Pipes and tubular conduits – Combined – With indicating means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-18
2001-02-20
Brinson, Patrick (Department: 3752)
Pipes and tubular conduits
Combined
With indicating means
C138S177000, C138S178000, C138SDIG001, C116S205000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189574
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a flexible tube for an endoscope.
Generally, a flexible tube, which is to be inserted in a human cavity, of an endoscope is provided with an observation window at the tip end portion thereof. Further, in order to identify an orientation of the inserted portion and an inserted depth with respect to an entrance (i.e., a mouth, an anus or the like), indication of a distance from the tip of the insertion portion and the orientation is generally provided. In a conventional flexible tube, as the indication, optically recognizable marks are formed, for example, by printing.
When an optical endoscope is used, when an operator is observing through an eyepiece lens, by simply dropping the eyes a little, the operator can recognize the marks on the insertion portion.
However, when an electronic endoscope, which has spread widely, is used, the observation is usually done through a monitor device such as a CRT monitor, which are usually located at an upper level. Accordingly, when the marks are to be checked, the operator is required to move the sight line by a large amount. Such an action is troublesome. Further, the mark may not be found easily in such a case, and in a worse case, the operator may overlook a diseased portion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved flexible tube for an endoscope with which the operator can recognize indication marks easily without shifting the sight line greatly.
For the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a flexible tube for an endoscope, having a tubular sheath, an outer circumferential surface of the sheath being provided with an indicator that indicates at least one of an orientation of the sheath about an axis thereof and axial length information, the indicator includes at least one striation extending in the axial direction of the sheath. It should be noted that the striation is formed to be perceptible by touch.
Since an operator can feel the striation, the orientation and/or distance information can be recognized only by touch.
Optionally, at least one striation includes a protrusion extending in the axial direction of the sheath. Alternatively, the striation may be a groove extending in the axial direction of the sheath.
Further optionally, a configuration of the indicator varies along the axis of the sheath.
With this structure, by feeling the indicator, the operator can recognize borders at a position where the configuration changes.
In one case, the configuration may include a cross sectional shape of the at least one striation.
Optionally or alternatively, the configuration may include a continuous/intermittent condition of the at least one striation.
Further optionally or alternatively, the configuration may include a plurality of intermittent conditions of the at least one striation.
Optionally, a visually recognizable indication can be provided on the sheath as well as the indication that is perceptible by touch.
Further more, the indicator may include a first indicator having at least one striation and a second indicator having at least one striation, the first and second indicators being provided at different circumferential positions on the sheath, configurations of the first and second indicators being different from each other.
In one example, the configurations of the first and second indicators are different in terms of the number of striations.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2630033 (1953-03-01), Stover
patent: 3367370 (1968-02-01), Sherlock
patent: 3451434 (1969-06-01), Bauer, Jr.
patent: 5182954 (1993-02-01), Menheere
patent: 5622210 (1997-04-01), Crisman et al.
Iwasaki Tomoko
Ohara Kenichi
Ouchi Naoya
Sugiyama Akira
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Brinson Patrick
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
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