Insertion device

Inventor: Tadashi Watanabe (Hachioji, JP)

Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION

A61B1/0676 A61B1/0646

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12697018
App. No.: 18/219,789
Granted: Aug 4, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

An insertion device includes: an insertion portion configured to be inserted into a subject; an imaging unit that includes an imaging element and an optical element and that is arranged at a distal end of the insertion portion, the imaging unit being configured to capture an internal image of the subject to generate an image signal; a transmitter that is arranged adjacent to a proximal end side of the imaging unit in the insertion portion, the transmitter being configured to transmit the image signal using millimeter waves or submillimeter waves; and a waveguide that is arranged on a proximal end side of the transmitter in the insertion portion and at a position distant from the transmitter with a distal end surface of the waveguide facing the transmitter, the waveguide being configured to propagate the millimeter waves or submillimeter waves.

Claims (17)

1 . An insertion device comprising:

an insertion portion configured to be inserted into a subject;

an imaging unit that includes an imaging element and an optical element and that is arranged at a distal end of the insertion portion, the imaging unit being configured to capture an internal image of the subject to generate an image signal;

a transmitter that is arranged adjacent to a proximal end side of the imaging unit in the insertion portion, the transmitter being configured to transmit the image signal using millimeter waves or submillimeter waves; and

a waveguide that is arranged on a proximal end side of the transmitter in the insertion portion and at a position distant from the transmitter with a distal end surface of the waveguide facing the transmitter, the waveguide being configured to propagate the millimeter waves or submillimeter waves;

wherein the insertion portion includes a bendable portion that is provided in part of the insertion portion in a longitudinal direction of the insertion portion and that is bendable,

the imaging unit and the transmitter are provided on a distal end side of the bendable portion, and

the distal end surface of the waveguide is provided on a proximal end side of the bendable portion.

2 . The insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is flexible.

3 . The insertion device according to claim 2 , wherein the waveguide includes

a core that is made of a rod-shaped dielectric; and

an outer conductor that is provided on an outer circumference of the core and that is formed by braiding filament yarns into a braid.

4 . The insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein the bendable portion is provided with a transfer path that is made of air or a dielectric and that extends from the transmitter to the distal end surface of the waveguide.

5 . The insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein the insertion portion includes a flexible tube that is coupled to the proximal end side of the bendable portion and that is flexible, and

the waveguide is flexible, is inserted into the flexible tube, and is configured to propagate the image signal toward a proximal end side of the insertion portion.

6 . The insertion device according to claim 1 , further comprising an operation portion that is coupled to a proximal end side of the insertion portion, the operation portion being configured to receive a user operation,

wherein the waveguide is extended at least to the operation portion.