Patents by Inventor Haruo Akiba
Haruo Akiba has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20050096504Abstract: An endoscopic liquid feed device to be fitted on a mouth piece of a liquid feed port which is provided on a casing of a manipulating head assembly of an endoscope in communication with an internal liquid feed passage leading to a liquid injection port at a distal end of an insertion tube of the endoscope for injecting a liquid into a body cavity. A liquid feed adaptor is detachably fitted on the mouth piece of the liquid feed port. The liquid feed adaptor is largely constituted by a Luer-Lok member having a check valve member fitted on a fore end portion thereof, a stopper ring fitted on the outer periphery of the Luer-Lok member, and a nut member rotatably fitted on the Luer-Lok member for axial displacements between the stopper ring and a flange portion provided at the outer proximal end of the Luer-Lok member. The nut member is threaded on an external screw provided on the outer periphery of the mouth piece.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2003Publication date: May 5, 2005Applicant: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Publication number: 20040260151Abstract: A fluid delivery adapter unit for selectively connecting fluid supply equipments to an endoscope comprises a straight pipe capable of being detachably coupled to a fluid inlet collet of a headpiece of the endoscope and a generally L-shaped elbow pipe having a lure lock component at a proximal end to which the fluid supply equipment is coupled. A joining structure is installed between the elbow pipe and the straight pipe so as to allow the elbow pipe and the straight pipe to turn through a predetermined angle relative to each other only when the elbow pipe is forced to turn and further to keep them in a turned position while the elbow pipe is unforced. The joining structure comprises principally involves an elastic sealing member to provide fluid tight seal between the elbow pipe and the straight pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2004Publication date: December 23, 2004Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Publication number: 20040193011Abstract: A casing of an endoscopic manipulating head assembly is largely constituted by and dividable into a main cover section adapted to support an operating means of an angulation control mechanism and a grip cover section provided between the main cover section and an insertion tube of the endoscope. Both of the main cover section and the grip cover section are formed of a synthetic resin material. A support plate of a rigid metal is provided internally of the manipulating head assembly to support the angulation control mechanism. A plural number of passage-forming tubular structural members are successively connected within the grip cover section for passing internal components to and from the insertion tube of the endoscope. The support plate is connected to one of the tubular structural members which is located at the proximal end of the grip cover section.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Applicant: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Publication number: 20040193017Abstract: An endoscopic fluid supply conduit system for use with an endoscope having an insertion tube and a universal cable connected to and from a manipulating head assembly. A fluid conduit is provided internally of the insertion tube to supply a fluid from a fluid feed port on the manipulating head assembly toward a fluid jet injection port feed port which is provided on a rigid tip end section at the fore distal end of the insertion tube. In addition, a second fluid conduit is provided internally of the universal cable and toward the manipulating head assembly. A fluid supply channel selector means is provided at the fluid feed port to which a fluid feed adaptor is to be disconnectibly connected.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Applicant: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Publication number: 20040193183Abstract: Mounted internally of a casing of a manipulating head assembly of an endoscope is a branching passage member to connect a base end of a biopsy channel with a biopsy channel entrance way and a suction passage. The branching passage member is retained in position by threaded engagement with a biopsy channel entrance pipe which is fitted in the biopsy channel entrance way. Further, the branching passage member is provided with restrictive members thereby to restrict movements of the branching member except a movement toward the biopsy channel entrance pipe when the branching member is pulled into the biopsy channel entrance way for engagement with the entrance pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Applicant: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Publication number: 20040167379Abstract: A valved plug to be fitted on a mouth piece at an inlet opening of an endoscopic biopsy channel. The plug as a whole is formed of a resilient material, and has, at the opposite ends of a foldable connecting strip or string, a generally tubular main body portion which is provided with a constricted portion in its axial passage, and a valved nesting piece which is adapted to be detachably coupled with the main body portion and provided with a normally closed slit valve axially in an aligned position relative to the constricted passage on the side of the main body portion. The main body portion is provided with an inward interlocking projection of a predetermined thickness at its outer end, for tight interlocking engagement with an interlocking groove which is provided on the side of the nesting piece in such a way as to grip the interlocking projection tightly in a compressed state.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2003Publication date: August 26, 2004Applicant: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Patent number: 6752755Abstract: A cap of an endoscope has an end part. On an inner periphery of the end part, a reference mark showing an ideal focus position and six marks are formed with regular intervals. When a circular end surface of the cap is pressed against a mucous membrane, the mucous membrane swells to the reference mark. Therefore, the mucous membrane can be kept at the ideal focus position for an object optical system.