Endoscope flexible tube and endoscope device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9345390-B2
Application number	US-88434006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2006
Priority date	Feb 14, 2005
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

In an endoscope flexible tube and an endoscope device of the present invention, an endoscope flexible tube which exhibits flexibility to be inserted into a body cavity includes a bending portion formed at a distal end side, a first flexible tube portion connected in series to a proximal end of the bending portion, and a second flexible tube portion connected in series to a proximal end of the first flexible tube portion. When the bending portion and the first flexible tube portion pass a flexed portion of the body cavity, a curvature radius of the first flexible tube portion which is passively bent under a predetermined force is set to be larger than a curvature radius of the bending portion in a maximum bent state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An endoscope including an insertion portion which exhibits flexibility to be inserted into a body cavity, the endoscope comprising:
a bending portion formed at a distal end side which is configured to be maximally bent with a first curvature radius and to be bendable according to a bending operation by an operator, the bending portion being provided inside thereof a plurality of annular bending pieces which are rotatably connected in series by pivots, peripheral edges of opposite surfaces of adjacent ones of the bending pieces serving as abutment portions to abut to each other to regulate the curvature radius at which the bending portion is maximally bent;
a first flexible tube portion connected in series at a proximal end side of the bending portion, which is maximally bendable with a second curvature radius larger than the first curvature radius, and which is bent when applied with an external force but is not bendable according to a bending operation by an operator, the first flexible tube portion being maximally bent by being pushed against an inner wall of the body cavity, the first flexible tube portion being provided inside thereof a plurality of curvature regulation pieces rotatably connected in series by pivots, peripheral edges of opposite surfaces of adjacent ones of the curvature regulation pieces serving as abutment portions to abut to each other to regulate the curvature radius at which the first flexible tube is maximally bent; and
a second flexible tube portion connected in series at a proximal end side of the first flexible tube portion, the second flexible tube portion comprising a helical tube, a braid covering an outer circumference of the helical tube, and an outer resin coat covering the braid, the second flexible tube portion having a flexural rigidity larger than a flexural rigidity of the first flexible tube portion.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein the first flexible tube is formed such that the curvature radius of the first flexible tube when maximally bent is larger at a side of the second flexible tube portion than at a side of the bending portion.

3. The endoscope according to claim 2 , wherein the curvature radius of the first flexible tube portion when maximally bent is set to vary stepwise or continuously from the side of the bending portion to the side of the second flexible tube portion.

4. The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein, in a state where an insertion axis of the bending portion and the first flexible tube is in a linear state, a distance between each of the pivots that rotatably connect in series the plurality of curvature regulation pieces provided in the first flexible tube portion and an angle between the abutment portions opposing to each other of the curvature regulation pieces adjacent to each other with a rotation center of each of the pivots serving as an apex are set relative to a distance between each of the pivots that rotatably connect in series the plurality of bending pieces provided in the bending portion and an angle between the abutment portions opposing to each other of the bending pieces adjacent to each other with a rotation center of each of the pivots serving as an apex, so that the second curvature radius is larger than the first curvature radius.

Assignees

• Matsuo Shigeki
• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Matsuo Shigeki

Classifications

• G02B23/26

  using light guides {(for illumination G02B23/2469)} · CPC title

• A61B1/31

  for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes {, colonoscopes} · CPC title

• A61B1/00071

  Insertion part of the endoscope body (A61B1/0055 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B23/2476

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

• A61B1/0055 Primary

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