# US 9,872,607 B2 · Endoscope > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,872,607 B2 - Document ID: US9872607B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/162,755 - Filed: 2016-05-24 - Published: 2016-09-15 - Granted: 2018-01-23 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-09 - Assignees: Olympus Corporation - Applicants: Olympus Corporation - Inventors: Taigo Kakehashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9872607B2 ## CPC - A61B 1/0055: {Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements} - A61B 1/00071: {Insertion part of the endoscope body (A61B1/0055 takes precedence)} - A61B 1/0052: {Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles} - A61B 1/0057: {Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires} - A61B 1/009: {with bending or curvature detection of the insertion part} - A61B 1/0607: {for annular illumination} - A61M 25/0045: {multi-layered, e.g. coated (coating materials A61L29/08)} - F16L 11/10: with reinforcements not embedded in the wall (F16L11/11 takes precedence) - G02B 23/2476: {Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports} - A61M 25/0012: {with embedded structures, e.g. coils, braids, meshes, strands or radiopaque coils} - A61M 25/005: {with embedded materials for reinforcement, e.g. wires, coils, braids} - A61M 2025/09066: {having a coil without a core possibly combined with a sheath} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An endoscope includes: a bending portion, a wire, and a coil sheath, including a single element wire, an outer peripheral face of which is formed to be a curved face on one side of the outer peripheral face and to be a flat surface on another side of the outer peripheral face, the coil sheath being passed inside by the wire and configured by being helically wound by the element wire along a longitudinal direction such that the outer peripheral face formed to be the curved face and the outer peripheral face formed to be the flat surface are in contact with each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An endoscope comprising: a bendable bending portion; a coil sheath including a single element wire helically wound in a longitudinal axis direction to define an interior; and a wire disposed in the interior of the coil sheath, the wire being pulled for bending the bending portion; wherein an outer peripheral face of the single element wire is formed to have a curved face on one side of the outer peripheral face and to have a flat surface along a shearing direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis direction of the single element wire on another side of the outer peripheral face; and the coil sheath is wound such that the curved face of one winding of the single element wire and the flat surface of an adjacent winding of the single element wire are in contact with each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein: the curved face of the one winding and the flat surface of the adjacent winding are in contact with each other at a contact point; and the contact point is positioned closer to the interior of the coil sheath than an outermost periphery of the coil sheath. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the single element wire is formed so that a part of the outer peripheral face, in which the interior in the radial direction is positioned. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the single element wire is formed such that a part of the outer peripheral face in which the outermost edge in the radial direction is positioned includes a flat surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible tube, a distal end of the flexible tube, in the longitudinal axis direction, is coupled with the bending portion, the flexible tube having flexibility, and the wire and the coil sheath being disposed within the flexible tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising an operation input section that pulls the wire. ### Claim 7 An insertion section for use with an endoscope, the insertion section comprising: a bendable bending portion; a coil sheath including a single element wire helically wound in a longitudinal axis direction to define an interior; and a wire disposed in the interior of the coil sheath, the wire being pulled for bending the bending portion; wherein an outer peripheral face of the single element wire is formed to have a curved face on one side of the outer peripheral face and to have a flat surface along a shearing direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis direction of the single element wire on another side of the outer peripheral face; and the coil sheath is wound such that the curved face of one winding of the single element wire and the flat surface of an adjacent winding of the single element wire are in contact with each other.