Abstract: A first bendable section which can be bent in an arbitrary direction and a second bendable section which can be bent in the bending direction of this first bendable section are provided at the tip end side of an insertion portion. A balloon which is inflated/contracted by feed/discharge of a fluid is provided in this second bendable section so that hardness of this second bendable section can be varied and insertion work into a curved portion is facilitated.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a driving portion which drives a bending portion and a degree of displacement calculating portion which calculates a degree of displacement of a distal end of the insertion portion when the distal end of the insertion portion is displaced by reaction force generated by a movement of a distal end of a surgical instrument projecting from the distal end of the insertion portion. The endoscope further includes a control portion which controls a driving amount of the driving portion to eliminate the displacement in accordance with the degree of displacement calculated by the degree of displacement calculating portion.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes an image pickup section, provided in an endoscope, which performs image pickup, a determining section that determines whether a specific observation object exists inside an image pickup region of the image pickup section, a recognizing section that determines whether the specific observation object can be recognized as an image from the picked-up image in the image pickup region picked up by the image pickup section, a low visibility determination output section that determines, when the determining section determines that the specific observation object exists inside the image pickup region and the recognizing section cannot recognize the specific observation object as an image, that the image pickup section is in a low visibility condition and outputs a low visibility determination result, and an obstacle estimation section that estimates an obstacle or a type of obstacle which causes the low visibility according to the low visibility determination result.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes a first endoscope that includes a first observation optical system with a first viewing angle; and a second endoscope that includes a second observation optical system with a second viewing angle wider than the first viewing angle. A second distance from a second distal end face of an insertion portion of the second endoscope to a minimum focal point of the second observation optical system is shorter than a first distance from a first distal end face of a distal end portion of the first endoscope to a minimum focal point of the first observation optical system.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion portion having a bendable portion; an operation portion from which the insertion portion extends; a first bending operation knob arranged on a surface of the operation portion and including depressions and first protrusions, to bend the bendable portion in a first direction when rotated; and a second bending operation knob arranged over the first bending operation knob and including depressions and second protrusions, to bend the bendable portion in a second direction when rotated. A length of the second protrusion from a center of rotation to a tip portion is longer than a length of the first protrusion from the center of rotation to tip portions of the first protrusions, and the second protrusion has a depression near a projection of a circular orbit of rotation of each tip portion of the first protrusions onto a surface facing the first bending operation knob.

Abstract: An endoscope hood has a protrusion portion which protrudes in an observation visual field direction of an endoscope at an end of a cylindrical press fitting fixing portion attached by press fitting in a state that an attachment position in a circumferential direction is positioned at a distal end portion of an endoscope insertion portion in an appropriate direction. Further, there is provided attachment state confirming device which increases an area of the protrusion portion displayed in an endoscope observation image when the press fitting fixing portion is attached to a distal end portion of a second endoscope insertion portion having a size different from that of a first endoscope insertion portion to which the press fitting fixing portion can be appropriately attached, and gives a warning about an inappropriate attachment state.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes a first endoscope having a first observation optical system with a first viewing angle and a first illumination optical system; and a second endoscope having a second observation optical system with a second viewing angle wider than the first viewing angle and a second illumination optical system. A second illumination region of illuminating light that is emitted by the second illumination optical system and has a predetermined illuminance is wider than a first illumination region of illuminating light that is emitted by the first illumination optical system and has a predetermined illuminance, at any imaging distance that is pointed in an observation direction from a distal end of an insertion portion of each of the first endoscope and the second endoscope.

Abstract: A sterilizing container houses an endoscope having openings and an inner region communicating with the openings at a time of an autoclave sterilization. In the sterilizing container, a gap portion of a predetermined volume is formed at a position to which the opening faces when the endoscope is housed in the sterilizing container, and a steam entrance path, which communicates the gap portion with an outside space of the sterilizing container, is formed so as to guide steam fed from the outside space at the sterilization to the inner region of the endoscope via the gap portion and the openings.

