Patent ID: 8382659
Filing Date: 2013-02-26
Classification: A61B,G02B

Abstract:
1. An endoscope apparatus comprising: an endoscope main body that includes (i) an endoscope insertion portion having a curving portion on the leading end side thereof, (ii) a curving operation portion operating or curving the curving portion, and (iii) a curving drive portion driving or curving the curving portion according to an operation force applied to the curving operation portion; a curving amount detecting unit that detects curving amount of the curving portion; an assisting drive unit that generates a drive force for assisting a curving drive operation carried out by the curving drive portion; a storage unit that stores multiple pieces of curving information respectively regulated at every curving angle corresponding to curving amounts of the curving portion; and, a control unit that controls the assisting drive unit to generate the drive force according to the curving amount detected by the curving amount detecting unit, wherein the control unit controls the assisting drive unit to generate the drive force using the curving information stored in the storage unit, and wherein the curving information includes at least one of a first curving characteristic according to which the operation force necessary for the curving operation of the curving portion is regulated at each curving angle, a second curving characteristic according to which the operation force defined arbitrarily is regulated at each curving angle of the curving portion, and a third curving characteristic according to which a difference between the first and second curving characteristics is regulated at each curving angle.