Rigidity control apparatus, endoscope system, and rigidity control method
AssigneeOlympus Medical Systems Corp.
InventorsSho NAKAMURA, Sayuri YAMAMOTO
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rigidity control apparatus includes a processor and controls a variable-rigidity apparatus. The variable-rigidity apparatus includes a variable-rigidity member, flexural rigidity of which increases when the variable-rigidity member is heated, and a heater configured to be able to heat the variable-rigidity member. The processor calculates information about temperature of the heater, and estimates information about temperature of the variable-rigidity member based on the information about the temperature of the heater.
Claims20
A rigidity control apparatus comprising a processor configured to control a variable-rigidity apparatus, the variable-rigidity apparatus including a variable-rigidity member, flexural rigidity of which increases when the variable-rigidity member is heated, and a heater configured to be able to heat the variable-rigidity member,
- wherein the processor:
- calculates information about temperature of the heater, and
- estimates information about temperature of the variable-rigidity member based on the information about the temperature of the heater.
An endoscope system comprising:
- an endoscope including an insertion portion and a variable-rigidity apparatus, the variable-rigidity apparatus including a variable-rigidity member mounted on the insertion portion and configured to increase in flexural rigidity when heated, and a heater mounted on the insertion portion and configured to be able to heat the variable-rigidity member;
- and
- a rigidity control apparatus equipped with a processor, wherein
- the processor calculates temperature of the heater and estimates temperature of the variable-rigidity member based on the temperature of the heater.
A rigidity control method for controlling a variable-rigidity apparatus that includes a variable-rigidity member configured to increase in flexural rigidity when heated, and a heater configured to be able to heat the variable-rigidity member, the method comprising:
- calculating information about temperature of the heater;
- and
- estimating temperature of the variable-rigidity member based on the information about the temperature of the heater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.