Bending tube for endoscope and endoscope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016100745-A1
Application number	US-201514969553-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2015
Priority date	Feb 18, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a bending tube for endoscope on which torsion preventing tab mechanisms are provided on the respective middle parts of first and second slots for bending located in an area from the proximal end of a bending tube body to a predetermined position on the distal end side (the torsion suppressing area), and the bending tube body being permitted to bend by the first and second slots for bending, the torsion preventing tab mechanism of at least any one of the first and second slots for bending arranged on the proximal end side of each of arrays (first and second arrays), other than the first and second slots for bending located at the most proximal end, among the first and second slots for bending arrayed in a same line, respectively, along a longitudinal direction of the bending tube body, is removed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bending tube for endoscope comprising: a cylindrical-shaped bending tube body made of a super-elastic alloy, a plurality of slots for bending arrayed for each setting interval along a longitudinal axis direction of the bending tube body, each of the plurality of slots for bending extending in a circumferential direction of the bending tube body, and torsion preventing tab mechanisms formed at middle parts of the respective slots for bending in an area from a proximal end of the bending tube body to a predetermined position on a distal end side, the bending tube body being permitted to bend by the slots for bending; wherein
among the respective slots for bending arrayed in a same line along the longitudinal direction of the bending tube body, at least any one of the slots for bending located on a proximal end side of the array, other than the slot for bending located at a most proximal end does not comprise the torsion preventing tab mechanism; the respective slots for bending include a first array along one bending direction of the bending tube body and a second array along another bending direction of the bending tube body; and the slots for bending not comprising the torsion preventing tab mechanism are different between the first array and the second array.

2 . The bending tube for endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein, in at least one of the first array and the second array, a slot at a third position from the slot for bending located at a most proximal end of the one array, among the respective slots for bending, does not comprise the torsion preventing tab mechanism.

3 . The bending tube for endo scope according to claim 1 , wherein a stress concentration preventing portion is provided at an end portion of the slot for bending located on the proximal end side relative to the slot for bending not comprising the torsion preventing tab mechanism.

4 . The bending tube for endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein a stress concentration preventing portion is provided at an end portion of the slot for bending not comprising the torsion preventing tab mechanism.

5 . The bending tube for endoscope according to claim 3 , wherein the stress concentration preventing portion is a circular hole with a diameter larger than a width of the slots for bending.

6 . The bending tube for endoscope according to claim 3 , wherein the stress concentration preventing portion is a hole portion with a wider width than the width of the slots for bending.

7 . An endoscope comprising the bending tube for endoscope according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Seto Hideyuki
• Sato Eijiro
• KONDO Takeru
• Nara Takashi

Classifications

• A61B1/0055 Primary

  Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements · CPC title

• A61M25/0147

  with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires · CPC title

• A61B2017/00309

  Cut-outs or slits · CPC title

• A61B1/307

  for the urinary organs, e.g. urethroscopes, cystoscopes · CPC title

• G02B23/2476

  Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports · CPC title