Endoscope
US8517926B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 23, 2006 |
| Grant date | Aug 27, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 15, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B1/0684
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An endoscope having an insertion portion including a bending portion, an actuator that extends or contracts according to application of a driving voltage and that bends the bending portion, a bending instruction operation portion for outputting, to the actuator, an instruction signal of a bending direction and a bending amount so that the bending portion performs a bending action by an arbitrary amount from a reference direction in which the bending portion is not bent to an arbitrary direction, and a control portion for performing control to apply the actuator with a driving voltage to cause the actuator to extend or contract in a predetermined direction and by a predetermined amount so that the bending portion performs a returning action in the reference direction when detecting the instruction signal outputted by the bending instruction operation portion for returning the bending portion to the reference direction.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.