Abstract: A holding device 20 includes a fixed portion 21 having a rectangular hole 21a and locking grooves 21b; a holding groove 22 having a notch portion 22a through which an intermediated portion of a probe 1 passes; and a holding hole 23 through which the distal portion of the probe 1 is inserted. The depth of the holding groove 22 is formed to a sufficient extent to allow the intermediate portion 1b to be pressed down into the holding groove at least twice in a superimposed state. The width of the notch portion 22a is formed so as to prevent the intermediated portion 1b from falling out. In order to locate the top portion 23a of the holding hole 23 on the lower side than the bottom portion 22c of the holding groove 22, a spacing B is provided therebetween. A rectangular projection 31a is engaged in a rectangular hole 21a in the fixed portion 21.

Abstract: At a distal end side of an insertion portion of an endoscope, an image pickup portion for capturing an image and a bending portion capable of being bent are provided, and a bending instruction operation portion executes a bending instruction operation for the bending portion. According to the bending instruction operation by the bending instruction operation portion, the bending control portion executes the controlling bending of the bending portion. As a bending control mode for executing the operation of the bending control by the bending control portion, a first bending control mode for bending control corresponding to a first image captured by the image pickup portion and a second bending control mode for bending control displaying the distal end side of the insertion portion are provided.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes a tubular member equipped with a propulsion power generating portion, a rotating portion for rotating the tubular member around the longitudinal axis of the tubular member, a distal end which can be slidingly moved with respect to a rotation of the tubular member rotated by the rotating portion and is equipped with an observation portion for observing a body to be examined, and a propulsion power receiving portion for receiving propulsion power generated by the propulsion power generating portion equipped in the tubular member.

Abstract: A shape of endoscope detecting apparatus in accordance with the present invention consists mainly of a shape detection unit, a marker, a location information of marker acquisition unit, and a display control unit. The shape detection unit detects the shape of a portion of an insertion unit of an endoscope inserted into a subject, and produces graphic data expressing the shape thereof. The marker is placed near a position on the subject at which the endoscope is inserted. The location information of marker acquisition unit acquires the location information of the marker. The display control unit graphically indicates on a display device the shape of the portion inserted into a body cavity, which is detected by the shape detection unit, using as a reference the location information of the marker acquired by the location information of marker acquisition unit.

Abstract: A medical bed in which an endoscope after use can be easily tidied up is provided. A medical bed of the present invention constitutes a medical bed having a laying table on which a patient is laid for inspection or treatment with an endoscope, and it has a tray housing portion for housing an endoscope tray in which an endoscope is housed.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes: a tubular member equipped with a propulsion power generating portion; a rotating portion for rotating the tubular member provided with the propulsion power generating portion around the longitudinal axis of the tubular member; and a distal portion which is provided on a more distal side than the tubular member rotated by the rotating portion, is slidably provided to the tubular member, and is disposed with an observation portion for observing a body to be examined.

Abstract: An insertion device includes a long insert section inserted to a subject body, a propulsion force generation section provided at an outer circumferential surface of the insert section, a rotation section having a guide tube rotation device for rotating the insert section at which the propulsion force generation section is provided about a longitudinal axis, and a rotation control section for controlling the rotation section.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes: an introducing duct including; insertion portion cover portion for covering an insertion portion extending from a distal side portion of a handling portion constituting an endoscope; and a spiral duct which is disposed on an inner circumferential surface side of the insertion portion cover portion, and has on a circumferential surface of the spiral duct, a propulsion power generating portion for applying a propulsion power for introducing the insertion portion into a deep portion in a body cavity, to the insertion portion covered by the insertion portion cover, and a rotating device comprising a rotating portion for rotating the spiral duct equipped to the introducing duct.

Abstract: An endoscope is provided that can reduce examination costs by realizing commonality of an operating unit by making an inserting unit and the operating unit attachable/detachable with respect to each other to enable the exchange of inserting units. The endoscope of this invention includes an operating unit, an inserting unit that can be detachably connected to the operating unit, and transmission and reception coils provided in the operating unit and the inserting unit, respectively, for sending and receiving signals in a non-contact manner between the operating unit and the inserting unit when the inserting unit is connected to the operating unit.

Abstract: A first and a second pumps for supplying a gas to a balloon for fixation mounted at an outer circumference portion at a tip end portion of an insertion portion of an endoscope and a balloon for fixation mounted at an outer circumference portion at a tip end portion of an overtube into which the endoscope is inserted and a control portion for controlling pressure in the respective balloons by operating the first and the second pumps are provided, and the control portion controls display of balloon inflation/deflation display portions and balloon during operation display portions of a remote controller on the basis of inflation-state information detected by a state detection output portion detecting inflation states of the respective balloons.

