According to an aspect of the invention, the circumferential position of a protrusion portion of a light guide member is aligned with the position of a second groove portion of a pressing member and a tip portion of the light guide member is inserted into an insertion hole. Next, the light guide member is rotated to align the circumferential position of the protrusion portion of the light guide member with the position of a first groove portion of a mounting hole, and the tip portion of the light guide member is mounted in the mounting hole of a tip portion body. After that, a screw member is inserted into a through hole of the pressing member, is threadedly inserted into a screw hole of the tip portion body, and fixes the pressing member to a base end face of the tip portion body.

A medical device includes an instrument connector. The instrument connector includes a main body and a coupler fixedly attached to the mail body. The main body includes a first interface for a first operational channel for the medical device. The coupler is configured to receive a portion of a cable assembly including a second interface for a second operational channel for the medical device.

An external mechanism for endoscope includes: an abutment surface that is a first surface configured to cover a knob arranging surface at which a second bending operation knob is arranged in an operation portion of an endoscope; a wheel configured to engage with the second bending operation knob arranged at the knob arranging surface; a motor configured to generate a driving force for rotating the wheel; a housing case that houses the wheel and the motor; a case attaching/detaching and fixing section for detachably attaching the housing case to the operation portion of the endoscope; and a locking member provided at the housing case and configured to be locked on the knob arranging surface of the endoscope and a large-diameter portion end face adjacent to the knob arranging surface in the operation portion of the endoscope.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to providing an effective and reliable approach for cleaning an exposed surface of an imaging element (e.g., a lens) of apparatuses including but not limited to medical imaging instruments such as endoscopes and laparoscopes and the like. In the case of medical imaging instruments, cleaning apparatuses configured in accordance with embodiments the present invention can be cleaned while the distal end portion of the endoscope is in vivo. Such apparatuses have a cleaning member incorporated therein (e.g., a resilient polymeric wiper, a sponge, an absorbent pad or the like) that is used for cleaning the exposed surface of the imaging element. The apparatus is preferably adapted for being mounted on imaging apparatus but can also be entirely or partially integral with one or more components of the imaging apparatus or system of which it is a component.

An enhanced flexible robotic endoscopy apparatus includes a main body and flexible elongate shaft. The main body comprises a proximal end, a distal end and a housing that extends to the proximal end and the housing comprises a plurality of surfaces and a plurality of insertion inlets which reside on at least one of the surface of the housing at the proximal end of the main body, through which a plurality of channels for endoscopy are accessible. Each of the insertion inlets has insertion axis corresponding thereto, along which flexible elongate assemblies are insertable, with the insertion axes of the insertion inlets being parallel to the central axis of the flexible elongate shaft at the proximal end of the flexible elongate shaft.

A sleeve assembly is described for coupling a colonoscope insertion tube to an add-on tube. In some embodiments, the sleeve assembly defines an elongated lumen and comprises an inner sleeve sized to receive an insertion tube of a colonoscope, an outer sleeve encircling the inner sleeve, and one or more add-on tubes positioned between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve. In some embodiments, at least the inner sleeve is collapsible to fit tightly over a colonoscope insertion tube received within the inner sleeve. In some embodiments, the inner sleeve is coupled to the outer sleeve at one or more locations along the length of the inner sleeve so that collapsing of the inner sleeve brings the outer sleeve radially closer to the inner sleeve, approximating the one or more add-on tubes to a colonoscope insertion tube received within the inner sleeve.

In order to acquire height information regarding a subject disposed on the internal surface of an elongated tubular member, an image processing apparatus according to the present disclosure, includes a processor the processor including hardware and configured to perform the steps of receiving a first image and a second image acquired from a subject using an optical system having a field of view in a direction of at least about 90 to a central axis of the optical system, the first image acquired at a first position, the second image acquired at a second position, the second position different from the first position along the central axis; and calculating a distance between the subject and the central axis of the optical system, based on a distance between the first position and the second position, and based on the corresponding points in the third image and in the fourth image.

An endoscopic probe includes a handle with a front end, a rear end with a rear end axis and, extending between the front end and the rear end, a straight grip portion with a grip portion axis. The probe further includes a shaft extending from the front end of the handle and having a shaft axis, and a cable issuing from the rear end. The shaft axis, the rear end axis and the grip portion axis lie within a common plane. The shaft axis encloses an angle in the range of 100 to 140 degrees with the grip portion axis, the grip portion axis encloses an angle in the range of 110 to 130 degrees with the rear end axis, and the shaft axis encloses an angle in the range of 30 to 90 degrees with the rear end axis.

A detachable endoscope includes an insertion unit including an illuminating and image pickup unit, an operation unit configured to bendingly operate a front end of the insertion unit, and a detachable unit configured to detachably couple the insertion unit and the operation unit to each other, wherein the detachable unit comprises: a first detachable module disposed at the insertion unit in such a manner as to be connected to respective one ends of first and second operating wire and third and fourth operating wires juxtaposedly arranged in the insertion unit; and a second detachable module disposed at the operation unit in such a manner as to be connected to respective both ends of upper and lower chains wound around upper and lower sprockets of the operation unit.

An endoscope includes: a direction conversion module for converting rotational motions of the upper and lower sprockets to linear motions of the upper and lower chains while maintaining linear states of the upper and lower chains pulled, and pushed upon rotational operation of the operation part, in which the direction conversion module includes: first and second connection blocks for connecting both ends of the upper chain to one end of each of the first and second connection wires of the operation part, and third and fourth connection blocks for connecting both ends of the lower chain to one end of each of the third and fourth connection wires of the operation part.