Patent ID: 8187170
Filing Date: 2012-05-29
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An overtube comprising: an endoscope insertion portion passing hole, through which an endoscope insertion portion of an endoscope including an observation optical system in a distal end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is passed, the observation optical system being provided with an image pickup device which has horizontal transfer directions corresponding to lateral observation directions of the observation optical system, and vertical transfer directions corresponding to vertical observation directions of the observation optical system, the endoscope insertion portion passing hole having an endoscope protrusion amount determination portion, and an observation optical system observation direction determination portion, wherein the endoscope protrusion amount determination portion determines a length of the distal end portion of the endoscope insertion portion protruding from a distal end surface of the overtube, and the observation optical system observation direction determination portion determines the vertical transfer directions of the image pickup device which is provided in the endoscope insertion portion inserted through the endoscope insertion portion passing hole to be the vertical observation directions of the observation optical system, and the horizontal transfer directions of the image pickup device to be the lateral observation directions of the observation optical system; and the overtube further comprising a pair of manipulator passing holes, through which manipulator insertion portions of manipulator apparatuses are passed, the manipulator apparatuses each including a driving portion with a plurality of joint pieces connected on a distal end side of the manipulator insertion portion, adjacent joint pieces among the plurality of joint pieces being connected by connecting shafts, and configured as a first joint rotating clockwise and counterclockwise around a first shaft and a second joint rotating clockwise and counterclockwise around a second shaft perpendicular to the first shaft, at least one first joint and at least one second joint being provided in order from the distal end side, the pair of manipulator passing holes each having a central axis parallel to a central axis of the endoscope insertion portion passing hole, and located outside a first phantom line which is tangent to the endoscope insertion portion passing hole and parallel to the vertical transfer directions, or a second phantom line which faces the first phantom line and tangent to the endoscope insertion portion passing hole, the pair of manipulator passing holes each having a manipulator protrusion amount determination portion, and a joint driving direction determination portion, wherein the manipulator protrusion amount determination portion determines a protrusion amount from the distal end surface of the overtube so that the first joint of the driving portion provided in the manipulator insertion portion is placed within an observation range of the observation optical system, and the joint driving direction determination portion maintains the first shaft of the first joint of the driving portion provided in the manipulator insertion portion to be parallel to the vertical transfer directions, and maintains the second shaft of the second joint to be parallel to the horizontal transfer directions; wherein the endoscope protrusion amount determination portion of the overtube includes: an abutment surface provided on a side of the endoscope insertion portion passing hole; and an abutment portion provided on the endoscope insertion portion.