Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110238093 | LIGATING APPARATUS - A ligating-apparatus includes a clip, an operating wire, an inner sheath member and an outer sheath member. The clip ligates a body tissue with arms. The operating wire pulls the clip. The inner sheath member encloses the operating wire to support a clip holding member. The outer sheath member advances and retreats while covering the inner sheath member. The outer sheath member changes the degree of opening of the arms by causing each arm to abut on an inner peripheral surface thereof. A pair of arms includes first arm portion and a second arm portion connected continuously to the first arm portion via a bending portion. When the bending portion abuts against an inner peripheral surface end portion of the outer sheath member, the second arm portion is arranged at an inner side in a direction of a radius from an inner peripheral surface of the outer sheath member. | 09-29-2011 |
20110245615 | BENDING-INSERTION ASSISTING INSTRUMENT AND INSERTION PATH SECURING APPARATUS - An insertion path securing apparatus includes a bending-insertion assisting instrument and a sheath tube that includes a first lumen where the bending-insertion assisting instrument is inserted. The bending-insertion assisting instrument includes a bendable tip bending portion, an intermediate extension portion being connected to the tip bending portion, and a bending operation portion being disposed at a base end of the intermediate extension portion. The state of the intermediate extension portion can be selectively switched to a variable-shape state where the bent shape of the intermediate extension portion can be freely changed and a shape retaining state where the bent shape of the intermediate extension portion is retained. The sheath tube includes a tube-like insertion portion of which the state can be selectively switched to a variable-shape state and a shape retaining state, and an operation portion that is disposed at a base end of the tube-like insertion portion. | 10-06-2011 |
20110245855 | LIGATING APPARATUS - A ligating apparatus includes a clip, a clip connecting member, a clip holding member, an operating wire, an inner sheath member, an outer sheath member and first and second movement restricting portions. The clip ligates a body tissue with arm portions. The clip connecting member connects to a clip base portion. The clip connecting member is inserted through the clip holding member. The operating wire connects to the clip connecting member. The inner sheath member encloses the operating wire to support the clip holding member. The outer sheath member covers an outer periphery of the inner sheath member and freely advances and retreats. The outer sheath member advances and/or retreats to change the degree of opening of the arm portions. The first movement restricting portion restricts the inward movement of the clip holding member. The second movement restricting portion restricts the outward movement of the clip holding member. | 10-06-2011 |
20110282150 | GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR ENDOSCOPE - A self-propelled type of guide assembly for an endoscope includes a barrel for receiving an elongated tube of the endoscope in an axial direction. A rubber ring retains the barrel to the elongated tube in a form with a clearance space defined between the barrel and the elongated tube. The barrel includes a barrel sleeve, having a first inner diameter according to an outer diameter of the elongated tube. An end cup is formed to extend from an end of the barrel sleeve, has a second inner diameter larger than the first inner diameter, for allowing the steering device in the elongated tube to steer. Furthermore, a movable endless track device has an annular surface, movable on an endless track outside the barrel, for pushing a wall of a body cavity for propulsion in the axial direction. A drive roller moves the endless track device relative to the barrel. | 11-17-2011 |
20120029282 | GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR ENDOSCOPE - A guide assembly of a self-propelled type for an endoscope having an elongated tube for entry in a body cavity is provided. First and second self-propelled units are secured to a steering device provided in the elongated tube, arranged in an axial direction of the elongated tube, the second self-propelled unit receiving force for driving from an external drive source. A flexible connector connects the second self-propelled unit to the first self-propelled unit and transmits the force applied to the second self-propelled unit to the first self-propelled unit. Preferably, the connector includes at least two coil springs having diameters different from one another, and combined in such a multi layer form that winding directions thereof are opposite to one another. The force is torque in a rotational direction about an axis of the axial direction. | 02-02-2012 |
20120029283 | GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR ENDOSCOPE - A guide assembly of a self-propelled type for an endoscope including an elongated tube for entry in a body cavity is provided. First and second self-propelled units are mounted on a steering device of the elongated tube in an axial direction thereof, for contacting a wall of the body cavity for propulsion. The first and second self-propelled units include respectively first and second driving devices, actuated with force by an external drive source, for converting the force for the propulsion. The first self-propelled unit includes a first torque coil structure for transmitting the force from the drive source to the first driving device. The second self-propelled unit includes a second torque coil structure for transmitting the force from the drive source to the second driving device discretely from the first torque coil structure. The first self-propelled unit is fixedly mounted on the steering device. | 02-02-2012 |
