Repairing method for endoscope and endoscope infrared heating system

• US 7,740,577 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Nihei, Toshiyuki, Matsumoto, Jun, Shimada, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak; Linda C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nia; Alireza
• Application Number:
  US11/056,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,957 Days
• Field of Search: 432/121, 432/122, 432/147, 432/184, 264/614, 264 361- 3622, 264/140, 427/340, 534/69, 250/495.1, 250/504.R, 219/130.21, 219/411, 219/711, 219/553, 392/540, 392/343, 392/346, 392/418, 600/101, 600/102, 600/920, 600/133, 604/537
• US Class Current: 600/101
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00071 Insertion part of the endoscope body A61B1/0055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0011 Manufacturing of endoscope parts

Abstract

A repairing method for an endoscope includes inserting into a cylindrical heating element a repair part of at least one endoscope having a resin material applied on an outer peripheral surface of the endoscope, causing the heating element to generate heat by supplying power to the heating element in order to radiate infrared rays from the heating element toward the center of the cylinder, and drying/hardening the resin material in the repair part by using the infrared rays radiated from the heating element.

Claims

1. A repairing method for an endoscope comprising:

applying a resin material on a repair part which is damaged and need to be repaired of an outer peripheral surface of an elongated member of the endoscope on repairing the endoscope;

loosely placing at least two isolated sections of the elongated member on top of an endoscope holding jig so as to position the repair part to which the resin material was applied between the at least two isolated sections of the elongated member;

putting the elongated member of the endoscope held with the endoscope holding jig into an inner space of a cylindrical heating element of a furnace so as to be housed therein, the elongated member of the endoscope being placed on substantially a central axis of the heat element of the furnace by a placement position of the endoscope holding jig with respect to the furnace;

causing the heating element to generate heat by supplying power to the heating element of the furnace in order to radiate infrared rays from an inner surface of the cylindrical heating element toward the center of the cylindrical heating element and heating the applied resin material at the repair part; and

heating and hardening the applied resin material at the repair part by using the infrared rays radiated from the heating element.

2. The repairing method for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the heating element includes:

a heating member which is formed into a sheet shape with a composite material including carbon fibers, and generates heat in the planar manner from the inner surface of the cylindrical heating element toward the center of the cylindrical heating element; and

a heat-resisting resin material which holds the heating member therein and emits radiation of the infrared rays from the heating member to the outside.

3. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 2, wherein far-infrared rays are used as the infrared rays.

4. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein far-infrared rays are used as the infrared rays.

5. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 1, the resin material applied to the repair part includes a coating material for a coat layer formed on an other peripheral surface of the repair part.

6. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising, before the putting of the repair part of the endoscope into the inner space of the heat element:

respectively carrying the furnace including the cylindrical heating element and the temperature control unit to the vicinity of the repair part of the endoscope in a state that the furnace and the temperature control unit are separated from each other and are able to be respectively readily carried; and

connecting the furnace and the temperature control unit to each other.

7. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the furnace includes:

the cylindrical heating element which is configured to allow the endoscope holding jig to be inserted into and removed from an inner hole of the cylindrical heating element;

a heat insulating material arranged on an outer side of the heating element; and

a holding frame which is arranged on an outer side of the heat insulating material and which maintains shapes of the heating element and the heat insulating material,

the furnace being formed of a cylindrical shape.

8. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 7, wherein the heating element is arranged in a state that is held by the heat-resisting resin material which transmits infrared rays therethrough and inner part thereof is depressurized.

9. A repairing method for an endoscope comprising:

causing a cylindrical heating element to generate heat by supplying power to the heating element of a furnace through a controller of a temperature control unit in order to radiate infrared rays from the heating element toward a center of the cylindrical heating element;

detecting a temperature in an inner hole of the cylindrical heating element by a temperature sensor and transmitting temperature data to the controller of the temperature control unit;

adjusting a heat quantity of the heating element by the controller of the temperature control unit based on temperature data detected by the temperature sensor;

applying a resin material on a repair part which is damaged and need to be repaired of an outer peripheral surface of an elongated member of the endoscope during a process of repair of the endoscope;

loosely placing at least two isolated sections of the elongated member on top of an endoscope holding jig so as to position the repair part to which the resin material was applied between the at least two isolated sections of the elongated member;

putting the elongated member of the endoscope held with the endoscope holding jig into an inner space of a cylindrical heating element of a furnace so as to be housed therein, the elongated member of the endoscope being placed on substantially a central axis of the heat element of the furnace by a placement position of the endoscope holding jig with respect to the furnace; and

heating the repair part of the endoscope by infrared rays radiated from an inner surface of the cylindrical heating element toward the center of the cylindrical heating element and hardening the applied resin material at the repair part.

10. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 9, wherein the heating element includes:

a heating member which is formed into a sheet shape with a composite material including carbon fibers, and generates heat in the planar manner from the inner surface of the cylindrical heating element toward the center of the cylindrical heating element; and

radiation of the infrared rays from the heating member to the outside.

11. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 10, wherein far-infrared rays are used as the infrared rays.

12. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 9, wherein far-infrared rays are used as the infrared rays.

13. The repairing method for an endoscope according to claim 9, further comprising interrupting the power supplied from the controller of the temperature control unit to the heating element after heating and hardening the resin material in the repair part.

14. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 9, the resin material applied to the repair part includes a coating material for a coat layer formed on an outer peripheral surface of the repair part.

15. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 9, further comprising, before the putting of the repair part of the endoscope into the inner space of the heat element:

respectively carrying the furnace including the cylindrical heating element and the temperature control unit to the vicinity of the repair part of the endoscope in a state that the furnace and the temperature control unit are separated from each other and are able to be respectively readily carried; and

connecting the furnace and the temperature control unit to each other.

16. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 9, wherein the furnace includes:

the cylindrical heating element which is configured to allow the endoscope holding jig to be inserted into and removed from an inner hole of the cylindrical heating element;

a heat insulating material arranged on an other side of the heating element; and

a holding frame which is arranged on an outer side of the heat insulating material and which maintains shapes of the heating element and the heat insulating material,

the furnace being formed of a cylindrical shape.

17. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 16, wherein the heating element is arranged in a state that is held by the heat-resisting resin material which transmits infrared rays therethrough and an inner part thereof is depressurized.

18. A repairing method for an endoscope comprising:

arranging a tubular integument for repair at a repair part of at least one endoscope, on repairing the endoscope, the repair part being previously damaged;

binding each of a distal and proximal end portions of the instrument by using a thread;

applying a resin material from the outer side of the thread used for binding;

loosely placing at least two isolated sections of an elongated member on top of an endoscope holding jig so as to position the repair part to which the resin material was applied between the at least two isolated sections of the elongated member;

putting the elongated member of the endoscope held with the endoscope holding jig into an inner space of a cylindrical heating element of a furnace so as to be housed therein, the elongated member of the endoscope being placed on substantially a central axis of the heat element of the furnace by a placement position of the endoscope holding jig with respect to the furnace;

causing the heating element to generate heat by supplying power to the heating element of the furnace in order to radiate infrared rays from an inner surface of the cylindrical heating element toward the center of the cylindrical heating element and heating the applied resin material at the repair part; and

heating and hardening the applied resin material in the repair part by using the infrared rays radiated from the heating element.

19. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 18, wherein the heating element includes:

a heating member which is formed into a sheet shape with a composite material including carbon fibers, and generates heat in the planar manner from the inner surface of the cylindrical heating element toward the center of the cylindrical heating element; and

a heat-resisting resin material which holds the heating member therein and emits radiation of the infrared rays from the heating member to the outside.

20. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 19, wherein far-infrared rays are used as the infrared rays.

21. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 18, further comprising, before the putting of the repair part of the endoscope into the inner space of the heat element:

respectively carrying the furnace including the cylindrical heating element and the temperature control unit to the vicinity of the repair part of the endoscope in a state that the furnace and the temperature control unit are separated from each other and are able to be respectively readily carried; and

connecting the furnace and the temperature control unit to each other.

22. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 18, wherein the furnace includes:

the cylindrical heating element which is configured to allow the endoscope holding jig to be inserted into and removed from an inner hole of the cylindrical heating element;

a heat insulating material arranged on an other side of the heating element; and

a holding frame which is arranged on an outer side of the heat insulating material and which maintains shapes of the heating element and the heat insulating material,

the furnace being formed of a cylindrical shape.

23. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 22, wherein the heating element is arranged in a state that is held by the heat-resisting resin material which transmits infrared rays therethrough and an inner part thereof is depressurized.

24. A repairing method for an endoscope comprising:

filling a damaged part of a flexible tube of an endoscope with a resin material having a softening point which is substantially equivalent to a softening point of a resin material forming the flexible tube in order to form a repair part, on repairing the endoscope;

holding the flexible tube with an endoscope holding jig by loosely placing at least two isolated sections of the endoscope on top of the endoscope holding jig so as to position the repair part in which the resin material was filled between the at least two isolated sections of the endoscope;

putting the repair part of the flexible tube of the endoscope held with the endoscope holding jig into an inner space of a cylindrical heating element of a furnace, the flexible tube of the endoscope being placed on substantially a central axis of the heat element of the furnace by a placement position of the endoscope holding jig with respect to the furnace; and

causing a cylindrical heating element of the furnace to generate heat by supplying power to the heating element in order to radiate infrared rays from an inner surface of the cylindrical heating element toward the center of the cylindrical heating element, and integrating the repair part by heating and softening the repair part to a temperature equal to or above a softening point temperature of each resin material, thereby securing the resin material in the repair part to the flexible tube.

25. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 24, further comprising, before the putting of the repair part of the endoscope into the inner space of the heat element:

respectively carrying the furnace including the cylindrical heating element and the temperature control unit to the vicinity of the repair part of the endoscope in a state that the furnace and the temperature control unit are separated from each other and are able to be respectively readily carried; and

connecting the furnace and the temperature control unit to each other.

26. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 24, wherein the furnace includes:

the cylindrical heating element which is configured to allow the endoscope holding jig to be inserted into and removed from an inner hole of the cylindrical heating element;

a heat insulating material arranged on an other side of the heating element; and

a holding frame which is arranged on an outer side of the heat insulating material and which maintains shapes of the heating element and the heat insulating material,

the furnace being formed of a cylindrical shape.

27. The repairing method for the endoscope according to claim 26, wherein the heating element is arranged in a state that it is held by the heat-resisting resin material which transmits infrared rays therethrough and an inner part thereof is depressurized.