ENDOSCOPE

• US 20110201884A1
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: KISHIOKA, Shigeyasu
• Application Number:
  US12/966,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20110201884A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00052 positioned at proximal end of the endoscope body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera

Abstract

An endoscope includes an operation portion, an optical image conducting member arranged in the inner space of the operation portion, a display portion coupled to the operation portion so as to be movable relative to the operation portion, an electric connecting member extending between the inner spaces of the operation portion and the display portion and connected to the display portion, and a restricting mechanism configured to restrict movement of a part forming a play in the electric connecting member toward the optical image conducting member, and the restricting mechanism includes a wound portion provided in the inner space, a winding portion being a part of the electric connecting member and wound around the wound portion to form the play, and a winding portion receiving portion provided in the inner space, arranged between the winding portion and the optical image conducting member and configured to support the winding portion.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising:

an operation portion including an inner space;

an optical image conducting member configured to conduct an optical image and including a coupling end portion arranged in the inner space of the operation portion;

a display portion coupled to the operation portion so as to be movable relative to the operation portion, including an inner space and configured to display the optical image conducted by the optical image conducting member and imaged;

an electric connecting member configured to transmit an electric signal, extending between the inner space of the operation portion and the inner space of the display portion, including a connecting end portion connected to the display portion and including a play formed by additional length so as not to prevent movement of the display portion relative to the operation portion; and

a restricting mechanism configured to restrict movement of a part forming the play in the electric connecting member toward the optical image conducting member, and

wherein the restricting mechanism includes;

a wound portion provided in the inner space of the operation portion or the inner space of the display portion;

a winding portion being a part of the electric connecting member and wound around the wound portion to form the play; and

a winding portion receiving portion provided in the inner space of the operation portion or the inner space of the display portion, arranged between the winding portion and the optical image conducting member and configured to support the winding portion.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein the display portion is configured to be rotated about a rotational axis relative to the operation portion,

the display portion includes an imaging unit configured to image the optical image conducted by the optical image conducting member,

the imaging unit is arranged along the rotational axis, extends in the inner space of the display portion and protrudes into the inner space of the operation portion,

the coupling end portion of the optical image conducting member is coupled to a protruding end portion of the imaging unit, and

the wound portion is formed by an outer peripheral portion of the imaging unit.

3. The endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein the display portion is configured to be rotated about a rotational axis relative to the operation portion,

the display portion includes an imaging unit configured to image the optical image conducted by the optical image conducting member,

the imaging unit is arranged along the rotational axis, extends in the inner space of the display portion and protrudes into the inner space of the operation portion,

the coupling end portion of the optical image conducting member is coupled to a protruding end portion of the imaging unit,

the wound portion is formed by a small diameter portion provided at an outer peripheral portion of the imaging unit, and

the winding portion receiving portion is formed by a diameter increasing portion provided at the outer peripheral portion of the imaging unit, arranged closer to the operation portion than the small diameter portion and has an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the small diameter portion.

4. An endoscope comprising:

operation means forming an inner space;

optical image conducting means for conducting an optical image and including coupling end means arranged in the inner space of the operation means;

display means coupled to the operation means so as to be movable relative to the operation means, forming an inner space and being for displaying the optical image conducted by the optical image conducting means and imaged;

electric connecting means for transmitting an electric signal, extending between the inner space of the operation means and the inner space of the display means, including connecting end means connected to the display means and including a play formed by additional length so as not to prevent movement of the display means relative to the operation means; and

restricting means for restricting movement of a part forming the play in the electric connecting means toward the optical image conducting means, and

wherein the restricting means includes;

wound means provided in the inner space of the operation means or the inner space of the display means;

winding means being a part of the electric connecting means and wound around the wound means to form the play; and

winding means receiving means provided in the inner space of the operation means or the inner space of the display means, arranged between the winding means and the optical image conducting means and being for supporting the winding means.