20120046523 | SELF PROPELLING DEVICE - A self propelling device is attached to a front end side of an insert section of an endoscope and propels the front end side in a body. The self propelling device has an internal cylinder into which the front end side is inserted and an external cylinder surrounding the internal cylinder. A rotating body is rotatably attached to the external cylinder in an axis direction along the inner periphery and the outer periphery of the external cylinder, and the self propelling device propels by rotation of the rotating body. The inner diameter of the internal cylinder is large, and the front end side can be bendable in the internal cylinder. A coil spring formed in a circular truncated cone shape is located in the internal cylinder. The coil spring has a bottom having large diameter which is fixed to the internal cylinder and has a top having small diameter which is fit on the front end side of the insert section. The self propelling device and the front end side of the insert section are connected via the coil spring so that they can relatively move. | 02-23-2012 |
20120165607 | GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR ENDOSCOPE - A guide assembly for an endoscope having an elongated tube includes a first inner sleeve, a first outer sleeve, an endless track device, engagement rollers, a second inner sleeve and idler rollers. The endless track device has an annular surface, is supported around the first outer sleeve, for endlessly moving in an axial direction of the elongated tube in contact with a wall of the body cavity, for propulsion of the elongated tube. A setting device as second outer sleeve is shiftable between a set position and a release position, for pressing the idler roller on the engagement roller when in the set position, to nip the endless track device therewith, and for retracting the idler roller from the engagement roller in an outward direction when in the release position, to facilitate removal of the endless track device from the first outer sleeve. | 06-28-2012 |
20120178993 | GUIDE ASSEMBLY AND ENDOSCOPE - A guide assembly for an endoscope has an elongated tube for entry in a body cavity. Plural endless belts move in an axial direction of the elongated tube in contact with a cavity wall of the body cavity, to propel the elongated tube. A driving device is engaged with a first belt surface of the belts, for rotating to drive the belts. A pressure roller has a smaller width than a width of the belts in a transverse direction crosswise to the axial direction, for pressing the belts by contacting a second belt surface reverse to the first belt surface, to apply tension thereto together with the driving device. A regulating projection is formed to project from the second belt surface and to extend in the axial direction, for contacting a side surface of the pressure roller in the transverse direction, to prevent lateral misalignment of the belts. | 07-12-2012 |
20120184815 | GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR ENDOSCOPE - An endoscope includes a section of an elongated tube for imaging an object by entry in a body cavity. For use with this, a guide assembly includes a shaft sleeve for mounting on the elongated tube by reception thereof. A housing sleeve is supported around the shaft sleeve. Three endless belts are secured to the housing sleeve, for endlessly moving in an axial direction of the elongated tube, and propelling the elongated tube by contacting a cavity wall of the body cavity. A drive sleeve is contained in the housing sleeve, for driving the endless belts. Side projections as side rail portions are disposed on the housing sleeve, for covering lateral side portions of each of the endless belts at least partially, to keep the endless belts slidable. Preferably, the side projections cause curving of a center portion of the endless belts outwards with respect to a transverse direction. | 07-19-2012 |
20120184816 | GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR ENDOSCOPE - An endoscope has an elongated tube for entry in a body cavity. A guide assembly includes a shaft sleeve for mounting on the elongated tube. A housing sleeve is supported around the shaft sleeve. Three endless belts are secured to the housing sleeve, for endlessly moving in an axial direction of the elongated tube, and propelling the elongated tube by contacting a cavity wall of the body cavity. A driving device is contained in the housing sleeve, for driving the endless belts. Three curved walls constitute the housing sleeve, and support the endless belts movably and in a transversely curved state. Each of the endless belts includes an upper belt run, curved by the curved walls convexly outwards, for contacting the body cavity. A lower belt run is disposed inside, and tensioned between the driving device and the belt rollers. | 07-19-2012 |
20120238817 | SELF-PROPELLABLE APPRATUS - A propelling unit of a self-propellable apparatus is attached to a front end portion of an insert section of an electronic endoscope. The propelling unit includes feeding rollers disposed at its front. On each feeding roller, one end of a belt is wound. A winding roller and a worm wheel are provided behind each feeding roller. When the worm wheel rotates, the belt is drawn out from the feeding roller, and wound up onto the winding roller. The belts move while making contact with an interior wall of a body lumen, and hence produce propulsive force to the front end portion of the insert section. When the contact between the belts and the interior wall is insufficient, a balloon is inflated to press the belts against the interior wall. | 09-20-2012 |
20120245420 | ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS - To prevent excitation light output from an output end of a light guiding portion causing damage to the eye when the light guiding portion which guides the special light output from a light source is detached from the insertion portion. Provided is an endoscope apparatus including: an insertion portion that is inserted into a body so as to irradiate special light to a subject observation portion inside the body and receives light output from the subject observation portion by the irradiation of the special light; and a light guiding portion that is optically connected to the insertion portion and guides the special light output from a light source to the insertion portion, wherein an output end for the special light in the light guiding portion is equipped with a diffusing portion that diffuses the special light guided by the light guiding portion. | 09-27-2012 |