Tip articulation mechanism for endoscopes
AssigneeMitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.
InventorsAtsushi Utsumi, Masahiro Miura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pulling wire for tip articulation mechanism of endoscope is fitted with an overload preventing spring in the middle thereof. This spring is arranged to stretch upon more than a certain amount of tension. Elongation of the overload preventing spring absorbs any excessive tension which is exerted upon the pulling wire as a result of motion restriction of the endoscope. This spring is fabricated such that the material wire thereof is spirally coiled, and is simultaneously twisted so that forcing pressure is introduced in the spring in the direction in which the adjoining ring portions thereof are brought into pressure contact with one another it is subjected to tension.
Claims12
A tip articulation mechanism for endoscopes, comprising:
- a pulling wire having first and second base end portions;
- and
- an overload preventing spring having first and second axial end portions, wherein said first and second axial end portions of said overload preventing spring are respectively connected to said first and second base end portions of said pulling wire so as to locate said spring between said base end portions of said pulling wire, and wherein said spring is arranged to begin stretching if said spring is subjected to more than a certain amount of tension.
A tip articulation mechanism for endoscopes, comprising:
- a pulling wire having at least one base end portion;
- and
- an overload preventing spring having first and second axial end portions, wherein one of said axial end portions of said spring is connected to said base end portion of said pulling wire, and wherein said spring is arranged to begin stretching if said spring is subjected to more than a certain amount of tension.
A tip articulation mechanism for endoscopes, comprising:
- a grip section located at a base end portion of an endoscope having an engaging protruding portion with which a base end side holding portion of a pulling wire is engaged as a result of a movement of an articulation controlling section towards the base end side of said controlling section to draw the pulling wire in the direction of the base end side of said wire;
- and
- an overload preventing spring having first and second axial end portions, said first axial end portion being connected to said engaging protruding portion and said second axial end portion being connected to the articulation controlling section, wherein a spacing is provided between the base end side holding portion of the pulling wire and the engaging protruding portion in a free state of said wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.