Endoscope
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorTakafumi Matsumaru
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An endoscope has a flexible section. The flexible section comprises a plurality of articular rings connected to one another, and are movable relative to one another. The axial length of at least one of the articular rings is different from the axial length of the others. Wire guides are disposed in the articular rings, and wires are passed through the wire guides. The wires are operated to bend the flexible section.
Claims28
An endoscope having a flexible section, comprising;
- (a) a plurality of articular rings connected to one another to form the flexible section, said articular rings being movable relative to one another, the axial length of at least one of said articular rings being different from the axial length of the other articular rings;
- (b) wire guides disposed in said articular rings;
- and
- (c) wires passing through said wire guides of said articular rings, for bending the flexible section.
An endoscope having a flexible section, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of articular rings connected to one another to form the flexible section, said articular rings being movable relative to one another;
- (b) wire guides disposed in said articular rings, positions of said wire guides in at least one of said articular rings being axially different from positions of the wire guides of the other articular rings in an axially direction of the rings;
- and
- (c) a wire passing through said wire guides of said articular rings, for bending the flexible section.
A bending tube having a flexible section, comprising;
- (a) a plurality of articular rings connected to one another to form relative to one another, the axial length of at least one of said articular rings being different from the axial length of the other articular rings;
- (b) wire guides disposed in said articular rings;
- and
- (c) wires passing through said wire guides of said articular rings, for bending the flexible section.
A bending tube having a flexible section, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of articular rings connected to one another to form the flexible section, said articular rings being movable relative to one another;
- (b) wire guides disposed in said articular rings, positions of said wire guides in at least one of said articular rings being axially different from positions of the wire guides of the other articular rings in an axially direction of the rings;
- and
- (c) a wire passing through said wire guides of said articular rings, for bending the flexible section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.