Patent ID: 11931006
Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  G | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A bending operation mechanism for use with an endoscope, the bending operation mechanism comprising:
a first cylindrical disk connected to a first proximal end portion of a first wire, the first cylindrical disk configured to move the first wire in response to a first rotation of the first cylindrical disk in a first rotation direction, the first cylindrical disk having a first inner peripheral surface forming a first hole, the first inner peripheral surface including a first engagement surface;
a second cylindrical disk connected to a second proximal end portion of a second wire, the second cylindrical disk configured to move the second wire in response to a second rotation of the second cylindrical disk in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, the second cylindrical disk having a second inner peripheral surface forming a second hole, the second inner peripheral surface including a second engagement surface, and
an operation shaft inserted into the first hole and into the second hole, the operation shaft comprising:
a first protrusion configured to engage with the first engagement surface; and
a second protrusion configured to engage with the second engagement surface,

wherein when the operation shaft rotates in the first rotation direction, the first protrusion engages with the first engagement surface and the second protrusion does not engage with the second engagement surface,
when the operation shaft rotates in the second rotation direction, the second protrusion engages with the second engagement surface and the first protrusion does not engage with the first engagement surface;
the first protrusion has a first height from an outer surface of the operation shaft,
the second protrusion has a second height from the outer surface of the operation shaft, and
the first height and the second height are different.