Abstract: An endoscope system, serving as a double-balloon endoscope system, includes an endoscope apparatus for examinations using an endoscope, a shape detection apparatus used in combination with the endoscope apparatus, and a balloon controller. The shape detection apparatus detects positions of respective points in an insertion section of the endoscope, estimates the shape of the insertion section on the basis of the detected positions, and displays an image representing the modeled shape of the insertion section corresponding to the estimated shape. The balloon controller controls balloons, serving as insertion support units, attached to the endoscope. The shape detection apparatus detects the states of the balloons controlled through the balloon controller and reflects the controlled states of the balloons on an image representing the shape of the insertion section. With this arrangement, the inflation/deflation states of the balloons and the insertion state can be visually confirmed in real time with ease.

Abstract: An endoscope is provided wherein a variable rigidity portion is not restricted by a physical mechanism, and which allows a surgeon, in performing a rigidity varying operation, to operate the rigidity varying operation along with other operations without releasing inputting sections. The endoscope of the invention includes an inserting section and an operating section. The inserting section has variable-rigidity actuators. The operating section has a rigidity-variation controlling section, a trackball, and scope switches.

Abstract: Comprising a pump for supplying or discharging gas to or from a balloon for fixing attached to a peripheral part of a tip part of an inserting unit of an endoscope; and a control unit for controlling a pressure inside the balloon by operating the pump based on the measured result by measuring a pressure of gas inside the balloon; wherein the control unit has an amount of flow detecting section for detecting the amount of flow of gas sent or drawn to or from the balloon, and controls the amount of flow of gas sent or drawn to or from the balloon by operating the pump based on the detected result by the amount of flow detecting unit.

Abstract: In an endoscope, air/water feed pipe lines are arranged through an elongated insertion portion having an image pickup unit at its front end. In an operation portion arranged at the rear end of the insertion portion, there are provided an antenna, and a wireless transmission unit for wirelessly transmitting, using this antenna, information including image data on a subject picked up by the image pickup unit, to endoscope peripheral apparatuses in the outside.

Abstract: The endoscope has an elongated insertion portion, an operation portion provided at the rear end of the insertion portion, and a contact-less endoscope exterior body in which no electrical contact is exposed on the outer surface thereof including the insertion portion and the operation portion. Inside the endoscope exterior body, there are disposed an image pickup apparatus for picking up images and a signal processing portion for performing signal processing for the image pickup apparatus. The endoscope comprises a battery of a water-tight structure for supplying power for the image pickup apparatus and the signal processing portion, and a charging apparatus of a water-tight structure for charging the battery with power supplied in a contact-less fashion.

Abstract: An endoscope has an insertion portion provided with a freely curvable curving portion; a grip portion provided at a base end side of the insertion portion and grasped by an operator. There provided at the grip portion and in its periphery is an instructing operation element with a function of implementing a curve instructing operation of the curving portion and a function of implementing the other instructing operation different from the above described curve instructing operation.

Abstract: An endoscope of the present invention includes an insert section inserted in a subject body, an operation section provided at a base end of the insert section, a control process section provided in the operation section, for controlling an image pickup section for capturing a subject body image and a predetermined function in the operation section, a signal circuit extending from the control process section, and a connection section provided to the operation section, for allowing detachable connection of a tube unit through which at least one duct line is inserted.

Abstract: A container body includes an illumination section and an image pickup section. A tube body is integrally provided to the container body. A distal end of a hollow duct line provided in the tube body penetrates the container body to have an opening on an outer surface of the container body.

Abstract: The present invention provides a grease composition for use in a constant velocity joint, which is excellent in the resistance to flaking. The grease composition comprises the following components (a) to (d): (a) a base oil; (b) a thickener; (c) an organic molybdenum compound; and (d) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of oxides of divalent typical metals having a Mohs hardness lower than that of the steel and compounds of the foregoing divalent typical metals, which can immediately be converted into the corresponding oxides of these metals having a Mohs hardness lower than that of the steel under the boundary lubrication conditions. In particular, the present invention relates to a grease composition for use in a constant velocity joint, wherein the component (d) is zinc oxide or zinc carbonate and wherein the component (c) is molybdenum dithiocarbamate.

Abstract: An objective optical system is provided at a tip end portion of an insertion portion of an endoscope. A marker capable of transmitting an electromagnetic wave is placed at a target portion in an affected area and the like. At the rear end or the tip end portion of the insertion portion of the endoscope, a sensor for electromagnetically detecting the position of the placed marker is provided so as to form a predetermined positional relation with the position of the tip end portion.