Fluid insensitive braking for an endoscope
First Claim
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1. A steering mechanism for a flexible insertion tube of an endoscope having an articulation section at its distal end and deflection cable means extending from the distal end to a proximal end thereof, said steering mechanism comprising;
- a control housing operatively connected to the proximal end of said insertion tube;
a control wheel mounted for rotation on the exterior of said control housing;
connecting means for coupling said control wheel to a deflection cable for articulating the distal end of said insertion tube;
brake means movably mounted adjacent to said control wheel;
actuating means for moving the brake means between a first position wherein the brake means is out of engagement with said control wheel and a second position wherein said brake means is in braking engagement with said control wheelcoacting means in the control wheel and the brake means for rotationally incrementing said control wheel when the brake means is in said second position, andbiasing means for applying force against the brake means when said brake means is in said second position for applying a holding force against the control wheel.
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Abstract
A fluid insensitive system for braking the displacement cables of an endoscopic insertion tube wherein at least one control wheel is mounted on the outside of the insertion tube control housing. A brake disc is slidably mounted adjacent the control wheel and is moved in and out of engagement with the wheel by an actuator. A ratchet mechanism acts between the control wheel and the brake disc to apply a restraining force against the wheel when the wheel and the brake disc are in engagement.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A steering mechanism for a flexible insertion tube of an endoscope having an articulation section at its distal end and deflection cable means extending from the distal end to a proximal end thereof, said steering mechanism comprising;
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a control housing operatively connected to the proximal end of said insertion tube; a control wheel mounted for rotation on the exterior of said control housing; connecting means for coupling said control wheel to a deflection cable for articulating the distal end of said insertion tube; brake means movably mounted adjacent to said control wheel; actuating means for moving the brake means between a first position wherein the brake means is out of engagement with said control wheel and a second position wherein said brake means is in braking engagement with said control wheel coacting means in the control wheel and the brake means for rotationally incrementing said control wheel when the brake means is in said second position, and biasing means for applying force against the brake means when said brake means is in said second position for applying a holding force against the control wheel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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12. A steering mechanism for a flexible insertion tube of an endoscope that has an articulation section at its distal end and deflection cable means extending from the distal end to a proximal end thereof, said steering mechanism comprising:
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a control housing connected to said insertion tube at the proximal end thereof; first and second control wheels mounted for rotation upon the exterior of said control housing; connecting means for coupling said first control wheel to a first deflection cable for moving said distal end of the insertion tube in a vertical plane and coupling said second control wheel to a second deflection cable for moving said distal end of the insertion tube in a horizontal plane; a brake disc means mounted exterior said control housing adjacent to each of said control wheels, said brake disc means being movable axially toward and away from said adjacent control wheel; actuator means associated with each brake disc means for moving the brake disc means into a first engaging position wherein said brake disc means is disengaging with an associated control wheel and a second engaging position wherein the brake disc means is in engagement with said associated control wheel; biasing means associated with each brake disc means for holding the brake disc means in engagement with said adjacent control wheel when said actuator means is in said second engaging position; and spring means associated with each brake disc means for urging the brake disc means out of engagement with the associated control wheel when the actuator means is in said first disengaging position. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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13. The steering mechanism according to claim 13 wherein said biasing means and said spring means associated with each brake disc means includes at least one wave washer positioned on either side of the brake disc means.
Specification