ENDOSCOPE SYSTEM

• US 20180028052A1
• Filed: 07/27/2016
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2016
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: KOJO, Hiroyuki
• Application Number:
  US15/220,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20180028052A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00055 for alerting the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00154 using guiding arrangements for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00172 with means for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe

Abstract

An endoscope system includes, a holding unit; a guide pipe extending from the holding unit, an endoscope including a distal end portion capable of acquiring an image, the endoscope being inserted through an inside of the guide pipe and bendable in at least one plane, a bending operation unit rotatably provided on the holding unit and capable of adjusting a bending angle of the endoscope, and a pointer provided on the bending operation unit and indicating an extending direction of the distal end portion in the plane.

Claims

1. An endoscope system comprising:

a holding unit;

a guide pipe extending from the holding unit;

an endoscope including a distal end portion capable of acquiring an image, the endoscope being inserted through an inside of the guide pipe and bendable in at least one plane;

a bending operation unit rotatably provided on the holding unit and capable of adjusting a bending angle of the endoscope; and

a pointer provided on the bending operation unit and indicating an extending direction of the distal end portion in the plane.

2. The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein an indicating direction of the pointer is recognizable by a user by tactile sensation.

3. The endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein

the endoscope includes a linear member to adjust the bending angle, and

the bending operation unit includes:

a dial portion rotatably provided on the holding unit and provided with the pointer; and

a converting portion to convert rotation of the dial portion into forward and backward movement of the linear member.

4. The endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein the bending operation unit includes:

a dial portion rotatably provided on the holding unit and provided with the pointer;

an actuator unit bending the endoscope in the at least one plane;

a sensing unit sensing a rotation amount of the dial portion; and

a controller controlling the actuator unit such that the extending direction of the distal end portion agrees with the indicating direction of the pointer of the dial portion, based on the rotation amount of the dial portion sensed by the sensing unit.

5. The endoscope system according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit capable of displaying the image acquired by the distal end portion.