Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
600149000 | With wire tension control (e.g., slack absorbing) | 37 |
20080312506 | CONTROL MECHANISM FOR FLEXIBLE ENDOSCOPIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF USE - Control devices and methods are provided for controlling tension applied to a tensioning element extending through a flexible shaft, such as on an endoscopic device. In one exemplary embodiment, the methods and devices are configured to allow free movement and optionally provide slack to a control mechanism on an endoscopic device during insertion to allow free flexion of the shaft of the device, and to tension the control mechanism when desired to actuate, articulate, or otherwise control the working end or other portion of the device disposed within a patient's body. | 12-18-2008 |
20090143647 | MEDICAL APPLIANCE, ENDOSCOPE OVERTUBE, AND ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS - The medical appliance of the present invention includes a bending portion, an operation portion, bending operation wires pulled and loosened by bending operation, coil pipes in which the bending operation wires are inserted, and coil pipe receivers and cylinders that include compression coil springs and support the proximal end portions of the coil pipes so as to be able to move along directions in which the bending operation wires extend. | 06-04-2009 |
20090171161 | STEERABLE ENDOSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS - Flexible, steerable, endoscopic instruments include a handle, a flexible shaft, and an end effector. The handle includes an actuator for controlling the end effector. The handle also includes a steering mechanism for steering the endoscopic instrument. The steering mechanism includes one or more tensioning members configured to increase or decrease a tension force on one or more steering wires that are attached to one or more steerable portions of the flexible shaft. | 07-02-2009 |
20090192357 | ENDOSCOPE - An endoscope includes an insertion portion which has a bending portion, a wire which is fixed to an end of a distal side of the bending portion and is pushed along the insertion portion, an operating portion which is provided on a proximal side of the insertion portion opposite to the bending portion, and a wire-connecting member which is interposed in the wire between the insertion portion and the operating portion to form an allowance in a in which the wire is pushed and pulled, wherein a portion of the wire between the wire-receiving member and the wire-connecting member is inserted into the coil spring so that the coil covers a surface of the portion of the wire. | 07-30-2009 |
20090209820 | ENDOSCOPE DEVICE - An endoscope device having a control unit and a bendable probe unit arranged at the distal end of a wire extending from the control unit. The control unit includes a ball shaft and a control lever arranged on the ball shaft. The ball shaft includes a ball member and an outer case that encases the ball member and rotates along the outer peripheral surface of the ball member when the control lever is tilted. The wire is attached to the outer case. The construction facilitates control unit operation, which reduces inspection time and improves inspection accuracy. | 08-20-2009 |
20090240110 | ENDOSCOPE - An insertion instrument which is connected to a manipulating head grip is composed of an elongated flexible tube section, an articular section and a rigid tip end section in series from a proximal end which is connected to the manipulating head grip. The articular section can be flexed in an arbitrary direction by way of a flexion control means which is provided on the manipulating head grip. A flexible tube straightening means is provided internally of the flexible tube section to straighten the same into a rectilinear form. The flexible tube straightening means is activated into a straightening action in interlinked relation with a flexing operation of the flexion control means. | 09-24-2009 |
20100049000 | ENDOSCOPE DEVICE - An endoscope device having a control unit and a bendable probe unit arranged at the distal end of a wire extending from the control unit. The control unit includes a ball shaft and a control lever arranged on the ball shaft. The ball shaft includes a ball member and an outer case that encases the ball member and rotates along the outer peripheral surface of the ball member when the control lever is tilted. The wire is attached to the outer case. The construction facilitates control unit operation, which reduces inspection time and improves inspection accuracy. | 02-25-2010 |
20110021875 | STEERING SYSTEM TENSION CONTROL DEVICES - A steerable shaft of a medical instrument is steered by one or more control cables. The control cables are in contact with a steering system tension control device that reduces the tension in the control cables caused by bends in the shaft. | 01-27-2011 |
20110105844 | MANUALLY CONTROLLED ENDOSCOPE - A control handle for use with a steerable endoscopic device. The endoscopic device having a pair of control wires to effect steering. The control handle includes a steering mechanism that includes an actuator, such as a control knob, drivingly connected to a drive member, such as a sprocket or drive gear. To transmit force from the drive member to the control wires, a length of transmission structure, such as bead chain, is connected to the proximal ends of the control wires and is engaged with the drive member. In one embodiment, a single-use endoscope may be provided, which includes a control handle, a steerable endoscopic device, and a umbilical cord or communications conduit for functionally connecting the control handle to a control cabinet of an endoscopic imaging system. | 05-05-2011 |
