Abstract: A pair of forceps cups disposed on a distal end of an elongated guide tube is opened and closed by remote control of a control mechanism disposed on a rear end of the guide tube through a wire within the guide tube. The control mechanism includes a holder having a rod portion, and a slider slidably disposed on the rod portion. A receiving member is mounted on a rear end portion of the wire at a forward position of the slider. This receiving member is biased backwardly by a compressed coil spring. The slider is not connected to the rear end portion of the wire. During the course of a forward movement of the slider, the slider contacts the receiving member and causes the wire to move forwardly through this receiving member. As a consequence, the pair of forceps cups is opened. When the slider is moved backwardly, the wire is pulled under the effect of the coil spring. Consequently, the pair of forceps cups is closed.

Abstract: A tracheal airway apparatus includes an insert tube and an endoscope. The endoscope includes a body and an insert portion extending forwardly of the body and inserted into the insert tube. The insert portion is of a double tubular structure. An inner tube of the insert portion is flexible and receives an illumination light transmission element and an image transmission element. An outer tube of the insert portion has a semi-hard property and is detachably attached to a front end part of the body. A space is formed between an inner periphery of the outer tube and an outer periphery of the inner tube.

Abstract: An enlarging optical system having an objective lens and an ocular lens is received in a body of a microscope. A beam splitter is received in the body on an optical path of the enlarging optical system. This beam splitter is disposed between the objective lens and the ocular lens. A monitor television is also received in the body. An image obtained by an endoscope is displayed in this monitor television. The image displayed in the monitor television is reflected by the beam splitter toward the ocular lens.

Abstract: A medical instrument for treating sinusitis has a body, an insert tube extending from a distal end of the body, and an angle portion extending from a distal end of the insert tube. The angle portion is bent by a remote control member mounted on the body, through a wire. A motor is mounted on the body. The medical instrument also has a brush. This brush has an elongated rotation transmission portion extending through the insert tube and the angle tube, and a brush portion attached to a distal end of the rotation transmission portion. A basal portion of the rotation transmission portion is connected to the motor. The brush portion is allowed to protect from a distal end of the angle tube. At least that portion of the rotation transmission portion extending through the angle tube is bendable. Therefore, when the motor is rotated in the state that the angle portion is bent, the brush portion is rotated.

Abstract: An endoscope suitable for inspecting a water service pipe, etc. is disclosed. The endoscope comprises an operating body and a flexible insert tube structure extending from the operating body. The insert tube structure has a flexible insert body as in a regular endoscope. The insert tube structure further has a jacket disposed on an outer periphery of the insert body and adapted to enhance a smooth reciprocal movement of the insert tube structure. The jacket is formed in a cylindrical braid by braiding a plurality of flat straps in cross-section. These straps are formed of a resin having a small friction coefficient.

Abstract: The distal ends of control wires of a distal tip deflection control mechanism are fixed to the distal tip of an endoscope. The distal ends of the control wires are spirally coiled up several times and form a cylinder, and the cylinder is fitted and fixed to the rear end or front end of the distal tip. In an alternate embodiment, the distal ends of the control wires are spirally coiled up several times and form a fitting body and the distal ends of an image guide, a charge coupled device (CCD), a light guide, or any other various kind of diagnostic tool or tube are fitted within the fitting body. In another version, the distal ends of the control wires are spirally coiled up several times around a bundle of distal ends of an image guide, a CCD, a light guide, or other various kinds of diagnostic tools or tubes, and the distal ends of the control wires and the bundle of distal ends of the other components are integrally fixed in the formed body.

Abstract: A protective tube covering an insertion portion of an endoscope is shorter than an inner structure of the insertion portion, and a protective tube covering a bending portion is longer than an inner structure of the bending portion. The front end of the protective tube of the insertion portion, as well as the rear end of the protective tube of the bending portion, is disposed a predetermined distance rearwardly from a portion of connection between the inner structure of the insertion portion and the inner structure of the bending portion. The protective tube of the bending portion covers not only the inner structure of the bending portion but also the above connection portion and the front end portion of the inner structure of the insertion portion.

Abstract: There is disclosed an optical connector for use in an endoscope. The optical connector includes a connector body for fixedly receiving one end portion of a light guide, and a retainer receiving an optical element. The retainer is threaded on the connector body to such an extent that an abutment surface of the retainer is abutted against a stopper surface of the connector body. An annular flange is formed on an inner periphery of the retainer adjacent to a distal open end of the retainer. The optical element and an annular elastic member are disposed between the flange of the retainer and a distal end surface of the connector body. The elastic member urges the optical element against the flange, thereby keeping the optical element away a predetermined distance from the one end of the light guide.

Abstract: A water-tight endoscope comprising a flexible tube zone, a handle zone and a guide tube zone is disclosed. Each of the flexible tube zone, the handle zone and the guide tube zone has a water-tight structure, and moreover, a connecting part for each zone has a water-tight structure. An opening for connecting the interior of the endoscope to the outer air is formed in the guide tube zone and a waterproof and breathable filter is arranged in this opening. By this arrangement, the interior of the endoscope is connected to the outer air through the waterproof and breathable filter.

Abstract: In an endoscope apparatus, an illuminating light is supplied from a light source unit to an end of an optical transmission system of an endoscope, and the optical transmission system has the other end allowing the illuminating light to be irradiated from an illuminating window located at a predetermined position of an inserting portion of the endoscope. The illuminating light has a luminous flux which is imaginarily divided into at least two regions including central and peripheral regions. An adjusting device is provided for adjusting a light quantity supplied to the one end of the optical transmission system through the central region of the luminous flux and a light quantity supplied to the one end of the optical transmission system through the peripheral region of the luminous flux, independently of each other.