Endoscope holding apparatus

• US 6,716,159 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: Takase, Hiroyuki, Ouchi, Teruo, Kidooka, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL
• Application Number:
  US10/059,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20020123663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 600/121, 600/124, 600/102, 600/133, 248/176.1, 211/85.15, 211/78, 383/120
• US Class Current: 600/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath

Abstract

A cover tube, which is formed to be opened only at its upper surface and closed at its remaining portions, is disposed so as to be attachable and detachable beneath a hanger for suspending and holding an endoscope or an endoscope treatment member and so as to surround the tip end portion of the endoscope or the endoscope treatment member in a state of being suspended from and held by the hanger.

Claims

1. In an endoscope holding apparatus, a cover tube, which is formed to be opened only at its upper surface and closed at its remaining portions, is disposed so as to be attachable and detachable beneath a hanger for suspending and holding the endoscope or an endoscopic treatment member and so as to surround at least a tip end portion of the endoscope or the endoscopic treatment member in a state of being suspended from and held by the hanger;

wherein a plurality of the cover tubes are disposed in a state that the cover tubes are jointed in series and wound into a rolled shape, and the cover tube pulled down from the rolled shape is disposed to surround at least the tip end portion of the endoscope or endoscopic treatment member suspended from and held by the hanger.

2. The endoscope holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hanger is attached to a proximity of an upper end of a pillar, and a cover tube holding member for holding the cover tube is attached to the pillar beneath the hanger.

3. The endoscope holding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an attachment height of the cover tube holding member with respect to the pillar is adjustable.

4. The endoscope holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover tube is formed by a soft bag-shaped member.

5. The endoscope holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover tube holding member includes a rolled portion support portion for rotatably supporting the rolled shape of the cover tubes, and a pull down portion placement portion for placing a proximity of an upper end portion of the cover tube pulled down from the rolled shape thereon.

6. The endoscope holding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a cutting member is provided in the vicinity of the pull down portion placement portion for cutting a joint portion between adjacent ones of the jointed cover tubes.

7. The endoscope holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover tube has a pleat extending in a longitudinal direction.

8. The endoscope holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an opening of the cover tube extends obliquely with respect to a longitudinal direction of the cover tube.