# US 10,441,143 B2 · Insertion assisting tool for endoscope

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,441,143 B2
- Document ID: US10441143B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/969,404
- Filed: 2018-05-02
- Published: 2018-09-06
- Granted: 2019-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2011-03-31
- Assignees: FUJIFILM Corporation
- Applicants: FUJIFILM Corporation
- Inventors: Masaya Inoue; Masayuki Iwasaka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441143B2

## CPC

- A61B 1/00148: {using anchoring means}
- A61B 1/00098: {Deflecting means for inserted tools}
- A61B 1/00154: {using guiding arrangements for insertion}
- A61B 1/00082: {Balloons}
- E05D 7/081: the pivot axis of the wing being situated near one edge of the wing, especially at the top and bottom, e.g. trunnions
- G02B 23/2476: {Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- E05D: HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS (pivotal connections in general F16C11/00)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

Operability in inserting an insertion part of an endoscope into a body cavity using an insertion assisting tool is improved. In an insertion assisting tool 60, a sidewall portion of a tube main body 64 through which an insertion part 12 of an endoscope 10 is passed is provided with a sidewall opening part 68 having a size in which the insertion part 12 can pass through. A distal end side of the sidewall opening part 68 is provided with a guiding valve 82, and the insertion part 12 is guided by the guiding valve 82 to be easily fed from the sidewall opening part 68. The guiding valve 82 is swingably supported, and when the insertion part 12 is fed from a distal end opening part 67 of the tube main body 64, allowing the parallel state of being substantially parallel to an axial direction of the insertion part 12 and passing the insertion part 12 to a distal end opening part 67 side are enabled.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An insertion assisting tool for an endoscope comprising:
a flexible tubular body having an endoscope insertion passage;
a distal end opening provided at a distal end of the flexible tubular body in a longitudinal axis direction of the flexible tubular body, the distal end opening from which an insertion part of the endoscope inserted into the endoscope insertion passage can be led out;
a notch formed in a sidewall of the flexible tubular body, the notch being a sidewall opening from which the insertion part of the endoscope inserted into the endoscope insertion passage can be led out; and
a flexible flap integral with the sidewall of the flexible tubular body via a living hinge and having a shape which is complementary with the notch,
wherein one end of the flexible flap is connected to the flexible tubular body and another end of the flexible flap is a free end,
the flexible flap is deformable between a guide state where the flap guides the endoscope insertion part to the sidewall opening part and a retracted state where the flexible flap is retracted from the guide state, and
further comprising a manipulating wire configured to manipulate the flexible flap to be deformed between the guide state and the retracted state.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The insertion assisting tool for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein
the flexible flap has curling to an endoscope insertion passage side.