Patent Description:
The information disclosed in this section is only provided for an understanding of background information of embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be taken as a description of the prior art.

An endoscope generally refers to a medical instrument for examining the interior of the body for medical purposes. Such an endoscope may be referred to as "bronchoscope," "gastric endoscope," "laparoscope," or "colonoscope" depending on the area to be examined therewith. Unlike most medical imaging devices, the endoscope is a medical device which is inserted directly into the body.

Due to the development of optical fibers and the rapid development of optical technology and electronics, endoscope technology has reached the stage of the current electronic endoscope and has made a great contribution to the development of the field of gastroenterology. With the development of the electronic endoscope, the electronic endoscope is used not only in the diagnostic field to directly look into and perform histological examinations of a subject's body, but may also replace invasive surgery due to the rapid development of various treatment endoscopes.

The configuration of the endoscope may generally include an insertion tube configured to be inserted into the patient's body with a bendable section and a flexible portion, a control body connected to one end of the insertion tube to control the bending motion of the bendable section, a connector coupled to a light source device, or the like, and a universal code spacing the control body and the connector apart from each other.

The endoscope has a structure in which a mechanical cord (or cable) is disposed between the bendable section and the control body to control the bending motion of the bendable section and the mechanical cord is connected to a control knob disposed on the control body. According to the structure of the endoscope, when the user, a doctor, manually operates the control knob, the mechanical cord transmits power to enable the bending motion of the bendable section.

While a doctor is performing an endoscope, an emergency situation fatal to the patient may occur. However, such an endoscope having the above-described structure requires a doctor to control the bending motion of the bendable section by manually operating the knob in the emergency situation, thereby causing the doctor to only focus on operating the knob. Thus, it may be difficult to overcome the emergency situation, and the bending motion of the bendable section may not be accurately performed.

Therefore, there was developed an endoscope in which the bending motion of a bendable section may be performed automatically using a power source rather than by a manual operation of a doctor. However, the endoscope with this structure may have control precision and stability problems due to the absence of an appropriate structure able to receive power from the outside of the endoscope.

Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a connector having a novel structure by which the endoscope may receive power from an external source and efficiently transmit the same to a bendable section while maintaining precision and stability in bending control.

The information disclosed in the Background section is technical information that the inventors possessed for, or acquired during, derivation of embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be taken as known technology disclosed to the public before the filing of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

<CIT> discloses an endoscope device and a method of operating the endoscope device. The endoscope device includes: a knob driving part configured to be driven in a mode selected by an operator from either of an automatic mode and a manual mode; a bending part connected to the knob driving part and configured to change a position of a distal end of the endoscope device by driving of the knob driving part, a power generating part configured to provide power to the knob driving part; and a power transmitting part configured to drive the power generating part according to a manipulation of the knob driving part.

<CIT> discloses an endoscope system, which outputs a state of use of an endoscope by users, includes the endoscope and a processor, wherein: the endoscope has at least two bending modes and has an operating part which can select the at least two bending modes; and the processor acquires a case identifier corresponding to a case for which the endoscope is used, generates use state information pertaining to the used bending mode, and outputs the result by associating the case identifier with the use state information.

<CIT> discloses an endoscope device is provided with a curved part provided in an inserting part, a curvature wire for curving the curved part by drawing it, a rotating body which is provided in an operating part and drives the curvature wire , motors which are provided in the outside of the operating part and become driving sources for driving the rotating body, and curvature wires for transferring driving force by the motors to the rotating body.

Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-described problems occurring in the related art, and the present disclosure provides an endoscope configured to control the movement of a bendable section while maintaining precision and stability in bending motions by controlling the travel distance of a power receiving part configured to receive power from an external source.

The objectives of the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned descriptions, and other objectives not explicitly disclosed herein will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary knowledge in the art from the description provided hereinafter.

According to the invention as defined in independent claim <NUM>, an endoscope includes a power receiving part configured to move by receiving power from a power source; and a bendable section, a bending motion of which is controlled by a movement of the power receiving part.

In some embodiments, the bendable section may include an imaging means configured to be inserted into a subject's body to collect image information and an illumination means configured to illuminate an interior of the subject's body.

In some embodiments, the endoscope may further include a control body configured to generate a control signal, wherein the control signal generated by the control body controls rotational force of the power source.

