U.S. patent number 3,835,841 [Application Number 05/365,619] was granted by the patent office on 1974-09-17 for oblique view type endoscope.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Masaaki Terada.
United States Patent |
3,835,841 |
Terada |
September 17, 1974 |
OBLIQUE VIEW TYPE ENDOSCOPE
Abstract
An oblique view type endoscope whose distal end has an inclined
end plane provided with a view window to bring a view field
obliquely upward, wherein forceps is positioned on the upper side
of the distal end to have the end of the forceps brought into the
view field.
Inventors: |
Terada; Masaaki (Tokyo,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
(Tokyo, JA)
|
Family
ID: |
23439614 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/365,619 |
Filed: |
May 31, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/157; 600/153;
600/171 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
1/00165 (20130101); A61B 1/00098 (20130101); A61B
1/12 (20130101); A61B 1/00179 (20130101); A61B
1/018 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
1/12 (20060101); A61B 1/018 (20060101); A61B
1/012 (20060101); A61B 1/00 (20060101); A61b
001/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/4,5,6 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Laudenslager; Lucie H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Flynn & Frishauf
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An oblique view type endoscope comprising:
a distal end having a front end plane surface inclined to the
longitudinal axis thereof;
a view window formed in the inclined front surface; and
a forceps opening bored in the upper wall of the distal end portion
defining an obtuse angle with the inclined front surface, said
opening being disposed behind the view window in the direction of
the insertion of said endoscope into a body portion, and one end of
said opening extending to the inclined front surface to enable the
end portion of the forceps to be brought into the view field of the
view window.
2. The endoscope according to claim 1 wherein there is further
provided a forceps adapted to be drawn out through the forceps
opening at an obtuse included angle to the longitudinal axis of the
distal end.
3. The endoscope according to claim 1 wherein the distal end
further has at least one illumination window formed in the inclined
end.
4. The endoscope according to claim 1 wherein the distal end
further has water and air ports bored in the inclined front plane
surface and a suction tube for water and air disposed in the
forceps opening.
5. The endoscope according to claim 4 wherein the illumination
windows are positioned on both sides of the view window and the
water and air ports are cut out in a block provided on the opposite
side of the illumination windows to the forceps opening.
6. The endoscope according to claim 4 wherein said water and air
ports are disposed ahead of said forceps opening in said direction
of insertion of said endoscope.
7. The endoscope according to claim 3 wherein said at least one
illumination window is disposed ahead of said forceps opening in
said direction of insertion of said endoscope.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an oblique view type endoscope provided
with an opening through which a forceps is extended.
For special observation and treatment of an affected part in the
abdominal cavity of living creatures by means of an endoscope, it
is generally required easily to conduct the treatment member fitted
to the tip of the forceps to the affected part and smoothly move
the forceps.
Hitherto known are a forward view type endoscope wherein the
forward surface of the distal end provided with a view window and
forceps opening is positioned at right angles to the lengthwise
axis of said distal end and a side view type endoscope wherein the
view window and forceps opening are cut out in the side wall of the
distal end.
The forward view type endoscope has the drawback that it is
difficult to clearly observe the movement of the tip portion of the
forceps in the abdominal cavity and conduct the treatment member
fitted to the tip properly to an affected part therein. Further,
the side view type endoscope requires the forceps to be inserted
into the abdominal cavity by being bent through a large angle using
a forceps raising mechanism and in consequence a great force to be
used in moving the forceps, thus causing the end portion of the
forceps to have the tendency to become readily bendable.
For the above reason, application of the forward view type
endoscope is limited to those parts of the abdominal cavity such as
the gullet and rectum which enables the treatment member fitted to
the forceps end portion to be brought to the prescribed position
with relative ease. On the other hand, the side view type endoscope
is applied in the observation and treatment of an affected area in
those parts of the abdominal cavity, for example, the stomach which
occupies a large space. Therefore, it calls for troublesome work to
use different types of endoscope depending on the parts of the
abdominal cavity being examined.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly the object of this invention to provide an
improved oblique view type endoscope which enables a treating
member fitted to the end portion of forceps to be easily brought to
an affected part in the abdominal cavity, permits the smooth
movement of the forceps and moreover whose application is not
limited with respect to the parts of the abdominal cavity being
examined.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of an oblique view type
endoscope embodying this invention, where forceps is drawn out
therefrom; and
FIG. 2 is a plan view of said endoscope where the forceps is
retracted thereinto.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
There will now be described the oblique view type endoscope of this
invention by reference to the appended drawing.
