Endoscope

• US 6,071,233 A
• Filed: 09/14/1998
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Tetsuya, Suzuki, Takayuki, Kawashima, Koichi, Okada, Tsutomu, Ishikawa, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C. M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLAISE, BRADFORD CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US09/152,805
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 600/103, 600/104, 600/105, 600/107, 600/128, 600/129, 600/130, 600/136, 600/153, 600/156, 606/110, 606/113
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0014 Fastening element for attaching accessories to the outside of an endoscope, e.g. clips, clamps or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00296 mounted on an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1495 Electrodes being detachable from a support structure

Abstract

The present invention provides an endoscope having an opening of a channel tube retracted from a distal end face having an observation window of the insert therein toward a proximal end side. When a plurality of polyps are removed, a picked-up polyp is moved back from the distal end face of the insert toward the proximal side of the insert in order for the picked-up polyp not to interfere with observation by the endoscope and operation by a cutting tool extending through the endoscope channel.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising:

an insert having a distal end portion to be inserted in an area to be observed, said distal end portion of the insert having an observation window, and said insert having a first channel therein which has a first distal end opening portion directed toward a space exterior to the endoscope and through which a first operating tool may be passed;

a second channel arranged along an axial direction of the insert, said second channel having a second distal end opening portion directed toward the space exterior to the endoscope and through which a second operating tool may be passed;

wherein said second distal end opening portion of the second channel is formed at a position retracted from the observation window toward a proximal end of the insert.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said distal end portion of the insert comprises a first face in which said observation window is formed, and said second channel comprises a second face in which said second distal end opening portion is formed, said first and second faces being formed in different planes arranged in parallel.

3. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said distal end portion of the insert comprises a first face in which said observation window is formed, and said second channel comprises a second face in which said second distal end opening portion is formed, said first and second faces being formed in different planes not arranged in parallel.

4. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said distal end portion of the insert comprises a first face in which said observation window is formed, and said second channel comprises a second face in which said second distal end opening portion is formed, said first face being inclined at an angle of 90°

or less with said second face, toward the proximal end of the insert.

5. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said insert has a bendable portion at a position retracted from the distal end portion of the insert toward the proximal end of the insert, and said second distal end opening portion of the second channel is arranged between a distal end of the distal end portion of the insert and the bendable portion.

6. The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a guide arranged in front of the second distal end opening portion of the second channel for defining an extension direction of the second operating tool when the second operating tool is passed through the second distal end opening portion of the second channel.

7. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said second channel is formed within a tube-form member different from the insert.

8. The endoscope according to claim 7, wherein said tube-form member is flexible.

9. The endoscope according to claim 7, further comprising a connector which connects the tube-form member to the insert.

10. The endoscope according to claim 9, wherein said connector comprises a band for binding the tube-form member to the insert.

11. The endoscope according to claim 9, wherein said connector comprises a cap for detachably attaching onto an outer periphery of the distal end portion of the insert.

12. The endoscope according to claim 9, wherein said connector comprises a clip for holding and fitting said tube-form member onto the insert by sandwiching an outer periphery of the insert.

13. The endoscope according to claim 9, wherein said connector comprises a fixing member for holding and fixing said tube-form member at the distal end portion of the insert.

14. The endoscope according to claim 9, wherein said connector comprises a member capable of holding the tube-form member at any position in the axial direction of the insert.

15. The endoscope according to claim 7, wherein said tube-form member comprises an extensible portion in an axial direction of the tube-form member, so that said second distal end opening portion of the second channel is changed in position by moving back and forth along the axial direction of the tube-form member through movement of the extensible portion.

16. The endoscope according to claim 7, wherein said tube-form member comprises an inner tube and an outer tube, both being slidable relative to each other in an axial direction of the tube-form member and both being extensible in the axial direction of the tube form-member.

17. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said distal end portion of the insert comprises a first face in which said observation window is formed, and said second channel comprises a second face in which said second distal end opening portion is formed, said second face being retracted from said first face toward the proximal end of the insert by a length equal to or more than a length of the distal end portion of the insert.

18. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said second channel is integrally formed with said insert as a single unit.

19. The endoscope according to claim 18, wherein said second distal end opening portion of the second channel is formed in a rise of a stepped and recessed portion of the single unit which is formed by partially cutting away the distal end portion of the insert.

20. The endoscope according to claim 19, wherein said distal end portion of the insert comprises a first face in which the observation window is formed, and said second channel comprises a second face in which said second distal end opening portion is formed, said second face being inclined at an angle of 90°

or less with respect to the first face the proximal end of the insert.

21. The endoscope according to claim 19, wherein said distal end portion of the insert comprises a first face in which the observation window is formed, and said second channel comprises a second face in which said second distal end opening portion is formed, said second face being inclined at an angle from 30°

or more to less than 90°

with respect to the first face.

22. The endoscope according to claim 18, wherein said distal end portion of the insert comprises a first face in which the observation window is formed, and said second channel comprises a second face in which said second distal end opening portion is formed, said second face being inclined at an angle of 90°

or less with respect to the first face toward the proximal end of the insert.

23. The endoscope according to claim 18, wherein said distal end portion of the insert comprises a first face in which the observation window is formed, and said second channel comprises a second face in which said second distal end opening portion is formed, said second face being inclined at an angle from 30°

or more to less than 90°

with respect to the first face.

24. An endoscope comprising:

an insert having a distal end to be inserted in an area to be observed, said distal end portion of the insert having an observation window,

a channel arranged along an axial direction of the insert, said channel having a distal end opening directed toward a space exterior to the endoscope and through which an operating tool for picking up a foreign body may be passed;

wherein said distal end opening of the channel is retracted from the observation window toward a proximal end of the insert.

25. The endoscope according to claim 24, wherein said operating tool comprises a basket formed from a plurality of wires and having a foreign-body pick-up portion formed of wires whose intervals are extensible and a store portion formed of wires arranged at narrower intervals than the foreign-body pick-up portion for storing the foreign body picked up by the foreign-body pick-up portion.