In some embodiments, the endoscope may further include a control body configured to generate a control signal, wherein the control signal generated by the control body controls the travel distance of the power receiving part.

In some embodiments, the power receiving part may include a first slider and a second slider, and the control signal may include a first control signal to control a travel distance of the first slider and a second control signal to control a travel distance of the second slider.

In some embodiments, the power receiving part may include a pair of power receiving parts, wherein one of the pair of power receiving parts controls upward and downward bending of the bendable section and the other of the pair of power receiving parts controls left and right bending of the bendable section.

In some embodiments, power generated due to the movement of the power receiving part may be transmitted to the bendable section through the control body.

In some embodiments, the power receiving part receives power directly from an external device including the power source therein. In some embodiments, the power receiving part may receive power directly from a light source device including the power source therein or an image processing device including the power source therein.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an endoscope may include one or more among: an insertion tube including a bendable section configured to be inserted into a subject's body to collect image information; a control body configured to generate a control signal to control a bending angle of the bendable section; and a connector including an output part configured to output the control signal and a receiving part configured to receive external power corresponding to the control signal, wherein the control signal controls a travel distance of the receiving part.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure as described above, provided is the endoscope configured to control the movement of a bendable section while maintaining precision and stability in bending motions by controlling the travel distance of a power receiving part configured to receive power from an external source.

In addition, the present disclosure has a variety of effects with excellent versatility depending on the embodiment, and such effects may be clearly understood from the following description of embodiments.

The following drawings accompanying the specification illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the foregoing disclosure, serve to provide further understanding of the technical spirit of the present disclosure, and thus, the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the drawings.

Advantages and features of the present disclosure, as well as methods of realizing the same, will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to specific embodiments to be described hereinafter but should be understood as including a variety of modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the description of the present disclosure will be complete and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to a person having ordinary skill in the art in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains. In the following description of the present disclosure, a detailed description of related known technology will be omitted when the description may render the subject matter of the present disclosure unclear.

The terminology used in this application is used to describe specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. Expressions in the singular include the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In the present application, the terms "includes" or "has" and the like are intended to designate the presence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and are not intended to preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof. Terms such as first, second, and the like may be used to describe various components, but the components are not to be limited by such terms. Such terms are used only to distinguish one component from others.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein identical or corresponding components are given the same reference numerals and duplicate descriptions thereof are omitted.

<FIG> illustrates the shape of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> illustrates the shape of the connector of the endoscope according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

<FIG> illustrates the internal inside shape of the connector of <FIG> from which the cover is removed, i.e., the power receiving part and the power transmission part, and <FIG> illustrates the shape of a light source device to which the endoscope according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is coupled.

<FIG> illustrates the combined shape of the power providing part disposed on the light source device of <FIG> and the power receiving part disposed on the connector of <FIG>.

In some embodiments, an endoscope <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include one or more among an insertion tube <NUM>, a control body <NUM>, and a universal cord <NUM>, and a connector <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the control body <NUM> may be disposed between one end of the insertion tube <NUM> and one end of the universal cord <NUM>, and the connector <NUM> may be connected to the other end of the universal cord <NUM>.

The insertion tube <NUM> may be a portion that is inserted into the patient's body when a user, a doctor, performs an endoscopy on the patient using the endoscope <NUM>. The insertion tube <NUM> may include a tube tip, a bendable section <NUM>, and a flexible portion.

The tube tip may be a component configured to illuminate a target area, collect image information, perform a treatment, or the like. The tube tip may be disposed on the distal end of the insertion tube, and may include an illumination means for illuminating the interior of the subject's body, an imaging means for imaging the interior of the subject's body, a biopsy channel for collecting tissue from the interior of the subject's body, an air-water channel for spraying air, water, or the like for various purposes, and the like.

The bendable section <NUM> performs a bending motion in response to the user's operation, and may be bent inside the body and travel along the interior of the curved tubular organ. The tube tip may be disposed on the distal end of the bendable section <NUM>, and the distal end of the bendable section <NUM> may bend in the bending motion to place the tube tip in a direction desired by the user.

The flexible portion may be located between the bendable section <NUM> and the control body <NUM>, and may be a portion that moves along with the bendable section <NUM> when the bendable section travels through the gastrointestinal tract inside the patient's body.

