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:
Jun. 25, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 12, 2000
Keiji Ito, Saitama-ken, JP;
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A flexible insertion tube of an endoscope includes a bendable portion that is formed at a tip end portion thereof. The bendable portion is formed to be bendable in an arbitrary direction. A tip end main body is connected at the tip end of the bendable portion. The tip end main body is provided with an ultrasonic scanning unit and an observation unit. The tip end main body includes a tip end side portion and a rear end side portion. The tip end side portion is provided with a convex type ultrasonic probe, and the rear end side portion is provided with: an instrument outlet allowing a treatment instrument to protrude, which is located at a central portion on a cross section of the rear end side portion; an observation window, which is directed to a forward side with respect to a scanning direction of the ultrasonic probe, and an illumination window for emitting light to illuminate an area to be observed through the observation window. The observation window is located, on one side of the instrument outlet; and the illumination window is located on the other side of the instrument outlet.