JP2010264063A - Endoscopic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscopic apparatus capable of suitably operating an operation section regardless of the state of an insertion section. <P>SOLUTION: The endoscopic apparatus includes the insertion section 20 inserted into an object to be observed and provided to extend in the axial direction, an operation section 30 for operating the insertion section 20, and a movable connection section 40 for connecting the insertion section 20 and the operation section 30 in a freely relatively movable manner within a range of an angle θ being a predetermined movable range. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in various fields such as the medical field and the industrial field, an endoscope having an insertion part that can be inserted into a hole is used for observing a target site located in a part that is not directly visible to a user, such as the inside of a hole. It's being used. In recent years, such an endoscope has a built-in CCD camera or the like on the distal end side of the insertion portion, and can observe an optical image or the like of the target portion.
There is also known an endoscope apparatus including an operation unit in which a display unit for displaying an image acquired by the CCD camera or the like is integrally formed. For example, an endoscope apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a long and flexible insertion tube having an imaging mechanism and a joint portion at a distal end, a monitor capable of displaying an image of an object, and a remote portion of the insertion portion. And a remote control unit capable of remotely operating the distal end.

  The endoscope apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a monitor provided on the outer surface of the casing of the operation unit, a manual input unit provided on the casing and having means for generating an output value according to the operation direction, Drive means provided inside the housing for generating a driving force at the joint corresponding to the output value, a key switch provided on the housing, and a circuit electrically connected to the key switch and the monitor It is comprised. According to this endoscope apparatus, the driving means and the monitor can be suitably combined to be portable.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0158348

However, in the endoscope apparatus described in Patent Document 1, since the insertion unit and the operation unit are in a fixed positional relationship, the operation unit moves or inserts together with the display unit by a force when the user moves the insertion unit. The operation unit may be tilted together with the display unit due to its own weight. As a result, when the user moves the insertion unit while looking at the display unit, the display unit is shaken, and there is a problem that the display unit is difficult to see.
Further, when an unexpected operation occurs such as the insertion portion dropping, the operation portion may be pulled by the weight of the insertion portion and fall from the user's hand. Further, an excessive force is applied to the connecting portion between the insertion portion and the operation portion, and the contents of the insertion portion may be damaged.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope apparatus that can suitably operate the operation unit regardless of the state of the insertion unit.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means.
An endoscope apparatus according to the present invention includes an insertion portion that is inserted into an object to be observed and extends in a central axis direction, an operation portion for operating the insertion portion, and the insertion portion And a movable connecting portion for connecting the operating portion relative to each other within a predetermined movable range so as to be relatively movable.

  According to this invention, the insertion part and the operation part are connected by the movable connection part. Since the insertion portion and the operation portion can move relative to each other within a predetermined movable range, the operation portion can be suitably operated regardless of the state of the insertion portion.

In the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention, the movable connecting portion supports the operation portion and the insertion portion so as to be relatively rotatable between the movable ranges about a predetermined rotation axis as a rotation center. It is preferable to have a rotation support mechanism.
In this case, the rotation support mechanism prevents a force from being transmitted to the operation unit even if the insertion unit moves relative to the operation unit.

In the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, the rotation support mechanism includes a neutral member interposed between the insertion portion and the operation portion, and the insertion portion and the operation portion are separated by the neutral member. Is preferably urged so as to be stationary at a predetermined position in an intermediate portion of the movable range.
In this case, in the natural state, the insertion member and the operation unit are located at a predetermined position in the middle part of the movable range by the action of the neutral member. In addition, when the relative position between the insertion portion and the operation portion is changed, a sudden change in the relative position between the insertion portion and the operation portion is suppressed by the neutral member. Therefore, the impact on the operation unit due to the relative movement between the insertion unit and the operation unit is reduced. Furthermore, since it is suppressed that an insertion part and an operation part collide, damage to an insertion part, an operation part, and a movable connection part can be suppressed.

In the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention, the neutral member is at least partially connected to the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit, and the front member is connected between the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit. It is preferable that the elastic member be elastically deformable with relative movement between the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit.
In this case, the urging force for returning to the predetermined position in proportion to the relative movement amount between the insertion portion and the operation portion is increased by the restoring force generated by the elastic member.

In the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, the neutral member is connected to both the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit, and the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit are arranged between the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit. It may be a coil spring that can be elastically deformed with relative movement with respect to the operation portion.
In this case, the neutral member can be designed by easily changing the spring constant.

In the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, the neutral member is connected to both the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit, and the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit are arranged between the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit. A resin member that can be expanded and contracted in the axial direction along with the relative movement with the operation unit may be used.
In this case, since it is comprised with the resin member, a neutral member can be comprised lightweight.

