Electric bending endoscope

• US 7,918,790 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2007
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Ikeda, Yuichi, Arai, Keiichi, Miyagi, Takayasu, Maeda, Toshinari, Kimoto, Seiichiro, Honda, Takemitsu, Kawai, Toshimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, PHILIP ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US11/649,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 600145-146, 600148-150, 600/152
• US Class Current: 600/152
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00055 for alerting the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/009 with bending or curvature detection of the insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion

Abstract

An electric bending endoscope includes a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of a motor as a state value indicating the driving state of a bending drive unit. A bending control device comprises: a temperature detection unit that receives the data of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor; a record unit in which the limits of motor temperature inputted in advance are recorded; a comparison unit that compares the data of the temperature sent from the temperature detection unit with the limits of motor temperature recorded in the record unit; and a notification unit that notifies that the driving state of a motor is approaching the limit.

Claims

1. An electric bending endoscope, comprising:

an elongated insertion unit;

a bending section formed adjacent to a distal section of the insertion unit;

a bending drive unit for driving the bending section to bend;

a bending operation unit for outputting a bending instruction signal for driving the bending drive unit in response to an operation by an operator;

an operation state detection unit for detecting an operation speed of the bending operation unit;

a record unit in which a first threshold value and a second threshold value to be compared with the operation speed are recorded, the second threshold value being larger than the first threshold value;

a comparison unit for comparing the operation speed with the first threshold value and the second threshold value; and

a control unit for notifying the operator of a driving state when the operation speed has reached the first threshold value, and restricting a bending operation of the bending section based on the bending instruction signal outputted by the bending operation unit when the operation speed has further reached the second threshold value.

2. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the bending operation unit has a moving member for outputting the bending instruction signal by a movement accompanying an operation by the operator, and the operation state detection unit detects the operation speed of the bending operation unit by detecting a moving state of the moving member.

3. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the moving member is a joystick for outputting the bending instruction signal depending on an inclination of the joystick;

and

the operation state detection unit detects the operation speed of the bending operation unit by detecting an inclining speed of the joystick based on the inclination angle and an inclination time period of the joystick.

6. The electric bending endoscope according to claim 1, wherein, when the comparison unit determines that the operation speed is higher than the second threshold value, the control unit controls the bending instruction signal outputted from the bending operation unit so that speed of bending motion of the bending section is a predetermined speed.

4. The electric bending endoscope comprising:

an elongated insertion unit;

a bending section formed adjacent to a distal section of the insertion unit;

a bending drive unit for driving the bending section to bend;

a bending operation unit for outputting a bending instruction signal for driving the bending drive unit in response to an operation by an operator;

an operation state detection unit for detecting an operation speed of the bending operation unit;

a record unit in which a threshold value to be compared with the operation speed is recorded;

a comparison unit for comparing the operation speed with the threshold value; and

a control unit for restricting, on the basis of a result of comparison by the comparison unit, a bending operation of the bending section based on the bending instruction signal outputted by the bending operation unit, the control unit invalidating the bending instruction signal outputted by the bending operation unit and stopping the bending drive unit from driving the bending section when the comparison unit determines that the operation speed is higher than the threshold value.

5. The electric bending endoscope comprising:

an elongated insertion unit;

a bending section formed adjacent to a distal section of the insertion unit;

a bending drive unit for driving the bending section to bend;

a bending operation unit for outputting a bending instruction signal for driving the bending drive unit in response to an operation by an operator;

an operation state detection unit for detecting an operation speed of the bending operation unit;

a record unit in which a threshold value to be compared with the operation speed is recorded;

a comparison unit for comparing the operation speed with the threshold value; and

a control unit for restricting, on the basis of a result of comparison by the comparison unit, a bending operation of the bending section based on the bending instruction signal outputted by the bending operation unit, the control unit disconnecting transmission of driving force from the bending drive unit to the bending section when the comparison unit determines that the operation speed is higher than the threshold value.