Abstract: An endoscope includes an objective optical system provided in a distal end portion of an insertion portion, and a light splitting element configured to split a light beam from an objective optical system into a plurality of light beams including a first light beam and a second light beam. The first light beam is reflected by a reflection mirror, and is formed into an image on a first image pickup device. The second light beam is formed into an image on a second image pickup device. The first image pickup device and the second image pickup device are disposed adjacent to the light splitting element at positions different from each other with respect to an optical axis of the light beam from the objective optical system.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an objective optical system provided in a distal end portion of an insertion portion, and a light splitting element configured to split a light beam from an objective optical system into a plurality of light beams including a first light beam and a second light beam. The first light beam is reflected by a reflection mirror, and is formed into an image on a first image pickup device. The second light beam is formed into an image on a second image pickup device. The first image pickup device and the second image pickup device are disposed adjacent to the light splitting element at positions different from each other with respect to an optical axis of the light beam from the objective optical system.

Abstract: An endoscope insertion observation apparatus includes a processor designed to perform functions including: detecting an insertion state of an insertion portion of an endoscope that is insertable into and extractable from a subject; determining whether or not the insertion portion has reached a second site in the subject from a first site in the subject and/or whether the insertion portion has reached the first site from the second site in the subject based on a detection result of the insertion state; and calculating a duration of movement of the insertion portion from the first site to the second site after determining that the insertion portion has reached the second site, or a duration of movement of the insertion portion from the second site to the first site after determining that the insertion portion has reached the first site.

Abstract: Maximum hardness of a flexible tube section of an endoscope is set such that substantial maximum hardness at a time when an over-tube is attached is equal to or lower than maximum hardness of a flexible tube section of an endoscope. That is, the maximum hardness of the flexible tube section of the endoscope is set substantially equal to hardness obtained by subtracting hardness of the over-tube itself from the maximum hardness of the flexible tube section of the endoscope. In the endoscopes including a hardness changing mechanism, maximum hardness of the endoscope, to which the over-tube is not attached, and maximum hardness of the endoscope, to which the over-tube is attached, are set substantially equal.

Abstract: An endoscope system sets a hardness variation of a thick flexible tube portion and a hardness variation of a thin flexible tube portion such that their respective ratios against base hardness are constant, and as each flexible tube portion becomes thicker, the hardness variation increases and an endoscope with a relatively thin flexible tube portion has a smaller hardness variation. This makes it possible to avoid situations like an endoscope with a thick flexible tube portion lacking hardness or an endoscope with a thin flexible tube portion becoming too hard, and makes it possible to perform optimum insertion operation in accordance with the thickness of a flexible tube.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes an endoscope including an insertion section formed in an elongated shape, a flexible tube portion provided at a proximal end side of the insertion section, and a rigidity changing mechanism portion provided inside the flexible tube portion, and configured to change rigidity of the flexible tube portion by an operation performed on a hand side, and a flexible overtube formed in a cylindrical shape extending in an axial direction, into which the insertion section is inserted, where a rigidity change region of the flexible tube portion by the rigidity changing mechanism portion is set to be from an intermediate portion to a proximal end portion of the flexible tube portion, and a total length of the overtube in the axial direction is set to be shorter than a total length of the rigidity change region.

Abstract: An endoscope according to the present invention includes an elongated insertion portion, a flexible tube included in a proximal end side of the insertion portion, a rigidity changing mechanism provided inside the flexible tube and configured to change rigidity of the flexible tube by operation on a hand side, and a large diameter portion provided on an outer circumference of the flexible tube and configured to indicate a distal end of the rigidity changing region of the flexible tube by the rigidity changing mechanism.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an insertion portion formed in an elongated shape; a mesh tube formed by braiding thin wires in a tubular shape and provided in a shape of a cylinder inside the insertion portion; and a rigidity changing mechanism including a coil inserted in the insertion portion and formed by winding an element wire, and a wire inserted in the coil and formed by intertwining element wires, the rigidity changing mechanism being configured to apply a compression force to the coil by pulling the wire, to adjust a bending rigidity of the insertion portion, wherein a dimension of a gap created between the thin wires in the mesh tube is set to be smaller than a diameter of the wire and larger than a diameter of each of the element wires of the wire.

Abstract: An endoscope insertion shape observation apparatus has a processor configured to detect an insertion shape of an insertion portion inserted into a subject P, and calculate operation information, including one of easy insertion information or difficult insertion information, of insertion operation obtained in operation of inserting the insertion portion. The operation information is determined based on an insertion length of the insertion portion. The processor is also configured to simultaneously display of a result of the generation and the insertion shape on the monitor, and change between the easy insertion information and the difficult insertion information.