The control body <NUM> may be provided with a controller <NUM> to control the bending motion of the bendable section <NUM>, and may be provided with a flow control valve or a flow control switch able to control a flow of air or water or suction. The controller <NUM> may include, for example, a joystick.

The insertion tube <NUM> may be connected to one side of the control body <NUM>, and the universal cord <NUM> may be connected to the other side of the control body <NUM>. The connector <NUM> may be connected to the distal end of the universal cord <NUM>.

The connector <NUM> serves to connect the endoscope <NUM> to an external device. Here, the external device may include, for example, a light source device <NUM>, an image processing device, and the like.

When the endoscope <NUM> is connected to the light source device <NUM> or the image processing device via the connector <NUM>, the endoscope <NUM> may receive light from the light source device <NUM> via the connector <NUM> and illuminate the interior of the patient's body, and the image information regarding the interior of the patient's body collected by the endoscope <NUM> may be transmitted to the image processing device via the connector <NUM> and the light source device <NUM>. In some embodiments, image information may be transmitted to the image processing device via the connector.

The universal cord <NUM> may connect the control body <NUM> and the connector <NUM>, and may serve to space the connector <NUM> and the control body <NUM> apart from each other so that a user can move easily when using the endoscope <NUM> by holding the control body <NUM>. In some embodiments, the universal cord <NUM> may be omitted and the connector <NUM> may be connected to the other side of the control body <NUM>.

The endoscope <NUM> includes a power receiving part <NUM> configured to move by receiving power from a power source; and a bendable section <NUM>, the bending motion of which is controlled by the movement of the power receiving part <NUM>. In some embodiments, the bendable section <NUM> may include an imaging means for being inserted into the subject's body to collect image information therefrom and an illumination means for illuminating the interior of the subject's body.

Here, the power source may refer to a power generating device and may include, for example, a motor. In some embodiments, the power source may be disposed in the endoscope <NUM>. In some embodiments, the power source may be disposed outside the endoscope <NUM>. The power source disposed outside the endoscope <NUM> may refer to the power source being disposed on a power providing device provided separately from the endoscope <NUM>. In some embodiments, the power providing device may include, for example, the light source device <NUM> or an image processing device. In this case, the endoscope <NUM> may be coupled to the light source device <NUM> or the image processing device to move by receiving power from the light source device <NUM> or the image processing device.

In some embodiments, when the endoscope <NUM> according to the present embodiment is connected to the light source device <NUM> having the power source therein, the endoscope <NUM> may illuminate the interior of the patient's body by receiving light from the light source device <NUM> and perform the bending motion inside the patient's body by receiving power from the light source device <NUM>.

In addition, when the endoscope <NUM> is connected to the image processing device including a power source therein, the endoscope <NUM> may transmit collected image information collected from inside the patient's body to the image processing device. The endoscope <NUM> may perform the bending motion inside the patient's body by receiving power from the image processing device.

The power receiving part <NUM> according to the present embodiment may refer to a power receiving component. The power receiving part <NUM> may include a mechanical power receiving component.

In some embodiments, the power receiving part <NUM> may receive power from an external device present outside the endoscope <NUM> as an article separate from the endoscope <NUM>. In some embodiments, the power receiving part <NUM> may receive power directly from the light source device <NUM> including the power source therein.

The power receiving part <NUM> according to the invention is disposed on the connector <NUM> of the endoscope <NUM>. When the connector <NUM> of the endoscope <NUM> is connected to the light source device <NUM> including the power source therein, the connector <NUM> may receive power from the power source of the light source device <NUM>.

In some embodiments, a power providing part <NUM> supplying power to the light source device <NUM> may be disposed. The power providing part <NUM> disposed on the light source device <NUM> may be formed to correspond to the shape of the power receiving part <NUM> disposed on the connector <NUM>. In some embodiments, the power providing part <NUM> may be provided with recesses <NUM>. The power receiving part <NUM> is provided with protrusions 111a. The protrusions 111a of the power receiving part <NUM> have a structure protruding outward through slots <NUM> formed in a front cover <NUM> of the connector <NUM>.

When the connector <NUM> is coupled to a connector receptacle <NUM> of the light source device <NUM>, the power providing part <NUM> and the power receiving part <NUM> may be coupled to each other and be ready for transmitting power from the light source device <NUM> to the connector <NUM>.

