Endoscopic apparatus using a covered type endoscope fitted in an endoscope cover

• US 5,575,753 A
• Filed: 03/25/1993
• Issued: 11/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Akira, Tamada, Osamu, Yabe, Hisao, Iida, Yoshihiro, Itoh, Hideo, Yamazaki, Minoru, Tashiro, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL
• Application Number:
  US08/038,620
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 128/4, 128/6, 600/121, 600/122, 600/123, 600/124, 600/125, 600/132, 600/131
• US Class Current: 600/123
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/12 with cooling or rinsing arrangements

Abstract

An covered endoscope type of endoscopic apparatus has a covered endoscope and a cover for covering the covered endoscope. The covered endoscope has an elongated flexible inserted portion, an operated portion formed on the base end side of the inserted portion, and a universal cord extending from a side portion of the operated portion. The cover is formed of an inserted portion cover member, an operated portion cover member and a cord cover which cover the inserted portion, the operated portion and the universal cord of the covered endoscope, respectively. An operated endoscope portion fixation mouth member having a forceps inlet and an expansion tube mouth to which an expansion tube provided on an expander is connected is provided at a base end of the inserted portion cover member. An air supply tube, a water supply tube and an aspiration tube are inserted through the inserted portion cover member, the operated portion cover member and the cord cover. The overall length of the aspiration tube, the air supply tube and the water supply tube of the cover is set so as to be greater than the sum of the lengths of the inserted portion, operated portion and universal cord of the covered endoscope.

Claims

1. A covered endoscope type endoscopic apparatus comprising:

an endoscope having an inserted portion inserted into a body cavity to obtain an observed image, and transmission means for transmitting the observed image, said transmission means consisting of an operated portion formed at a base end of said inserted portion and a universal cord extending from a side portion of said operated portion;

an endoscope cover capable of being fitted around said endoscope and having a fore end component portion, a base end component portion and a soft tubular portion; and

at least one fluid passage having at least a portion provided in said tubular portion;

wherein the overall length of said fluid passage is greater than the overall length of said endoscope including said inserted portion and said transmission means.

2. A covered endoscope type endoscopic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fluid passage has a mouth portion in said fore end component portion and serves to aspirate a fluid in the vicinity of said fore end component portion.

3. A covered endoscope type endoscopic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said endoscope cover and said fluid passage are accommodated in one sterilized pack.

4. A covered endoscope type endoscopic apparatus comprising:

an endoscope having an inserted portion inserted into a body cavity to obtain an observed image, and transmission means for transmitting the observed image, said transmission means consisting of an operated portion formed at a base end of said inserted portion and a universal cord extending from a side portion of said operated portion;

an endoscope cover capable of being fitted around said endoscope and having a fore end component portion, a base end component portion and a soft tubular portion;

a liquid supply passage provided in said tubular portion to supply a liquid to a fore end of said endoscope cover;

a gas supply passage provided in said tubular portion to supply a gas to the fore end of said endoscope cover; and

an aspiration passage provided in said tubular portion to aspirate the fluid from the fore end of said endoscope cover;

wherein said aspiration passage is placed between said liquid supply passage and said gas supply passage and wherein the overall length of any one of said passages is greater than the overall length of said endoscope including said inserted portion and said transmission means.

5. A covered endoscope type endoscopic apparatus comprising:

an endoscope having an inserted portion inserted into a body cavity to obtain an observed image, and transmission means for transmitting the observed image, said transmission means consisting of an operated portion formed at a base end of said inserted portion and a universal cord extending from a side portion of said operated portion;

an endoscope cover capable of being fitted around said endoscope and having a fore end component portion, a base end component portion and a soft tubular portion;

at least one fluid passage provided at least partially inside said tubular portion;

said endoscope cover including an operated portion cover for covering an operated portion of said endoscope; and

positioning means for positioning said fluid passage on said operated portion cover and wherein the overall length of said at least one fluid passage is greater than the overall length of said endoscope including said inserted portion and said transmission means.

6. A covered endoscope type endoscopic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said positioning means comprises a channel through which said fluid passage extends.

7. A covered endoscope type endoscopic apparatus comprising:

an endoscope having an inserted portion inserted into a body cavity to obtain an observed image, and transmission means for transmitting the observed image, said transmission means consisting of an operated portion formed at a base end of said inserted portion and a universal cord extending from a side portion of said operated portion;

an endoscope cover capable of being fitted around said endoscope and having a fore end component portion, a base end component portion and a soft tubular portion;

a plurality of fluid passages provided inside said tubular portion;

said plurality of fluid passages including at least a first fluid passage and a second fluid passage;

each of said first fluid passage and said second fluid passage having a mouth portion in said fore end component portion; and

the mouth portion of one of said first and second fluid passages oriented toward a distal end surface of said fore end component portion and facing the mouth portion of the other of said first and second fluid passages.