Abstract: A guide tube assembly for an endoscope is disclosed which is usually flexible and which can be stiffened when necessary.The assembly comprises a flexible body which is usually flexible because its components are separable from each other, while the assembly can be stiffened when necessary by drawing the components together and a porous tube of fluorocarbon is inserted in the flexible body joining the forward ends of the components together.Usually, the assembly can freely be bent. But, the assembly can be stiffened by pulling the rear end of the porous tube for drawing the components together when necessary.In this way, the assembly can pass through the circuitous path of the body cavity with an endoscopic instrument, while it can fix the distal end of the endoscopic instrument in position toward an object to be observed for inspection.

Abstract: Disclosed is an endoscope having a long flexible image guide, such as a colon endoscope, in which a shape memory alloy is built in a flexible tube in which the image guide is inserted. When the flexible tube is inserted in the deep portion of a complicatedly bent organ such as the colon, the flexible tube which is partially bent according to the bending of the colon or the like is straightened by utilizing the restoring property of the shape memory alloy to straighten the correspondingly bent portion of the colon or the like, whereby the flexible tube can easily be inserted in the complicatedly bent portion of the colon or the like while straightening this portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection endoscope for medical or industrial applications, by which an observer can know the degree of the color change, inner pressure and temperature while the observer inspects, for example, the interior of the colon. In the eye lens zone of this inspection endoscope, not only the image of the inspection object fed from an image guide but also other factors such as the color, inner pressure and temperature are simultaneously displayed, and therefore, the inspection can be accomplished objectively while the inspection object is observed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a construction of an industrial endoscope with a sensor which is used for measuring the position and the moving direction of a distal end of said endoscope. The construction comprises a measuring window at said distal end, light-transmitting optic bundles and light-receiving optic bundles, forward ends of said light-transmitting optic bundles and light-receiving optic bundles being opposed to said measuring window, a backward end of said light-transmitting optic bundles being connected with a light source and a backward end of said light-receiving optic bundles being connected with a detector means. By this construction, a reactor can be safely inspected from a distance, preventing damage to said distal end and elimination of potential radiation danger to the inspector.

Abstract: The present invention discloses herewith guide tube with favorable flexibility and water-tightness. A water-tight coating is provided on at least one side of the inner and exterior surface of a porous tube which bends continuously keeping its tubular shape. By these provisions, a guide tube is obtained which is easily inserted with an endoscope into a body cavity or is smoothly inserted into bronchia as an anesthetic tube.

Abstract: A guide tube assembly is disclosed which serves both as a guide tube for an endoscope and a suction tube for anesthesia. The guide tube assembly comprises a tube, said tube being made of a porous fluoric resin on which a fluorocarbon elastomer is coated for a sealing material, a mouthpiece which is a body of revolution, said mouthpiece comprising a connector portion for holding the tube, an extended portion which spreads from the connector portion and a mouthpiece portion. By these constructions, the assembly can be freely curved by the endoscope and effectively serves both as the guide tube for the endoscope and the anesthetic suction tube.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a device for detecting a laser leak for electrically detecting a leakage of laser beam due to snapping of the laser guide which is provided for guiding the laser beam to a desired position. A wire or a conductor which is connected to a detector is provided at the circumference of an optical fiber or a coating material of the laser guide. The snapping of the wire by melting or by the variation of the resistance due to raised temperature or by short-circuit of the wire on account of a dielectric break-down of the coated material is electrically detected by the detector. Thus, leakage of the laser beam from the laser guide is strictly detected to secure the safety of an apparatus and an operator.

