Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Hiroyuki Sasa

Hisao Yabe

Takeaki Nakamura

Koji Takamura

Yukio Nakajima

Fumiaki Ishii

Shigeru Nakajima

Katsuyuki Saito

Seiji Yamaguchi

Kazunari Nakamura

Yoshihiro Okada

Akira Suzuki

Masaaki Hayashi

Hiroki Hibino

Takashi Tsukaya

Shuichi Takayama

Toshihiko Hashiguchi

Yutaka Yanagawa

Makoto Inaba

Yutaka Ohshima

Motoyuki Tagawa

Yoshihiro Iida

Osamu Tamada

Yoshisada Aoki

Jun Hiroya

David E Barlow

Koichiro Ishihara

Nobuyuki Nakanishi

Kohichiro Ishihara

Frank Klosterman

Jack Goodman

An electroendoscope apparatus which uses a plurality of types of electroendoscopes having solid-state imaging devices of different specifications and which performs signal processing on the basis of a plurality of signal processing systems, which includes: a video memory device used commonly among the plurality of signal processing systems; a circuit data recording device for recording circuit data corresponding to each of the plurality of signal processing systems; and a signal processing device, composed of programmable logic elements, which forms a dedicated processing circuit corresponding to each of the plurality of signal processing systems on the basis of the circuit data recorded by the circuit data recording device.

Electroendoscope apparatus

An endoscope system comprises an endoscope control unit provided with an image signal generating circuit for signal processing an image pickup signal from an endoscope to generate an image signal, and a drive-signal generating circuit for generating a drive signal for driving an image pickup element provided on the endoscope; a first endoscope capable of being connected to the endoscope control unit and provided with a first image pickup element for image pickup of a subject image; a second endoscope capable of being connected to the endoscope control unit and provided with a second image pickup element different from the first image pickup element, for picking up the subject image; and a signal rationalizing circuit for rationalizing a form of a signal exchanged between at least one of the first endoscope and the second endoscope, and the endoscope control unit.

Dissimilar endoscopes usable with a common control unit

An endoscope system includes an endoscope having internal conduits, a cleaning solution supply portion formed in the endoscope and communicating with the internal conduits, and a solution feed unit for feeding a cleaning solution to the cleaning solution supply portion. The internal conduits are formed such that the cleaning solution supplied from the cleaning solution supply portion to the internal conduits by the solution feed unit flows in all the flow paths of the internal conduits at a flow speed almost equal to that in the cleaning solution supply portion.

Endoscope system wherein cleaning solution flows at same speed in

An endoscope system according to the present invention includes a plurality of different endoscopes each of which has an illumination optical system for emitting light outward, an observation optical system for forming an optical image of a subject at the distal end of an insertion tube which can be inserted into the subject, and a solid-state imaging device for converting the optical image of the subject formed by the observation optical system into an electric signal, a plurality of different signal processors each of which drives a solid-state imaging device and processes the output signal sent from the solid-state imaging device to provide a video signal, and a plurality of different light sources each of which is compatible with one of the plurality of different endoscopes and supplies light to the illumination optical system. The system expendability is so excellent that the above equipment will be compatible with technologically-upgraded endoscopes, signal processors, or light sources.

Endoscope system

An endoscope system includes a plurality of different endoscopes each of which has an illumination optical system for emitting light outward, an observation optical system for forming an optical image of a subject at the distal end of an insertion tube which can be inserted into the subject, and a solid-state imaging device for converting the optical image of the subject formed by the observation optical system into an electric signal, a plurality of different signal processors each of which drives a solid-state imaging device and processes the output signal sent from the solid-state imaging device to provide a video signal, and a plurality of different light sources each of which is compatible with one of the plurality of different endoscopes and supplies light to the illumination optical system. The system expendability is so excellent that the above equipment will be compatible with technologically-upgraded endoscopes, signal processors, or light sources.

The radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus of the present invention has an insertable part to be inserted toward an affected part. A therapeutic apparatus for treating the affected part, and a radioactive ray detecting apparatus for detecting radioactive rays discharged out of the affected part and providing signals by which to direct the therapeutic apparatus to the affected part, are provided in the tip part of the insertable part.

Radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus

A radioactive ray detecting endoscope comprises an elongated insertable part, an ultrasonic imaging apparatus provided in the tip part of the insertable part for transmitting ultrasonic waves toward an observed part, for receiving echoes from the observed part by these ultrasonic waves, and for outputting a signal for forming an ultrasonic image and a radioactive ray detecting apparatus arrangeable in the tip part of the insertable part for detecting radioactive rays. Preferably, the observing direction of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus and the detecting direction of the radioactive ray detecting apparatus substantially coincide with each other.

Radioactive ray detecting endoscope

An endoscope includes a connecting assembly for connecting a syringe, for supplying a supplementary fluid to an orifice, formed on a distal end portion of an insertion portion. The connecting assembly comprises a hollow mount member which is formed to extend from a periphery portion of an opening formed on a housing of the operation portion of the endoscope, and a shoulder is formed on the outer peripheral surface. In addition, a block, having a cavity, an inlet, and an outlet for serially connecting the cavity in a fluid supply path extended to the orifice, is received in the housing. A distal end of the mount piece on which the syringe can be mounted is inserted into the cavity of the block via the mount member. A locking member having an arm is mounted on the mount member by causing the arm to be abutted on the inner side of the shoulder. The mount piece is securely retained inside the mount member by threadably fixing a support member to the locking member.

