Surgery – Endoscope – Having flexible tube structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-27
2001-08-07
Winakur, Eric F. (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Endoscope
Having flexible tube structure
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270453
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bending device for an examining insertion tube. In particular, it relates to a bending device mounted to an examining insertion tube which is for observing a narrow space where a man cannot directly enter such as piping of city water, the inside part of a human body, etc.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An examining insertion tube is a promising examination apparatus, which is used for observing the inside of a narrow space (inside of a pipe or a gap, etc.) where human body cannot enter or for observing the state in the vessel or the organs inside the human body without cutting to open the human body. This examining insertion tube generally has an observation means at the head end and an operating mechanism at the bottom end, and is designed for the end portion to be bent in any direction by the operating mechanism.
As a conventional technology, a freely flexible tube (Japanese Patent Application Nos. Hei 5[1993]-253171 and 253172) which provides an observation device around the head end portion and a bending mechanism which bends the observation device in a prescribed direction can be cited.
The bending mechanism is provided with multiple joint members and a bending application means which energizes the bending operation in each joint member and this bending application means is comprised of a wire-like shape memory alloy stretched between the joint members and a heater which heats this shape memory alloy. Namely, according to this constitution, the heated shape memory alloy contracts to its original length and application in the bending operation between the joint members is achieved by utilizing the tensile force [generated] during this contraction.
PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION
However, the aforementioned conventional example has a bending application means between each joint and the bending application means comprises heating a shape memory alloy, thus there is an inconvenience in making the device complex as a whole, causing increase in the number of parts, and as a consequence, generating a decrease in productivity and an increase in the product cost.
Also, control of the bending amount by heating is very difficult, so there is also the difficulty of operating the head end portion freely in the prescribed direction.
Furthermore, the joints are rotatably linked by a fixed pin, so the manufacturing process in this section becomes complex, which causes further decreases in productivity.
The present invention seeks to improve on the inconveniences of the aforementioned conventional example and to provide a bending device of high operability and productivity for an examining insertion tube.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a bending device of an examining insertion tube which is inserted in an examining object to examine the inside. The bending device bends the head end portion of the examining insertion tube and comprises multiple ring-shape cylindrical members and four wires which link the multiple cylindrical members in a tubular manner (or in a tubular shape).
Each cylindrical member has two first protruded portions which protrude in the axial direction of the cylindrical member from the top end face of the cylindrical member at both ends of a diameter of a first radial direction of the cylindrical member, two second protruded portions which protrude in the axial direction from the bottom end face of the cylindrical member at both ends of a diameter of a second radial direction of the cylindrical member, two first small cylindrical members in which wires are inserted and which are mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member at the vicinities of the first protruded portions respectively, and two second small cylindrical members in which wires are inserted and which are mounted on the outer circumferential surface face of the cylindrical member at the vicinities of the second protruded portions respectively.
The first radial direction and the second radial direction are approximately perpendicular and each cylindrical member is linked to each adjacent cylindrical member by the wires so that the protruded portions of each cylindrical member may contact mutually.
The mutually adjacent cylindrical members are linked by wires inserted in their small cylindrical members with one end face of one cylindrical member in contact with another end face of the other cylindrical member which is adjacent to the former cylindrical member. Because of a wire inserted into each small cylindrical member, the two first protruded portions of the former cylindrical member and the two second protruded portions of the latter cylindrical member mutually contact on the surfaces of such protruded portions.
For example, the first protruded part of the middle cylindrical member contacts the second protruded part of the adjacent upper cylindrical member such that the upper cylindrical member pivots freely on the top surfaces of these protruded portions as the fulcrum (around the diameter linking the two first protruded portions in the first radial direction). Similarly, since the second protruded portions of the middle cylindrical member contacts the first protruded portions of the adjacent lower cylindrical member such that the lower adjacent cylindrical member pivots freely on the top surfaces of the these protruded portions as the fulcrum (around the diameter linking the two second protruded portions in the second radial direction).
Therefore, the upper, middle and lower adjacent cylindrical members enable a bending motion with two degrees of freedom. Since it is possible to make such type of bending motion freely with the three cylindrical members, it is also possible for the head end portion to make a bending motion in any direction.
The bending motion of all linked cylindrical members is made by applying a tensile force to each wire. That is, the space between the sections of adjacent cylindrical members which are not the protruded portions contracts when a tensile force is applied to one wire, which is greater than that applied to any other wire. Thus, the examining insertion tube can be bent at the head end portion towards the wire. Similarly, it is possible to bend the head end portion in a direction towards one wire among the others by applying a tensile force to the one wire. It is Also possible to bend the head end portion in a combined direction by applying tensile forces simultaneously to two adjacent wires.
The invention further provides a bending device of an examining insertion tube further comprising a flat face which is approximately perpendicular to the axial direction of the cylindrical member at the top end surface of each protruded portion. Thus, the flat faces at the top end surfaces of the protruded portions mutually contact closely with those of the adjacent cylindrical member so that it may be easy to keep an upright position by applying the same degree of tensile force to each wire.
The invention yet further provides a bending device of an examining insertion tube which is inserted inside of an examined object and bends the head end portion of an examining insertion tube. The vending device comprises multiple ring-shape cylindrical members and four wires which link the multiple cylindrical members in a tubular manner.
Each cylindrical member comprises two first small cylindrical members which are fixed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member to be aligned parallel to the axial direction of the cylindrical member and to protrude from one end face of the cylindrical member and through which two wires of the aforementioned wires are passed and two second small cylindrical members which are fixed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member to be aligned parallel to the axial direction of the cylindrical member and to protrude from one end face of the cylindrical member and through which the two rest wires of the aforementioned wires are passed The two first small cylindrical members are also disposed at both ends of the
Morrison Law Firm
Suzuki Motor Corporation
Winakur Eric F.
Wingood Pamela L
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