Abstract: A bending device includes a bellows with an internal space, an operating wire for bending the bellows, and multiple pairs of independent limitation structures for limiting an axial compression of the bellows. The bellows includes a corrugated peripheral wall defined by first portions that bulge radially outward and are arranged alternately with second portions that bulge radially inward. The peripheral wall has first and second regions, each of which includes a predetermined number of alternating first and second portions. A pair of limitation structures are mounted on diametrically-opposite sections of each of the first regions and on diametrically-opposite sections of each of the second regions. The sections of each first region are spaced from each other in a first direction while the sections of each second region are spaced from each other in a second direction.

Abstract: A laser beam generator has a pair of opposing mirrors. A reflecting surface of at least one of the opposing mirrors is constituted by a conical surface having a vertex angle of 90 degrees in order to tangentially polarize a laser beam. This conical surface is diverged toward the other opposing mirror at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to an optical axis from its vertex held alignment with the optical axis.

Abstract: A bending device for use in an endoscope, a catheter or the like is of a simple construction having a coil, an operating wire and a pair of limitation members for limiting an axial compression of the coil. The pair of limitation members are arranged along the length of the coil, and are mounted respectively on diametrically-opposite portions of the coil. The coil is bendable in a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the pair of limitation members are disposed. Instead of the coil, a bellows can be used.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device for emitting light diverging along an imaginary plane. This device includes a light source, a collimating lens, and a cylindrical optical element which are mounted within a casing. A reflecting surface, inclined with respect to an axis of the optical element, and a cylindrical surface extending along the axis of the optical element are formed on one end portion of the optical element disposed near one end portion of the casing. That portion of the optical element including this cylindrical surface serves as a cylindrical lens portion. The beam from the collimating lens advances along the axis of the optical element, and is reflected by the reflection surface to be directed toward the cylindrical lens portion. This reflected beam is converted by the cylindrical lens portion into a beam diverging along the imaginary plane disposed generally perpendicular to the axis of the optical element, and is emitted from the casing.

Abstract: A protective tube covering an insertion portion of an endoscope is shorter than an inner structure of the insertion portion, and a protective tube covering a bending portion is longer than an inner structure of the bending portion. The front end of the protective tube of the insertion portion, as well as the rear end of the protective tube of the bending portion, is disposed a predetermined distance rearwardly from a portion of connection between the inner structure of the insertion portion and the inner structure of the bending portion. The protective tube of the bending portion covers not only the inner structure of the bending portion but also the above connection portion and the front end portion of the inner structure of the insertion portion.

Abstract: A bending device for use in an endoscope, a catheter or the like is of a simple construction having a coil, an operating wire and a pair of limitation members for limiting an axial compression of the coil. The pair of limitation members are arranged along the length of the coil, and are mounted respectively on diametrically-opposite portions of the coil. The coil is bendable in a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the pair of limitation members are disposed. Instead of the coil, a bellows can be used.

Abstract: A medical observation instrument has a body and an observation sleeve. The body has a grip portion, and a support portion disposed at a distal end of the grip portion. This support portion has a circular arcuate portion. The observation sleeve is made of a transparent material. The observation sleeve has a mount portion of a circular section received in and removably attached to the support portion of the body. A light emission member is received in a receiving hole formed in an inner peripheral surface of the support portion. An illumination light from the light emission member is emitted toward the mount portion of the observation sleeve, reflected by the inner peripheral surface of this mount portion, passed through a peripheral wall of a distal end portion of the observation sleeve while being reflected by inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the observation sleeve, and then output forwardly of a distal end face of the observation sleeve.

Abstract: A diagnosis device which includes a probe provided at a front end of an elongate insertion portion, and has the function of angling this probe. An angle portion is provided between the insertion portion and the probe, and the angle portion includes a pair of tubular segments pivotally connected together. The pair of segments are connected to the front end of the insertion portion and the rear end of the probe, respectively. A soft protective tube is disposed inside the pair of segments at the angle portion. An operating member is connected at one end thereof to a manipulation mechanism mounted on a body, and is connected at the other end thereof to the front segment of the angle portion. The operating member is disposed outside the protective tube at the angle portion.

Abstract: There is disclosed a guide device for guiding an endoscope. The guide device includes an elongate, tubular guide body so flexible as to be bent. An insertion portion of the endoscope is adapted to be inserted into and guided by the guide body. A direction indication mechanism is mounted on an inner periphery of a front end portion of the guide body. The direction indication mechanism includes an annular holder member, and a displacement member supported by the annular holder member for displacement circumferentially of the holder member under the influence of gravity. The endoscope itself is not provided with a direction indication mechanism, and by observing the displacement member from the inner side of the front end portion of the guide body, the direction is confirmed.

Abstract: An elongate bending device for use in an endoscope or the like includes a number of segments which are arranged in a row along a longitudinal axis of the bending device and are pivotally connected to one another, and at least one operating wire extending through the segments along the longitudinal axis of the bending device. That portion of the inner peripheral surface of the segment along which the operating wire extends serves as a wire guide surface portion. This wire surface guide portion forms an inwardly convex, continuous curved line. The distance between the wire guide surface portion and the longitudinal axis of the bending device is increasing progressively from a central portion of the wire surface guide portion toward the opposite ends of the wire surface guide portion.

