公开(公告)号：US20180303313A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-25

申请号：US16016800

申请日：2018-06-25

Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION

Inventor： Shuji NAKAMURA ,  Takeshi TAKAHASHI

IPC: A61B1/00 ,  A61B1/005

Abstract: In a flexible tube insertion apparatus, at least one circuit determines whether an S-shape is formed in an insertion section based on a shape information of the insertion section detected by a detector, determines whether an intersection angle between an extension line of a central axis of the insertion section and a tangential line for the insertion section at an inflection point is enlarged or not based on the shape information, and determines whether or not the stiffness variable portions are provided in a position of the S-shape in the insertion section when it is determined that the S-shape is formed and the intersection angle is enlarged. A stiffness controller increases a stiffness of the stiffness variable portions included in the position of the S-shape in accordance with the determination of the circuit.

公开(公告)号：US20180184884A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-05

申请号：US15866534

申请日：2018-01-10

Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION

Inventor： Shuji NAKAMURA

IPC: A61B1/00 ,  A61B5/06 ,  A61B1/005

CPC classification number: A61B1/00055 ,  A61B1/00004 ,  A61B1/00045 ,  A61B1/00147 ,  A61B1/005 ,  A61B5/065 ,  A61B2090/064 ,  A61B2090/065 ,  A61B2562/0261

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a flexible tube insertion apparatus including a flexible insertion section to be inserted into a subject. The flexible tube insertion apparatus includes an insertion section state detecting device that detects a state of the insertion section necessary for insertion prediction as detection information when the insertion section is inserted into a subject, and at least one circuit that predicts, using the detection information detected by the insertion section state detecting device, a propulsion state of a distal end of the insertion section and a state of the subject when the insertion section is further inserted from the state of the insertion section, and produces an output based on the prediction.

公开(公告)号：US20180064310A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-08

申请号：US15806934

申请日：2017-11-08

Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION

Inventor： Takeshi TAKAHASHI ,  Yuichi IKEDA ,  Shuji NAKAMURA

IPC: A61B1/005 ,  A61B1/00

CPC classification number: A61B1/0052 ,  A61B1/00057 ,  A61B1/00078 ,  A61B1/00114 ,  A61B1/00147 ,  A61B1/0051 ,  A61B1/0055 ,  A61B1/0057

Abstract: An flexible tube insertion apparatus includes a tubular insertion section including a bending portion and a flexible tube portion, variable stiffness sections to cause a change in a level of a bending stiffness of the flexible tube portion, a variable stiffness control section that controls the change in the bending stiffness by the variable stiffness sections; and a time setting section that sets a time period. The variable stiffness control section causes the bending stiffness of the variable stiffness sections to change in such a manner that the relationship of levels between the bending stiffness of adjacent variable stiffness sections is switched at the set time period when the variable stiffness control section determines that the flexible tube portion is passing through a flexure of the subject.

公开(公告)号：US20210369084A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-02

申请号：US17405261

申请日：2021-08-18

Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION

Inventor： Shuji NAKAMURA ,  Takeshi TAKAHASHI

IPC: A61B1/005 ,  A61B1/00

Abstract: A flexible tube insertion apparatus includes an insertion section inserted into an insertion target conduit, a rigidity variable member disposed inside the insertion section and capable of changing rigidity, and a binding member configured to bind a proximal end portion of the rigidity variable member to be capable of changing a pressing force applied to an outer circumferential surface of the proximal end portion.

公开(公告)号：US20180263467A1

公开(公告)日：2018-09-20

申请号：US15977368

申请日：2018-05-11

Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION

Inventor： Takeshi TAKAHASHI ,  Shuji NAKAMURA

IPC: A61B1/00 ,  A61B1/273 ,  A61B1/01 ,  A61B1/005

CPC classification number: A61B1/00078 ,  A61B1/00006 ,  A61B1/00045 ,  A61B1/00133 ,  A61B1/00147 ,  A61B1/00165 ,  A61B1/0053 ,  A61B1/0055 ,  A61B1/01 ,  A61B1/273

Abstract: A flexible tube insertion apparatus includes an insertion section, one or more stiffness variable portion, and a detection unit. The flexible tube insertion apparatus includes a bending information calculator, a main determiner, and a controller that performs control to increase a stiffness of the stiffness variable portion provided in a segment located in a bent part, when the main determiner determines that the bent part is present and the segment provided in the stiffness variable portion is located in the bent part.

公开(公告)号：US20190099064A1

公开(公告)日：2019-04-04

申请号：US16208672

申请日：2018-12-04

Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION

Inventor： Shuji NAKAMURA

IPC: A61B1/00 ,  A61B1/005 ,  G02B23/24

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes a flexible tube to be inserted into an insertion target. The flexible tube is divided into segments arranged in series along a central axis. The insertion apparatus also includes a variable stiffness portion that varies a bending stiffness of the flexible tube in units of segments, a detector that detects state information of the flexible tube including velocity information, a calculator that calculates the velocity information of the flexible tube at two portions of the flexible tube based on the state information, and a controller that controls the bending stiffness of the flexible tube in units of segments through the variable stiffness portion based on a velocity ratio calculated based on the velocity information of the two portions.

公开(公告)号：US20180303319A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-25

申请号：US16016852

申请日：2018-06-25

Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION

Inventor： Yuichi IKEDA ,  Shuji NAKAMURA

IPC: A61B1/00 ,  A61B1/005

CPC classification number: A61B1/00078 ,  A61B1/00 ,  A61B1/0051 ,  A61B1/05

Abstract: A flexible tube insertion apparatus includes an insertion section, a stiffness variable unit that changes a bending stiffness of the insertion section and a detection unit that detects an advance that is a movement toward a distal end of the insertion section and a retreat that is a movement toward a proximal end of the insertion section. A controller controls the stiffness variable unit to change the bending stiffness of the insertion section to a first bending stiffness when the detection unit has detected the advance of the insertion section, and that controls the stiffness variable unit to change the bending stiffness of the insertion section to a second bending stiffness higher than the first bending when the detection unit has detected the retreat of the insertion section.