Abstract: A wire loop type instrument for an endoscope having a plurality of elastic wires bundled together at distal and proximal ends thereof and adapted to form a loop shape as a whole. When withdrawn into the distal end of a sheath, the elastic wires are folded. When projecting from the distal end of the sheath, the elastic wires expand in the loop shape by their own elasticity. The elastic wires are inserted in a bundle into a pipe-shaped member at at least one of the distal and proximal ends thereof. The elastic wires are fixed to the pipe-shaped member by a fixing material such that portions of the elastic wires which are in the vicinity of the entrance of the pipe-shaped member are not fixed, but the elastic wires are fixed to the pipe-shaped member at portions thereof which are on the inner side of the vicinity of the entrance.

Abstract: An operative instrument for endoscopic surgery which can be used in combination with a normal, straight trocar. The operative instrument for endoscopic surgery includes a jacket tube (11), which is formed from an elastic tubular member to normally maintains a curved shape and can be elastically deformed to be insertable into a straight, cylindrical trocar (1), a manipulating shaft (27), which is elastic, has a distal end operative member (24) connected to the distal end thereof for performing a treatment within the body, and is passed through the jacket tube (11), and a manipulating part (30), which is connected to the proximal side of the jacket tube (11) for manipulating the distal end operative member (24) via manipulating shaft (27).

Abstract: A treatment unit for an endoscope, for example, a grasping unit is connected at a distal end of a manipulation wire that is connected to a first manipulation member. An inner tube slidably surrounds the manipulation wire. A proximal end of the inner tube is connected to a distal end of a second manipulation member. Further, an outer tube is provided to surround the inner tube and the manipulation wire. A proximal end of the outer tube is connected to a main body connected to the first manipulation a member by a connecting rod that the positional relationship between the manipulation wire and the outer tube along the axis is fixed. By moving the first and second manipulation members towards each other, the grasping unit is opened as the inner tube slides to uncover a part of the grasping unit which opens by resilience, while when the first and second manipulation members are spaced from each other, the inner tube slides to cover a part of the grasping unit forcing it closed.

Abstract: A foul fluid splashing prevention device for an endoscope, which prevents foul fluids inside the body cavity from splashing, even when they spray out from a manipulating portion side of the endoscope. The foul fluid splashing prevention device includes a foul fluid absorbing member made of flexible water-absorbing material for absorbing the foul fluids that leak out of an external opening of the endoscope. The splashing prevention device further includes a retaining member, which is detachably disposed at the manipulating part to retain the foul fluid absorbing member when the foul fluid absorbing member covers the external opening.

Abstract: A ligation device includes (1) a flexible outer tube which can be inserted through a channel of an insertion tube of the endoscope, (2) a flexible inner tube provided in the outer tube, (3) a ring which is made of an elastic material and is provided to a periphery of the inner tube, and (4) an manipulator which moves the outer tube with respect to the inner tube, so that the outer tube pushes the ring out of the inner tube.

Abstract: An insertion tube has a suction opening and a view window provided to an end surface of a tip thereof. The hood includes an outer wall and a partition wall mounted to the tip of the insertion tube. The outer wall projects from the tip so as to surround the end surface of the tip. The partition wall is provided to divide a cavity surrounded by the outer wall into two cavities, in such a manner that the suction opening and the view window are separately located in the cavities.

Abstract: An injector instrument and a forceps tap for use with an endoscope. The injector instrument is provided with at least one needle formed of a synthetic resin and is further provided with a variety of stopper devices which limit the amount that the needle can extend from the endoscope. The injector instrument may be formed having a curved or easy-to-bend portion. The forceps tap is provided at the entrance to a forceps channel of the endoscope to accommodate at lease two injector instruments or other treatment accessories such that the treatment accessories can be inserted in a single forceps channel and such that substances (such as internal fluids from a human cavity) are held inside the forceps channel.

Abstract: An accessory of an endoscope includes a tube. At least the distal end portion of the tube is formed to have a predetermined resilience, and a plurality of slits extending in the axial direction of the tube are formed at the distal end portion of the tube. A mechanism is provided to bias the distal end of the tube towards the proximal end thereof so that the band portions between the plurality of slits radially expand to define a plurality of openings. The mechanism can forcibly strain the band portions and forcibly and radially expand the band portions.

Abstract: A wire loop type instrument for an endoscope that uses an elastic wire formed from a stranded wire bent into a U-shape and looped at the rear of the U-shaped bent portion. Each strand of the stranded wire has a non-circular cross-sectional configuration in which the strand is more resistant to bending in other directions than in a direction toward the center of the elastic wire. The stranded wire is formed by twisting together a plurality of strands each having a circular cross-section. The stranded wire is passed through a die with a hole having a smaller diameter than that of the stranded wire, thereby compression-deforming each strand into a non-circular cross-sectional configuration. A composite stranded wire may be used as the elastic wire, which is formed by twisting together a plurality of stranded wires each formed from a plurality of strands twisted together.

Abstract: A treatment apparatus for use with an endoscope, by being inserted in a forceps channel of the endoscope, includes an elongated flexible element connected, at a distal end thereof, to a treatment instrument. In particular, the flexible element includes at least two bendable portions. A first bendable portion has a predetermined flexibility and a second bendable portion has a greater flexibility and is shorter than the first bendable portion. The second bendable portion is located between the first bendable portion and the treatment instrument and at least a portion of the first bendable portion and the entire second bendable portion protrude from a distal end of the forceps channel when the treatment instrument is in use.