There may be a variety of methods of transmitting power from the light source device <NUM> to the endoscope <NUM>. In some embodiments, the power providing part <NUM> may have a configuration like a slider coupled to a rail structure provided on the light source device <NUM> to move on the rail structure. The power receiving part <NUM> also has a configuration like a slider coupled to a rail structure <NUM> provided on the connector <NUM> to move on the connector <NUM>, in the same manner as the power providing part <NUM>.

In this structure, when the power providing part <NUM> moves by receiving power from the power source, the power receiving part <NUM> engaged with the power providing part <NUM> may move along with the power providing part <NUM>, so that power may be provided by the light source device <NUM> to the connector <NUM>.

The endoscope <NUM> according to the present embodiment may sequentially include the connector <NUM>, the universal cord <NUM>, the control body <NUM>, and the insertion tube <NUM>. Here, mechanical cords <NUM> may be disposed to sequentially extend through the connector <NUM>, the universal cord <NUM>, the control body <NUM>, and the insertion tube <NUM>. One side of each of the mechanical cords <NUM> may be connected to the power receiving part <NUM>, and the other side of each of the mechanical cord <NUM> may be connected to the bendable section <NUM> forming one end of the insertion tube <NUM>.

The power receiving part <NUM> may be connected to the mechanical cords <NUM> through a power transmission part. The power transmission part may include a pinion-sprocket assembly <NUM> and a chain-slider assembly <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the pinion-sprocket assembly <NUM> may have a structure in which a pinion gear <NUM> and a sprocket <NUM> are integrally provided on a single rotating structure such that when the pinion gear <NUM> rotates, the sprocket <NUM> also rotates together. The chain-slider assembly <NUM> may have a structure in which a pair of sliders <NUM> are coupled to both ends of a chain <NUM>, respectively, such that when the chain <NUM> moves, the sliders <NUM> connected to both ends of the chain <NUM>, respectively, also move.

A rack gear may be provided on the rear surface of the power receiving part <NUM>. The pinion gear <NUM> of the pinion-sprocket assembly <NUM> may be meshed with the rack gear such that power may be transmitted. In addition, in the pinion-sprocket assembly <NUM>, the sprocket <NUM> may be meshed with the chain <NUM> of the chain-slider assembly <NUM> such that power may be transmitted.

The mechanical cords <NUM> may be connected to the paired sliders <NUM> of the chain-slider assembly <NUM>, respectively. In this case, a first cord <NUM> and a second cord <NUM> described below may be connected to the paired sliders <NUM>, respectively. Due to this structure, the first cord <NUM> and the second cord <NUM> may be paired.

According to the above-described configuration of the power transmission part, when the power receiving part <NUM> slides, the mechanical cords <NUM> are pulled or pushed to transmit power to the bendable section <NUM>, and the bendable section <NUM> performs the bending motion by receiving power through the mechanical cords <NUM>. Consequently, the bending motion of the bendable section <NUM> may be controlled by the movement of the power receiving part <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the control body <NUM> may generate a control signal. The control signal generated by the control body <NUM> may control the rotational force of the power source. In some embodiments, the control signal generated by the control body <NUM> may control the travel distance d of the power receiving part <NUM>.

The control body <NUM> according to the present embodiment may be a component having dimensions and a shape by which the user may hold the control body <NUM> to insert the insertion tube <NUM> including the bendable section <NUM> into the interior of the subject's body or rotate the same, and may serve as a type of handle. The user may collect image information or perform a treatment inside the subject's body by adjusting the position of the bendable section <NUM> inside the subject's body while holding the control body <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the control body <NUM> may be provided with a controller <NUM>, for example, a control stick, generating a control signal. The control signal generated by the controller <NUM> may include a control command for controlling the rotational force of the power source.

When the power source is disposed on an external device, for example, the light source device <NUM>, the control signal may be transmitted from the endoscope <NUM> to an external device via a wired or wireless medium.

In some embodiments, when the control signal is transmitted via a wireless medium, in an embodiment for realizing wireless transmission, a communication module may be mounted on the control body <NUM>, and the rotational force of the power source may be controlled by transmitting the control signal to a power source controller by the communication module.

In some embodiments, when the control signal is transmitted via a wired medium, in an embodiment for realizing wired transmission, an electrical cable configuration may be connected to the control body <NUM>, the universal cord <NUM>, and the connector <NUM> in a control stick, and a control signal terminal may be disposed on one end of the connector <NUM>.

