Bending manipulation device for endoscope

• US 6,702,737 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Arai, Hiroyuki, Akiba, Haruo, Hino, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US10/108,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20020143238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 600/146, 600/147, 600/148, 600/149, 600/150, 600/434, 600/435, 600/585, 604/95.01, 604/95.04
• US Class Current: 600/146
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0057 Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires

Abstract

A bending manipulation device for endoscope wherein a pair of control wires are taken up by a pulley provided in and given a rotary motion by the main control portion of the endoscope, and one of control wires extended out from the pulley corresponding to the turning operation thereof is taken up by the pulley while the other is paid out from the pulley, thereby enabling the bending manipulation to be carried out. The groove of the above pulley is formed in the shape of a spiral continuously extending in the peripheral direction of this pulley and is used in common by the above pair of control wires. One part from the one end of the groove and the other part from the other end of the groove are arranged side by side and in parallel with each other. Each of control wires is alternately taken up on the groove of the pulley corresponding to the turning direction of the pulley.

Claims

1. A bending manipulation device for an endoscope having a main control portion, comprising:

a pulley adapted for inclusion in, and to be given a rotary motion by said main control portion; and

at least a pair of control wires, each of which winds one end portion thereof on to said pulley and extends out the other end portion thereof from said pulley such that one of the extended control wires is taken up by said pulley while the other of the same is paid out from said pulley corresponding to the rotation of said pulley, thereby enabling the bending manipulation over the bending portion to be carried out;

said pulley having at least one common groove formed along the periphery of said pulley to continuously extend in the peripheral direction of said pulley, and wound in common by said pair of control wires, wherein said common groove is formed as a spiral groove slanting in the axial direction of said pulley.

2. A bending manipulation device for an endoscope having a main control portion, comprising:

a pulley adapted for inclusion in, and to be given a rotary motion by said main control portion; and

at least a pair of control wires, each of which winds one end portion thereof onto said pulley and extends out the other end portion thereof from said pulley such that one of the extended control wires is taken up by said pulley while the other of the same is paid out from said pulley corresponding to the rotation of said pulley, thereby enabling the bending manipulation over the bending portion to be carried out;

said pulley having at least one common groove formed along the periphery of said pulley to continuously extend in the peripheral direction of said pulley, and wound in common by said pair of control wires, wherein said common groove is formed in multiple steps.

3. A bending manipulation device for an endoscope as claimed in claim 2, wherein said common groove is made up of a first step groove portion expanded on a first plane beginning from one end of said common groove and perpendicular to the axis of said pulley, a middle step groove portion expanded on a second plane beginning from the other end of said common groove, obtained by shifting said first plane in the axial direction of said pulley, and a shift step groove portion providing communication between said first step groove portion and said middle step groove portion.

4. A bending manipulation device for an endoscope as claimed in claim 2, wherein said common groove is made up of

a plurality of successively adjacent step groove portions, including a first step groove portion expanded on a first plane beginning from one end of said common groove and perpendicular to the axis of said pulley, a middle step groove portion expanded on a second plane beginning from the other end of said common groove, obtained by shifting said first plane in the axial direction of said pulley, at least one middle step groove portion expanded on a middle plane located in the middle between said first and second planes to be in parallel therewith, and

a shift step groove portion providing communication between said adjacent step groove portions.

5. A bending manipulation device for an endoscope comprising:

a plurality of pulleys each having a respective axis of rotation;

means supporting the pulleys for rotation about the respective axes; and

a plurality of pairs of control wires each pair taken up by a corresponding one of said plurality of pulleys;

said plurality of pulleys having a plurality of common grooves, each being formed in a respective one said pulleys such that each pair of control wires corresponds to one common groove on the one pulley taking up the pair of control wires, wherein each common groove is formed as a spiral groove slanting in the axial direction of said pulley.

6. A bending manipulation device for an endoscope comprising:

a plurality of pulleys each having a respective axis of rotation;

means supporting the pulleys for rotation about the respective axes; and

a plurality of pairs of control wires each pair taken up by a corresponding one of said plurality of pulleys;

said plurality of pulleys having a plurality of common grooves, each being formed in a respective one of said pulleys such that each pair of control wires corresponds to one common groove on the one pulley taking up the pair of control wires, wherein said common groove is formed in multiple steps.

7. A bending manipulation device for an endoscope as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of common grooves is made up of a first step groove portion expanded on a first plane beginning from one end of said common groove and perpendicular to the axis of the pulley on which the common groove is formed, a middle step groove portion expanded on a second plane beginning from the other end of said common groove, obtained by shifting said first plane in the axial direction of said pulley, and a shift step groove portion providing communication between said first step groove portion and said middle step groove portion.

8. A bending manipulation device for an endoscope as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of common grooves is made up of

a plurality of successively adjacent step groove portions, including a first step groove portion expanded on a first plane beginning from one end of said common groove and perpendicular to the axis of the pulley on which the common groove is formed, a middle step groove portion expanded on a second plane beginning from the other end of said common groove, obtained by shifting said first plane in the axial direction of said pulley, at least one middle step groove portion expanded on a middle plane located in the middle between said first and second planes to be in parallel therewith, and

a shift step groove portion providing communication between said adjacent step groove portions.