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:
Jul. 12, 2005
Filed:
Dec. 02, 2002
Seisuke Takase, Hachioji, JP;
Seisuke Takase, Hachioji, JP;
Olympus Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An endoscope device in accordance with the present invention consists mainly of an endoscope, a light source apparatus, a video processor, and a monitor. The endoscope includes an insertion unit, an operation unit, a linkage cord, a connector unit, and an electric connector. The insertion unit is flexible and elongated. The operation unit is coupled to the proximal end of the insertion unit. The endoscope can undergo at least one of cleansing, disinfection, and sterilization that is performed at a high temperature. Furthermore, a drop in the temperature of at least part of the external surface of the operation unit of the endoscope occurring when the endoscope is cooled within a predetermined domain of temperatures is substantially equal to or larger than a drop in the temperature of at least part of the external surface of the insertion unit.