Endoscope

An operation device for an endoscope is provided including a casing having a through hole and a rotation shaft extending externally from the through hole. The device further includes a first operation unit having a base section located outside the casing such that it is rotatably mounted on the rotation shaft, and an extension section having a finger-operated member at an outer end portion, and a second operation unit having a base section located outside the first operation unit such that it is rotatably mounted on the rotation shaft, and an extension section extending radially from the base section and having an intermediate portion bending toward the casing and a button attached to an outer end. The rotation path of the button is created over the same plane as that of the finger-operated member and spaced apart from that of the finger-operated member at a predetermined angle. A bending operation unit is situated outside the second operation unit and rotatably mounted on the rotation shaft so that a bending tube section of the endoscope may be bent. The operation unit can be readily operated with the same fingers which have gripped the operation body. This assures an improved operability.

Operation device for endoscopes

A device for cleaning channels of an endoscope has its main body in which a first check valve for permitting merely suction of a liquid detergent into said main body, a syringe for effecting suction and discharge of the liquid detergent and a second check valve for permitting only discharge of the liquid detergent from said main body are provided so that the channels can be cleaned by feeding the liquid detergent thereinto through liquid feed tubes. Further including a transfer valve, a pluraltiy of channels can be selectively and switchably cleaned. In addition, a filter apparatus is provided in the device so as to be able to prevent foreign matters contained in the liquid detergent from entering the channels of the endoscope.

Device for cleaning channels of an endoscope

A cleaning apparatus includes a liquid feeding unit, a connector detachably connected to an endoscope and a connecting unit for guiding a detergent solution fed from the feeding unit to the connector. The connector has a support plate, an air/liquid mouthpiece and a suction mouthpiece which are movably supported by the plate, and a slider supported by the plate to be movable between first and second positions. The mouthpiece has a ring-member which engages with a frange of an air/liquid cylinder of the endoscope. The mouthpiece has a ring-member engaging with a frange of a suction cylinder of the endoscope. When the slider is moved to the second position, a first holding portion and a second holding portion thereof hold the franges, in cooperation with the ring-members, by using an urging force or urging members.

Cleaning apparatus for endoscope

In a method of cleaning an endoscope, the open ends of an air/liquid supply valve cylinder and a suction valve cylinder, both provided within a control section of the endoscope, are closed by stops. The ends of an air supply channel, a liquid supply channel and a suction channel, which open to a connector mounted on the distal end of a light guide cable, are connected to a connecting tube so that liquid may flow between these ends. The other end of the suction channel opening to the distal end of an insertion section is connected to a liquid tank filled with liquid through a liquid supply tube. The tank is connected to an air pump through an air supply tube. When the pump is operated, the liquid is supplied from the other end of the suction channel and discharged from a nozzle through the three channels, valve cylinders and the connecting tube, thereby cleaning the interiors of these channels and valve cylinders with the liquid.

Method of cleaning endoscope channels

In a method of cleaning an endoscope, the open ends of an air/liquid supply valve cylinder, a suction valve cylinder, and a gas supply valve cylinder which are arranged in a control section of the endoscope are closed by stops. An air supply channel, a liquid supply channel, a suction channel, and a gas supply channel of the endoscope open at one end to a connector mounted on the distal end of the light guide cable of the endoscope. The connector is submerged in the liquid held in a tank. A cap is mounted on the distal end of the insertion section so that a nozzle communicating with the channels and a suction opening communicating with the suction channel open to the interior of the cap. The cap is connected to a suction pump by a suction tube. The pump is operated, thus sucking the liquid from the nozzle and suction opening through the four channels and the three cylinders, thereby cleaning the interiors of these channels and cylinders.

In a method of cleaning an endoscope, a stop is mounted on the open end of an air/liquid supply valve cylinder thereby closing the open end. A liquid tank is connected through a liquid supply tube to a first air supply port which opens to a connector of the endoscope and communicates with one end of an air supply channel. A connecting cap is attached to the connector so that a second air supply port communicating the air supply channel and a liquid supply port communicating with a liquid supply channel communicate with each other. An air supply pump is connected to the liquid tank. The pump is operated under this condition and supplies the liquid in the liquid tank to the first air supply port. The liquid supplied to the first air supply port is discharged from a nozzle communicating with the other ends of the air and liquid supply channels through these channels and the air/liquid supply valve cylinder, thereby cleaning the interior of these channels and the cylinder.

A device for cleaning an endoscope includes a communication member which is inserted into an air and water supply cylinder of the endoscope after removing a changeover piston from the cylinder. The communication member is movable between first and second positions and has a through-hole. Through the through-hole, the upper side portion of a water supply passage is communicated with the lower side portion of an air supply passage when the communication member is in the first position, and the upper side portion of the air supply passage is communicated with the lower side portion of the air supply passage when the communication member is in the second position.

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Tokyo, Japan

Hiroyuki Sasa