In addition, in this case, the connector receptacle <NUM> of the light source device <NUM> may also be provided with a control signal receiving terminal, and the control signal receiving terminal may have a structure electrically connected to the power source controller.

When the connector <NUM> is connected to the light source device <NUM>, the control signal terminal may be in contact with the control signal receiving terminal, and a control signal generated by the control stick may be transmitted to the power source controller through an electrical cable, the control signal terminal, and the control signal receiving terminal.

In some embodiments, a control signal generated by the controller <NUM> disposed on the control body <NUM> may control the travel distance d of the power providing part <NUM> of the light source device <NUM> or the power receiving part <NUM> of the connector <NUM>.

That is, the control signal generated by the control body <NUM> may control the travel distance d of the power receiving part <NUM> by a structure in which the control signal controls the rotational force of the power source of the light source device <NUM>, the power source generates power, and the generated power is sequentially transmitted through the power providing part <NUM> and the power receiving part <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the direction of the rotation of the power source may determine the direction of the movement of the power providing part <NUM> or the power receiving part <NUM>, and the speed of the rotation of the power source may determine the speed of the movement of the power providing part <NUM> or the power receiving part <NUM>. In addition, the direction of the movement of the power receiving part <NUM> may determine the direction of the bending of the bendable section <NUM>, and the speed of the movement of the power receiving part <NUM> may determine the speed of the bending of the bendable section <NUM>.

The user, i.e., a doctor, may generate the control signal by operating the control stick and transmit the generated control signal to the power source disposed on the light source device <NUM>. The power source that has received the control signal may generate rotational force in response to the control signal. The power providing part <NUM> and the power receiving part <NUM> may move in response to the generated rotational force. Consequently, the bending motion of the bendable section <NUM> may be controlled by the movement of the power receiving part <NUM>.

According to the invention, the power receiving part <NUM> includes a type of slider. The power receiving part <NUM> is coupled to the rail structure <NUM> provided on the connector <NUM> to move in a specific direction on the rail structure <NUM>. The power receiving part <NUM> reciprocally slides between a first end and a second end formed by the rail structure <NUM> provided on the connector <NUM>.

For example, the power receiving part <NUM> may move within a range of bending angles (i.e., a bending angle range) of the bendable section <NUM> while reciprocating between the first end and the second end. Here, the first end of the power receiving part <NUM> may correspond to a first angle of the bending angle range, and the second end of the power receiving part <NUM> may correspond to a second angle of the bending angle range. For example, when the power receiving part <NUM> moves from the first end to the second end, the bendable section <NUM> may be bent from the first angle to the second angle.

The bending angle range of the bendable section <NUM> may be previously determined to a set value. The bending angle range of the bendable section <NUM> may be set such that the bending is limited, for example, between the first angle and the second angle. Accordingly, the position of the bendable section <NUM> may be accurately controlled by a computer through electrification of the endoscope <NUM>, and the user, i.e., a doctor, may estimate the range of the bending of the bendable section <NUM>.

The control signal may allow the bending motion of the bendable section <NUM> to precisely conform to the predetermined bending angle range by controlling the travel distance d of the power providing part <NUM> disposed on the light source device <NUM> or the power receiving part <NUM> disposed on the connector <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the power receiving part <NUM> may include a first slider and a second slider, and the control signal may include a first control signal for controlling the travel distance d of the first slider and a second control signal for controlling the travel distance d of the second slider.

The power receiving part <NUM> may include a pair of components. That is, the power receiving part <NUM> may include a first slider and a second slider. The power providing part <NUM> may include a pair of components like the power receiving part <NUM>. In the control signal, he first control signal may control the travel distance d of the first slider, and the second control signal may control the travel distance d of the second slider.

In some embodiments, the mechanical cords <NUM> transmitting power to the bendable section <NUM> may include the first cord <NUM>, the second cord <NUM>, a third cord, and a fourth cord.

In some embodiments, the first cord <NUM>, the second cord <NUM>, the third cord, and the fourth cord may be controlled by four sliders that move independently of each other.

In addition, in other embodiments, the first cord <NUM> and the second cord <NUM> may form a first set of cords, and the third cord and the fourth cord may form a second set of cords.

