ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS

• US 20140298932A1
• Filed: 05/14/2014
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: OKAMOTO, Yasuhiro
• Application Number:
  US14/277,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20140298932A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00073 with externally grooved shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00148 using anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 19/06 comprising flexible members, e.g. an endless flexible member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18056 Rotary to or from reciprocating or oscillating

Abstract

An endoscope apparatus includes: an insertion portion; an insertion assisting mechanism portion that is provided on an outer circumference of the insertion portion and is rotatable in a first rotational direction, or a second rotational direction that is the opposite direction to the first rotational direction; a drive portion that generates a driving force for causing the insertion assisting mechanism portion to rotate; a drive shaft that can be rotated by a driving force of the drive portion, and with respect to which a torsional rigidity in a fourth rotational direction that is an opposite direction to a third rotational direction is set so as to be higher than a torsional rigidity in the third rotational direction; and a drive mechanism portion that, by means of the drive shaft rotating in the fourth rotational direction, causes the insertion assisting mechanism portion to rotate in the first rotational direction.

Claims

1. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject;

an insertion assisting mechanism portion that is provided on an outer circumference of the insertion portion and is rotatable in a first rotational direction for advancing the insertion portion inside the subject, or a second rotational direction that is an opposite direction to the first rotational direction and is a direction for retracting the insertion portion towards outside of the subject;

a drive portion that generates a driving force for causing the insertion assisting mechanism portion to rotate with respect to the insertion portion;

a drive shaft that can be rotated by a driving force of the drive portion, and a torsional rigidity of the drive shaft in a fourth rotational direction that is an opposite direction to a third rotational direction is set so as to be higher than a torsional rigidity in the third rotational direction; and

a drive mechanism portion that, by means of the drive shaft rotating in the fourth rotational direction, causes the insertion assisting mechanism portion to rotate in the first rotational direction.

2. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a load that is applied when the insertion assisting mechanism portion rotates in the first rotational direction to cause the insertion portion to advance inside the subject is greater than a load that is applied when the insertion assisting mechanism portion rotates in the second rotational direction to cause the insertion portion to retract towards the outside of the subject.