Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion portion, a first bending portion, a second bending portion, a bending operation wire, a first coil sheath, a switching mechanism, a guide, a first region of the guide, a second region of the guide, and a central part formed between the first region and the second region on an inner surface of the guide, protruding inside more than the first region and the second region and formed to be longer than a coil elemental wire making up the first coil sheath.

Abstract: An insertion portion, a bending portion, an inner guide sheath, an operation portion, a fixing lever, a guide member, a crank member, a pair of link members, and cam members that are rotatable to a second rotation position where the cam members simultaneously press exposed sites of moving members to wall surfaces in a vertical direction, and a first rotation position where the cam members are separated from the exposed sites, by either one of opening and closing of the respective link members are included.

Abstract: A wire apparatus includes a sheath arranged in an endoscope, a wire inserted in the sheath and configured to move in an axial direction or rotated in the sheath, and the wire is configured such that processing of coating including a binder component is performed only to a range of the wire, the range being exposed from the sheath and a powder lubricant which does not include the binder component is applied to at least a range of the wire, the range being inserted in the sheath.

Abstract: Contact between a face to be pressed and a cam face in an interaxial direction T of two inner guide sheaths is set so that a contact width H therebetween is shorter than an interaxial distance L, and so that the contact position is located between axes of the two inner guide sheaths. As a result, even in a case where external diameters of two inner guide sheaths that form a pair are slightly different to each other, a braking member can be tilted to cause a contact face to simultaneously come in contact with the respective inner guide sheaths, and a pressing force from an eccentric cam can be transmitted equally to the respective inner guide sheaths.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion portion, a first bending portion, a second bending portion, a bending operation wire, a first coil sheath, a switching mechanism, a guide, a first region of the guide, a second region of the guide, and a central part formed between the first region and the second region on an inner surface of the guide, protruding inside more than the first region and the second region and formed to be longer than a coil elemental wire making up the first coil sheath.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a control method input section provided in a bending operation input unit and configured to input a control method of a bending operation, and a control method detector provided in an operation section body and configured to detect the input control method of the bending operation. The endoscope includes an activated portion provided in the bending operation input unit and configured to change its activated state in response to the bending operation in a bending operation input section, an activated state detector provided in the operation section body and configured to detect the activated state of the activated portion, and a drive member provided in the operation section body and configured to be driven in accordance with the detected control method and the detected activated state, thereby bending a bending section.

Abstract: Contact between a face to be pressed and a cam face in an interaxial direction T of two inner guide sheaths is set so that a contact width H therebetween is shorter than an interaxial distance L, and so that the contact position is located between axes of the two inner guide sheaths. As a result, even in a case where external diameters of two inner guide sheaths that form a pair are slightly different to each other, a braking member can be tilted to cause a contact face to simultaneously come in contact with the respective inner guide sheaths, and a pressing force from an eccentric cam can be transmitted equally to the respective inner guide sheaths.

Abstract: An insertion portion, a bending portion, an inner guide sheath, an operation portion, a fixing lever, a guide member, a crank member, a pair of link members, and cam members that are rotatable to a second rotation position where the cam members simultaneously press exposed sites of moving members to wall surfaces in a vertical direction, and a first rotation position where the cam members are separated from the exposed sites, by either one of opening and closing of the respective link members are included.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a control method input section provided in a bending operation input unit and configured to input a control method of a bending operation, and a control method detector provided in an operation section body and configured to detect the input control method of the bending operation. The endoscope includes an activated portion provided in the bending operation input unit and configured to change its activated state in response to the bending operation in a bending operation input section, an activated state detector provided in the operation section body and configured to detect the activated state of the activated portion, and a drive member provided in the operation section body and configured to be driven in accordance with the detected control method and the detected activated state, thereby bending a bending section.

Abstract: An endoscope shape detection system has a CPU included in a control unit. The CPU performs frequency sampling of digital data to calculate coordinates indicating the spatial positions of source coils incorporated in an insertion unit of an endoscope received in a patient and of marker coils placed on a patient. An inserted state of the insertion unit of the endoscope is estimated based on the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils. Display data based on the shape of the endoscope is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils, and output to a video RAM. Display data of the marker coils is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the marker coils, and output to the video RAM. Consequently, the positions of the markers are depicted together with the shape of the endoscope. The positional relationship between the insertion unit of the endoscope and a patient's body can therefore be ascertained.

Abstract: An endoscope shape detecting system displays an endoscope image and an insertion form image simultaneously on a display means. A first memory stores an endoscope image and a second memory stores an insertion form image. A control device controls a switching action such that the insertion form image is output to the display means during a period wherein the output of the endoscope image to the display means is turned off and stored in the first memory means, and that the output of the insertion form image to the display means is turned off and stored in the second memory during the period wherein the output of the endoscope image to the display is turned on. In addition, a control device is provided that controls the storing action such that a first period for storing endoscope images in the first memory and a second period for storing output signals from a magnetic field detecting device in the second memory do not overlap.

Abstract: A shape-of-endoscope detection system has a CPU included in a control unit. The CPU performs frequency sampling on digital data to calculate coordinates indicating the spatial positions of source coils incorporated in an insertion unit of an endoscope and of marker coils. An inserted state of the insertion unit of the endoscope is estimated based on the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils. Display data based on which the shape of the endoscope is depicted is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils, and output to a video RAM. Display data based on which the marker coils are depicted is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the marker coils, and output to the video RAM. Consequently, the positions of the markers are depicted together with the shape of the endoscope. The positional relationship between the insertion unit of the endoscope and a patient's body can therefore be grasped.

