Flexible endoscope
First Claim
1. A flexible endoscope comprising a handle for an operator, control means on said handle to operate the endoscope, a flexible section, a first terminal articulated length composed of a plurality of articulated ring elements and controlled by said control means through the medium of motor means and two first pairs of wires passing through holes in said plurality of articulated ring elements, means on the tip of the terminal length for taking images in the cavity where the operation is taking place and for transmitting them to the outside, and means ancillary to the operation of said image-taking means, said ancillary means includingmeans for lighting said cavity, andmeans for washing said cavity and said image-taking means,wherein said endoscope also comprises, between said flexible section and said terminal articulated length, at least one additional articulated length controlled by a control means on said handle through motor means, and two second pairs of wires, each pair of said wires having the upper end fastened to a ring at the upper end of the additional articulated length and the lower end fastened to a motor means able to pull a wire and slacken the other wire, each motor means for each articulated length being in the form of an assembly comprising a pair of electric motors capable of rotation in both directions of revolution, each associated with means adapted to impart a linear movement, in one direction or in the other one, to the lower ends of a pair of wires, and each assembly of motor means being controlled by an assembly of means located on an outer face of the handle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible endoscope comprising a handle, a flexible section, a terminal articulated length, at least one additional articulated length between the flexible section and the terminal articulated length, each articulated length being movable by two pairs of wires connected with servomechanisms so as to cause the bending of one only or of more articulated lengths simultaneously.
206 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A flexible endoscope comprising a handle for an operator, control means on said handle to operate the endoscope, a flexible section, a first terminal articulated length composed of a plurality of articulated ring elements and controlled by said control means through the medium of motor means and two first pairs of wires passing through holes in said plurality of articulated ring elements, means on the tip of the terminal length for taking images in the cavity where the operation is taking place and for transmitting them to the outside, and means ancillary to the operation of said image-taking means, said ancillary means including
means for lighting said cavity, and means for washing said cavity and said image-taking means, wherein said endoscope also comprises, between said flexible section and said terminal articulated length, at least one additional articulated length controlled by a control means on said handle through motor means, and two second pairs of wires, each pair of said wires having the upper end fastened to a ring at the upper end of the additional articulated length and the lower end fastened to a motor means able to pull a wire and slacken the other wire, each motor means for each articulated length being in the form of an assembly comprising a pair of electric motors capable of rotation in both directions of revolution, each associated with means adapted to impart a linear movement, in one direction or in the other one, to the lower ends of a pair of wires, and each assembly of motor means being controlled by an assembly of means located on an outer face of the handle.
Specification