Throughout the Figures, numeral 1 denotes the cylindrical body of
an endoscope wherein a light guide, image guide, water and air
supply tubes and a suction tube of water and air are arranged as
already known and also a forceps channel is provided which receives
a forceps 3 so as to permit it to slide therethrough. The endoscope
1 has a distal end 2 mounted at one end thereof, and the known
control unit disposed at the other end. The distal end 2 has a
front plane surface 4 which is inclined to the axis thereof at the
prescribed angle, preferably 30.degree. to 60.degree. (about
45.degree. in this embodiment). In the upper side wall of the
distal end 2 defining an obtuse angle with the inclined front plane
surface 4 is formed a forceps opening 5 parallel with the axis of
the distal end 2 as shown in FIG. 1. This opening 5 has an elliptic
shape and has its forward end extended to the upper part of the
inclined front surface 4 of the distal end 2. To the lower part of
the inclined front surface 4 is provided with a water-air delivery
block 6 bored with a water port 6a and air port 6b so as to cause
these ports 6a and 6b to face a view window 7 described later and
forceps opening 5. In the inclined front plane surface 4 between
the water-air delivery block 6 and the forceps opening 5 is formed
a view window 7 with the central axis of the view field thereof set
at right angles to the inclined plane 4. On both sides of the view
window 7 are provided illumination windows 8a and 8b.
In the distal end 2 are disposed, though not shown, a view optical
system, illumination optical system and forceps raising device so
as to take positions corresponding to the view window 7,
illumination windows 8a and 8b and forceps opening 5, as well as to
the image guide, light guide and forceps channel provided in the
endoscope 1.
The known forceps raising device is so arranged as to push a little
obliquely upward the forceps 3 fitted at the tip with a treatment
member (cutting cup in this embodiment) from the forceps opening 5
into the view window 7, and when not used, retract said forceps 3
back into the distal end 2.
The control unit includes an operation mechanism for actuating the
light guide, image guide and forceps raising device and a head for
connecting the object lens, forceps opening, light guide, air and
water tubes and exhaust or suction tube of water and air to the
light source means and pump. The image guide is connected at the
other end to the object lens and the light guide is connected at
the other end to the illumination windows 8a and 8b facing the
light source. The water and air delivery tubes and exhaust or
suction tube of water and air are connected at the forward end to
the water-air delivery block 6 bored with the water port 6a and air
port 6b as well as to the forceps opening 5.
The oblique view type endoscope of this invention arranged as
described above has the view window 7 cut out in the front plane
surface 4 of the distal end 2 inclined to the axis thereof.
Accordingly, the field of view offered by the view window 7 has its
optical axis also inclined to the axis of the endoscope as
illustrated in FIG. 1. The upper wall of the distal end 2 defining
an obtuse angle with the inclined end plane 4 is bored with the
forceps opening 5, through which the forceps 3 is drawn out. The
forceps 3 has the forward end introduced into the field of view
immediately after drawn out at a gently raised angle, attaining a
smooth movement and rendering the forward end portion little liable
to be bent. The aforementioned relationship between the field of
view offered by the view window 7 and the extending direction of
the forceps 3 enables the forward end portion of the forceps 3 to
be quickly and readily brought to an affected part in the abdominal
cavity of living creatures, its movement therein to be easily
observed, and further provides a prominently large latitude for the
operation of the forceps in the view field. Like the prior art
forward view type endoscope, therefore, the oblique view type
endoscope of this invention can be effectively used for general
purposes, namely, in the observation and/or treatment of an
affected part not only in the relatively shallow sections but also
in the deep sections of the abdominal cavity of living creatures
such as the digestive system, gullet, duodenum, proving that
application of said endoscope is not limited with respect to the
parts of the abdominal cavity being examined.
Where the view window 7 of the endoscope of this invention has its
surface soiled with, for example, the content of the stomach during
examination to obstruct observation, then such contamination can be
removed simply by ejecting water on the window surface from the
water port 6a through the water tube. If, in this case, the bottom
end of the exhaust or suction tube or pipe 9 of water is previously
connected to a vacuum pump, the wash water can be sucked out
through the pipe 9. It is also possible to expel water particles
still remaining on the surface of the view window 7 by introducing
air into the air tube at the bottom end and ejecting the air on the
window surface from the air port 6b.
* * * * *