Abstract: A rotating self-traveling endoscope system of the invention comprising an insertion portion having an image pickup unit at its distal end portion and a helical structure formed on the outer surface, a rotating driving device for rotating the insertion portion around a long axis, and a rotating self-traveling insertion assisting tool through which the insertion portion can be freely inserted and which is provided with a flexible tube having a bending portion disposed therein is capable of passage of the insertion portion through a space in a body cavity and passage through a valve in the body cavity, which improves insertion performance into a small intestine.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus comprises an insertion portion having an observation optical system attached onto the distal end portion thereof and having flexibility, a thrust generating portion for generating a thrust by rotation, formed beyond a predetermined length on an outer-peripheral surface of the insertion portion in a longitudinal-axis direction, a rotation device for rotating the thrust generating portion around the longitudinal axis, and a control portion for controlling a rotational speed of the thrust generating portion according to an insertion length of the thrust generating portion inserted in a subject.

Abstract: An endoscope treatment system comprises plural types of treatment instruments, plural types of adapters, and an advancing and retracting device. The treatment instruments include treatment instrument inserting sections which can be inserted into a treatment instrument channel of an endoscope. The treatment instruments have different outer diameter dimensions depending on their types. The adapters are attached to the treatment instrument inserting sections having different outer diameter dimensions to form surface to be pressed which has a fixed dimension for the treatment instruments. The adapters respectively have a through-hole corresponding to each diameter dimension of the treatment instrument inserting sections. The advancing and retracting device includes a pair of rollers separated by a distance corresponding to the surface to be pressed of a fixed dimension. The rollers hold the surface to be pressed of the adapter attached to the treatment instrument inserting section under a predetermined pressure.

Abstract: An endoscope system comprises an endoscope, a treatment instrument cartridge, an advancing and retracting device, a controlling device, and an operation instructing device. The endoscope includes a treatment instrument channel in an inserting portion. The treatment instrument cartridge includes a treatment instrument and a storage case. The treatment instrument includes a treatment instrument inserting portion having an elasticity which is inserted through the treatment instrument channel, a treatment section at the tip end thereof, and an operating portion at the base end thereof. The storage case includes an inserting portion storing section into which the treatment instrument inserting portion is wound, an extension port from which the tip end of the wound treatment instrument inserting portion is extended, and a holding section for holding the base end of the treatment instrument inserting portion or the operating portion.

Abstract: An endoscopy system includes: a motor-driven operating device that an operation section of an accessory is attachable to, the operating device operating the operation section in a motor-driven manner, the accessory having an accessory insertion section to be introduced into a body cavity through an insertion section of an endoscope; a motor-driven forward/backward moving device, arranged in an operation section of the endoscope, for moving the accessory insertion section forward or backward in a motor-driven manner; a control device electrically connected to the motor-driven forward/backward moving device and the motor-driven operating device, the control device including a control unit for outputting control signals to the forward/backward moving device and the operating device and a memory unit for storing one or more treatment operation programs corresponding to accessories to be mounted on the motor-driven forward/backward moving device; and an operation instructing device electrically connected to the co

Abstract: An insertion device includes a flexible insertion portion guiding section formed with a helically shaped portion around the outer circumferential surface thereof, a guiding section rotating device for rotating the insertion portion guiding section in a predetermined direction around the longitudinal axis thereof, and a propulsive force generating device for generating propulsive force in the insertion portion guiding section in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the insertion portion guiding section.

Abstract: An insertion support tool which is detachably attached to a large-intestine endoscope including an elongated inserting portion which is inserted into a lumen is provided, and an external sheath which is extendable and contractible in an inserting direction of the inserting portion and a cover member which is arranged outside the external sheath and held in a state where it covers the external sheath when the external sheath is contracted are provided to this insertion support tool.

Abstract: An endoscope system comprises an endoscope, manipulating unit, and controlling unit. The endoscope is equipped with an elongated and flexible insertion tube being inserted into an object being examined and formed to be used in combination with a therapeutic instrument. The insertion tube has a distal section accommodating therein at least an optical system for imaging and presenting a longitudinal direction. The manipulating unit is manually manipulated for commanding operations of at least the therapeutic instrument and formed to be loaded to the insertion tube and slidable along the insertion tube in the longitudinal direction thereof. The controlling unit controls at least the therapeutic instrument based on a command from the manipulating unit.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided which assists operations required for a medical instrument. A tubular portion and a therapeutic member of the instrument are inserted through a channel of an insertion tube of an endoscope. In the apparatus, a first drive unit enables the therapeutic member to perform the desired therapeutic operations responsively to a first command signal and a second drive unit enables the tubular portion inserted in the channel to convey responsively to a second command signal. An input device is provided at which two kinds of commands are allowed to be inputted command by command. The two kinds of commands allow the therapeutic member and the tubular portion to be driven in parallel with each other. A controller provides the first and second drive units with the first and second command signals, respectively, in accordance with the two kinds of commands.

