Abstract:
A self-propelling device includes a drive unit and a toroid unit supported thereabout. The toroid unit includes a track structure of a toroid shape and a roller support sleeve inside the track structure. Three belt portions are provided in the track structure with high rigidity. The drive unit includes an inner sleeve for mounting on an introducer of an endoscope, and an outer sleeve supported around the inner sleeve. An inner surface of the roller support sleeve and an outer surface of the outer sleeve extend triangularly. Drive wheels are disposed upstream and downstream of respectively flat portions of the outer sleeve. Two follower rollers are disposed on respectively each of flat portions of the roller support sleeve. The drive wheels and follower rollers nip the belt portions of the track structure to move the track structure endlessly.
Abstract:
A propulsion assembly for mounting on a tip device of an endoscope includes a barrel sleeve having inner and outer surfaces. A flexible endless track device is disposed to extend along the inner and outer surfaces of the barrel sleeve, for endlessly moving in an axial direction, for propulsion by contacting a wall of a body cavity. A drive gear is engaged with the endless track device, for moving the same. A driving mechanism rotates the drive gear. Engaging teeth are formed on the endless track device at a predetermined pitch, arranged serially, moved by the drive gear in mesh therewith. A peripheral surface of the engaging teeth is curved without a sharp form. Furthermore, a support sleeve is disposed between the driving mechanism and the endless track device, for supporting the drive gear in a rotatable manner.
Abstract:
The present invention provides an image forming device having: a conveying mechanism that pulls and conveys a recording medium onto which liquid drops have been applied; and a suction plate that is provided with a plurality of suction holes that suck the recording medium conveyed by the conveying mechanism, and at which, when the suction holes are projected in a conveying direction of the recording medium, the suction holes are disposed such that any one of the suction holes exists in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the recording medium, and the suction holes are disposed so as to overlap one another.
Abstract:
An electronic endoscope system is composed of an electronic endoscope, a light source apparatus, and a temperature converter. The electronic endoscope has a CMOS sensor in a distal portion of an insert section to be inserted into a patient's body cavity. Illumination light from the light source apparatus is applied to the body cavity through the distal portion. The temperature converter obtains an average pixel value of an optical black (OB) region out of an imaging signal from the CMOS sensor, and converts the average OB pixel value into a temperature of the CMOS sensor on a frame-by-frame basis with the use of data in a temperature conversion table. The table represents a relationship between the average OB pixel value and the temperature of the CMOS sensor. Light quantity of the illumination light is adjusted in accordance with the temperature of the CMOS sensor to prevent deterioration of image quality.
Abstract:
An auxiliary thrust device includes a membrane, a carrier tube, and a drive cylinder. First and second insertion holes into which first and second torque wires are inserted are formed in a wire sheath. First and second gears are fixed to tip portions of the torque wires, which protrudes from a tip of the wire sheath, respectively. The first gear fixed to the first torque wire meshes with a spur gear portion of the drive cylinder, and the second gear connected to the second torque wire meshes with the first gear. Since the respective torque wires are inserted into one wire sheath and are bent in the same shape, a frictional force generated between the first torque wire and the inner surface of the wire sheath is substantially the same as that generated between the second torque wire and the inner surface of the wire sheath.
Abstract:
A propulsion assembly includes a support sleeve for mounting on a tip device of an endoscope. An endless track device is supported on the support sleeve in an endlessly movable manner, for contacting a wall of a body cavity, for propulsion of the tip device relative to the body cavity. A drive sleeve drives the endless track device. First and second torque wire devices have proximal and distal end portions, the proximal end portion being rotated by a motor, the distal end portion actuating the drive sleeve. Plural helical windings of a first group constitute the first wire device, and are so wound as to increase tightness thereof upon moving the endoscope in a distal direction. Plural helical windings of a second group constitute the second wire device, and are so wound as to increase tightness thereof upon moving the endoscope in a proximal direction.
Abstract:
The present invention provides an image forming device comprising: a conveying member that conveys recording media; a first sensor that is provided at a first detection position, and that detects absence or presence of a recording medium; a second sensor that is provided at a second detection position; a plurality of sensor dogs that are provided at a rotating/supporting member that drives the conveying member; a timing sensor that detects passage of the sensor dogs and determines detection timings of the first sensor and the second sensor; and a judging device that judges that there is a jam when a recording medium is continuously detected at the first sensor or the second sensor, and that judges that there is a jam when there is inconsistency in information relating to the absence or presence of a recording medium from the first sensor and the second sensor.
Abstract:
An assist assembly for propulsion of a tip device of an endoscope in a body cavity includes an attachment sleeve and a support sleeve. A deformable circulation device is disposed to extend over inner and outer surfaces of the support sleeve, for endlessly moving in an axial direction of the tip device. Plural rollers are disposed on the support sleeve in a rotatable manner, for pressing an inner surface of the circulation device. An alignment projection is formed on the inner surface of the circulation device to project at a height L1. A location offset prevention groove is formed in the rollers at a depth L2, for receiving the alignment projection, and satisfying a condition L1≧L2, to prevent location offset of the circulation device from the rollers. Drive wheels tension the circulation device in cooperation with the rollers by deforming the alignment projection in the location offset prevention groove.
Abstract:
A propulsion assembly for an endoscope includes a support sleeve and a barrel unit. An endless track device is disposed to extend along inner and outer surfaces of the barrel unit, for endlessly moving in an axial direction of an elongated tube of the endoscope, and contacting a wall of a body cavity, for propulsion of the elongated tube. Worm wheels are disposed on the support sleeve, for driving the endless track device by engagement therewith. Plural idler rollers are disposed on the inner surface of the barrel unit in a rotatable manner, for keeping the endless track device movable in driving of the worm wheels. An guide projection is formed on the endless track device. A guide groove is formed in the barrel unit, for receiving the guide projection, to guide the endless track device on the barrel unit in the axial direction.
Abstract:
A propulsion assembly for an endoscope includes a support sleeve and an endless track device. A clamping sleeve is contained in the support sleeve. Male and female threads cooperate for moving the clamping sleeve between operative and non-operative states upon rotation of the clamping sleeve. The operative state is on a side of a proximal direction from the non-operative state along a central axis. A sealing device is contained in the support sleeve, has a C-shape in a resiliently deformable manner, is disposed around the endoscope and between the clamping sleeve and a receiving surface. The sealing device is pushed by the clamping sleeve when the clamping sleeve is in the operative state, for squeezing the endoscope by radially compressing thereabout, and released from push of the clamping sleeve when the clamping sleeve is in the non-operative state, for releasing the endoscope by radially returning to expand thereabout.