Patent ID: 11931007
Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 10:
11. A propulsion method for an insertion section in an endoscope system,
the endoscope system comprising:
an insertion section extending in a longitudinal direction from a distal end to a proximal end, the insertion section being configured to be inserted distally into a lumen of a subject from an inlet of the lumen, the insertion section comprising:
a first active bending section including a first tubular section having flexibility and the first active bending section having a first distal end portion;
a second active bending section provided distally relative to the first tubular section, the second active bending section including a second tubular section having flexibility, the second tubular section having a second distal end portion, and
a processor comprising hardware,

the propulsion method comprising:
determining, using the processor, whether the distal end of the insertion section is located deeper into the lumen than a center of a predetermined curve in a center axis direction of the lumen; and
when the distal end is determined to be located deeper than the center:
controlling the first active bending section with the processor to move the first distal end portion in a first direction away from a radial center point of the predetermined curve;
subsequent to moving the first distal end portion, controlling the second active bending section with the processor to move the second distal end portion toward the radial center point; and
concurrently with the controlling of the second active bending section, applying a force, in the first direction to act on the first distal end portion.