In the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, the insertion portion has a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end is fixed to the movable connecting portion, and is disposed extending in the axial direction of the insertion portion, and at least a part of the endoscope is disposed. An angle wire that is fixed to the distal end of the insertion portion and at least another part extends to the proximal end side of the insertion portion, and the distal end of the insertion portion is connected to the base via the angle wire. It is preferable to further include a bending portion having a pulling portion capable of pulling in the end direction.
In this case, when the bending portion is operated, the angle wire is pulled by the pulling portion, and the distal end of the insertion portion connected to the angle wire is pulled in the proximal direction. For this reason, the region on the distal end side of the insertion portion is bent. As a result, the distal end of the insertion portion can be directed in a desired direction.

In the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the movable connecting portion has a slip ring mechanism having a rotation center coaxially with the rotation shaft.
In this case, the driving power and the signal are transmitted through the contact by the slip ring mechanism. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the drive power and the signal from being interrupted when the operation portion and the insertion portion are relatively rotated in the movable connecting portion. Further, it is possible to suppress the fatigue of the driving power and the signal line for transmitting the signal when the relative rotation operation between the operation unit and the insertion unit is repeated.

Further, in the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention, the movable connecting portion has a rotation center coaxial with the rotation shaft, and one of the movable connecting portions is fixed to the movable connecting portion and the other is connected to the operation portion. A connecting member that is pivotally connected around the pivot center and has a through hole along the pivot axis, and at least a part of the connecting member is inserted into the through hole to transmit light along the through hole and the insertion portion. And a light guide capable of transmission.
In this case, the light guide inserted through the through hole is fixed with respect to the movable connecting portion and rotates around the rotation center with respect to the operation portion. Therefore, even if the incident light beam incident on the light guide and the light guide move relative to each other between the movable connecting portion and the operation unit, the incident light beam can be suitably guided to the light guide.

  According to the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, the operation unit and the insertion unit are relatively movable within a predetermined movable range in the movable connection unit, so that the operation unit can be operated appropriately regardless of the state of the insertion unit. it can.

1 is a perspective view showing an endoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the back side of the same endoscope apparatus. (A) is a side view showing a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus, and (B) is a side view showing a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus in a partial cross-sectional view. (A) is a side view showing a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus in a partial cross-sectional view, (B) is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the configuration of the endoscope apparatus, (C) It is a side view which shows a partial structure of the endoscope apparatus in a partial cross-sectional view. (A) is a perspective view showing an enlarged part of the configuration of the endoscope apparatus, and (B) is a bottom view showing a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus in a partial cross-sectional view. It is a side view which shows the operation | movement at the time of use of the same endoscope apparatus. It is a figure showing one process at the time of use of the endoscope apparatus. (A) And (B) is a perspective view which shows the structure of the principal part of the endoscope apparatus of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows a partial structure of the endoscope apparatus in a partial cross-sectional view. (A) And (B) is a side view which shows the operation | movement at the time of use of the same endoscope apparatus by a partial cross section view. (A) is a perspective view enlarging and showing the structure of the principal part of the endoscope apparatus of 3rd Embodiment of this invention, (B) is a front view which expands and shows the structure of the principal part of the same endoscope apparatus. It is. It is a side view which shows the operation | movement at the time of use of the same endoscope apparatus in a partial cross section view. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the modification of the same endoscope apparatus partially fractured | ruptured. It is a bottom view which shows the structure of the principal part of the endoscope apparatus of 4th Embodiment of this invention by a cross sectional view. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the principal part of the endoscope apparatus of 5th Embodiment of this invention. (A) And (B) is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the principal part of the endoscope apparatus. It is a front view which shows the structure of a part of the endoscope apparatus. (A) And (B) is a side view which shows operation | movement at the time of use of the same endoscope apparatus by sectional view. It is a perspective view which shows the back side of the endoscope apparatus of 6th Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the principal part of the same endoscope apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the principal part of the same endoscope apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the modification of the same endoscope apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the back side of the endoscope apparatus of 7th Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the same endoscope apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the principal part of the same endoscope apparatus. (A) is a perspective view showing an exploded configuration of a modification of the endoscope apparatus, and (B) is a cross-sectional view showing a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus. It is a perspective view which decomposes | disassembles and shows the structure of the principal part of the endoscope apparatus of 8th Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which decomposes | disassembles and shows the endoscope apparatus of 9th Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the endoscope apparatus of 10th Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the endoscope apparatus of 11th Embodiment of this invention.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, an endoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an endoscope apparatus 1 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope apparatus 1 includes an insertion unit 20 that is inserted into an object to be observed, an operation unit 30 for operating the insertion unit 20, and the operation of the insertion unit 20. And a movable connecting portion 40 that connects the portion 30 so as to be relatively movable between a predetermined movable range.