Abstract: A treatment apparatus for insertion in a forceps channel of an endoscope. The treatment apparatus includes a treatment instrument, a flexible element, and a cover tube. The flexible element is slidable within the cover tube and the treatment instrument is provided at a distal end of the flexible instrument. A distal end of the cover tube expands to receive the treatment instrument as the flexible element is drawn toward a proximal end of the cover tube. The treatment device may include a connecting instrument that supports the cover tube within the forceps channel and seals a proximal end of the forceps channel.

Abstract: A front end hood for an endoscope allows an observation image of a portion which is transmitted through the transparent front end hood to be less distorted, and produces an excellent observation image even in a periphery of a wide visual field. An optically transparent front end hood projects from a front end insertion portion of an endoscope so that an observation port located in the front end face of the front end insertion portion is positioned inside the front end hood. A portion of the front end hood may be formed into a spherical shape, the diameter of which decreases toward the opening end of the front end hood.

Abstract: The treatment accessory for an endoscope is inserted in or removed from a forceps channel of the endoscope through an inlet of the forceps channel. The treatment accessory includes a treatment device and a flexible shaft. The treatment device is provided at a first end of the flexible shaft. The flexible shaft is provided with a marking at a predetermined portion thereof. The treatment device is located at a predetermined position inside the forceps channel when a predetermined portion of the marking is located at the inlet of the forceps channel.

Abstract: A guiding device for treatment accessories of an endoscope includes a guiding tube and a fixing device. The guiding tube is long enough to extend from a forceps channel of the endoscope and is provided with a bent portion at a distal end thereof. The fixing device positions the guiding tube to having a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the entrance of the forceps channel such that the bent portion bends in a predetermined direction with respect to the exit of the forceps channel.

Abstract: A flexible tube for an endoscope that includes a spiral tube, a netted tube that covers the outer surface of the spiral tube, and a jacket. The netted tube is formed by braiding a plurality of strand bundles each formed by closely arranging a plurality of fine wires in parallel. The jacket is made of a flexible synthetic resin which covers the outer surface of the netted tube. The braid density K of the netted tube lies in a range of 0.772.ltoreq.K.ltoreq.0.906.

Abstract: A cover device which is removably fitted over an endoscope to cover an insert part of the endoscope and a control part connected to the proximal end of the insert part. The cover device includes a tubular sheath for covering the insert part so as to isolate it form the outside, and a control part cover for wrapping the control part. The control part cover is separate from the sheath and spreadably provided in contiguity with the proximal end of the sheath. In addition, a fluid supply tube is disposed such that one end portion of the tube extends through the sheath to communicate with the distal end of the sheath. The other end portion of the tube extends from the proximal end of the sheath along the outside of the control part cover.

Abstract: A sheath device for an endoscope comprises a sheath which is inflatable with a gas that is pumped into the inside of the sheath to allow an insert tube of the endoscoope to be covered. A sheath cover, formed in the shape of a tube, surrounds the sheath with a space left therebetween to control overinflation of the sheath. A portion of the sheath cover, that surrounds the distal end portion of the sheath, is tapered toward to the distal end of the sheath cover. A gas supply passage is provided for supplying a gas into the sheath to inflate it, and a gas pressure control device is provided with a bleeder with communicates with the gas supply passage and opens upwardly to the atmosphere. A ball valve is placed on the bleeder from the upper side thereof to close the bleeder.

Abstract: An elongated flexible tube that constitutes an insert part of an endoscope. The flexible tube comprises: a spiral tube made of a precipitation hardening metal and having a groove which is recessed inwardly from the outer surface of the tube, the groove extending in a straight line along the axis of the tube, the spiral tube being subjected to age hardening process after a solid solution treatment; a braided-wire tube formed by weaving fine metal wires into a braid, the braided-wire tube being closely fitted over the outer surface of the spiral tube; and a flexible skin closely and watertightly fitted over the outer surface of the braided-wire tube.

Abstract: A mold for forming a groove in a tube includes a split round bar having a groove extending in a substantially straight line along an axis thereof. The two halves of the split round bar are in contact with each other only at a pint at the bottom of the groove, so that the two halves may pivot with respect to each other about the contact point. A spacer bar is removably clamped between opposed inner surfaces of the two halves of the split round bar. When the spacer is removed, the groove in the round bar is slightly enlarged to provide clearance between the tube and each side wall of the groove to enable the round bar to be easily removed from the tube.

Abstract: A bending control device of an endoscope for bending a bendable portion, formed at the distal end of the insert part of the endoscope, by manual operation of a control part connected to the proximal end of the insert part is provided. The bending control device has an up and down bending control knob rotatably and detachably provided on the control part to control bending of the bendable portion in upward and downward directions. A right and left bending control knob is rotatably and detachably provided on the control part, in coaxially superposed relation to the up and down bending control knob, to control bending of the bendable portion in the rightward and leftward directions. An attaching and removing device is also provided for manually attaching and removing the two bending control knobs to and from the control part. Thus, the bending control knobs can be removed from the control part as desired for washing and disinfection or replacement with new bending control knobs.