Abstract: There is disclosed an endoscope having a guide tube for guiding a forceps or the like. The guide tube connects an inlet port of a body to an outlet port of a tip member. A tubular connection portion extends rearwardly from a rear end face of the tip member. External threads are formed on an outer periphery of the connection portion. The inner diameter of the guide tube is greater than the inner diameter of the outlet port. Internal threads are formed on the inner periphery of the front end portion of the guide tube. The external threads on the connection portion are threadedly engaged with the internal threads on the guide tube to connect the front end portion of the guide tube to the outer periphery of the connection portion.

Abstract: A bending device for use in an endoscope, a catheter or the like includes a bendable frame having a generally cylindrical shape as a whole, a tip member having a rear end portion whose outer peripheral surface is cylindrical, and a connecting tube interconnecting the frame and the tip member. A slit is formed through a front end portion of the connecting tube and extends axially of the connecting tube. A rear end of the slit is disposed rearwardly of a rear end of the tip member. An operating wire is passed axially through the frame and the connecting tube, and a front end portion of the operating wire is received in a receiving recess, defined by the slit of the connecting tube and the outer peripheral surface of the rear end portion of the tip member, and is fixedly secured to the connecting tube.

Abstract: In order to confirm the direction of each portion of an image picked up by an endoscope, the endoscope includes a direction indication mechanism detachably mounted on a tip member. This direction indication mechanism includes an annular holder member which is held in contact with a front end face of the tip member and is arranged along a peripheral edge of an inspection window, and a displacement member supported by the holder member for displacement circumferentially of the holder member under the influence of gravity. The displacement member has a direction indication portion disposed radially inwardly of the inner peripheral edge of the holder member and the peripheral edge of the inspection widow. The direction indication portion is observed from the inspection window. When the direction indication function is not needed, the direction indication mechanism is detached from the tip member.

Abstract: A bending device for use in an endoscope, a catheter or the like is of a simple construction having a coil, an operating wire and a pair of limitation members for limiting an axial compression of the coil. The pair of limitation members are arranged along the length of the coil, and are mounted respectively on diametrically-opposite portions of the coil. The coil is bendable in a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the pair of limitation members are disposed. Instead of the coil, a bellows can be used.

Abstract: There is disclosed an optical connector for use in an endoscope. The optical connector includes a connector body for fixedly receiving one end portion of a light guide, and a retainer receiving an optical element. The retainer is threaded on the connector body to such an extent that an abutment surface of the retainer is abutted against a stopper surface of the connector body. An annular flange is formed on an inner periphery of the retainer adjacent to a distal open end of the retainer. The optical element and an annular elastic member are disposed between the flange of the retainer and a distal end surface of the connector body. The elastic member urges the optical element against the flange, thereby keeping the optical element away a predetermined distance from the one end of the light guide.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an electric device attached to a rigid portion provided at a distal end of the endoscope, and signal conductors extending from the electric device. The signal conductors are bent at a bending portion of the endoscope so as to reduce a bending resistance of the bending portion. Each signal conductor has an intersecting portion extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the bending portion. A jig for processing or bending the signal conductors includes a plurality of pairs of first and second engagement portions provided on each of opposite sides of the jig. The first engagement portions as well as the second engagement portions arre arranged in a row, and spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction of the jig. Each pair of first and second engagement portions are disposed in a straight line intersecting the longitudinal direction of the jig.

Abstract: A method of producing a bending device is disclosed. There are provided a plurality of elongated arcuate assemblies each formed by pivotally connecting a row of arcuate members to one another by connecting elements, the arcuate assembly extending in a direction of the widths of the arcuate members. Subsequently, the plurality of arcuate assemblies are connected together in such a manner that ends of corresponding ones of the arcuate members of the arcuate assemblies are fixed together to form the row of joint rings, thereby forming the ring assembly.

Abstract: A bending device for use in an endoscope, a catheter or the like includes a frame of a generally cylindrical shape, a limitation member and an operating wire. The frame has annular portions disposed respectively in planes substantially perpendicular to an axis of the frame, and the annular portions are juxtaposed in an axial direction of the frame. The limitation member is received in an internal space of the frame, and engaging recesses are formed in each of opposite lateral edges of the limitation member and juxtaposed in a longitudinal direction of the limitation member. The annular portions of the frame are engaged in the engaging recesses, so that any adjacent ones of the annular portions are spaced a predetermined distance from each other. The limitation member has a number of arcuate portions bulged generally perpendicularly to the direction of the length of the limitation member, and the arcuate portions are juxtaposed in the longitudinal direction of the limitation member.

Abstract: There is disclosed an optical connector for connecting an endoscope to a light source device. The connector includes an elongated connector body for receiving and holding one end portion of a light guide of the endoscope. The connector body has a port at its one end, and the convex lens is supported at this port. The connector is attached to the light source device, and in this condition an illumination light converging from a light source toward one end of the connector passes through the convex lens and is incident upon a light-receiving surface of the light guide.

Abstract: There is disclosed a bending device for use in an endoscope or the like. A rear end portion of an insertion tube is supported on a front portion of the body for movement relative thereto along the axis of the insertion tube. The tension of a wire is adjusted by adjusting the position of the insertion tube in its axial direction. A fixing member releaseably fixes the rear end portion of the insertion tube to the front portion of the body at a desired position within a predetermined range of the axial movement of the insertion tube. A rear end of a guide tube guiding the wire therethrough is retained by the rear end portion of the insertion tube, and is moved together with the rear end portion of the insertion tube during the above adjustment of the position of the insertion tube.