| 摘要 |
The present invention relates to a joint structure of an endoscope that bends the endoscope in a desired direction using a coil spring formed of a shape memory alloy. More specifically, first and second coil springs formed of a shape memory alloy, which are shrunk leftwards and rightwards on a plane by a current supplied from a current supply device, are provided between a pair of left and right bent knuckles connected to each other through a hinge member, third and fourth coil springs formed of a shape memory alloy, which are shrunk upwards and downwards on a plane by a current supplied from the current supply device, are provided between a pair of upper and lower bent knuckles connected to each other through a hinge member, the pair of left and right bent knuckles and the pair of upper and lower bent knuckles are repeatedly arranged in a serial order and connected to each other through a resilient member, and the first to fourth coil springs formed of a shape memory alloy are heated to a predetermined temperature and shrunk by currents supplied thereto, thereby making it possible to bend an endoscope in a user-desired direction. |
