IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,154,184
Granted Patent B2
US 11,154,184 · App. 16/411,310 · Granted Oct 26, 2021

Control apparatus for endoscope apparatus and endoscope apparatus

Inventors: Takashi Suzuki (Hino, JP); Yoshitaka Umemoto (Hachioji, JP); Yasuaki Natori (Akishima, JP); Takashi Yamashita (Hachioji, JP); Fumiyuki Onoda (Tama, JP)
Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
A61B1/0016A61B1/00A61B1/00006A61B1/0051A61B1/00133G02B23/24A61B1/00045A61B1/00156A61B1/05G02B23/2476
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,154,184
App. No.
16/411,310
Granted
Oct 26, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An endoscope apparatus includes an elongated insertion portion, a self-propelling mechanism configured to be rotatably driven to advance and retract the insertion portion, and a motor configured to supply a drive force to the self-propelling mechanism. A control apparatus for the endoscope apparatus includes a current controller configured to supply a motor current to the motor to control driving of the motor, a motor current detector configured to detect a value of the motor current, a motor current change amount detector configured to detect an amount of change in the value of the motor current, and a limit controller configured to stop a supply of the motor current by the current controller according to the amount of change.

Claims (19)

1. A control apparatus for an endoscope apparatus including an elongated insertion portion, a self-propelling mechanism configured to be rotatably driven to advance and retract the insertion portion, and a motor configured to supply a drive force to the self-propelling mechanism, the control apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to:

supply a motor current to the motor to control driving of the motor;

detect a value of the motor current;

detect an integrated value of the motor current over a predetermined fixed period of time that is less than a life of the motor as an amount of change; and

stop operations of the motor when the integrated value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to detect an integrated value of the motor current equal to or greater than a predetermined limit reference value over the predetermined period of time as the amount of change.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is configured to stop the supply of the motor current to the motor when the motor current reaches or exceeds a predetermined torque limit value, and

set the torque limit value to decrease according to an increase of the integrated value.

4. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

an elongated insertion portion;

a self-propelling mechanism configured to be rotationally driven to advance and retract the insertion portion;

a motor configured to supply a drive force to the self-propelling mechanism;

a controller configured to:

supply a motor current to the motor to control driving of the motor;

detect a value of the motor current;

configured to detect-an integrated value of the motor current over a predetermined fixed period of time that is less than a life of the motor as an amount of change; and

stop operations of the motor when the integrated value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2019
From: SUZUKI, TAKASHI; UMEMOTO, YOSHITAKA; NATORI, YASUAKI; YAMASHITA, TAKASHI; ONODA, FUMIYUKI
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049168/0314 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2016-229027 · Nov 25, 2016 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2017041532 · Nov 17, 2017
Related Publication 20190261832A1 · Aug 29, 2019