The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 08, 2019
Filed:
Jul. 18, 2016
Olympus Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Toru Kuboi, Hachioji, JP;
OLYMPUS CORPORATION, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An endoscope apparatus includes an endoscope including a flexible insertion tube and a curved-shape detection sensor. The curved-shape detection sensor includes an optical fiber for propagating detection light and a sensing part provided in at least a part of the optical fiber. The curved-shape detection sensor detects a curved shape of the insertion tube based on a change of characteristics of the detection light after passing the sensing part made in accordance with a change in a curved shape of the optical fiber when the optical fiber is curved. The optical fiber is arranged on a curve axis of the insertion tube defined when the insertion tube is curved in a predetermined curve direction, or in a proximity region of the curve axis.