Lifesaving borescope system

Claim 2

A lifesaving borescope system, comprising: a borescope having an insertion section with a distal end portion; detecting means including a sensor, disposed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of said insertion section, for detecting information; sensor holding means for holding said sensor, including a guide tube having a guide passage through which the insertion section of said borescope is inserted and guided, and attachment means for attaching said guide tube to and detaching said guide tube from said borescope; and external output means for displaying or pronouncing the information detected by said detecting means; wherein said borescope has a guide tube engaging portion, and said attachment means of the guide tube includes a resilient engaging piece provided at the rear end portion of the guide tube and adapted to engage the guide tube engaging portion of the borescope, and clamping means for clamping the engaging piece to the guide tube engaging portion and maintaining a clamping state therebetween.

Claim 3

A lifesaving borescope system, comprising: a borescope having an insertion section with a distal end portion; detecting means including a sensor, disposed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of said insertion section, for detecting information; sensor holding means for holding said sensor, including a guide tube having a guide passage through which the insertion section of said borescope is inserted and guided to a distal end of the guide tube, said sensor being attached to the distal end of the guide tube so that when said distal end of said guide tube is brought to a desired position, conditions around said desired position can be observed through said borescope and associated information can be detected by said sensor, and attachment means for attaching said guide tube to and detaching said guide tube from said borescope; and external output means for displaying or pronouncing the information detected by said detecting means.

Claim 4

A lifesaving borescope system, comprising: a borescope having an insertion section with a distal end portion; detecting means including a sensor, disposed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of said insertion section, for detecting information; sensor holding means for holding said sensor, including a guide tube having a guide passage through which the insertion section of said borescope is inserted and guided to a distal end of the guide tube, said sensor being attached to the distal end of the guide tube so that when said distal end of said guide tube is brought to a desired position, conditions around said desired position can be observed through said borescope and associated information can be detected by said sensor, and attachment means for attaching said guide tube to and detaching said guide tube from said borescope; and external output means for displaying or pronouncing the information detected by said detecting means.

Claim 5

The borescope system according to claim 2, wherein said detecting means includes a sensor attached to the distal end portion of the guide tube, and transmission means disposed along the guide tube and adapted to transmit a detection signal from the sensor to the external output means.

Claim 6

The borescope system according to claim 3, wherein said sensor includes a microphone, and said external output means includes a speaker system.

Claim 7

The borescope system according to claim 3, wherein said guide tube includes connecting means for electrically connecting said sensor to said transmission means, and said sensor is detachably connectable to said connecting means.

Claim 8

A lifesaving borescope system, comprising: a borescope having an insertion section with a distal end portion; detecting means including a sensor, disposed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of said insertion section, for detecting information; sensor holding means for holding said sensor, including a guide tube having a guide passage through which the insertion section of said borescope is inserted and guided, and attachment means for attaching said guide tube to and detaching said guide tube from said borescope; external output means for displaying or pronouncing the information detected by said detecting means; and said guide tube comprising a boring tube assembly including a distal end portion having a cutting edge, a proximal end portion having a coupling portion, and a tube body having a passage through which the insertion section of the borescope is passed and guided, said tube body having flexibility in a bending direction and rigidity in a rotating direction, and being capable of transmitting a rotatory force from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion.

Claim 9

A lifesaving borescope system, comprising: a borescope having an insertion section with a distal end portion; detecting means including a sensor, disposed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of said insertion section, for detecting information; sensor holding means for holding said sensor, including a guide tube having a guide passage through which the insertion section of said borescope is inserted and guided, and attachment means for attaching said guide tube to and detaching said guide tube from said borescope; external output means for displaying or pronouncing the information detected by said detecting means; and said guide tube comprising a boring tube assembly including a distal end portion having a cutting edge, a proximal end portion having a coupling portion, and a tube body having a passage through which the insertion section of the borescope is passed and guided, said tube body having flexibility in a bending direction and rigidity in a rotating direction, and being capable of transmitting a rotatory force from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion.

Claim 10

The borescope system according to claim 6, further comprising rotatory force generating means for rotating the boring tube assembly, said rotary force generating means including a rotary force transmission shaft adapted to be removably coupled to the coupling portion of the boring tube assembly, a rotatory force generator connected to the rotatory force transmission shaft, and having a through hole dimensioned to allow the borescope to be inserted therethrough when coupling the rotatory force transmission shaft to the coupling portion of the boring tube assembly.

Claim 11

The borescope system according to claim 6, further comprising fluid supply/discharge means for supplying and discharging a fluid through the passage of the boring tube assembly.

Claim 12

The borescope system according to claim 8, wherein said boring tube assembly is provided, at the proximal end portion thereof, with a joint removably connected with the fluid supply/discharge means.

Claim 13

A lifesaving borescope system, comprising: a borescope having an insertion section with a distal end portion; detecting means including a sensor, disposed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of said insertion section, for detecting information; sensor holding means for holding said sensor; external output means for displaying or pronouncing the information detected by said detecting means; and a boring tube assembly including a distal end portion having a cutting edge, a proximal end portion having a coupling portion, and a tube body having a passage through which the distal end portion of the insertion section of the borescope is inserted and guided to reach a desired position, said tube body having flexibility in a bending direction and rigidity in a rotating direction, and being capable of transmitting a rotatory force from the proximal end portion to the cutting edge at the distal end portion of the boring tube assembly.

Claim 14

A lifesaving borescope system, comprising: a borescope having an insertion section with a distal end portion; detecting means including a sensor, disposed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of said insertion section, for detecting information; sensor holding means for holding said sensor; external output means for displaying or pronouncing the information detected by said detecting means; and a boring tube assembly including a distal end portion having a cutting edge, a proximal end portion having a coupling portion, and a tube body having a passage through which the distal end portion of the insertion section of the borescope is inserted and guided to reach a desired position, said tube body having flexibility in a bending direction and rigidity in a rotating direction, and being capable of transmitting a rotatory force from the proximal end portion to the cutting edge at the distal end portion of the boring tube assembly.

Claim 15

A lifesaving borescope system, comprising: a borescope having an insertion section with a distal end portion; detecting means including a sensor, disposed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of said insertion section, for detecting information; sensor holding means for holding said sensor, including a guide tube having a guide passage through which the insertion section of said borescope is inserted and guided, and attachment means for attaching said guide tube to and detaching said guide tube from said borescope; and external output means for displaying or pronouncing the information detected by said detecting means; said borescope having a guide tube engaging portion, and said attachment means of the guide tube including a resilient engaging piece provided at a rear end portion of the guide tube and adapted to engage the guide tube engaging portion of the borescope, and clamping means for clamping the engaging piece to the guide tube engaging portion and maintaining a clamping state therebetween.

Claim 16

A lifesaving borescope system, comprising: a borescope having an insertion section with a distal end portion; detecting means including a sensor, disposed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of said insertion section, for detecting information; sensor holding means for holding said sensor, including a guide tube having a guide passage through which the insertion section of said borescope is inserted and guided, and attachment means for attaching said guide tube to and detaching said guide tube from said borescope; and external output means for displaying or pronouncing the information detected by said detecting means; said borescope having a guide tube engaging portion, and said attachment means of the guide tube including a resilient engaging piece provided at a rear end portion of the guide tube and adapted to engage the guide tube engaging portion of the borescope, and clamping means for clamping the engaging piece to the guide tube engaging portion and maintaining a clamping state therebetween.

Claim 17

A lifesaving borescope system, comprising: a borescope having an insertion section with a distal end portion; detecting means including a sensor, disposed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of said insertion section, for detecting information; sensor holding means for holding said sensor; external output means for displaying or pronouncing the information detected by said detecting means; a boring tube assembly including a distal end portion having a cutting edge, a proximal end portion having a coupling portion, and a tube body having a passage through which the insertion section of the borescope is inserted and guided, said tube body having flexibility in a bending direction and rigidity in a rotating direction, and being capable of transmitting a rotatory force from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion; and fluid supply/discharge means for supplying and discharging a fluid through the passage of the boring tube assembly.

Claim 18

A lifesaving borescope system, comprising: a borescope having an insertion section with a distal end portion; detecting means including a sensor, disposed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of said insertion section, for detecting information; sensor holding means for holding said sensor; external output means for displaying or pronouncing the information detected by said detecting means; a boring tube assembly including a distal end portion having a cutting edge, a proximal end portion having a coupling portion, and a tube body having a passage through which the insertion section of the borescope is inserted and guided, said tube body having flexibility in a bending direction and rigidity in a rotating direction, and being capable of transmitting a rotatory force from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion; and fluid supply/discharge means for supplying and discharging a fluid through the passage of the boring tube assembly.

Claim 19

The borescope system according to claim 12, wherein said boring tube assembly is provided at its proximal end portion with a joint removably connected with said fluid supply/discharge means.