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 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 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: 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: An endoscope includes an insert part that is inserted into body cavity; an imaging element that has an imaging region of a substantially rectangular shape at the insert part; an observation window that is provided at a distal end part of the insert part to introduce light from an object to the imaging element; and first, second, and third illumination members that are provided around the observation window on a distal end face of the distal end part to illuminate the object. The first illumination member is arranged near a first side of the substantially rectangular shape. Each of the second and the third illumination members is arranged near two angles at both ends of a second side of the substantially rectangular shape that opposes to the first side.

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 capsule-type medical device which is advanced through a digestive tract of a human being or animal for conducting an examination, therapy, or treatment is provided. The capsule-type medical device includes: a plurality of capsule bodies; a soft linking unit which links the plurality of capsule bodies and has an outer diameter less than that of any of the capsule bodies; and a joining member which joins two or more of the plurality of capsule bodies in a prescribed position.

Abstract: The capsule-type medical device in accordance with the present invention is advanced the inside of the somatic cavities and lumens of humans being or animals for conducting examination, therapy, or treatment. The capsule-type medical device comprises a plurality of hard units and a soft linking unit which links the plurality of hard units and has a diameter less than that of any of the hard units, wherein one of the plurality of hard units is different in size from other hard units.

Abstract: An autoclave sterilization treatment method for endoscopes as well as an autoclave apparatus for endoscopes includes requesting confirmation of particular precautions to be taken when an endoscope is to be sterilized with high-temperature and high-pressure steam. Preferably, the method is adapted not to perform autoclave treatment if the request is not appropriately completed. In this method, if it is not confirmed that the confirmation is completed and autoclave sterilization can be performed, the endoscope is not allowed to be inserted into the autoclave apparatus. It is desirable that precautions correspond to the kind of endoscope to be sterilized.

Abstract: An endoscopic simulator system includes an endoscope, a detector, a three-dimensional image measuring device, and an image processor. The endoscope is usable for endoscopic simulation. The endoscope has an elongated insertion section and a control section for manipulating the insertion section. The detector detects a movement of the insertion section to obtain activity data on the insertion section. The image measuring device three-dimensionally measures the interior of a patient's body to obtain internal organ shape data. The image processor constructs a virtual three-dimensional image of the interior of the patient's body supposed to be observed through the endoscope, based on the organ shape data obtained from the image measuring device and the activity data on the insertion section obtained from the detector.

Abstract: An endoscopic simulator system includes an endoscope, a detector, a three-dimensional image measuring device, and an image processor. The endoscope is usable for endoscopic simulation. The endoscope has an elongated insertion section and a control section for manipulating the insertion section. The detector detects a movement of the insertion section to obtain activity data on the insertion section. The image measuring device three-dimensionally measures the interior of a patient's body to obtain internal organ shape data. The image processor constructs a virtual three-dimensional image of the interior of the patient's body supposed to be observed through the endoscope, based on the organ shape data obtained from the image measuring device and the activity data on the insertion section obtained from the detector.

Abstract: An endoscope hood of the present invention is provided with a cylindrical main hood body attached to an endoscope. The main hood body includes a fixing portion located substantially in a center. The fixing portion allows the inner circumferential surface of the main hood body to be forcibly fixed to the outer circumference of the distal end portion of the endoscope. The main hood body also includes a projection projected from the distal end portion of the main hood body and a non-fastened portion located at the rear end of the main hood body. The non-fastened portion is fitted with the outer circumference of the distal end portion of the endoscope without being fastened.

Abstract: The invention is a sterilizing apparatus that reads information from an information recording section provided in an endoscope, sets a sterilizing process condition for sterilizing the endoscope on the basis of the read information, and controls a sterilizing process in accordance with the sterilizing process condition that is set.

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.

Abstract: An endoscope according to the present invention includes a bending section 12 which is bendable in a plurality of directions, and an inserting portion 2 having a distal-end portion 11 which is arranged on the distal-end side of the bending section 12 and which has an objective optical system 26 and a treatment instrument inserting channel 29. The treatment instrument inserting channel 29 arranged in the inserting portion, and has an opening in the direction opposite the bending direction, with respect to the arrangement position of an observing optical system when the bending section is bent in the bending direction.

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 1 according to the invention includes an inserting portion having a bending portion bendable in multiple directions, and an operation section having multiple bending members 23 for operating the bending portion of the inserting portion. In the endoscope 1, a length of a bent part of the bending portion in at least one bending direction, which is operated by a bending operation member 23A closer to a handle 3a of the operation section among the multiple operation members 23, is longer than a length of a bent part in another bending direction, which is operated by another bending operation member 23B.

Abstract: It is provided an endoscope apparatus including an observing device that displays an observation view area. The observation view area is displayed on the observing device of this endoscope as a non-circular observed image. A hood member is mounted on an end of an inserted section of the endoscope and includes a hood section projecting in the direction of the observation view area. At least a part of the hood section is provided with a slope that is shaped so as to correspond to the observation view area.

Abstract: A high temperature and pressure steam sterilization container for an endoscope, which contains the endoscope to perform a high temperature and pressure steam sterilization, is contained in a cleaner so that cleaning is possible in a state in which the endoscope is stored.

Abstract: A sterilization apparatus includes a chamber in which a material to be sterilized is stored to sterilize the material by steam having a high temperature and pressure. An opening/closing mechanism opens and closes the chamber. A cooling mechanism cools the material in a thermally isolated state from the inside of the chamber. A control section drives the cooling mechanism as the opening/closing mechanism opens the chamber after the sterilizing step ends, thereby to cool the material.