GUIDE TUBE, GUIDE TUBE APPARATUS, AND ENDOSCOPE SYSTEM

• US 20100152536A1
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evident Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: IWASAKI, Tomokazu, KOBAYASHI, Eiichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,556,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/114
• 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 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements

Abstract

A guide tube having a tube; a ciliary portion including many cilia inclined in a longitudinal direction of the tube, provided in an outer peripheral portion of the tube; and a vibration portion provided on the tube for vibrating the ciliary portion so as to move the tube in the longitudinal direction.

Claims

1. A guide tube comprising:

a tube;

a ciliary portion including many cilia inclined in a longitudinal direction of the tube, provided in an outer peripheral portion of the tube; and

a vibration portion provided on the tube for vibrating the ciliary portion so as to move the tube in the longitudinal direction.

2. The guide tube according to claim 1,

wherein the ciliary portion is fixed to the tube in the vibration portion.

3. The guide tube according to claim 2,

wherein the ciliary portion is fixed to the tube by a fixing member.

4. The guide tube according to claim 3,

wherein the ciliary portion is constituted by winding a ciliary tape having cilia on one surface around the tube.

5. The guide tube according to claim 4, comprising

a plurality of the vibration portions,

wherein part of the plurality of the vibration portions can be selectively driven.

6. The guide tube according to claim 5,

wherein the vibration portion has a vibration motor, and a case housing the vibration motor and having a shape in which an inner peripheral portion is in close contact with the tube.

7. The guide tube according to claim 6, having

a step reducing portion for reducing a step in a longitudinal direction between the case and a surface of the tube.

8. The guide tube according to claim 7,

wherein a length of the cilia of the ciliary portion provided in an outer peripheral portion of the case is shorter than a length of the cilia in other portions.

9. The guide tube according to claim 8, having

at least any one of a microphone or a speaker at a distal end portion.

10. The guide tube according to claim 9,

wherein the tube has an inner diameter such that an insertion portion of an endoscope apparatus having an image pickup portion disposed at a distal end portion can be inserted.

11. A guide tube apparatus comprising:

a guide tube having a tube, a ciliary portion including many cilia inclined in a longitudinal direction of the tube, provided in an outer peripheral portion of the tube, and a vibration portion disposed on the tube for vibrating the ciliary portion so as to move the tube in the longitudinal direction;

a vibration operation portion for operating a vibration control portion for controlling the vibration portion; and

a power reception connector for receiving drive power for the vibration portion.

12. The guide tube apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the tube has an inner diameter such that an insertion portion of an endoscope apparatus having an image pickup portion disposed at a distal end portion can be inserted,

the vibration operation portion has a fixing jig attachable to and detachable from an endoscope operation portion of the endoscope apparatus, and

the power reception connector can be connected to a power transmission connector for transmitting power from a power supply portion of the endoscope apparatus.

13. An endoscope system comprising:

an endoscope apparatus having an insertion portion having an image pickup portion at a distal end portion, an endoscope operation portion for operating the insertion portion, disposed on a proximal end portion side of the insertion portion, a main body portion having a power supply portion disposed therein, and a power transmission connector for transmitting power from the power supply portion; and

a guide tube apparatus having a guide tube having a tube having an inner diameter such that the insertion portion can be inserted, a ciliary portion including many cilia inclined in a longitudinal direction of the tube, provided in an outer peripheral portion of the tube, and a vibration portion disposed on the tube for vibrating the ciliary portion so as to move the tube in the longitudinal direction, a vibration operation portion attachable to and detachable from the endoscope operation portion for operating the vibration portion, and a power reception connector connectable to the power transmission connector.

14. The endoscope system according to claim 13,

wherein the ciliary portion is constituted by winding a ciliary tape having cilia on one surface around the tube and is fixed to the tube in the vibration portion by a fixing member.

15. The endoscope system according to claim 14, comprising

a plurality of guide tube apparatuses.

16. A method for using an endoscope system,

wherein the endoscope system comprises an endoscope apparatus and a guide tube apparatus,

the endoscope apparatus has an insertion portion having an image pickup portion at a distal end portion, an endoscope operation portion for operating the insertion portion, disposed on a proximal end portion side of the insertion portion, a main body portion having a power supply portion disposed therein, and a power transmission connector for transmitting power from the power supply portion to the guide tube apparatus,

the guide tube apparatus has a guide tube having a tube having an inner diameter such that the insertion portion can be inserted, a ciliary portion including many cilia inclined in a longitudinal direction of the tube, provided in an outer peripheral portion of the tube, and a vibration portion disposed on the tube for vibrating the ciliary portion so as to move the tube in the longitudinal direction, and

the tube is moved in the longitudinal direction by driving the vibration portion to vibrate the ciliary portion.

17. The method for using an endoscope system according to claim 16,

wherein the endoscope system comprises at least one of the endoscope apparatus and a plurality of the guide tube apparatuses, and

the tube is moved in the longitudinal direction by driving the vibration portion of the non-inserted guide tube apparatus, in which the insertion portion is not inserted into the tube, to vibrate the ciliary portion.

18. The method for using an endoscope system according to claim 17,

wherein the insertion portion is inserted into the tube when a distal end portion of the non-inserted guide tube apparatus advances to a predetermined position.

19. The method for using an endoscope system according to claim 18,

wherein the guide tube apparatus has a microphone at the distal end portion, and

the distal end portion of the guide tube apparatus advancing to the predetermined position is sensed, based on information from the microphone.

20. The method for using an endoscope system according to claim 18,

wherein a supply tube for supplying air or water is inserted into the tube when a distal end portion of the guide tube apparatus advances to a predetermined position.