body caused by the second drive section are synchronized with each other.

8. The rotary self-propelled endoscope according to claim 7, wherein

the control section determines the magnitude of a load on the rotation of the rotary cylindrical body based on the rotation number of the first motor and the rotation number of the rotary cylindrical body.

9. The rotary self-propelled endoscope according to claim 8, wherein

the control section generates a warning signal in response to the magnitude of the load.