Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.

Machida Endoscope Co., Ltd.

Hoya Corporation

Shiga University of Medical Science

Masayuki Misawa

Kunihiko Miyagi

Saburo Sugawara

Isamu Hirai

Tomoaki Itabashi

Tohru Tani

Shigeyuki Naka

Yoshimasa Kurumi

The flexible endoscopehas a flexible insertion portionto be inserted in an observation zoneof a MRI apparatus. The insertion portionhas an inner tubemade of resin, triple helical tubescovering the inner tubeand an outer tubemade of resin and covering the triple helical tubes. The triple helical tubesinclude a first helical bandhelically wound around an outer peripheral surface of the inner tube, a second helical bandhelically wound around an outer periphery of the first helical bandin a direction opposite to a winding direction of the first helical bandand a third helical bandhelically wound around an outer periphery of the second helical bandin a direction opposite to the winding direction of the second helical band. The first to third helical bandsare made of phosphor bronze or copper-silver alloy, which are materials having low magnetic susceptibility.

Flexible endoscope suitable for MRI

A power transmission mechanism includes a rotational drive member which rotates to drive a driven member, a drive switcher for switching between a transmission-ON state in which a driving force of a drive source is transmitted to the rotational drive member to rotate the rotational drive member and a transmission-OFF state in which the transmission of the driving force to the rotational drive member is canceled, and a rotation restrictor which allows the rotational drive member to rotate when the drive switcher is in the transmission-ON state and is engaged with the rotational drive member to restrict rotation of the rotational drive member when the drive switcher is in the transmission-OFF state.

Power transmission mechanism having cam-incorporated gear, and power transmission mechanism of imaging apparatus

A power transmission mechanism includes a cam-incorporated gear which rotates in one rotational direction by a driving force transmitted from a drive source via a planet gear when engaged with the planet gear, wherein the cam-incorporated gear stops rotating when disengaged from the planet gear; a driven member which includes a follower which contacts at least one surface cam formed on the cam-incorporated gear, the driven member being driven in accordance with the rotation of the cam-incorporated gear in the one rotational direction, and exerting a surplus torque on the cam-incorporated gear in the one rotational direction thereof so as to increase the rotation of the cam-incorporated gear in the one rotational direction, the surplus torque being independent of a torque exerted on the cam-incorporated gear by the drive source; and a damping mechanism which continuously exerts a load torque on the cam-incorporated gear in a rotational direction opposite to the one rotational direction of the cam-incorporated gear so as to cancel out the surplus torque.

An imaging apparatus is provided, including a mirror movable between a viewing position and a retracted position; a shutter which prevents the light that is passed through the imaging optical system from being incident on the image sensor and allows the light that is passed through the imaging optical system to be incident on the image sensor when open and shut, respectively; a reversible motor; a first operating mechanism which moves the mirror and carries out a shutter charge operation when engaged with the reversible motor and driven thereby; a second operating mechanism which carries out the shutter charge operation without moving the mirror when engaged with the reversible motor and driven thereby; and a driving force transmission switcher for transmitting driving forces of the reversible motor in first and second rotational directions thereof to the first and second operating mechanisms, respectively.

Mirror and shutter drive control mechanism for imaging apparatus

A clip applier includes a body, an insertion tubeextending from the bodyand inserted in a channel of an endoscope and a clamp mechanismdisposed at a distal end of the insertion tube. The clamp mechanismhas a support memberfixed at the distal end of the insertion tubeand a pair of clamp membersrotatably supported by the support member. The clamp membersare connected to a distal end of a wirevia a pair of links. The clamp membersrespectively include gripping portionsprotruding form the support member. A clipis received in receiving groovesof the gripping portions. When the wireis pulled by operating an operation member disposed on the body, the clamp membersare rotated against an elastic force of a hinge portionof the clip, thereby causing a pair of clip portionsof the clipto be opened.

Clip applier

A power transmission mechanism includes a cam-incorporated gear including a constant-radius cam-portion and a small-radius relief cam-portion connected via a non-constant-radius cam-portion; and first and second swingable members each including a follower which comes in contact with the constant-radius cam-portion and is positioned in an immediate vicinity of the relief cam-portion at respective first and second swing limits. The cam-incorporated gear includes two neutral positions in which one and the other of the swingable members is held at cam-axis separated and vicinity positions, respectively, wherein upon rotating the swingable members from one to the other of the neutral positions, the commencement and termination of rotation of the swingable member that moves from the cam-axis separated to vicinity positions respectively occurs at earlier and later timings. The non-constant-radius cam-portion makes a load torque greater than a surplus torque which act on the cam-incorporated gear when it rotates.

