Endoscope apparatus

• US 7,108,656 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2003
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evident Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Hiyake, Kiyoshi, Fujikawa, Shinji, Motoki, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C. M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KASZTEJNA, MATTHEW JOHN
• Application Number:
  US10/633,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20040158128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 600/102, 206/363
• US Class Current: 600/102
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports

Abstract

The present invention provides an endoscope comprising an elongated insert portion having flexibility, the insert portion being inserted into a space targeted for inspection, a connector portion linked with a proximal end side of the insert portion and having a unit which controls flexible bending and image acquisition of the insert portion mounted thereon, an apparatus main body which controls the connector portion, and an endoscope housing case which houses the insert portion and connector portion and the apparatus main body therein, the endoscope apparatus having an insert portion housing member in which the endoscope main body having the connector portion and apparatus main body assembled with each other is attachable to/detachable from the endoscope housing case, and which is attachable to/detachable from the endoscope main body while the insert portion is held.

Claims

1. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

an elongated insert portion having flexibility, the insert portion adapted for insertion into at least a space targeted for inspection;

an endoscope main body having an apparatus main body used in combination with the insert portion;

a scope unit being linked with the apparatus main body via a connector portion having the insertion portion;

an insert portion holding member which houses the scope unit therein and includes mount member insert holes to allow mount members provided on a mount face of the apparatus main body to be removably engaged, and

an endoscope housing case which houses the endoscope main body therein, the endoscope main body being attached to be integrated with the insert portion holding member, wherein

the endoscope main body is housed in or removed from the endoscope housing case while the insert portion holding member is attached to be integrated with the endoscope main body.

2. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insert portion holding member is provided detachably at the scope unit.

3. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the endoscope housing case is capable of housing an operating portion to operate the endoscope main body.

4. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scope unit is composed of:

an elongated insert portion having flexibility, the insert portion being inserted into at least a space targeted for inspection;

an intermediate linking portion; and

a universal cable.

5. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scope unit is held at the intermediate linking portion in a state in which a proximal end part of the insert portion and a distal end part of the universal cable portion are inclined to each other such that an axis of the proximal end part of the insert portion crosses an axis of the distal end part of the universal cable portion.

6. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scope unit comprises a manipulating device inserting channel in which the insert portion at one end is opened at a distal end part of the insert portion, and the insert portion at the other end is opened at a proximal end thereof, and

the intermediate linking portion comprises a forceps inserting base connected to the manipulating device inserting channel and having an axis which is coincident with an axis of the manipulating inserting channel.

7. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scope unit has a feature for achieving flexible bending in an identical direction due to an action of the residual stress or permanent strain, and can be formed in an annular shape of a substantially flat state due to winding of an equal diameter.