Patent US4079381A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0037047A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0037047A2
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EP
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Ultrasonic scanning device for examining viscera
Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1981-03-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-03-23
Abstract
Abstract An ultrasonic scanning device for examination of viscera comprises a control section (1) containing an electric motor 123) for scanning by ultrasonic beams, a flexible insertion section (2) connected to the control section (1), a chamber (8) provided in the distal end portion (5) of the insertion section (2), a scanning mechanism (9) provided in the chamber (8) to scan a viscus by ultrasonic beams sent forth from the vibrator (11), an axially extending hole (19) which is formed in the insertion section (2) for communication with the chamber (8) and into which a flexible rotation torque-transmitting linear member (28) is inserted to connect the motor (23) to the scanning mechanism (9), a seal member (261 for tightly sealing the lateral wall of the control section (1), and a liquid (38) filled in the chamber (8) and axially extending hole (19). The application of the linear member (28) has the advantage of enabling the insertion section (2) to be reduced in outer diameter, rendered flexible and easily inserted into a coeliac cavity. Further, the flow of the liquid (38) from the chamber (8) to the axially extending hole (19) reduces the rotation torque of the scanning mechanism (9).
Inventors
- 👤 Mikio Utsugi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 19:25
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/12; A61B8/44; A61B8/4444; A61B8/445; A61B8/4461; G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/18; G10K11/26; G10K11/35; G10K11/357
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
261 words
An ultrasonic scanning device for examining viscera which comprises a control section having two ends, an elongate flexible insertion section having two ends, one end being fixed to one of said two ends of the control section, a distal end portion which is formed at the other end of the insertion section, has a peripheral wall, and contains a chamber open at the peripheral wall and is provided with front and rear end faces, ultrasonic wave transmission-reception means provided on the front end face of the chamber, an ultrasonic wave reflector which has two ends, one end being rotatably disposed adjacent to the rear end face of the chamber, and the other end being fitted with an inclined reflection plane facing the opening of the chamber of the distal end portion and ultrasonic wave transmission-reception means at a predetermined angle, and a motor provided in the control section to drive the ultrasonic wave reflector, characterized by comprising a flexible linear member which extends through the insertion section, has two ends, one end being fixed to the motor, and the other end being fixed to said one end of the ultrasonic wave reflector, and is so arranged as to transmit the rotation of the motor to the ultrasonic wave reflector, a flexible guide tube extending through the insertion section and having two ends, one end being connected to the control section and the other end being connected to the distal end portion, said flexible guide tube containing the flexible linear member extending therethrough, and an ultrasonic wave-propagating liquid filled in the chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
261 words
An ultrasonic scanning device for examining viscera which comprises a control section having two ends, an elongate flexible insertion section having two ends, one end being fixed to one of said two ends of the control section, a distal end portion which is formed at the other end of the insertion section, has a peripheral wall, and contains a chamber open at the peripheral wall and is provided with front and rear end faces, ultrasonic wave transmission-reception means provided on the front end face of the chamber, an ultrasonic wave reflector which has two ends, one end being rotatably disposed adjacent to the rear end face of the chamber, and the other end being fitted with an inclined reflection plane facing the opening of the chamber of the distal end portion and ultrasonic wave transmission-reception means at a predetermined angle, and a motor provided in the control section to drive the ultrasonic wave reflector, characterized by comprising a flexible linear member which extends through the insertion section, has two ends, one end being fixed to the motor, and the other end being fixed to said one end of the ultrasonic wave reflector, and is so arranged as to transmit the rotation of the motor to the ultrasonic wave reflector, a flexible guide tube extending through the insertion section and having two ends, one end being connected to the control section and the other end being connected to the distal end portion, said flexible guide tube containing the flexible linear member extending therethrough, and an ultrasonic wave-propagating liquid filled in the chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The ultrasonic scanning device according to claim 1, characterized in that said linear member is formed of twisted metal wire strands.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The ultrasonic scanning device according to claim 1, characterized in that said linear member comprises an elongate coil formed by closely winding a metal wire.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The ultrasonic scanning device according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that said flexible guide tube is sealed by a sealing member at said one end thereof and is filled with a liquid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
The ultrasonic scanning device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said one end of the ultrasonic wave reflector is provided with a shaft; said distal end portion has an axially extending hole which is open to the rear end face of the chamber, and is lubricated with the liquid, and into which the shaft of the ultrasonic wave reflector is inserted.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
The ultrasonic scanning device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized,in that said linear member has two ends, one of which is fixed to the control section, and the other of which is fixed to the distal end portion, and is loosely surrounded by a flexible guide tube whose inner face is prepared from a flexible lubricating material and extends through the insertion section.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
100 words
The ultrasonic scanning device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that that side of the ultrasonic wave reflector which is opposite to that on which the reflection plane is formed is provided with a longitudinally elongate light-reflecting mirror; said control section comprises a photoelectric conversion element; and the insertion section comprises first light-transmitting means for irradiating a light on the lateral wall of said opposite side of the ultrasonic wave reflector and second light-transmitting means for supplying the photoelectric conversion element with a light reflected by the light-reflecting mirror and delivered from the first light-transmitting means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The ultrasonic scanning device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said insertion section is covered with a bag, and which further comprises means for filling the bag with a liquid to expand said bag and drawing off the liquid from said bag to contract it.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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