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2001Date of Patent: June 22, 2004Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Patent number: 6719685Abstract: According to the present invention, a fixing member is integrated with a mouthpiece body through slide grooves and a rotational groove, and this improves the portability. Moreover, a guide tube can easily be fixed to the mouthpiece body only by rotating the fixing member with the rotational groove. Furthermore, an index is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the guide tube. The index is composed of scale lines formed at regular intervals and scale numbers formed at predetermined scale lines. The scale numbers represent the distances from a front end of the guide tube to the scale line, and the distances from a back end of the guide tube to the scale line. The index of the guide tube is used in combination with an index formed on an endoscope insertion part, and this makes it possible to correctly recognize the insertion length of the endoscope insertion part inserted into a body cavity of a subject.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2001Date of Patent: April 13, 2004Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tetsuya Fujikura, Haruo Akiba
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Patent number: 6702737Abstract: A bending manipulation device for endoscope wherein a pair of control wires are taken up by a pulley provided in and given a rotary motion by the main control portion of the endoscope, and one of control wires extended out from the pulley corresponding to the turning operation thereof is taken up by the pulley while the other is paid out from the pulley, thereby enabling the bending manipulation to be carried out. The groove of the above pulley is formed in the shape of a spiral continuously extending in the peripheral direction of this pulley and is used in common by the above pair of control wires. One part from the one end of the groove and the other part from the other end of the groove are arranged side by side and in parallel with each other. Each of control wires is alternately taken up on the groove of the pulley corresponding to the turning direction of the pulley.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2002Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuhiko Hino, Haruo Akiba, Hiroyuki Arai
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Patent number: 6638214Abstract: A notched void portion 29 is provided in a rigid casing block 20 of a rigid tip end section 2c of an endoscopic insertion instrument 2. For spurting a cleaning fluid toward an observation window 11, a cleaning supply passage is constituted by a cleaner nozzle 13, a connector pipe 27 and a flexible tube 26. A cleaner nozzle 13 is partly fitted in the notched void portion 29 which is formed in the rigid casing block 20. The connector pipe 27 is formed in a staggered shape having an angularly bent intermediate pipe section 27c between straight and parallel front and rear pipe sections 27a and 27b. The straight front pipe section 27a is at least partly fitted in the rigid casing block 20 and its fore distal end portion is fitted in the cleaner nozzle 13 over a predetermined length.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2002Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Publication number: 20030187328Abstract: An endoscopic manual control knob which has a knob body proper in the form of a synthetic resin molding. The knob body is largely composed of a ring-like top plate and a peripheral side wall portion fringed along outer periphery of the top plate. The top plate is provided with an aperture to be fitted on a rotatable shaft, and a number of lever portions projecting radially outward from the outer periphery of the top plate at angularly spaced positions. The knob body has an implant block embedded in each one of the lever portions by insert molding.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2003Publication date: October 2, 2003Applicant: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hidetoshi Seki, Kazuhiko Hino, Haruo Akiba
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Patent number: 6595915Abstract: A jet nozzle for spurting a wash fluid toward an observation window of an optical image pickup system fitted in a rigid tip end section of the insertion instrument for cleaning the observation window. The jet nozzle includes an inlet passage portion which is provided at a proximal end of the jet nozzle coaxially in communication with an axial wash fluid passage in the rigid tip end section of the insertion instrument, a jet spout passage portion which is located on a distal end face of the rigid tip end section and terminating with a jet spout opening of a predetermined width. The jet spout passage portion is provided with a straight flow rectifying passage of a predetermined length toward the jet outlet opening.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Patent number: 6572539Abstract: In the endoscope, in which a protective tube and a linear transmission member are arranged from a tip end portion to an operating unit, for transmitting rotation of a motor to the tip end portion through the linear transmission member to thereby drive a movable lens for making the observation distance variable, the protective tube is divided into a front-side tube and a rear-side tube having a larger inner diameter than the front-side tube, and these are connected together within the operating unit. Also, the linear transmission member is also divided into a front-side transmission member and a rear-side transmission member having a larger outside diameter, and as regards this rear-side transmission member, there is used a multiple coiled spring formed by winding strands of a predetermined number of threads brought into tight contact in a state, in which space for predetermined intervals is left.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2001Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Patent number: 6565507Abstract: A flexible tube having a laminated multi-layer structure including an outer layer composed of a main tube body layer formed of thermoplastic synthetic resin in a predetermined thickness and a reinforcing layer provided on the inner side of the main tube body layer, and an inner layer formed of a thin film sheet of air tight and low friction material. The inner layer is formed by rolling an elongated strip of a thin film sheet into a tubular form such that opposite lateral sides of the thin film sheet are overlapped one on the other to provide a thick wall portion extending longitudinally of and at one angular position of the inner layer.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2001Date of Patent: May 20, 2003Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kouichi Kamata, Haruo Akiba, Masanori Kimura, Kouichi Muraki
