DRIVE SHAFT, INSERTION INSTRUMENT AND INSERTION DEVICE

• US 20170209026A1
• Filed: 04/07/2017
• Published: 07/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: MASAKI, Yutaka, NAITO, Kimihiko
• Granted Patent: US 10,441,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00133 Drive units for endoscopic tools inserted through or with the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00135 Oversleeves mounted on the endoscope prior to insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00148 using anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/051 Details of CCD assembly

Abstract

A drive shaft extends inside a tubular section along a shaft axis, and the drive shaft rotates around the shaft axis while transmitting a driving force generated in a driving source to a driven portion. The drive shaft includes multiple extension sections, and a hard section. Each of the extension sections extends along the shaft axis. The hard section is interposed between two of the extension sections in a direction along the shaft axis, and has a higher rigidity in comparison to that of the extension sections.

Claims

1. A drive shaft which extends along a central axis, and which is configured to transmit a driving force to a driven portion by being rotated around the central axis by a driving source, the drive shaft comprising:

a plurality of extension sections which extend along the central axis, and which are arranged in line in a direction along the central axis; and

a hard section which connects end portions of two of the extension sections in the direction along the central axis, and which has a higher rigidity in comparison to the extension sections.

2. The drive shaft according to claim 1, wherein

a first extension section of the extension sections, which is arranged adjacent to the hard section on a driving source side of the hard section, includes a first coil layer formed spirally around the central axis, and

a second extension section of the extension sections, which is arranged adjacent to the hard section on a driven portion side of the hard section, includes a second coil layer formed spirally around the central axis, a winding direction of the second coil layer being opposite to that of the first coil layer.

3. The drive shaft according to claim 2, wherein

each of the first extension section and the second extension section includes a plurality of coil layers each of which is formed spirally around the central axis,

the first coil layer forms an outermost layer of the first extension section, and

the second coil layer forms an outermost layer of the second extension section.

4. The drive shaft according to claim 2, wherein the first coil layer is connected to the second coil layer by way of the hard section.

5. The drive shaft according to claim 1, wherein

the hard section includes a plurality of hard sections spaced apart from each other in the direction along the central axis, and

the plurality of hard sections are arranged at equal intervals in the direction along the central axis.

6. The drive shaft according to claim 1, wherein

the hard section includes a plurality of hard sections spaced apart from each other in the direction along the central axis, and

intervals of the plurality of hard sections in the direction along the central axis are smaller in a portion on a driven portion side than in a portion on a driving source side.

7. The drive shaft according to claim 1, wherein

the hard section includes a plurality of hard sections spaced apart from each other in the direction along the central axis, and

intervals of the plurality of hard sections in the direction along the central axis are smaller in a portion on a driving source side than in a portion on a driven portion side.

8. An insertion instrument comprising:

the drive shaft according to claim 1; and

an insertion section which extends along a longitudinal axis, and which forms the tubular section inside which the drive shaft extends.

9. The insertion instrument according to claim 8, further comprising the driving source which arranged on a proximal side with respect to the insertion section, and which is configured to generate the driving force that is transmitted through the drive shaft.

10. The insertion instrument according to claim 8, wherein the insertion section includes a driven portion which is configured to be driven by the driven force transmitted through the drive shaft.

11. An insertion device comprising:

the insertion instrument according to claim 10; and

an assistance tool which is attached to the insertion section, and to which the driving force is configured to be transmitted from the driven portion when the driven portion attached to the insertion section is driven.