Repairing method for endoscope and endoscope infrared heating system

• US 20050203337A1
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Shimada, Tatsuya, Matsumoto, Jun, Nihei, Toshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,740,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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:

inserting a repair part of at least one endoscope having a resin material applied to an outer peripheral surface thereof into a cylindrical heating element;

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 at the repair part by using the infrared rays radiated from the heating element.

2. A repairing method for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein, when the heating element is caused to generate heat, the heating element is caused to generate heat in the planar manner toward the center of the cylinder.

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

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

5. A repairing method for an endoscope comprising:

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

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

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

inserting a repair part of at least one endoscope having a resin material applied to an outer peripheral surface thereof into the heating element; and

drying/hardening the resin material in the repair part by using the infrared rays radiated from the heating element while maintaining a temperature in the inner hole of the heating element at a predetermined temperature.

6. A repairing method for an endoscope according to claim 5, wherein, when the heating element is caused to generate heat, the heating element is caused to generate heat in the planar manner toward the center of the cylinder.

7. A repairing method for an endoscope according to claim 6, wherein far-infrared rays are used as the infrared rays.

8. A repairing method for an endoscope according to claim 5, wherein far-infrared rays are used as the infrared rays.

9. A repairing method for an endoscope according to claim 5, further comprising interrupting the power supplied from the controller to the heating element after drying/hardening the resin material in the repair part.

10. A repairing method for an endoscope comprising:

arranging an integument at a repair part of at least one endoscope;

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

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

inserting the repair part of the endoscope into a cylindrical heating element;

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.

11. A repairing method for an endoscope according to claim 10, wherein, when the heating element is caused to generate heat, the heating element is caused to generate heat in the planar manner toward the center of the cylinder.

12. A repairing method for an endoscope according to claim 11, wherein far-infrared rays are used as the infrared rays.

13. A repairing method for an endoscope comprising:

applying to a repair part of at least one endoscope a resin material for a coat layer formed on an outer peripheral surface of the repair part;

inserting the repair part of the endoscope into a cylindrical heating element;

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.

14. A repairing method for an endoscope according to claim 13, wherein, when the heating element is caused to generate heat, the heating element is caused to generate heat in the planar manner toward the center of the cylinder.

15. A repairing method for an endoscope according to claim 14, wherein far-infrared rays are used as the infrared rays.

16. 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; and

causing a cylindrical heating element to generate heat by supplying power to the heating element in a state that the repair part is being inserted in the heating element in order to radiate infrared rays from the heating element toward the center of the cylinder, 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.

17. 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;

causing a cylindrical 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

inserting the repair part into the heating element heated by the infrared rays, and integrating the repair part by heating an softening the repair part to a temperature equal to or above a softening point temperature of each resin material in the repair part by using the infrared rays radiated from the heating element, thereby securing the resin material in the repair part to the flexible tube.

18. An endoscope infrared heating system comprising:

an endoscope holding jig which holds the vicinity of a repair part of an endoscope having a resin material applied to an outer peripheral surface of the endoscope; and

a drying furnace which heats the resin material in the repair part by radiating infrared rays thereto in a state that the vicinity of the repair part is held by the jig.

19. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 18, wherein far-infrared rays are used as the infrared rays.

20. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 19, further comprising a temperature control unit which is able to be separated from/coupled with the drying furnace and controls a temperature in the drying furnace when coupled.

21. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 20,

wherein the drying furnace comprises:

a cylindrical infrared heating element which is able to insert/remove the endoscope holding jig into/from an inner hole and is able to be electrically connected with the temperature control unit;

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

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

22. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 21,

wherein the infrared heating element comprises:

a heating member which is formed into a sheet shape by using a composite material including carbon fibers, electrically connected with the temperature control unit, and generates heat in the planar manner by energization from the control unit; 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.

23. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 22,

wherein the temperature control unit comprises:

a power supply which is electrically connected with the heating element and supplies power to the heating element;

a temperature detection portion which is arranged in the inner hole of the heating element and detects a temperature at a predetermined position in the drying furnace; and

a controller which controls the power supplied to the heating element based on detection data obtained by the temperature detection portion.

24. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 21,

wherein the endoscope holding jig comprises:

a mount portion which is mounted to the heating element; and

a holding portion which is connected with the mount portion and holds the vicinity of a repair part of the endoscope.

25. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 24, wherein the holding portion comprises a concave portion which is able to hold at least one endoscope.

26. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 19, wherein the resin material is a thermosetting resin-based adhesive.

27. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 19, wherein the resin material is a thermosetting resin-based coat agent which coats an outer surface of the endoscope.

28. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 18, further comprising a temperature control unit which is able to be separated from/coupled with the drying furnace and controls a temperature in the drying furnace when coupled.

29. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 28,

wherein the drying furnace comprises:

a cylindrical infrared heating element which is able to insert/remove the endoscope holding jig into/from an inner hole thereof and can be electrically connected with the temperature control unit;

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

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

30. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 29,

wherein the infrared heating element comprises:

a heating member which is formed into a sheet shape by using a composite material including carbon fibers, electrically connected with the temperature control unit, and generates heat in the planar manner by energization from the control unit; and

a heat-resisting resin material which shuts in the heating member therein and radiates of the infrared rays from the heating member to the outside.

31. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 20,

wherein the temperature control unit comprises:

a power supply which is electrically connected with the heating element and supplies power to the heating element;

a temperature detection portion which is arranged in an inner hole of the heating element and detects a temperature at a predetermined position in the drying furnace; and

a controller which controls the power supplied to the heating element based on detection data obtained by the temperature detection portion.

32. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 29,

wherein the endoscope holding jig comprises:

a mount portion which is mounted to the heating element; and

a holding portion which is connected with the mount portion and holds the vicinity of a repair part of the endoscope.

33. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 18, wherein the resin material is a thermosetting resin-based adhesive.

34. An endoscope infrared heating system according to claim 18, wherein the resin material is a thermosetting resin-based coat agent which coats an outer surface of the endoscope.