  The insertion portion 20 is configured in a cylindrical shape extending from the proximal end 21 toward the distal end 22 and is configured to insert the distal end 22 side into the object. The distal end 22 includes an imaging mechanism 50 for capturing an optical image of the object, an illumination mechanism 60 for irradiating the object with illumination light, and a bending portion 70 that bends the distal end 22 side of the insertion portion 20. And a bending motion part 71 which is a part of the head. A distal end lens 51 of the imaging mechanism 50 and a light projecting portion 61 of the illumination mechanism 60 are provided at the distal end 22 of the insertion unit 20.

  The operation unit 30 includes a grip unit 31 that is gripped by a user and an operation unit main body 32 that is integrally formed with the grip unit 31. The grip portion 31 is provided with an input portion 31a for the user to input the bending direction of the bending operation portion 71 in the bending portion 70, the magnitude of the bending angle, and the like. The operation unit main body 32 is provided with a display 32a that displays an image of an optical image picked up by the image pickup mechanism 50, a message accompanying an operation of the endoscope apparatus 1, and the like. In the present embodiment, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is adopted as the display 32a.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the back side of the endoscope apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the movable connecting portion 40 is interposed between the proximal end 21 of the insertion portion 20 and the operation portion main body 32 of the operation portion 30. The movable connection part 40 and the insertion part 20 are fixed, and the movable connection part 40 and the operation part main body 32 are relatively movable.

  FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus 1, and is an enlarged side view showing the vicinity of the movable connecting portion 40. FIG. 3B is a diagram showing a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 3A in a partial cross-sectional view, and is a side view showing the vicinity of the movable connecting portion 40 in an enlarged manner. . As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the movable connecting portion 40 includes a connecting body 41, a protrusion 42 that protrudes outward from the connecting body 41, and a contact electrode provided on the connecting body 41. 43.

  The protrusion 42 is formed in a cylindrical shape that is circular in a side view shown in FIG. Further, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3B, the connection main body 41 can rotate about the protrusion 42 as a rotation axis, and the movable range is limited by the outer wall surface of the operation section main body 32. The movable range of the movable connecting portion 40 is set to a range defined by the contact between the connecting main body 41 and the operation portion main body 32.

  Although described in detail later, the contact electrode 43 is provided for exchanging electric power, an electric signal, and the like supplied to the imaging mechanism 50 and the bending unit 70 with the operation unit 30.

FIG. 4A is a side view showing a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus 1 in a partial cross-sectional view. FIG. 4B is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the configuration of the endoscope apparatus 1. FIG. 4C is a side view showing a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus 1 in a partial cross-sectional view.
As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the end of the operation unit 30 on the operation unit main body 32 side is a rotation support mechanism that supports the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 in a relatively rotatable manner. The rotation support part 33 which is a part is provided.

  The rotation support portion 33 is formed with a groove 332 in which the interval between the opposing wall portions 332 a is formed to be equal to the diameter of the protrusion 42. The groove 332 is formed with an arcuate wall portion 332b along the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 42, and the wall portion 332b and the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 42 are slidably in contact with each other (hereinafter, slidable with each other). A state of contact in a positional relationship is referred to as “sliding contact”). Further, a stopper member 331 is fitted between each of the wall portions 332a and fixed by adhesion.

  The stopper member 331 includes a wall portion 331 a that contacts each of the wall portions 332 a and an arcuate wall portion 331 b that extends along the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 42. The stopper member 331 is assembled in the groove 332, so that the wall portion 331b and the wall portion 332b surround the outer peripheral surface of the projection 42 to support the projection 42. The center of a circle generated by the wall portion 331b and the wall portion 332b is a rotation axis O1 in the relative rotation between the connection main body 41 and the rotation support portion 33.

FIG. 4C is a side view in which a part of the configuration of the endoscope apparatus 1 is viewed in cross section from the side opposite to that in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4C, the rotation support portion 33 is provided with a passive electrode 333 that can contact the contact electrode 43 described above. The passive electrode 333 is formed in an arc shape around the rotation axis O1. Further, the passive electrode 333 is configured in a shape that can maintain contact with the contact electrode 43 in a movable range of the rotation support portion 33 and the connection main body 41. For example, the passive electrode 333 is formed in a belt shape along an arc that is equal to the rotation angle θ of the connection body 41 with respect to the rotation support portion 33.
Although details will be described later, as many passive electrodes 333 as the number corresponding to each contact electrode in the contact electrode 43 are provided concentrically adjacent to each other as in the passive electrodes 333a, 333b, and 333c, for example.

