Patent ID: 8409079

Claim:
An electric bending operation device, comprising: an insertion portion mounting mechanism that includes an insertion portion pressing member that is provided integrally with a rotary cylinder through which an insertion portion of a medical instrument for observation including an electric bending portion is passed and presses and holds the insertion portion, and can be switched between a state where the insertion portion pressing member is pressed against the insertion portion and the rotary cylinder is integral with the insertion portion and a state where the insertion portion is advanced or retracted with respect to the rotary cylinder; a rotation mechanism that is provided in the insertion portion mounting mechanism, and rotates the rotary cylinder to rotate the insertion portion around an axis thereof when the rotary cylinder is integral with the insertion portion; an insertion portion operation section including a bending portion operation section that performs bending operation of the electric bending portion provided in the insertion portion, and a twisting operation portion that rotates the rotary cylinder; and a support column that integrally connects the insertion portion operation section and the insertion portion mounting mechanism; wherein the insertion portion mounting mechanism includes: an annular device body; the rotary cylinder rotatably held in an inner peripheral surface of the device body, and through which the insertion portion is passed; a protrusion that is integrally provided on an inner surface of the rotary cylinder, includes a through hole through which the insertion portion passes, and rotatably includes the insertion portion pressing member that is placed in the through hole and includes a pressing portion that presses at least an outer surface of the insertion portion; a switching cylinder that is slidably placed in the rotary cylinder, has a press hole in which the pressing portion of the insertion portion pressing member is placed, and slides in the rotary cylinder to switch between a state where the pressing portion presses the outer surface of the insertion portion and a state where the pressing portion does not press the outer surface of the insertion portion; a biasing member that is placed in the rotary cylinder, biases the switching cylinder in an extended state, and causes the pressing portion placed in the press hole in the switching cylinder to press against the outer surface of the insertion portion; a movable cylinder that is slidably placed on an outer peripheral surface of the rotary cylinder, and formed integrally with the switching cylinder; and a lever that is rotatably placed on the device body, moves the movable cylinder in a longitudinal axis direction of the rotary cylinder against a biasing force of the biasing member, and releases a pressing state of the pressing portion against the outer surface of the insertion portion by the biasing force of the biasing member.