Abstract: An endoscope includes a main body portion that has a housing recession portion that houses an elevator, a drive member arrangement space that houses a drive member and is closed off from the housing recession portion, a lid insertion space that puts the drive member arrangement space and an outer space into communication, and a lid member that can be inserted into the lid insertion space and liquid-tightly closes off the lid insertion space when inserted. Also provided is a fitting/holding member that is fitted to the lid member inserted into the lid insertion space and is fixed to the main body portion, wherein the lid member has a protruding portion, and the fitting/holding member can be inserted into the drive member arrangement space in a direction that is different from a protruding direction of the protruding portion of the lid member.

Abstract: Provided are an elevator that can be reliably attached by a simple operation and an endoscope including the elevator. An elevator engages with and attached to an engagement end of a rotation shaft protruding from a distal end portion of the endoscope by being pushed in from a direction intersecting with an axial length direction, and is elevated according to rotation of the rotation shaft. A jig is connected to the elevator, and the jig has a grip portion that is gripped when the elevator is attached and can be separated after the attachment.

Abstract: An elevator attachment attachable to and detachable from an endoscope including an inclined surface inclined relative to a longitudinal direction of an insertion part, an elevator recess having a first inner wall and a second inner wall that faces the first inner wall and being opened toward the inclined surface and a lever pivotally provided inside the elevator recess, and the elevator attachment comprises a holding body including an inclined surface plate covering a part of the inclined surface, a first plate raising from an edge of the inclined surface plate and located along the first inner wall and a second plate abutting against the second inner wall, and an elevator pivotally supported between the first plate and the second plate and including a lever connection part to be connected to the lever.

Abstract: An elevator attachment attachable to and detachable from an endoscope includes a holding body including an inclined surface plate covering a part of the inclined surface of the endoscope, a first plate raising from an edge of the inclined surface plate and located along the first inner wall and a second plate abutting against the second inner wall, and an elevator pivotally supported between the first and second plates and including a lever connection part to be connected to the lever, and the elevator attachment is to be attached to a first jig including a first abutting portion abutting against the inclined surface plate, an elastic plate projecting from the first abutting portion toward a space between the first and second plates, and a first retention projection projecting from an edge of the elastic plate toward the first plate and abutting against an end surface of the first plate.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an elevator configured to swing such that an instrument provided in an insertion portion of the endoscope changes a protruding direction; a shaft member configured to rotate about an axis, the elevator being provided on an end portion of the shaft member on one side in an axial direction that extends along the axis, the shaft member supporting the elevator on one side in the axis direction, and the shaft member being configured to be capable of rotating integrally with the elevator about the axis; a drive member that is fixed to an intermediate portion of the shaft member in the direction along the axis, and is configured to input, to the shaft member, rotation force for rotation of the shaft member about the axis; and a first bearing and a second bearing that support the shaft member so as to be capable of rotating.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an elevator configured to swing such that an instrument provided in an insertion portion of the endoscope changes a protruding direction; a shaft member configured to rotate about an axis, the elevator being provided on an end portion of the shaft member on one side in an axial direction that extends along the axis, the shaft member supporting the elevator on one side in the axis direction, and the shaft member being configured to be capable of rotating integrally with the elevator about the axis; a drive member that is fixed to an intermediate portion of the shaft member in the direction along the axis, and is configured to input, to the shaft member, rotation force for rotation of the shaft member about the axis; and a first bearing and a second bearing that support the shaft member so as to be capable of rotating.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an elevator configured to swing such that an instrument provided in an insertion portion of the endoscope changes a protruding direction; a shaft member configured to rotate about an axis, the elevator being provided on an end portion of the shaft member on one side in an axial direction that extends along the axis, the shaft member supporting the elevator on one side in the axis direction, and the shaft member being configured to be capable of rotating integrally with the elevator about the axis; a drive member that is fixed to an intermediate portion of the shaft member in the direction along the axis, and is configured to input, to the shaft member, rotation force for rotation of the shaft member about the axis; and a first bearing and a second bearing that support the shaft member so as to be capable of rotating.

Abstract: A puncture needle device detachably attached to an ultrasonic endoscope via a pipe sleeve including a non-circular collar, including a cylindrical connecting body into which the pipe sleeve is inserted, the cylindrical connecting body including an insertion limit portion which contacts the pipe sleeve to prevent it from being further inserted, and a non-circular collar receiving hole engaged with the collar and irrotatable relative thereto when the pipe sleeve is inserted; a sheath projecting from the cylindrical connecting body and inserted into an internal conduit of the ultrasonic endoscope; a puncture needle inserted into the sheath; and a lock member supported by the cylindrical connecting body and movable between an unlocked position allowing the pipe sleeve to insert and remove from the cylindrical connecting body, and a locked position wherein the lock member contacts the collar of the pipe sleeve to prevent it from removing from the cylindrical connecting body.

Abstract: A puncture needle device detachably attached to an ultrasonic endoscope via a pipe sleeve including a non-circular collar, including a cylindrical connecting body into which the pipe sleeve is inserted, the cylindrical connecting body including an insertion limit portion which contacts the pipe sleeve to prevent it from being further inserted, and a non-circular collar receiving hole engaged with the collar and irrotatable relative thereto when the pipe sleeve is inserted; a sheath projecting from the cylindrical connecting body and inserted into an internal conduit of the ultrasonic endoscope; a puncture needle inserted into the sheath; and a lock member supported by the cylindrical connecting body and movable between an unlocked position allowing the pipe sleeve to insert and remove from the cylindrical connecting body, and a locked position wherein the lock member contacts the collar of the pipe sleeve to prevent it from removing from the cylindrical connecting body.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope guidance system including a member having an elongated flexible portion which can be guided to a desired position in a body cavity of a patient's body by manipulating a distal end portion of the member wherein the elongated flexible portion bends in accordance with an operation at a proximal end portion of the member, includes a capsule endoscope holding device, provided at a distal end of the elongated flexible portion, for removably holding a capsule endoscope; and a removal/attachment manipulation device provided on the proximal end portion, for manipulating removal and attachment of the capsule endoscope holding device.

Abstract: An endoscope system is provided, including an endoscope having a flexible inserting tube to be inserted into a human body and a plurality of bending sensors distributed over the flexible inserting tube along the longitudinal direction thereof. Each of the bending sensors detects the local bending state of the flexible inserting tube at the location the bending sensor are provided. A computer adapted to receive data on the local bending state from each of the plurality of bending sensors is also provided. The computer generates a graphical image representing the geometrical configuration of the flexible inserting tube from the data on the local bending states. A monitor connected to the computer to display the graphical image generated by the computer.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope guidance system including a member having an elongated flexible portion which can be guided to a desired position in a body cavity of a patient's body by manipulating a distal end portion of the member wherein the elongated flexible portion bends in accordance with an operation at a proximal end portion of the member, includes a capsule endoscope holding device, provided at a distal end of the elongated flexible portion, for removably holding a capsule endoscope; and a removal/attachment manipulation device provided on the proximal end portion, for manipulating removal and attachment of the capsule endoscope holding device.

Abstract: An endoscope system is provided, including an endoscope having a flexible inserting tube to be inserted into a human body and a plurality of bending sensors distributed over the flexible inserting tube along the longitudinal direction thereof. Each of the bending sensors detects the local bending state of the flexible inserting tube at the location the bending sensor are provided. A computer adapted to receive data on the local bending state from each of the plurality of bending sensors is also provided. The computer generates a graphical image representing the geometrical configuration of the flexible inserting tube from the data on the local bending states. A monitor connected to the computer to display the graphical image generated by the computer.