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:
Feb. 05, 2013
Filed:
Aug. 21, 2006
Atsushi Watanabe, Hino, JP;
Hiroki Moriyama, Akishima, JP;
Takahiro Kishi, Yokohama, JP;
Yasuhito Kura, Hachioji, JP;
Ryuhei Fujimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Katsutaka Adachi, Hino, JP;
Atsushi Watanabe, Hino, JP;
Hiroki Moriyama, Akishima, JP;
Takahiro Kishi, Yokohama, JP;
Yasuhito Kura, Hachioji, JP;
Ryuhei Fujimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Katsutaka Adachi, Hino, JP;
Olympus Medical Systems Corp., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A first bendable section which can be bent in an arbitrary direction and a second bendable section which can be bent in the bending direction of this first bendable section are provided at the tip end side of an insertion portion. A balloon which is inflated/contracted by feed/discharge of a fluid is provided in this second bendable section so that hardness of this second bendable section can be varied and insertion work into a curved portion is facilitated.