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Patent number: 6561971Abstract: This endoscope includes a magnification change manipulative switch made easy to manipulate in relation to an angle manipulative knob. That is, in an endoscope manipulative section with an angle manipulative knob for bending a front end and a magnification change manipulative switch disposed, two switch bodies making up the above magnification change manipulative switch are arranged in a direction nearly perpendicular to a rotation axis of the angle manipulation knob and disposed nearly in contact with each other so as to be retained by a retaining member to which a rubber cover is attached in an airtight condition. On an outer surface of this rubber cover, a convex portion for identifying function is provided. According to this endoscope, movement of a thumb between the angle manipulation knob and the magnification change manipulative switch is smoothed and the above convex portion enables a magnification change, for example, to a near side or to the far side, to be manipulated.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2000Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Patent number: 6558317Abstract: The present invention provides a system for endoscopes which can supply air and water according to each application by regulating air and water flow rates independently. Although air and water may be supplied with one pump, the present invention controls air and water flow rates separately by using an air supply pump and water supply pump and by controlling a plurality of open-close valves installed, for example, on atmospheric escape pipes. The air channel and water channel are connected, for draining, by a first connecting pipe. If the air supply pump is used also for water supply and the water supply pump is used also for air supply, it is possible to supply air and water at a high flow rate fast enough even for high-speed water injection. If a fixed flow rate is used for a specified time at the start, specific operations can be simplified.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2001Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuaki Takahashi, Haruo Akiba, Etsuko Sugikawa
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Patent number: 6497652Abstract: A rotary driving member at the tip end portion is rotated by a motor through a linear transmission member, and the rotation of this rotary driving member is converted into a straight-line motion to thereby enable a movable lens for making the observation distance variable to move within a predetermined range. A motor shaft and the linear transmission member are connected to each other by the shaft connecting member, whereby the linear transmission member is constructed so as to be able to move in an axial direction, and on the outer peripheral portion of the shaft connecting member, a rotating member having a protruded portion is mounted, and the rotation stopper mechanism is constituted by the rotating member and a locking pin portion. Thereby, any kink of the linear transmission member is eliminated to improve the response of driving control, and loads given to the tip end portion driving member and the linear transmission member are reduced.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2001Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Publication number: 20020151768Abstract: A notched void portion 29 is provided in a rigid casing block 20 of a rigid tip end section 2c of an endoscopic insertion instrument 2. For spurting a cleaning fluid toward an observation window 11, a cleaning supply passage is constituted by a cleaner nozzle 13, a connector pipe 27 and a flexible tube 26. A cleaner nozzle 13 is partly fitted in the notched void portion 29 which is formed in the rigid casing block 20. The connector pipe 27 is formed in a staggered shape having an angularly bent intermediate pipe section 27c between straight and parallel front and rear pipe sections 27a and 27b. The straight front pipe section 27a is at least partly fitted in the rigid casing block 20 and its fore distal end portion is fitted in the cleaner nozzle 13 over a predetermined length.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2002Publication date: October 17, 2002Inventor: Haruo Akiba
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Publication number: 20020143238Abstract: A bending manipulation device for endoscope wherein a pair of control wires are taken up by a pulley provided in and given a rotary motion by the main control portion of the endoscope, and one of control wires extended out from the pulley corresponding to the turning operation thereof is taken up by the pulley while the other is paid out from the pulley, thereby enabling the bending manipulation to be carried out. The groove of the above pulley is formed in the shape of a spiral continuously extending in the peripheral direction of this pulley and is used in common by the above pair of control wires. One part from the one end of the groove and the other part from the other end of the groove are arranged side by side and in parallel with each other. Each of control wires is alternately taken up on the groove of the pulley corresponding to the turning direction of the pulley.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2002Publication date: October 3, 2002Inventors: Kazuhiko Hino, Haruo Akiba, Hiroyuki Arai
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Patent number: 6425535Abstract: A nozzle spraying a cleaning liquid to an observation window. A jet spray aperture for spraying fluid is provided to the distal end portion of an insertion portion. A first fluid supplying passage connected to a nozzle and a control-valve. A second fluid supplying passage connected to the jet spray aperture. A casing divides the first fluid supplying passage into a nozzle side passage and a valve side passage, connects to the second fluid supplying passage, and includes a pump connector detachably connected to the fluid pumping means and a supplying passage. A switching passage, formed in the pump connector, switches between positions wherein the nozzle side passage is connected to or cut off from the valve side passage, depending on the state of the supplying passage. A check valve is provided to the supplying passage for preventing flow from the switching passage side to the suppyling passage side.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2000Date of Patent: July 30, 2002Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Haruo Akiba