Endoscope system including endoscope and protection cover

• US 5,674,182 A
• Filed: 12/22/1994
• Issued: 10/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Akira, Kira, Jin, Ishii, Hiroshi, Yokoi, Takeshi, Tamada, Osamu, Ito, Hideo, Yabe, Hisao, Iida, Yoshihiro, Yamazaki, Minoru, Tashiro, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL
• Application Number:
  US08/361,678
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 600/121, 600/122, 600/123, 600/124, 600/125, 600/127, 600/128, 600/129, 600/139, 600/140, 600/142, 600/203, 600/206, 600/144
• US Class Current: 600/129
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00057 provided with means for testing or calibration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00101 the distal tip features being detachable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00149 using articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00167 Details of optical fibre bundles, e.g. shape or fibre distribution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00174 characterised by the viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00179 for off-axis viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• 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 1/121 provided with means for cleaning post-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/123 using washing machines

Abstract

An endoscope system including an endoscope having an insertion section which extends from a proximal end to a distal end and is inserted into a cavity under inspection and an operation section connected to the proximal end of the insertion section, and a protection cover including an insertion section inserting channel which extends from a proximal end to a distal end and into which said insertion section of the endoscope is insertable and a conduit channel which extends from the proximal end to the distal end, the improvement being characterized in that a distal end portion of the insertion section has a non-circular cross section such as a semicircular or oval cross section and a proximal end portion of the insertion section has a substantially circular cross section. A distal end member of the insertion section inserting channel has an accommodating portion which is a corresponding non-circular cross section.

Claims

1. An endoscope system comprising:

(a) an endoscope including;

an inserting section having a proximal end and a distal end and being insertable into a cavity to be inspected, said insertion section comprising a distal end construction member having an objective optical system installed therein, a bendable portion coupled with said distal end construction member and a flexible portion connected to said bendable portion and extending to said proximal end of the insertion section, an outer configuration of said distal end construction member having a non-circular cross-section and an outer configuration of said flexible portion having a substantially circular cross-section, and

an operation section connected to the proximal end of the insertion section; and

(b) a protection cover having a proximal end and a digital end and including;

an insertion section inserting channel into which said insertion section of the endoscope is insertable and which extends from the proximal end to the distal end,

a distal end member provided at the distal end of said protection cover and including an accommodating portion having a non-circular shape corresponding to said non-circular cross-section of said distal end construction member of the insertion section of said distal end construction member of the insertion section of the endoscope, and

a conduit channel extending substantially in parallel with said insertion section inserting channel from a proximal end to a distal end, at least one tube being insertable into said conduit channel.

2. An endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said non-circular cross section of the distal end construction member of said endoscope is formed as a substantially semicircular shape and said conduit channel of said protection cover is formed to have a substantially semicircular cross section.

3. An endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein said protection cover is formed by a double lumen tube having a circular cross section.

4. An endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said non-circular cross section of the distal end construction member of said endoscope is formed as a substantially oval shape.

5. An endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein an outer configuration of a distal end portion of said bendable portion of said endoscope has said non-circular cross section and an outer configuration of a proximal end of said bendable portion has a circular cross section.

6. An endoscope system according to claim 5, wherein said insertion section of said endoscope comprises an outer sheath made of resilient material.

7. An endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said distal end member of the protection cover includes a distal end plate member made of opaque material and a transparent optical window member through which light reflected by an object under inspection is made incident upon the objective optical system and an outer surface of said distal end construction member of the insertion section of the endoscope is brought into contact with an inner surface of said distal end member of the protection cover.

8. An endoscope system according to claim 7, wherein a recess is formed in an outer surface of said distal end plate member of said protection cover, said transparent optical window member is clamped into said recess, and at least one opening is formed in said distal end plate member such that said opening is exposed in said recess.

9. An endoscope system according to claim 8, wherein said opening is tapered such that a diameter is increased viewed from inside to outside.

10. An endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said insertion section inserting channel of said protection cover has an opening at the proximal end, and with said opening is detachably coupled in an airtight manner an inflating tube of a protection cover cleaning apparatus which comprises means for detecting a leakage of an air from the insertion section inserting channel.

11. An endoscope system comprising:

(a) an endoscope including;

an insertion section having a proximal end and a distal end and being insertable into a cavity to be inspected, said insertion section comprising a distal end construction member having an objective optical system installed therein, a bendable portion coupled with said distal end construction member and a flexible portion connected to said bendable portion and extending to said proximal end of the insertion section, an outer configuration of said distal end construction member having a non-circular cross-section and an outer configuration of at least one of said bendable portion and said flexible portion having a substantially circular cross-section, and

an operation section connected to the proximal end of the insertion section; and

(b) a protection cover having a proximal end and a distal end and including;

an insertion section inserting channel into which said insertion section of the endoscope is insertable and which extends from the proximal end to the distal end,

a distal end member provided at the distal end of said protection cover and including an accommodating portion having a non-circular shape corresponding to said non-circular cross-section of said distal end construction member of the insertion section of the endoscope, and

a conduit channel extending substantially in parallel with said insertion section inserting channel from a proximal end to a distal end, at least one tube being insertable into said conduit channel.

12. An endoscope system according to claim 11, wherein said distal end of the flexible portion has a non-circular outer configuration.

13. An endoscope system comprising:

(a) an endoscope including;

an insertion section having a proximal end and a distal end and being insertable into a cavity to be inspected, said insertion section comprising a distal end construction member provided on the distal end and having an objective optical system installed therein, an outer configuration of said distal end construction member having a non-circular cross-section and an outer configuration of a remaining portion of the insertion section having a substantially circular cross-section, and

an operation section connected to the proximal end of the insertion section; and

(b) a protection cover having a proximal end and a distal end and including;

an insertion section inserting channel into which said insertion section of the endoscope is insertable and which extends from the proximal end to the distal end,

a distal end member provided at the distal end of said protection cover and including an accommodating portion having a non-circular shape corresponding to said non-circular cross-section of said distal end construction member of the insertion section of the endoscope, and

a conduit channel extending substantially in parallel with said insertion section inserting channel from a proximal end to a distal end, at least one tube being insertable into said conduit channel.