Abstract: An endoscope shape detection system has a CPU included in a control unit. The CPU performs frequency sampling on digital data to calculate coordinates indicating the spatial positions of source coils incorporated in an insertion unit of an endoscope and of marker coils. An inserted state of the insertion unit of the endoscope is estimated based on the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils. Display data based on which shape of the endoscope depicted is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils, and output to a video RAM. Display data based on which marker coils are depicted is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the marker coils, and output to the video RAM. Consequently, the positions of the markers are depicted together with the shape of the endoscope. The positional relationship between the insertion unit of the endoscope and a patient's body can therefore be ascertained.

Abstract: A source coil line-break/short-circuit detecting circuit and a probe connection detecting circuit are provided to the source coil driving circuit unit of an endoscope shape detecting apparatus. The source coil line-break/short-circuit detecting circuit detects line-breaks and short-circuits of the source coils. The probe connection detecting circuit detects whether a connection exists with a probe. A marker coil line-break/short-circuit detecting circuit detects line-breaks and short-circuits of the marker coils. A marker connection detecting circuit detects whether a connection exists with a marker. Accordingly, using the apparatus without being connected to a probe or markers can be avoided by detecting the connection of the probe and markers by the probe connection detecting circuit and marker connection detecting circuit, respectively, when the system is energized, thereby avoiding detecting noise and consequently displaying a random image on the monitor.

Abstract: A source coil line-break/short-circuit detecting circuit and a probe connection detecting circuit are provided to the source coil driving circuit unit of an endoscope shape detecting apparatus. The source coil line-break/short-circuit detecting circuit detects line-breaks and short-circuits of the source coils. The probe connection detecting circuit detects whether a connection exists with a probe. A marker coil line-break/short-circuit detecting circuit detects line-breaks and short-circuits of the marker coils. A marker connection detecting circuit detects whether a connection exists with a marker. Accordingly, using the apparatus without being connected to a probe or markers can be avoided by detecting the connection of the probe and markers by the probe connection detecting circuit and marker connection detecting circuit, respectively, when the system is energized, thereby avoiding detecting noise and consequently displaying a random image on the monitor.

Abstract: In an endoscope of the present invention, while a cover indicator on a distal cover is aligned with a scope indicator on a main distal part, the distal cover is put on the main distal part in an axial direction at a certain insertion angle. Thereafter, the distal cover is rotated while being thrust in the axial direction. The stoppage of a locking convex part of a hook of the main distal part by a claw of a reinforcement member is released, and the locking convex part of the hook is positioned in a locking ditch of the reinforcement member. The head of the hook is constrained to move in the axial direction by means of a main distal cover that is an elastic member and the claw. The locking convex part is then fitted into the locking ditch reliably. Consequently, the distal cover can be fixed to the main distal part readily, freely detachably, and reliably with high positioning precision.

Abstract: An endoscope pipeline controlling apparatus and endoscope system comprising an air feeding pipe communicating with an air feeding pump, a water feeding tank to which is connected a water feeding air feeding pipe branched from a part of the above-mentioned air feeding pipe, a water feeding pipe connected to this water feeding tank, electromagnetic valves fitted to the above-mentioned air feeding pipe and water feeding pipe and connecting pipelines connecting the above-mentioned air feeding pipe and water feeding pipe to communicate with pipelines of an endoscope so that, even if a light source apparatus feeding an illuminating light to the endoscope is not provided with an air feeding and water feeding pipeline controlling apparatus, feeding air and feeding water to the endoscope will be able to be controlled.

Abstract: An endoscope pipeline controlling apparatus and endoscope system comprising an air feeding pipe communicating with an air feeding pump, a water feeding tank to which is connected a water feeding air feeding pipe branched from a part of the above-mentioned air feeding pipe, a water feeding pipe connected to this water feeding tank, electromagnetic valves fitted to the above-mentioned air feeding pipe and water feeding pipe and connecting pipelines connecting the above-mentioned air feeding pipe and water feeding pipe to communicate with pipelines of an endoscope so that, even if a light source apparatus feeding an illuminating light to the endoscope is not provided with an air feeding and water feeding pipeline controlling apparatus, feeding air and feeding water to the endoscope will be able to be controlled.

Abstract: In an endoscope having an insertion section and a control section, a distal-end unit is provided at the distal end portion of the insertion section. An objective optical system, which includes a moving lens held by a lens frame, and a solid-state image sensing unit for converting an optical image, formed by the objective optical system, into an electrical signal, are disposed inside the distal-end unit. A transmission member which serves to transmit the electrical signal from the image sensing unit, is connected to the image sensing unit. The distal end portion of a coupling member is connected to the lens frame, and its proximal end portion extends through the insertion section into the control section. A shift-control mechanism for controlling the movement of the moving lens is coupled to the proximal end portion of the coupling member.

Abstract: This electronic endoscope is provided with a flexible insertable part formed to be small in the diameter. A plurality of components provided in parallel are included within the insertable part tip. A second largest component which has a contour smaller than the contour of a solid state imaging device which is one of the above mentioned components but larger than those of the other components and in which at least a part of the contour overlaps on an imaginary circle having the smallest diameter including the contour of the above mentioned solid state imaging device with the center of the solid state imaging device as a center is included. An objective system having an optical axis coinciding with the center of the above mentioned image area is included.