Endoscope and rigid distal end portion of endoscope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016367114-A1
Application number	US-201615249922-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 29, 2016
Priority date	Aug 5, 2014
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An endoscope includes an operation section, an insertion section, a first space provided in a distal end portion of the insertion section, a second space sealed against an inner space of a bending portion, a communication passage communicating between the first space and the second space, and an elongated tube member having one end portion coupled with the first space and another end portion provided inside the operation section and having a through hole in a longitudinal direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An endoscope comprising:
an operation section; an insertion section extending from the operation section, and including a distal end portion provided on a distal end side and a bending portion provided consecutively to the distal end portion; a first space provided in the distal end portion; a second space, provided in the distal end portion and sealed against an inner space in the bending portion, where at least an image pickup unit is disposed; a communication passage provided in the distal end portion, and configured to communicate between the first space and the second space; and an elongated tube member having a through hole in a longitudinal direction, and having one end portion coupled with the first space and another end portion provided inside the operation section.

2 . The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein the first space is sealed against the space in the bending portion.

3 . The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein the first space is an arm accommodating chamber where a raising base operation arm is disposed, the raising base operation arm being configured to swing a raising base constituting a raising device provided in the distal end portion.

4 . The endoscope according to claim 3 , wherein the through hole in the longitudinal direction of the tube member serves both as a wire insertion channel in which a raising base operation wire, constituting the raising device, a distal end of which is connected to the raising base operation arm, is inserted and disposed, and as a supply channel configured to supply pressurized air into the first space and into the second space through the communication passage.

5 . The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein the tube member is formed only by a coil spring.

6 . The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein a space volume of the communication passage is set smaller than volumes of the first space and the second space.

7 . The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein the communication passage is formed substantially perpendicularly to a long axis direction of the insertion section.

8 . A rigid distal end portion in an endoscope which is disposed on a distal end of an insertion section of the endoscope, comprising:
a first space; a second space where at least an image pickup unit is disposed; and a communication passage communicating between the first space and the second space, wherein the first space and the second space are sealed against a space disposed behind the rigid distal end portion, and a distal end portion of an elongated tube member is coupled with the first space, the tube member having a rear end portion provided in an operation section of the endoscope and having a through hole in a longitudinal direction.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Iizuka Tomoyuki

Classifications

• G02B23/24

  Instruments {or systems} for viewing the inside of hollow bodies, e.g. fibrescopes · CPC title

• A61B1/008

  Articulations · CPC title

• A61B1/00098 Primary

  Deflecting means for inserted tools · CPC title

• A61B1/018

  for receiving instruments · CPC title

• A61B1/05

  characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion · CPC title