20110118550 | ENDOSCOPE - An endoscope comprising a pulley, an insertion portion having a steerable section and a control wire connecting the pulley to the steerable section for controlling movement of the steerable section. | 05-19-2011 |
20110130630 | Method for Transmitting Torque and Variably Flexing a Corrugated Insertion Device - A method for transmitting torque and variably flexing an insertion device for receiving an instrument includes the steps of providing a hollow body, transmitting torque along the hollow body with a corrugated tube, applying suction to create a vacuum in the hollow body for placing the hollow body in a relatively stiff condition, relieving the vacuum for placing the hollow body in a relatively flexible condition, maintaining the hollow body in the relatively flexible and relatively stiff conditions with tendons disposed within the hollow body, and individually adjusting at least some of the tendons in length for steering a distal end of the hollow body. | 06-02-2011 |
20110237891 | ENDOSCOPE - An endoscope includes a curving operation portion which performs a curving operation of a curving portion by rotating around a pivot shaft in a first rotation direction and in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction from a neutral position where the curving portion is in a non-curved neutral state, a first operation wire which is pulled by the curving operation in the curving operation portion to curve the curving portion in the second curving direction, and a second operation wire which is pulled by the curving operation in the curving operation portion to curve the curving portion in the first curving direction. The endoscope includes a wire crossing portion in which the second operation wire crosses the first operation wire, and a movement regulating portion which regulates the movement of the wire crossing portion from within the operation portion into the insertion portion. | 09-29-2011 |
20110282153 | INSERTION INSTRUMENT ENDOSCOPE - An insertion instrument and an endoscope are provided that include: a bending portion provided in an insertion portion; a flexible tube portion connected in series to a proximal end side of the bending portion; an inside guide pipe provided inside the insertion portion, and inside which a wire is inserted to freely advance and retract; and an outside guide pipe provided inside the insertion portion, and inside which the inside guide pipe is inserted to freely advance and retract. Inside the insertion portion, a distal end of the inside guide pipe is fixed to a midway position of the bending portion, and a proximal end of the inside guide pipe is configured to be switchable between a fixed state and a non-fixed state. Further, inside the insertion portion, a distal end of the outside guide pipe is fixed to a distal end of a flexible tube portion, and a proximal end thereof is fixed at a more rearward position than the flexible tube portion. | 11-17-2011 |
20120078054 | BENDING MECHANISM - A bending mechanism includes a vertical driving portion with a central axis that extends along an X-axis direction, a horizontal driving portion with a central axis that extends along the X-axis direction and is adjacent to the vertical driving portion in a Y-axis direction, a vertical rotary portion that is coupled to the vertical driving portion and is rotated, and a horizontal rotary portion adjacent to the vertical rotary portion in the Y-axis direction that is coupled to the horizontal driving portion and is rotated. The binding mechanism further includes a holding portion holding a vertical operation wire extending from the vertical rotary portion to a rear surface on the side where the horizontal rotary portion is disposed, and holding a horizontal operation wire extending from the horizontal rotary portion to the rear surface on the side of the vertical rotary portion and further intersecting with a vertical operation wire. | 03-29-2012 |
20120190927 | Medical Catheter Instrument - A medical catheter instrument has a shaft portion, a distal portion bendable in a controlled manner in at least one direction relative to the shaft portion, and a control element extending in an axially movable manner through the shaft portion to the distal portion. The axial movement of the control element controls a corresponding bending movement of the distal portion. The catheter instrument includes a bending assembly having at least one elongated, elastically bendable stiffening element and at least one elongated, bendable and axially length-adjustable bending element, the elements being provided in an axial sub-region of the distal portion and extending therein with an axial main component, wherein the stiffening element forms an element restoring bending movement and has a higher flexural stiffness than the bending element, and the bending element is coupled to the control element or forms part of the same. | 07-26-2012 |
