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Endoscope

  • US 8,523,766 B2
  • Filed: 03/12/2010
  • Issued: 09/03/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An endoscope, comprising:

  • an endoscope inserting unit that is to be inserted into an inner portion of an object under inspection and that comprises a freely curvable curving portion in a vicinity of a tip portion of the endoscope inserting unit;

    a main body manipulating unit that is provided to be connected to a base end side of the endoscope inserting unit;

    an appendix unit that is connected via a flexible softened portion to the main body manipulating unit;

    a curving manipulation unit that is provided on the main body manipulating unit and that is manually operated for causing the curving portion to be curved along a direction;

    a curving drive unit that couples the curving manipulation unit to the curving portion so as to curve the curving portion in a response to a manipulation performed on the curving manipulation unit;

    a manipulating force detecting unit that detects a manipulating force applied to the curving manipulation unit;

    a manipulation assisting power calculating unit that calculates a manipulation assisting power corresponding to the manipulating force detected by the manipulating force detecting unit; and

    a rotation driving force generating unit that applies a driving force via a driving force transferring mechanism to the curving drive unit to generate the manipulation assisting power calculated by the manipulation assisting power calculating unit and to apply the manipulation assisting power to the manipulating force applied to the curving manipulation unit,wherein the appendix unit comprises the rotation driving force generating unit,wherein the driving force transferring mechanism transfers a rotating force of the rotation driving force generating unit in a rotation direction by employing a wire which is formed by twisting a large number of narrow lines,wherein the rotation direction is defined by a twisting direction of a narrow line at an outermost layer within the narrow lines of the wire,wherein the wire includes first and second wires,wherein a twisting direction of an outermost layer of the second wire is different from a twisting direction of an outermost layer of the first wire, andwherein the driving force transferring mechanism transfers the rotating force by employing at least the first and second wires in a combination manner.

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