Abstract: The present invention discloses herewith measuring apparatus for measuring the dimension of an object or the distance to said object, said measuring apparatus utilizing an optical characteristic of a focusing glass fiber, a line or a circle or a focus being indicated on said object. The invention comprises a rod lens composed of said focusing glass fiber of suitable length, a non-diffusive light beam, for example a laser beam, being fed to the radial side of said rod lens, said light beam being scattered radially by said rod lens, said scattered light beam being applied to said object directly or by way of reflecting means, and a line or a circle or a focus is indicated on said object. By these provisions, the dimension of the object, for example a cancer in a body cavity, can be easily measured in order to observe time transfiguration of said cancer. In addition, the distance to bleeding position can be correctly measured in order to adjust an output of a laser surgical instrument.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a device for preventing clouding of an observing window, utilizing heat rays of a light source. A converter is provided near the observing window for changing light into heat and the light is guided to said converter from light transmitting optic bundles. Then, a part of the light is changed into heat by this converter and the observing window is warmed by the heat in order to prevent the clouding.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an endoscope with means for detecting the direction and angle of rotation of a distal examining end. A guide tube with a mark or a porthole is provided around the distal examining end for a standard of measuring. Said mark or the porthole is counted by a pair of detecting optic bundles and optical detecting means such as, for example a photoelectric element, which are provided at the distal examining end. By these constructions, the relative rotation between the guide tube and the distal examining end is detected. Accordingly, damage to the distal examining end can be prevented.

Abstract: The present invention discloses herewith an endoscope by which pressurized air is led into an inner portion of the endoscope. A plug of a light-transmitting optic bundle tube which communicates with the inner portion is covered, partially or totally, by a gas-tight cap which has a pressure inlet. The pressurized air is led from the pressure inlet into the inner portion of the endoscope through a terminal part or a gap of the plug.By these provisions, an internal pressure of the endoscope is raised to an extent not smaller than the external pressure of a cleanser in order to prevent the cleanser from flowing into the inner portion of the endoscope when washing and/or sterilizing a non-waterproof endoscope. In addition, a pinhole on a flexible sheath can easily be detected by testing a leakage of the pressurized air as for a waterproof endoscope.

Abstract: An endoscope comprising one or plural fluid inlets at the grip end of the endoscope or at the feeding pipe which contains an air-feeding pipe and a light-transmitting optical fiber.For washing and sterilization of endoscope which does not have a water-proof structure, compressed air or liquid is infused through the fluid inlet, raising the inner pressure of the endoscope to prevent the permeation of the cleanser and disinfectant into the innerside of the endoscope.For washing and sterilization of an endoscope which has a water-proof structure, the compressed air or the liquid is infused through the fluid inlet to detect a pin hole on the surface of a flexible sheath.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a construction of a pressure-tight endoscope for observing a high-pressure place. The construction aims at balancing the inner and exterior pressures of the hermetic endoscope through letting in the high-pressure which bears on the exterior of the endoscope into the inner side of it through an aperture which is provided on a cover. The high-pressure also may enter through a bellows which is attached to the aperture, or from the bellows and a pipe which transmits the high-pressure on a tip portion of the endoscope to the rearward portion. In this way, the present invention prevents deformation of the endoscope due to high-pressure, or breakage of a hermetic construction, or difficulty of operation of a flexible sheath.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a side view type or a direct view type endoscope which is used not only for examining the inner portion of stomachs and bowels, but also for cutting out or treating polyps on the wall of stomachs and bowels by an extractor which is inserted through an extractor leading tube of the endoscope. In said endoscope, the rear end portion of a wire guide tube of the extractor operating device is opened or can be opened for washing and sterilization of said wire guide tube.

Abstract: A flat tubular structure, which comprises two tubes arranged side by side and enclosed within an outer tube, with each of the inner tubes having a structure capable of bending but incapable of transmitting a twisting effort through the whole length when a torque is applied at one end, behaves such that when it is twisted at its one end, while holding its intermediate portion, its other end is twisted by the same amount, with its intermediate portion remaining flat without being twisted.Such a flat tubular structure is used as a flexible tube portion of an endoscope. When the intermediate portion of such a flexible tube portion is located within the gullet, by turning a grip portion outside the body the tip portion within the body is turned by the same amount, as the grip portion and the intermediate portion is prevented from turning since it bears against the gullet.