Abstract: A control apparatus includes a drive current detector detecting a drive current value driving the motor to drive a rotation body, and a controller controlling the motor in a speed control method which controls the motor so that a rotation speed of the motor reaches a targeted rotation speed until the drive current value reaches a predetermined switching value, and, when the drive current value reaches the switching value, controlling the motor by switching to a torque control method which controls the motor so that the drive current value reaches a targeted current value.

Abstract: An insertion device includes a long and thin insertion section, a rotating housing that is provided to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a drive shaft that is connected to a motor rotating the rotating housing, and that transmits a rotation of the motor, a rotor that is provided at a distal-end side of the drive shaft and that is provided to be movable in relation to the rotating housing in axial direction of the insertion section, and that transmits the rotation to the rotating housing via a coating of the insertion section, a sensor that detects that the rotor moves a predetermined amount in either forward or backward direction relative to the axial direction of the insertion section, and a control unit that controls, according to the detection by the sensor, a state of the motor including a positive rotation, a negative rotation, and rotation halt.

Abstract: An insertion device includes a thin and elongated insertion section, a rotating body which is rotated to advance or retreat the insertion section, a driving force supply source which supplies a driving force to the rotating body, a variable stiffness section provided for the insertion section and permitting stiffness of the insertion section to be varied, a stiffness detector which detects the stiffness of the insertion section varied by the variable stiffness section, and a controller which controls the driving force supply source in accordance with the stiffness of the insertion section detected by the stiffness detector.

Abstract: A controller which controls an operation of a self-propelled mechanism of an endoscope includes an inspection control section, a usual control section, an endoscope connection detection circuit and a control switch section. The endoscope connection detection circuit detects that the endoscope has been connected. The control switch section determines whether or not the inspection operation is performed for the endoscope at the time of the connection of the endoscope, causes the usual control section to perform the usual operation when the inspection operation is performed, and causes the inspection control section to perform the inspection operation and then causes the usual control section to perform the usual operation when the inspection operation is not performed.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes an insertion section, a motor that rotates a rotational housing, a drive control unit that supplies a driving current to the motor to control driving of the motor, a temperature detector provided in the rotational housing, that detects a temperature of the rotational housing, a temperature measurement unit that measures a temperature in a vicinity of the rotational housing based on a detection result obtained from the temperature detector, a heating element used for heating, and a heating control unit that controls the heating element to perform heating when a measurement result of the temperature measurement unit is lower than a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A controller which controls an operation of a self-propelled mechanism of an endoscope includes an inspection control section, a usual control section, an endoscope connection detection circuit and a control switch section. The endoscope connection detection circuit detects that the endoscope has been connected. The control switch section determines whether or not the inspection operation is performed for the endoscope at the time of the connection of the endoscope, causes the usual control section to perform the usual operation when the inspection operation is performed, and causes the inspection control section to perform the inspection operation and then causes the usual control section to perform the usual operation when the inspection operation is not performed.

Abstract: A controller controls a first device, one of an endoscope and a treatment instrument being the first device, a remaining one of the endoscope and the treatment instrument being a second device, the endoscope comprising an insertion tube and a self-propelled mechanism adapted to generate force for insertion or removal of the insertion tube. The controller includes a determination unit configured to determine whether or not the second device is functioning; and a control unit configured to restrict an operation of the first device if the second device is determined to be functioning.

Abstract: An endoscope insertion shape observation apparatus includes an endoscope, a magnetic field generation coil provided at an insertion portion of the endoscope and configured to generate a magnetic field, an antenna unit configured to receive a coil signal from the magnetic field generation coil, a bending portion configured to bend the insertion portion, a bending drive section configured to drive the bending portion to bend, an insertion shape processing circuit configured to generate an insertion shape of the endoscope inserted into a subject according to a signal received from the antenna unit, a touch panel configured to display a generation result of the insertion shape processing circuit and be able to perform touch operation, and a drive section control circuit configured to control a drive amount of the bending drive section based on the touch operation on a desired location of the insertion shape displayed on the touch panel.

Abstract: An insertion device includes a long and thin insertion section, a rotating housing that is provided to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a drive shaft that is connected to a motor rotating the rotating housing, and that transmits a rotation of the motor, a rotor that is provided at a distal-end side of the drive shaft and that is provided to be movable in relation to the rotating housing in axial direction of the insertion section, and that transmits the rotation to the rotating housing via a coating of the insertion section, a sensor that detects that the rotor moves a predetermined amount in either forward or backward direction relative to the axial direction of the insertion section, and a control unit that controls, according to the detection by the sensor, a state of the motor including a positive rotation, a negative rotation, and rotation halt.