In the first set of cords, the first cord <NUM> and the second cord <NUM> have a paired structure in which when the first cord <NUM> is pulled, the second cord <NUM> is pushed and when the second cord <NUM> is pulled, the first cord <NUM> is pushed. In the second set of cords, the first cord <NUM> and the second cord <NUM> have a paired structure in which when first cord <NUM> is pulled, the second cord <NUM> is pushed and when the second cord <NUM> is pulled, the first cord <NUM> is pushed.

Here, the first set of cords may be connected to the first slider to transmit power in response to the linear movement of the first slider, and the second set of cords may be connected to the second slider to transmit power in response to the linear movement of the second slider. According to the configuration in which the power receiving part <NUM> according to the present embodiment includes the first slider and the second slider, two sets of cords in which every two mechanical cords <NUM> are paired may be respectively controlled in an effective manner.

In some embodiments, the power receiving part <NUM> may be a pair of power receiving parts. One of the pair of power receiving parts may control the upward and downward bending of the bendable section <NUM>, and the other of the pair of power receiving parts may control the left and right bending of the bendable section <NUM>.

In the pair of power receiving parts <NUM>, one power receiving part <NUM> may control the upward and downward bending motion of the bendable section <NUM>, while the other power receiving part <NUM> may control the left and right bending motion of the bendable section <NUM>.

According to this structure, one and the other of the pair of power receiving parts <NUM> may move linearly and independently of each other. Due to the combination of the linear movements of the pair of power receiving parts <NUM>, the upward and downward bending and the left and right bending of the bendable section <NUM> may be combined, thereby realizing the bending motion in upward-downward and left-right directions.

In some embodiments, a first range of bending angles between the minimum angle and the maximum angle in which the upward and downward bending motion is performed may differ from a second range of bending angles between the minimum angle and the maximum angle in which the left and right bending motion is performed. The difference between the first range of bending angles and the second range of bending angles is intended to represent a reference point to a user, i.e., a member of medical staff, when the user is controlling the bending motion by combining the upward and downward bending motion and the left and right bending motion, so that the user may easily estimate the position of the tube tip located inside the patient's body during an endoscopy. That is, the range of bending angles in which the bendable section is bent in the upward and downward directions by one of the pair of power receiving parts <NUM> and the range of bending angles in which the bendable section is bent in the left and right directions by the other of the pair of power receiving parts <NUM> may differ from each other, so that the user, i.e., a member of medical staff, may easily estimate the position of the tube tip of the distal end of the bendable section.

In some embodiments, the pair of power receiving parts <NUM> may include a first slider and a second slider. The first slider may control the upward and downward bending motion of the bendable section <NUM>, and the second slider may control the left and right bending motion of the bendable section <NUM>.

According to this structure, the first slider and the second slider may move linearly and independently of each other. Due to the combination of the linear movements of the first slider and the second slider, the upward and downward bending and the left and right bending of the bendable section <NUM> may be combined, thereby realizing the bending motion in upward-downward and left-right directions. The first slider and the first slider may be components corresponding to one and the other of the pair of power receiving parts <NUM>, respectively.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the endoscope <NUM> may include one or more among: an insertion tube <NUM> including a bendable section <NUM> configured to be inserted into a subject's body in order to collect image information;.

In the specification of the present disclosure, the use of the term "the or said" and similar denoting terms may correspond to both singular and plural forms. Furthermore, recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to refer to respective separate values falling within the respective ranges and, unless otherwise indicated herein, the respective separate values are incorporated herein as if individually recited herein.

Claim 1:
An endoscope (<NUM>) comprising:
a connector (<NUM>) connected to an external device having a power source and the connector configured to receive power;
a power receiving part (<NUM>) disposed on the connector and configured to move by receiving power from the power source; and
a bendable section (<NUM>), a bending motion of which is controlled by a movement of the power receiving part for being bent inside the body and traveling along the interior of a curved tubular organ,
wherein the power receiving part has protrusions (111a) protruding outward through slots (<NUM>) formed in a front cover (<NUM>) of the connector and wherein the protrusions connected to the external device are configured to receive power,
characterized in that
the connector further comprises a rail structure (<NUM>) and in that the power receiving part further comprises a slider coupled to the rail structure provided on the connector and
wherein the power receiving part is configured tc reciprocally slide between a first end and a second end on the rail structure such that when the power receiving part moves from the first end to the second end, the bendable section is bent from a first angle to a second angle.