Abstract: The rear end side of treatment equipment-side duct which enables treatment equipment provided within an insertion unit to be inserted, and which also serves as a suction duct, is disposed generally in parallel with the tip side of a suction-side duct extending forward from a universal cable side so as to be an opening end, and both opening ends are detachably attached with a filter unit in which a forceps plug portion serving as a suction duct opening, and a filter portion for retrieving (storing) tissue by suction are provided, and a suction switchover valve for performing a suction switchover operation is provided at the backward side thereof, thereby enabling retrieval of tissue without influence of the periphery of the suction switchover valve. Thus, defects due to a long duct can be eliminated, and tissue can be retrieved without influence of the periphery of the suction switchover valve.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes a tubular member equipped with a propulsion power generating portion, a rotating portion for rotating the tubular member around the longitudinal axis of the tubular member, a distal end which can be slidingly moved with respect to a rotation of the tubular member rotated by the rotating portion and is equipped with an observation portion for observing a body to be examined, and a propulsion power receiving portion for receiving propulsion power generated by the propulsion power generating portion equipped in the tubular member.

Abstract: An endoscope system comprises an endoscope, medical instrument, operating unit, first and second drive units, and control unit. The endoscope comprises a flexible insertion tube being inserted into an object being examined. The medical instrument is partially inserted into the object through the insertion tube and the operating unit is used for commanding the medical instrument to operate. The first drive unit drives the medical instrument to enable an inserting and pulling-out operation of the medical instrument with the object through the insertion tube. The second drive unit drives the medical instrument to enable the medical instrument to perform a therapeutic operation in the object. The control unit controls drive of the first and second driving devices depending on both an operated state of the operating device and an interference state caused between the medical instrument and the insertion tube when the instrument is actually used.

Abstract: An insertion device comprises a long-sized insertion portion to be inserted into a subject, a propulsion force generating portion provided on the outer peripheral face of the insertion portion, a rotating portion for rotating the propulsion force generating portion on the longitudinal axis of the insertion portion, an image capturing device for observing the image of the subject, provided at the tip of the insertion portion so as to be rotatable according to the rotation of the propulsion force generating portion, a first electric contact which is connected electrically to the image capturing device and moves rotationally according to the rotation of the propulsion force generating portion provided on the insertion portion, and a second electric contact, on which the first electric contact which moves rotationally according to the rotation of the propulsion force generating portion, is provided slidably, and is connected electrically to the first electric contact.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes: an introducing duct including; insertion portion cover portion for covering an insertion portion extending from a distal side portion of a handling portion constituting an endoscope; and a spiral duct which is disposed on an inner circumferential surface side of the insertion portion cover portion, and has on a circumferential surface of the spiral duct, a propulsion power generating portion for applying a propulsion power for introducing the insertion portion into a deep portion in a body cavity, to the insertion portion covered by the insertion portion cover, and a rotating device comprising a rotating portion for rotating the spiral duct equipped to the introducing duct.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes: a tubular member equipped with a propulsion power generating portion; a rotating portion for rotating the tubular member provided with the propulsion power generating portion around the longitudinal axis of the tubular member; and a distal portion which is provided on a more distal side than the tubular member rotated by the rotating portion, is slidably provided to the tubular member, and is disposed with an observation portion for observing a body to be examined.

Abstract: An insertion device comprises a long-sized insertion portion to be inserted into a subject; a propulsion force generating portion provided on the outer peripheral face of the insertion portion; a rotating portion for rotating the propulsion force generating portion on the longitudinal axis of the insertion portion; an observation portion for observing an image of the subject; and a display control portion for displaying, on a screen of a display device, the image of the subject based on an observation signal outputted from the observation portion in a manner corresponding to a rotation of the propulsion force generating portion.

Abstract: An insertion device includes a long insert section inserted to a subject body, a propulsion force generation section provided at an outer circumferential surface of the insert section, a rotation section having a guide tube rotation device for rotating the insert section at which the propulsion force generation section is provided about a longitudinal axis, and a rotation control section for controlling the rotation section.

Abstract: An insertion device includes an insertion unit to be inserted into a subject and a rotating unit for rotating the insertion unit. The insertion unit assists insertion into the subject of medical equipment which performs medical activity in the subject. The insertion unit advances and retreats relatively as to the medical equipment in the insertion direction into the subject. The insertion unit is rotated by the rotating unit centered on the insertion axis direction, and advances and retracts inside of the subject by propulsion generated by the rotation.

Abstract: An insertion device comprises an insertion unit to be inserted into a subject, a spiral-shaped portion to be in contact with an inner wall of a lumen of a subject along with the insertion unit being inserted into the subject, and a rotating unit for rotating the insertion unit provided with the spiral-shaped portion. The spiral-shaped portion is partially provided in a plurality of portions in a portion to be in contact with an inner wall of a lumen of a subject, or provided across the entire portion to be in contact with the inner wall of the lumen of the subject. Propulsion at the time of inserting the insertion unit into a subject is obtained by rotating the insertion unit provided with the spiral-shaped portion.

Abstract: A first bendable section which can be bent in an arbitrary direction and a second bendable section which can be bent in the bending direction of this first bendable section are provided at the tip end side of an insertion portion. A balloon which is inflated/contracted by feed/discharge of a fluid is provided in this second bendable section so that hardness of this second bendable section can be varied and insertion work into a curved portion is facilitated.