Abstract: A control apparatus includes a drive current detector detecting a drive current value driving the motor to drive a rotation body, and a controller controlling the motor in a speed control method which controls the motor so that a rotation speed of the motor reaches a targeted rotation speed until the drive current value reaches a predetermined switching value, and, when the drive current value reaches the switching value, controlling the motor by switching to a torque control method which controls the motor so that the drive current value reaches a targeted current value.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes an insertion section, a motor that rotates a rotational housing, a drive control unit that supplies a driving current to the motor to control driving of the motor, a driving current detector that detects the driving current flowing through the motor, a torque limit value storage unit that stores a torque limit value, a temperature detector detects a temperature of the rotational housing, a temperature measurement unit that measures a temperature in a vicinity of the rotational housing based on a detection result obtained from the temperature detector, and a torque limit value correction unit that corrects the torque limit value in accordance with the temperature measured by the temperature measurement unit.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes an insertion section configured to be freely bendable, a rotational housing provided on an outer peripheral surface of the insertion section to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a motor that rotates the rotational housing, a drive control unit that supplies a drive current to the motor to control driving of the motor, a torque limit value storage unit that stores a torque limit value which is an upper limit of the drive current, a drive current detection unit that detects the drive current, and a torque limit value correction unit that corrects the torque limit value stored in the torque limit value storage unit in accordance with a bending shape detected by a bending shape detection unit that detects a bending shape of the insertion section.

Abstract: An insertion device includes a thin and elongated insertion section, a rotating body which is rotated to advance or retreat the insertion section, a driving force supply source which supplies a driving force to the rotating body, a variable stiffness section provided for the insertion section and permitting stiffness of the insertion section to be varied, a stiffness detector which detects the stiffness of the insertion section varied by the variable stiffness section, and a controller which controls the driving force supply source in accordance with the stiffness of the insertion section detected by the stiffness detector.

Abstract: The introducing apparatus comprises the operating section, which is easy to grip and easy to operate, mounted therein by providing the dial of the operation element to perform a bending operation of the bending section and a part of the rotary mechanism alone while avoiding an operation range of the operating section for fingers of a gripping hand.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes an insertion section, a motor that rotates a rotational housing, a drive control unit that supplies a driving current to the motor to control driving of the motor, a driving current detector that detects the driving current flowing through the motor, a torque limit value storage unit that stores a torque limit value, a temperature detector detects a temperature of the rotational housing, a temperature measurement unit that measures a temperature in a vicinity of the rotational housing based on a detection result obtained from the temperature detector, and a torque limit value correction unit that corrects the torque limit value in accordance with the temperature measured by the temperature measurement unit.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes an insertion section, a motor that rotates a rotational housing, a drive control unit that supplies a driving current to the motor to control driving of the motor, a temperature detector provided in the rotational housing, that detects a temperature of the rotational housing, a temperature measurement unit that measures a temperature in a vicinity of the rotational housing based on a detection result obtained from the temperature detector, a heating element used for heating, and a heating control unit that controls the heating element to perform heating when a measurement result of the temperature measurement unit is lower than a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A rotary self-advancing endoscope system which produces propulsion by rotating, with a motor, a rotating cylindrical body provided on an outer periphery side of an insertion portion main body and causes the insertion portion main body to move forward into an examinee's body, wherein the system is configured to periodically repeating a combination of a state in which the rotating cylindrical body forward-rotates at a predetermined RPM and a state in which the rotating cylindrical body is stopped from rotating and releases accumulated elastic energy and, when a drive current to the motor has reached a predetermined threshold value, reverse-rotate the motor.

Abstract: An endoscope insertion shape observation apparatus includes an endoscope, a magnetic field generation coil provided at an insertion portion of the endoscope and configured to generate a magnetic field, an antenna unit configured to receive a coil signal from the magnetic field generation coil, a bending portion configured to bend the insertion portion, a bending drive section configured to drive the bending portion to bend, an insertion shape processing circuit configured to generate an insertion shape of the endoscope inserted into a subject according to a signal received from the antenna unit, a touch panel configured to display a generation result of the insertion shape processing circuit and be able to perform touch operation, and a drive section control circuit configured to control a drive amount of the bending drive section based on the touch operation on a desired location of the insertion shape displayed on the touch panel.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes an insertion portion, a power spiral tube provided with a spiral fin portion configured to extend in a spiral shape, the power spiral tube being provided on an outer circumferential direction side of the insertion portion so as to be rotatable with respect to the insertion portion around a longitudinal axis, a first motor configured to generate a drive force to rotate the power spiral tube, an operation section provided on a proximal end side of the insertion portion, a second motor configured to generate a drive force to rotate the insertion portion pivotably held to the operation section, and a second motor drive circuit configured to calculate torque to be added to the power spiral tube and perform control so as to drive the second motor in accordance with torque added to the first motor.

Abstract: The introducing apparatus comprises the operating section, which is easy to grip and easy to operate, mounted therein by providing the dial of the operation element to perform a bending operation of the bending section and a part of the rotary mechanism alone while avoiding an operation range of the operating section for fingers of a gripping hand.