Abstract: A method of displaying an image in a subject is provided. The method including: capturing an image using a capsule type medical device introduced into the subject; generating a wireless signal of the image; receiving the wireless signal of the image at the outside of the subject with an external device; and displaying the image based on the received signal, on a first display portion contained in the same housing as the external device.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an observation window for observing an image of a photographic subject; an illumination window for emitting illumination light for illuminating the photographic subject; a suction port connected to a suction channel are provided on a distal end surface of an insertion portion; an observation window peripheral edge portion which is formed so that a surface having the observation window is vertical to an observation light axis; an illumination window peripheral edge portion which is formed so that a surface having the illumination window is vertical to an illumination light axis which tilts outward with respect to the observation light axis; and a suction port peripheral edge portion which is formed so that a surface having the suction port is flush with the observation window peripheral edge portion.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion unit having an inclined portion in a distal surface of the insertion unit; an illuminating unit provided in the inclined portion of the distal surface, and illuminating an inside of a body cavity; an observation window provided in the distal surface to observe the inside of the body cavity; and an air and water feeding nozzle provided in the distal surface to supply at least one of air and water to the observation window and the illuminating unit. A first contact distal portion and a second contact distal portion are formed in the distal surface. The first contact distal portion comes into contact with a flat surface and is provided in the air and water feeding nozzle, and the second contact distal portion is provided in except for at least one of the observation window and the illuminating unit.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes a first endoscope that includes a first distal end portion, a first observation window provided at the first distal end portion, a first objective optical system optically coupled to the first observation window and having a first viewing angle, and a first treatment instrument channel opening positioned at a first distance away from the first observation window; and a second endoscope that includes a second distal end portion, a second observation window provided at the second distal end portion, a second objective optical system optically coupled to the second observation window and having a second viewing angle wider than the first viewing angle, and a second treatment instrument channel opening positioned at a second distance longer than the first distance.

Abstract: Distal ends of the LG fiber bundles are held in a state of being inclined outwardly with respect to an insertion direction of the distal end rigid portion, an observation hole for holding the image-pickup unit is formed at the distal end rigid portion, illumination holes for holding the distal ends of the LG fiber bundles are formed around the observation hole, the illumination holes are inclined outwardly with respect to an insertion direction of the distal end rigid portion, extended lines of inclined angles of the illumination holes are set to pass through backward of the observation hole, and a space after removal of the image-pickup unit from the observation hole is secured as a space for withdrawal of the LG fiber bundles.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion portion; a channel member that has one opening at a distal portion of the insertion portion and other opening at a portion other than the distal portion; an exterior member opening that communicatively connects an interior of the endoscope to outside; and a filter that is provided at the exterior member opening to prevent at least one of intrusion of dust into the interior and leakage of a lubricant agent stored in the endoscope out of the endoscope.

Abstract: An endoscope according to the present invention includes an endoscope main body, in which a channel having at least one end communicated with the outside is inserted and which is covered with an exterior member, and a communicating hole which is arranged in the halfway of the channel and which introduces vapor in the channel so as to sterilize the channel with the vapor.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion unit; an observation optical system arranged at an end surface of the insertion unit in an inserting axis direction and having a wide viewing angle for observing a body cavity; and a plurality of illumination optical systems arranged on an axis slanted with respect to the inserting axis direction of the insertion unit and used when illuminating the body cavity. An illumination lens of at least one of the illumination optical systems is subjected to light diffusion process.

Abstract: A method of transmitting images in a subject to an outside of the subject using a wireless signal is provided. The method including: (a) transmitting to the outside of the subject a first signal corresponding to a first image obtained using a first imaging device, by timing on a first illumination device for illuminating the subject to capture the first image of the subject; (b) transmitting to the outside of the subject a second signal corresponding to a second image obtained using a second imaging device, by turning on a second illumination device for illuminating the subject to capture the second image of the subject; and (c) repeating (a) and (b), where at least initiation of the transmitting the first signal and initiation of the transmitting the second signals is alternately performed and the first and second illumination devices are alternately turned on coincidentally with transmission periods of the first and second signals, respectively.

Abstract: A battery self-containing body, which self-contains a battery or a battery accommodating body, which accommodates a battery removably is attached to a capsule body including a drive circuit for driving an imaging device and an illuminating device. Thus, the power supply can be turned ON easily. In addition, the inside portion is sealed water-tightly. Thus, the battery self-containing body or a battery can be exchanged easily, which allows the easy reuse. The direction of the visual field of the imaging device is diagonal with respect to the axis of the capsule body. Furthermore, spiral-shape projections are provided on the peripheral surface of the cylinder form. Thus, the rotation allows the surface of canal cavity wall to be examined easily.

Abstract: A medical instrument distributing system of the present invention includes hospital terminals provided in multiple hospitals, a server placed in a manufacturer, which includes a computer system that processes orders/shipment of a disposable medical instrument based on inputted information that orders the disposable medical instrument from the hospital terminals. The hospital terminals and the server are connected by a wide area network to establish a system. In accordance with order information, ordered multiple disposable medical instruments are stored in a sterilization bag packages sealed after sterilization and are shipped to the ordering hospital. Thus, the number of complicated procedures in the hospital facilities can be reduced, and the distribution of medical instruments can be more improved.

Abstract: A method for autoclave sterilization of an endoscope 2 of the present invention includes the step of making a space, which is defined by the outer side of a channel and an outer covering member of the endoscope 2, communicate with the outside of the endoscope, while at least one end of the channel communicates with the outside of the endoscope 2 and the channel is inserted through the inside 47 of the endoscope. The space 47 and the outside of the endoscope are once brought into the negative pressure. Thereafter, steam is introduced in the space 47 and the outside of the endoscope, and the endoscope 2 is sterilized.