20120220832 | ENDOSCOPE BENDING DEVICE - An endoscope bending device includes an operation wire which includes a wire proximal end movably provided in an inner peripheral groove of a pulley, and a wire distal end connected to a bending section, the operation wire extending into an endoscope insertion section after being wound around an outer peripheral groove or the inner peripheral groove in a neutral condition in which the bending section is not bent. The endoscope bending device includes a slack absorbing portion which is configured to absorb the slack of the operation wire by moving the wire proximal end of the operation wire in the inner peripheral groove in a direction opposite to a discharging direction of the operation wire during the operation of discharging the operation wire from the neutral condition. | 08-30-2012 |
20120238819 | ENDOSCOPE - An endoscope including a catheter, a steering handle for controlling the bending of the catheter, and a pipe connector. The catheter includes an outer tube and an inner tube. The outer tube is sleeved outside the inner tube. The steering handle includes a handle sleeve and a handle cover. The handle sleeve is sleeved outside the handle cover. An axial guide rail and a sliding block are arranged between the handle sleeve and the handle cover. The guide rail and the sliding block are fixed on the handle sleeve or the handle cover respectively. The outer tube is fixedly connected with the handle sleeve. The inner tube penetrates a through hole in the center of the handle sleeve, is connected with a port of the pipe connector and fixed therein. The pipe connector is positioned in the handle cover and fixedly connected therewith. | 09-20-2012 |
20130018226 | Method for Variably Flexing and Steering an Insertion Device - A method for variably flexing and steering an insertion device that receives an instrument, which comprises providing a hollow body having tendons disposed therewithin and a distal end, changing a condition of the hollow body by selectively applying suction to create a vacuum in the hollow body to place the hollow body in a relatively stiff condition and relieving the vacuum to place the hollow body in a relatively flexible condition, maintaining the hollow body in the relatively flexible and relatively stiff conditions with the tendons, the vacuum created by the applied suction frictionally locking the tendons in place in the relatively stiff condition, and individually adjusting at least one of the tendons in length to steer the distal end of the hollow body. | 01-17-2013 |
20130035552 | ENDOSCOPE - An endoscope includes a flexible portion extended to a part on a proximal direction side of an insertion main body along a longitudinal axis, and a passive bending portion provided to a distal direction side of the flexible portion in the insertion main body, being more flexible than the flexible portion, and configured to passively bend when external force acts thereon. The endoscope includes an attachment unit which includes a fin portion spirally extended along the longitudinal axis, and through which the insertion section is inserted, and a holding portion provided to the insertion main body, and configured to hold the attachment unit in a state that the attachment unit covers the passive bending portion and that the attachment unit is rotatable about the longitudinal axis with respect to the insertion main body. | 02-07-2013 |
20130085336 | ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS AND BENDING CONTROL METHOD OF ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS - Provided is an endoscope apparatus that includes: a bending portion that bends in at least one direction; bending wires that are each connected to the bending portion; actuators that are connected to proximal ends of the bending wires, respectively, and that contract or expand by means of air pressure; electromagnetic valves that are provided between the actuators and a gas supply source that supplies air, respectively, and that adjust pressures applied to the actuators; and a control section that controls the electromagnetic valves. Each bending wire has slack therein when the actuators are in an atmospheric pressure state. The control section controls the electromagnetic valves so as to subject the actuators to initial pressurization until the slack of each bending wire disappears. | 04-04-2013 |
20130090529 | STEERABLE DEVICE AND SYSTEM - A system includes a steerable device, such as a sheath or shaft, having proximal and distal ends. The steerable device includes an elongated body having a proximal section, a steering section, and a distal tip. Control wires are routed through the body and connected at or near the distal end of the steerable device. The system further includes a control unit to which the proximal end of the steerable device is functionally connected. In one embodiment, the control unit includes an actuator connected to one control wire and a biasing force generating device connected to a second control wire. The steering section is controllably manipulated by the control unit to facilitate steering of the distal tip of the steerable device as the steerable device is advanced through tortuous passageways of a patient's body. | 04-11-2013 |
