Importance

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Abstract

An endoscope apparatus is disclosed which includes an insertion section inserted into a coeliac cavity of a human body and freely bendable therein, a motor housed in an operating section of an endoscope, a bending mechanism for bending a flexible tube of the insertion section on the basis of a torque of the motor, and a bending operating lever made of resilient material manually operated by an operator. When the operator operates the lever and deflects the lever, a piezoelectric rubber serving as wire distortion gauge attached to the lever is compressed or tensioned to change its resistance. At this time, the motor rotates to turn the drum, so that the flexible tube is bent through angulation wires. When the deflection of the lever mounted to the rotating drum disappears, the resistance change of the gauge is zero. Responsive to no change of the resistance, the motor stops its rotation. Consequently, the bending operation of the flexible tube rapidly stops.

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First Claim