Endoscope system
First Claim
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1. An endoscope system comprising:
- an endoscope provided with an insertion section to be introduced into a coeliac cavity of a body, a control section remote from said insertion section for controlling the operation of the endoscope and a first fluid passage for supplying a fluid to said insertion section;
signal generating means in said control section and including a first depressible electrical switching element provided on said control section for generating a first electrical signal having a signal level which is a function of a depression force applied to the first switching element;
air flow generating means separate from said control section for generating an air flow;
a first tube coupled to said air flow generating means and through which air flows, said first tube extending from the endoscope and communicating with the first fluid passage of the endoscope;
a first valve coupled to said first tube for adjusting the flow rate of air flowing through the first tube, said first valve being located separate from said control section; and
actuating means located separate from said control section and being coupled to said signal generating means and responsive to said first electrical signal for actuating said first valve for setting the flow of air through said first tube in accordance with the signal level of said first electrical signal from said signal generating means of said control section.
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Abstract
An endoscope system comprises an endoscope provided with passages through which air and water are supplied and sucked and pumps for conducting air and water through the corresponding passages. The control section of the endoscope is provided with switches for generating electrical signals to freely preset the flow rates of air and water. Tubes for connecting pumps to the air passages are provided with valves for controlling the flow rates of air and water. The valves are opened by a servo motor driven by a servo motor drive circuit in accordance with the signal levers of the electrical signals issued from the switches.
121 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An endoscope system comprising:
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an endoscope provided with an insertion section to be introduced into a coeliac cavity of a body, a control section remote from said insertion section for controlling the operation of the endoscope and a first fluid passage for supplying a fluid to said insertion section; signal generating means in said control section and including a first depressible electrical switching element provided on said control section for generating a first electrical signal having a signal level which is a function of a depression force applied to the first switching element; air flow generating means separate from said control section for generating an air flow; a first tube coupled to said air flow generating means and through which air flows, said first tube extending from the endoscope and communicating with the first fluid passage of the endoscope; a first valve coupled to said first tube for adjusting the flow rate of air flowing through the first tube, said first valve being located separate from said control section; and actuating means located separate from said control section and being coupled to said signal generating means and responsive to said first electrical signal for actuating said first valve for setting the flow of air through said first tube in accordance with the signal level of said first electrical signal from said signal generating means of said control section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An endoscope system comprising:
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an endoscope provided with first, second and third fluid passages for supplying first, second and third fluids; signal generating means including first, second and third depressible switching elements provided on the endoscope for respectively generating first, second and third electrical signals which respectively have a signal level which is a function of a depression force applied to the corresponding switching element; means for generating an air flow; first, second and third tubes through which air flows and which extend from the endoscope and communicate with said first, second and third fluid passages of the endoscope, respectively; first, second and third valves coupled to said first, second and third tubes, respectively, for adjusting the flow rate of air flowing through said first, second and third tubes, respectively; and actuating means coupled to said signal generating means for actuating each of said first, second and third valves for setting the flow rate of air through said first, second and third tubes in accordance with the signal level of the corresponding electrical signal from said signal generating means. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification