A bending tube for an endoscope, which is provided inside a bending portion of an insertion portion of an endoscope and includes a plurality of bending pieces covered by a flexible tube body, the bending tube including a distalmost end bending piece connected to a distal end portion of an insertion portion, a proximalmost end bending piece connected to a flexible tube portion of the insertion portion, and a net-like tube covering an outer periphery of the plurality of bending pieces except the distalmost end bending piece and the proximalmost end bending piece and including a distal end part fixed to a first bending piece joined to the distalmost end bending piece and a proximal end part fixed to a second bending piece joined to the proximalmost end bending piece.

A system for determining the shape of a surgical instrument includes an elongate instrument body having a selectively steerable distal tip, a pair of automatically controlled segments proximal to the selectively steerable distal tip, and a joint that couples the pair of adjacent automatically controlled segments together. An actuator changes an angle of the joint and a position encoder provides information associated with the joint angle. A controller receives the information associated with the angle of the joint and generates a three dimensional model of a shape of the instrument. A method for determining the three dimensional shape of an instrument includes providing axial position data to a controller, providing angular position data to the controller from a respective segment controller, and generating a three-dimensional model of a shape of said instrument using the axial position data and the angular position data.

A system for determining the shape of a surgical instrument includes an elongate instrument body having a selectively steerable distal tip, a pair of automatically controlled segments proximal to the selectively steerable distal tip, and a joint that couples the pair of adjacent automatically controlled segments together. An actuator changes an angle of the joint and a position encoder provides information associated with the joint angle. A controller receives the information associated with the angle of the joint and generates a three dimensional model of a shape of the instrument. A method for determining the three dimensional shape of an instrument includes providing axial position data to a controller, providing angular position data to the controller from a respective segment controller, and generating a three-dimensional model of a shape of said instrument using the axial position data and the angular position data.

An attachment unit rotates in directions around a longitudinal axis with respect to an insertion main body when rotary drive force is transmitted from a drive force transmission unit provided to an insertion section, and allows propulsive force in one of directions parallel to the longitudinal axis to act on the insertion section by rotating in contact with a paries. The attachment unit includes a fin portion which is spirally extended along the longitudinal axis and whose dimension from the longitudinal axis to an outer peripheral end vary in accordance with how external force different from the propulsive force acts in the directions parallel to the longitudinal axis in a state that the attachment unit does not rotate with respect to the insertion main body.

An attachment unit rotates in directions around a longitudinal axis with respect to an insertion main body when rotary drive force is transmitted from a drive force transmission unit provided to an insertion section, and allows propulsive force in one of directions parallel to the longitudinal axis to act on the insertion section by rotating in contact with a paries. The attachment unit includes a fin portion which is spirally extended along the longitudinal axis and whose dimension from the longitudinal axis to an outer peripheral end vary in accordance with how external force different from the propulsive force acts in the directions parallel to the longitudinal axis in a state that the attachment unit does not rotate with respect to the insertion main body.

An endoscope includes stays extending inside an operation section along a direction of a longitudinal axis, and a suction pipeline fixed to the operation section at a distal end side and a proximal end side so as to extend inside the operation section, along the stays and in the direction of the longitudinal axis, where an inside of the operation section is partitioned into a first space portion and a second space portion by the stays and the suction pipeline, each angle wire is disposed inside the first space portion, and long internal components, such as a signal cable and a light guide, are disposed inside the second space portion.

An endoscope includes stays extending inside an operation section along a direction of a longitudinal axis, and a suction pipeline fixed to the operation section at a distal end side and a proximal end side so as to extend inside the operation section, along the stays and in the direction of the longitudinal axis, where an inside of the operation section is partitioned into a first space portion and a second space portion by the stays and the suction pipeline, each angle wire is disposed inside the first space portion, and long internal components, such as a signal cable and a light guide, are disposed inside the second space portion.

A scope system is provided including an elongate tube with a distal portion and a lumen extending therethrough. The scope system also includes at least one accessory channel including a tubular structure with an accessory lumen extending therethrough, the at least one accessory channel movably disposed at least partially within the lumen of the elongate tube. The at least one accessory channel includes a distal section and a forward-viewing configuration and a side-viewing configuration. In the forward-viewing configuration, the distal section of the at least one accessory channel is substantially parallel to the distal portion of the elongate tube and in the side-viewing configuration, the distal section of the at least one accessory channel is arced at a radius greater than a radius of the distal portion of the elongate tube.

A scope system is provided including an elongate tube with a distal portion and a lumen extending therethrough. The scope system also includes at least one accessory channel including a tubular structure with an accessory lumen extending therethrough, the at least one accessory channel movably disposed at least partially within the lumen of the elongate tube. The at least one accessory channel includes a distal section and a forward-viewing configuration and a side-viewing configuration. In the forward-viewing configuration, the distal section of the at least one accessory channel is substantially parallel to the distal portion of the elongate tube and in the side-viewing configuration, the distal section of the at least one accessory channel is arced at a radius greater than a radius of the distal portion of the elongate tube.

A scope system is provided including an elongate tube with a distal portion and a lumen extending therethrough. The scope system also includes at least one accessory channel extending from a proximal end to a distal end and having with an accessory lumen extending therethrough, the at least one accessory channel movably disposed at least partially within the lumen of the elongate tube. The at least one accessory channel includes a distal section and a forward-viewing configuration and a side-viewing configuration. In the forward-viewing configuration, the distal section of the at least one accessory channel is substantially parallel to the distal portion of the elongate tube and in the side-viewing configuration, the distal section of the at least one accessory channel is arced at a radius greater than a radius of the distal portion of the elongate tube.