ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS

• US 20120209065A1
• Filed: 04/24/2012
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evident Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: HOSAKA, Yoichi, ISHIKAWA, Yoshihisa
• Granted Patent: US 8,758,230 B2
• 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 1/00066 Proximal part of endoscope body, e.g. handles A61B1/0052 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports

Abstract

An endoscope apparatus includes an insertion part which has an imaging mechanism at a distal end portion; a display part which displays an image acquired by an observation mechanism, a manipulating part which performs curving manipulation of the insertion part; and a housing which accommodates the display part and the manipulating part to a front face thereof, and which connects the insertion part with a back face opposite to the front face. The manipulating part has a swingable first joystick; and a curving mechanism having the first joystick and a manipulating member connected thereto. The swinging center of the first joystick is located inside a region specified by a portion where fingers are arranged in a side view of the housing when a user holds the housing, and by a distal end of the first joystick protruding toward the front face.

Claims

1. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

an insertion part which has an imaging mechanism at a distal end portion and which is bendable and elongated;

a display part which displays an image acquired by the imaging mechanism;

a manipulating part which performs curving manipulation of the insertion part; and

a housing being provided with the display part and the manipulating part to a front face thereof, and being connected with the insertion part with a back face opposite to the front face,

wherein the manipulating part comprises

a swingable manipulating rod, and

a curving mechanism that has the manipulating rod and the manipulating member connected thereto and that curves the insertion part as the manipulating member is advanced or retracted by manipulating the manipulating rod,

wherein the housing has an upper portion where the display part is provided therewith, and a lower portion where the manipulating part is provided therewith and having the insertion part connected thereto,

wherein a proximal end of the insertion part connected to the lower portion, and the manipulating rod are coaxially arranged in a neutral state of the manipulating rod,

wherein the housing is held such that the thumb of one hand of a user is located at a distal end of the manipulating rod, the other fingers in the one hand of the user are located above and below the proximal end of the insertion part in the back face, and the thumb and the other fingers face each other, and

wherein the swinging center of the manipulating rod is located inside a region specified by the portion of the back face where the other fingers are arranged in a side view of the housing when the user holds the housing, and by a distal end of the manipulating rod protruding toward the front face.

2. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the back face has a first slope and a second slope that rise up toward the connected insertion part, and when the user holds the housing in order to use the endoscope apparatus, at least one of the other finger is arranged at each of the first slope and the second slope.

3. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the curving mechanism is a mechanical curving mechanism in which the manipulating member is advanced or retracted by manipulating the manipulating rod.

4. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the curving mechanism is a mechanical curving mechanism in which the manipulating member is advanced or retracted by manipulating the manipulating rod.