20130137928 | ENDOSCOPE - An endoscope permitting cleaning thereof with hydrogen peroxide and having an angle section with enhanced ease of operation. The endoscope includes the angle section including substantially cylindrical tubular members connected to each other, a bending operation section for bending the angle section, and wires for connecting the bending operation section and the angle section and bending the angle section when drawn by the operation at the operating section. The wires have adhered on the surfaces thereof polytetrafluoroethylene powder produced by pyrolysis as lubricant. | 05-30-2013 |
20140031626 | Endoscope - An endoscopic instrument includes a manipulating piece having a manipulating element, an instrument shaft having a section that is manipulable, wherein the shaft is coupled to the manipulating piece, a positioning element having a first rotational axis, a pulling element coupled to the positioning element and the section of the shaft, such that displacement of the positioning element actuates the section by transmitting a force via the pulling element, and an actuator coupled to the positioning element, such that actuation of the actuator displaces the positioning element by transmitting a force from the actuator to the positioning element. The manipulating element is coupled to the positioning element such that a force exerted onto the manipulating element transfers onto the positioning element and displaces the positioning element. The first rotational axis and a second rotational axis of the actuator are arranged at an angle less than 90° relative to one another. | 01-30-2014 |
20140066716 | INSERTION APPARATUS - An insertion portion, a bending portion, an inner guide sheath, an operation portion, a fixing lever, a guide member, a crank member, a pair of link members, and cam members that are rotatable to a second rotation position where the cam members simultaneously press exposed sites of moving members to wall surfaces in a vertical direction, and a first rotation position where the cam members are separated from the exposed sites, by either one of opening and closing of the respective link members are included. | 03-06-2014 |
20140073855 | Unknown - A shank for a flexible endoscope or for a flexible endoscopic instrument includes a first shank portion and, a second shank portion, angled relative to a distal end region of the first shank portion by a longitudinal adjustment of at least one tensioning means which is guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner inside the second shank portion and connected to a distal end region of the second shank portion. The longitudinal adjustment by least one threaded drive, which can be driven by at least one torsion shaft extending inside the first shank portion. The invention also relates to a flexible endoscope and a flexible endoscopic instrument. | 03-13-2014 |
20140121462 | ENDOSCOPE - The endoscope includes a drive section which bends and drives a bending portion, a C ring-shaped member which frictionally engages with a pulley and has a notch portion at a portion, an operation input member which performs bending operation, an operation input-side pulling member which is wound around the C ring-shaped member and extending toward the operation input member and is coupled to the operation input member such that a wrap distance, over which the operation input-side pulling member wraps around the C ring-shaped member across the notch portion, decreases with increase in the amount of operation of the operation input member, and a bending portion-side pulling member which is wound around the C ring-shaped member and extending toward the bending portion and is coupled to the bending portion so as not to wrap around the C ring-shaped member across the notch portion. | 05-01-2014 |
20140148646 | WIRE-PULLING MECHANISM AND ENDOSCOPIC APPARATUS - In a wire-pulling mechanism, a second engaging portion is configured so that the position of the second engaging portion in the longitudinal direction of a second pulling wire is displaceable closer to the front end than an engaged portion of the second pulling wire, the second pulling wire is configured so as to enter the inside of a second movement track and extend in the shape of a straight line, in a neutral state of an operating unit, and the tilting operation of the operating unit causes the second engaging portion to be moved to the front end along the second movement track with respect to the second pulling wire and causes the engaged portion of the second pulling wire and the second engaging portion to be separated from each other from a state where the engaged portion of the second pulling wire and the second engaging portion engage each other. | 05-29-2014 |
20140171741 | INSERTION APPARATUS - An insertion portion, a bending portion, a joystick, a pulling wire, a pulley, a C-shaped ring, and an end portion of a cutout portion that is provided at the C-shaped ring, and removes wear debris that is scraped from the pulley with contact of the C-shaped ring to the pulley from the pulley are provided. | 06-19-2014 |
20140187865 | ENDOSCOPE - An endoscope includes an insertion section including first and second bending portions, a first bending drive mechanism to bend the first portion in the upward direction, first and second distal side-traction members passing inside the insertion section and a proximal side-traction member. The first portion can bend in the upward direction. The second portion is on a proximal side of the first portion and can bend in the upward direction and in right and left directions along a circumferential direction of the upward direction. The first distal side-traction member is fixed to a position of the second portion, separated from the upward direction toward the right. The second distal side-traction member is fixed to a position of the second portion, separated from the upward direction toward the left direction. The proximal side-traction member pulls the first and second distal side-traction members in conjunction with the first bending drive mechanism. | 07-03-2014 |