Abstract: An endoscope insertion observation apparatus includes a processor designed to perform functions including: detecting an insertion state of an insertion portion of an endoscope that is insertable into and extractable from a subject; determining whether or not the insertion portion has reached a second site in the subject from a first site in the subject and/or whether the insertion portion has reached the first site from the second site in the subject based on a detection result of the insertion state; and calculating a duration of movement of the insertion portion from the first site to the second site after determining that the insertion portion has reached the second site, or a duration of movement of the insertion portion from the second site to the first site after determining that the insertion portion has reached the first site.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes an endoscope including an insertion section formed in an elongated shape, a flexible tube portion provided at a proximal end side of the insertion section, and a rigidity changing mechanism portion provided inside the flexible tube portion, and configured to change rigidity of the flexible tube portion by an operation performed on a hand side, and a flexible overtube formed in a cylindrical shape extending in an axial direction, into which the insertion section is inserted, where a rigidity change region of the flexible tube portion by the rigidity changing mechanism portion is set to be from an intermediate portion to a proximal end portion of the flexible tube portion, and a total length of the overtube in the axial direction is set to be shorter than a total length of the rigidity change region.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an insertion portion formed in an elongated shape; a mesh tube formed by braiding thin wires in a tubular shape and provided in a shape of a cylinder inside the insertion portion; and a rigidity changing mechanism including a coil inserted in the insertion portion and formed by winding an element wire, and a wire inserted in the coil and formed by intertwining element wires, the rigidity changing mechanism being configured to apply a compression force to the coil by pulling the wire, to adjust a bending rigidity of the insertion portion, wherein a dimension of a gap created between the thin wires in the mesh tube is set to be smaller than a diameter of the wire and larger than a diameter of each of the element wires of the wire.

Abstract: An endoscope system sets a hardness variation of a thick flexible tube portion and a hardness variation of a thin flexible tube portion such that their respective ratios against base hardness are constant, and as each flexible tube portion becomes thicker, the hardness variation increases and an endoscope with a relatively thin flexible tube portion has a smaller hardness variation. This makes it possible to avoid situations like an endoscope with a thick flexible tube portion lacking hardness or an endoscope with a thin flexible tube portion becoming too hard, and makes it possible to perform optimum insertion operation in accordance with the thickness of a flexible tube.

Abstract: A treatment tool for an endoscope includes a sheath which is extended along a longitudinal axis; a pre-curved portion which is disposed at a distal portion of the sheath; a knife wire lumen which is formed along the longitudinal axis of the sheath; a first communication hole and a second communication hole which are open on an outer circumferential surface to communicate the outer circumferential surface positioned with the knife wire lumen; a wire-shaped cutting portion which is protruded from the first communication hole and the second communication hole, and is extended in a position spaced from the outer circumferential surface and the virtual plane; a fixing portion which is provided to fix an end portion of a wire connected to the cutting portion inside the knife wire lumen, and a bending portion which is provided to bend the wire.

Abstract: An endoscope including: a tube having flexibility and extending from a hand side to a distal end side along a longitudinal direction, the tube being provided to an insertion portion configured to be inserted into an object; and a strand formed by twining a plurality of wires each other and arranged so as to extend in the tube, the strand having a distal end portion fixed to a distal end side of the tube, wherein the strand is pulled from the hand side of the tube and a twining direction of the plurality of wires of the strand is reversed in a middle of extension in the tube.

Abstract: Maximum hardness of a flexible tube section of an endoscope is set such that substantial maximum hardness at a time when an over-tube is attached is equal to or lower than maximum hardness of a flexible tube section of an endoscope. That is, the maximum hardness of the flexible tube section of the endoscope is set substantially equal to hardness obtained by subtracting hardness of the over-tube itself from the maximum hardness of the flexible tube section of the endoscope. In the endoscopes including a hardness changing function, maximum hardness of the endoscope, to which the over-tube is not attached, and maximum hardness of the endoscope, to which the over-tube is attached, are set substantially equal.

Abstract: A treatment tool for an endoscope includes a sheath which is extended along a longitudinal axis; a pre-curved portion which is disposed at a distal portion of the sheath; a knife wire lumen which is formed along the longitudinal axis of the sheath; a first communication hole and a second communication hole which are open on an outer circumferential surface to communicate the outer circumferential surface positioned with the knife wire lumen; a wire-shaped cutting portion which is protruded from the first communication hole and the second communication hole, and is extended in a position spaced from the outer circumferential surface and the virtual plane; a fixing portion which is provided to fix an end portion of a wire connected to the cutting portion inside the knife wire lumen, and a bending portion which is provided to bend the wire.

Abstract: The controller of the present invention includes an address management table that stores address information of valid data among the data stored in a flash memory, a status flag stored in the flash memory indicating that the data before rewriting and the data after rewriting are in process of rewriting, and a data rewriting process unit (the data management means) that changes the address information of the valid data from the data before rewriting to the data after rewriting at a given timing. It is thus possible to specify an area in process of rewriting even if the power supply is stopped in process of rewriting. It is also possible to judge the valid data when the process is restarted from the power off and erase the unnecessary data.

Abstract: A flash memory is arranged to notice the state inside the flash memory to the outside for supporting a garbage collection. The flash memory includes a state information generator and an output unit. The state information generator generates state information that indicates a state of each user area for noticing it to the outside. The output unit outputs the state information to the outside for noticing the state inside the flash memory to the outside.

Abstract: A method for storing in a nonvolatile memory by which a data restoration process is performed properly after a return from, for example, a shutoff of the supply of power. A storage management information store section in a central processing unit stores storage management information regarding the storage management of data to be stored in a nonvolatile memory by a data store section. The unit of the data is smaller than an erase unit in the nonvolatile memory. A storage completion information store section stores storage completion information indicative of the completion of the storing of the storage management information in the nonvolatile memory. A stored information judgment section judges, after a return from interruption of a process which occurred in the middle of the storage management information being stored, by referring to the storage completion information whether the storing of the storage management information is completed.