A wire memberis received in a flexible partof an endoscopeand adapted to remotely curvilinearly control a bendable partat a distal end of the flexible insertion part. The wire memberincludes a braidbraiding from a plurality of resin fibers and an adhesive agentimpregnated in the braidand hardened. The impregnating and hardening of the adhesive agentare carried out in a state where the braidis applied with a tensile force having a predetermined magnitude.

Curvilinearly controlling wire member of endoscope and method for manufacturing the same

A camera body includes a body mount adopted to detachably attach an interchangeable lens thereto, a body index mark which indicates a position of proper alignment of the interchangeable lens with respect to the body mount in order to attach the interchangeable lens to the camera body, and an illuminating device which illuminates the body index mark.

Camera body using interchangeable lens

Disclosed is a select dial of a camera which includes a rotatable member and a click-stop mechanism for making the rotatable member stop with a click at any one of a plurality of click-stop positions of the rotatable member when the rotatable member is rotated. The click-stop mechanism includes: a positioning member having a plurality of holes which determine the plurality of click-stop positions; and a plurality of balls each being pressed against the positioning member to be engageable with any one of the plurality of holes. The plurality of holes and the plurality of balls are arranged so that one of the plurality of balls is disengaged from any of the plurality of holes when another ball of the plurality of balls is engaged with any one of the plurality of holes.

Select dial having a click-stop mechanism for a camera

Guide rails for positioning a film are formed on a shutter block. The guide rails project through an opening in a thin back plate of a camera body to regulate the position of a film drawn from a film cartridge chamber into a spool chamber. A frame aperture formed in the shutter block regulates the exposable area of a frame of film. The shutter block is fixable to a box-shaped mirror housing, which is then fixed to the camera body and a supporting plate.

Camera having shutter block with guide rails

A finder system of a camera has an eye direction detecting device for detecting a direction in which a photographer's eye is looking and a display for displaying information related to operating parameters of the camera in a view field of the finder system. The finder system further includes a display prism for transmitting light from a projector of the display to the view field, and a detecting prism for transmitting light reflected from the eye that is projected by a light emitting element of the eye direction detecting device to a light detecting element of the eye direction detecting device. The display prism and the detecting prism are formed as a single block prism.

Finder system of a camera

A switch apparatus for use with a device. The switch apparatus includes a letter ring, associated with an operation member, that rotates together with a selection dial. The letter ring contains inscriptions, such as marks or figures thereon. A decorative plate includes a pointer to indicate the selected function. A rotation of the rotatable operation member causes a plurality of electrical conductors to change their ON/OFF electrical state. The plurality of electrical conductors form a code pattern representing a code that is interpreted by a control circuit to determine an operation mode selected by the rotational operation member. The switch apparatus further includes a push button that is depressed to, for example, activate a modification of the operation mode based upon the data of the code pattern of the code.

Switch apparatus

A single lens reflex camera includes a mirror box provided in a camera body to support a mirror located on an optical axis of a photographing lens for up and down movement. The mirror box, together with a mirror driving mechanism, is detachably attachable to the camera body as a unit. A diaphragm control mechanism is provided for controlling a diaphragm, which is mounted to a mounting member separate from the mirror box to form a unit, which can be detachably attached to the camera body. A charge/reset mechanism is provided and is mounted to the camera body and serves to connect the mirror drive mechanism and the diaphragm control mechanism.

Single lens reflex camera

A lid latch device is provided, which is adapted to be used for a back lid openable to a camera. The back lid latch device is provided with a latch member for latching the back lid in a closed position, an open button for releasing the latch member upon movement of the open button from a latched position to a released position, and a detection switch for switching an output signal from a first predetermined level to a second predetermined level. The switch device is actuated directly by the back lid only when the back lid is moved to the closed position and latched by the latch member.

Lid latch device in camera

A mirror driving apparatus for a camera which rotatably drives a mirror between two predetermined position, by an elastic restoring force stored in a mirror biasing member, including an engaging device which retains an elastic restoring force in the mirror biasing member, and a disengaging and shock absorbing spring which elastically biases the engaging device in a disengaging direction thereof when the mirror is in one of the predetermined position. The disengaging and shock absorbing spring biases the mirror in a direction to stop the same immediately before the movement of the mirror is completed when the mirror is moved to the other of the predetermined position by the elastic restoring force of the mirror biasing member.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Masayuki Misawa