20150080658 | ENDOSCOPE DEVICE - Provided is an endoscope device and a method of operating the endoscope device. The endoscope device includes: a knob driving part configured to be driven in a mode selected by an operator from either of an automatic mode and a manual mode; a bending part connected to the knob driving part and configured to change a position of a distal end of the endoscope device by driving of the knob driving part, a power generating part configured to provide power to the knob driving part; and a power transmitting part configured to drive the power generating part according to a manipulation of the knob driving part. | 03-19-2015 |
20150112142 | MEDICAL INSTRUMENT AND BENDING DEDEFORMATION - The present invention provides a decoupling and coupling type medical instrument which includes a bending deformation portion and a manipulation unit. The medical instrument is excellent in operability while preventing removal, cutting and the like of a wire of the bending deformation portion. A medical instrument which satisfies 004-23-2015 | |
20150112143 | SEPARABLE MEDICAL INSTRUMENT, AND OPERATED SECTION AND OPERATING SECTION THEREOF - A medical instrument includes an operated section having a deformable portion and an operating section configured to deform the deformable portion. The operated section and the operating section are attachable to and detachable from each other. The operated section includes a wire | 04-23-2015 |
20150366435 | MECHANISM OF SMALL DRIVE WIRE RETENTION ON SPOOL - A steering mechanism for a medical device that is configured for passing through the body cavities of a patient and for passage through an endoscope working channel is described. The mechanism comprises at least one spool having a central hole through which a central axle passes, the spool being rotatable about the axle, and the spool having at least one retaining tube having a lumen therethrough and configured to contain a portion of a drive cable. The drive cables, which may include UHMWPE, are capable of and are effective for deflecting the distal end of a catheter or endoscopic device, while preferably each being at least partially disposed through a retaining tube that is effective to prevent tangling or other binding of the cable(s). | 12-24-2015 |
20150366436 | APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A TENSIONED PULL-WIRE IN AN ENDOSCOPE - A control mechanism for an endoscope ( | 12-24-2015 |
20160038003 | ENDOSCOPE - An endoscope includes a bending operation section that performs pulling and loosening operation of a traction member for bending driving and performs bending operation of the entire of a bending portion, a first traction member for bending fixing configured by a tubular member and inserted through an insertion section in a state where the traction member for bending driving is disposed on an inside of the tubular member; a first operation section for bending fixing that performs pulling/loosening operation of the first traction member for bending fixing and operates fixing or release of the entire of the bending portion, a second traction member for bending fixing connected to the bending portion and inserted through the insertion section; and a second operation section for bending fixing that performs pulling/loosening operation of the second traction member for bending fixing and operates fixing or release of a part of the bending portion. | 02-11-2016 |
20160058268 | Systems and Methods for Varying Stiffness of An Endoscopic Insertion Tube - The specification describes endoscopes that enable varying stiffness of an insertion portion in an endoscope assembly. In one example, an actuator operates either a spring or a flexible tube to vary stiffness of the insertion portion. In alternative examples, an elliptical wheel arrangement or screw mechanism provides a means to increase stiffness of the insertion portion of an endoscope assembly. In further examples, fluid and gas may be used inside the insertion potion to vary stiffness by varying pressure of the fluid/gas. | 03-03-2016 |
20160073856 | BENDING CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ENDOSCOPE - A bending control mechanism for an endoscope, provided with a control body and a bendable section including an insertion section, the bending control mechanism includes a pulley which is rotatably provided in the control body, and a wire connected between the pulley and the bendable section. An outer peripheral profile of the pulley, onto which the wire is wound, includes a non-circular section including a small-radius section having a small radius from a rotational axis of the pulley, and a large-radius section having a radius from the rotational axis that is larger than the small radius. The wire is wound onto the large-radius section at an initial winding stage at which the bendable section is at a non-bending position. The wire is wound onto the small-radius section at a stage where the bendable section is bent by a maximum amount. | 03-17-2016 |