Insertion apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016291313-A1
Application number	US-201615184068-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An insertion apparatus includes a flexible insert section inserted into an insertion target and a curved-shape detection sensor which detects a curved shape of the insert section. The curved-shape detection sensor includes at least a core, a cladding, a coating, and a sensing part mechanically attached to the core and detecting the curved shape. The optical fiber is disposed at least in the insert section. The optical fiber includes at least one displacement restraint section which directly or indirectly restrains a displacement of the sensing part relative to the insert section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An insertion apparatus comprising:
a flexible insert section to be inserted into an insertion target; and a curved-shape detection sensor which detects a curved shape of the insert section, wherein the curved-shape detection sensor includes at least a core, a cladding covering the core, a coating covering the cladding, and a sensing part mechanically attached to the core and which contributes to detect the curved shape, the optical fiber is disposed at least in the insert section, and the optical fiber includes at least one displacement restraint section which directly or indirectly restrains a displacement of the sensing part relative to the insert section.

2 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the displacement restraint section is formed in an opening formed by partly removing the coating and the cladding, and
the displacement restraint section directly restrains a displacement of the core relative to an internal component of the insert section along curvature of the insert section.

3 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the sensing part includes a light absorber that absorbs part of light guided through the core of the optical fiber,
the light absorber has an adhesive force, and the sensing part also serves as the displacement restraint section.

4 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the displacement restraint sections is formed in an opening formed by partly removing the coating, and
the displacement restraint section restrains a displacement of the sensing part relative to the insert section indirectly through the cladding by restraining a displacement of the cladding relative to an internal component of the insert section along curvature of the insert section.

5 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the displacement restraint section is formed between the coating and the cladding and between an internal component of the insert section displaced along curvature of the insert section and the coating, and
the displacement restraint section restrains a displacement of the sensing part relative to the insert section indirectly through the cladding and the coating by restraining a displacement of the cladding relative to the coating and a displacement of the coating relative to the internal component.

6 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the displacement restraint section restrains a displacement by adhering to the internal component.

7 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the displacement restraint section restrains a displacement by adhering to the internal component.

8 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the displacement restraint section restrains a displacement by adhering to the internal component.

9 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the displacement restraint section is disposed in a same position as or close to the sensing part in a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber.

10 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the displacement restraint section is disposed in a same position as or close to the sensing part in a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber.

11 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the displacement restraint section is disposed in a same position as or close to the sensing part in a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber.

12 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the displacement restraint section contacting the core has a material whose refractive index is lower than that of the core.

13 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the displacement restraint section contacting the core has a material whose refractive index is lower than that of the core.

14 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising additional one or more displacement restraint sections,
the optical fiber in a range between the plurality of displacement restraint sections is slackened to restrain a displacement of the core relative to an internal component of the insert section along curvature of the insert section.

15 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising additional one or more displacement restraint sections,
the optical fiber in a range between the plurality of displacement restraint sections is slackened to restrain a displacement of the core relative to an internal component of the insert section along curvature of the insert section.

16 . The insertion apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising additional one or more displacement restraint sections,
the optical fiber in a range between the plurality of displacement restraint sections is slackened to restrain a displacement of the core relative to an internal component of the insert section along curvature of the insert section.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Tojo Ryo
• Fujita Hiromasa
• Yamamoto Eiji

Classifications

• G02B23/2476 Primary

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

• G02B23/2469

  using optical fibres · CPC title

• G01B11/24

  for measuring contours or curvatures · CPC title

• A61B1/009

  with bending or curvature detection of the insertion part · CPC title

• A61B2034/2061

  using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings · CPC title