FIG. 5A is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the configuration of the endoscope apparatus 1. FIG. 5B is a bottom view showing a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus 1 in a partial cross-sectional view, and is a view showing a state in which the connection main body 41 and the rotation support portion 33 are assembled.
As shown in FIG. 5A, two protrusions 42 are formed on the connecting body 41 so that the bus bar is positioned coaxially with the rotation axis O1. The contact electrode 43 is provided with contact electrodes 43a, 43b, and 43c that are in contact with the passive electrodes 333a, 333b, and 333c, respectively. A slip ring mechanism 46 is configured by the passive electrode 333 and the contact electrode 43.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, a sheath 20 a that constitutes the insertion portion 20 is fixed to the connection main body 41. Inside the sheath 20 a are a part of the imaging mechanism 50 and a signal line 52 electrically connected to a solid-state imaging device (not shown) disposed at the distal end 22 of the insertion portion 20, and a part of the illumination mechanism 60. A light guide 62 connected to the light projecting portion 61 and an angle wire 72 that is a part of the bending portion 70 and is fixed to the distal end 22 of the insertion portion 20 are disposed.

  The signal line 52 is composed of a plurality of cables.

  One end of the light guide 62 is connected to the light projecting unit 61 and the other end is provided to extend inside the coupling body 41, and a light source 63 is connected to the other end of the light guide 62. Although not shown in detail, the light source 63 of this embodiment is an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and power is supplied through the contact electrodes 43b and 43c and the passive electrodes 333b and 333c. When power is supplied to the light source 63, the light source 63 emits light, light is transmitted to the light projecting unit 61 through the light guide 62, and illumination light is emitted from the light projecting unit 61.

  Both ends of the angle wire 72 are fixed at radially spaced positions at the distal end 22 of the insertion portion 20, and the intermediate portion is inserted into the lumen of the sheath 20 a so as to be disposed inside the connection body 41. Has been. An intermediate portion of the angle wire 72 is provided with a pulley 73 around which the angle wire 72 is wound and a rotation drive mechanism 75 capable of rotating the pulley 73 around the shaft 74 as a pulling portion that pulls the angle wire 72. ing. In this embodiment, the rotation drive mechanism 75 employs a motor that receives electric power and rotates the shaft 74.

  The signal line 52, the light guide 62, and the angle wire 72 are positioned by connecting members 211 and 212 interposed between the sheath 20a and the connecting body 41. Further, the connecting members 211 and 212 are arranged so as to block the space between the sheath 20a and the connecting body 41 in a watertight manner. In addition, an O-ring 411 is provided between the movable connecting portion 40 and the end on the operation unit main body 32 side to prevent intrusion of water or the like from the outside, and the contact electrode 43 is protected. . For this reason, it is suppressed by the connection members 211 and 212 that the water leaks from the connection part of the sheath 20a and the connection main body 41 to the inside of the connection main body 41 or the inside of the sheath 20a.

The operation of the endoscope apparatus 1 of the present embodiment having the configuration described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.
FIG. 6 is a side view showing an operation when the endoscope apparatus 1 is used. The endoscope apparatus 1 is swingable at a movable connection portion 40 between the insertion portion 20 and the operation portion 30. For example, in the operation unit 30, when the display 32a of the operation unit main body 32 is vertically upward and the grip unit 31 is horizontally positioned as shown in FIG. Looking down. In accordance with the change in the relative positional relationship between the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30, the relative positional relationship between the movable connecting unit 40 and the operation unit 30 changes.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a process during use of the endoscope apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 7, when using the endoscope apparatus 1, the user U holds the grip portion 31 and operates the endoscope apparatus 1. The user U can operate the input unit 31 a with the first finger of the hand holding the holding unit 31. At this time, since the grip portion 31 is gripped by the second finger to the fifth finger, the user U can grip the endoscope device 1 stably.

  When the user U is gripping the grip portion 31, the line of sight L of the user U is mainly directed toward the display 32a of the operation portion main body 32. Here, the visibility of the display 32a is high when the line of sight L of the user U and the surface of the display 32a are orthogonal to each other. Therefore, the line of sight L of the user U is directed downward from the horizontal, and the operation unit 30 of the endoscope apparatus 1 is in a positional relationship having an angle θ1 with respect to the horizontal line Oh. For example, when the operation unit 30 is in a positional relationship along the axis O2, the operation unit 30 and the movable connection unit 40 rotate around the protrusion 42 (rotation axis O1) between the operation unit 30 and the movable connection unit 40. Is done.

  In addition, when the positional relationship of the operation unit 30 is within the range of the angle θ1 from the horizontal line Oh, the operation unit 30 and the movable connecting unit 40 are within the range of the angle θ that is within the movable range. Regardless, the insertion portion 20 is directed vertically downward by its own weight.

  As described above, according to the endoscope apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 are connected by the movable connection unit 40, but the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 are predetermined. Relative movement is possible between the angle θ which is the movable range. For this reason, the operation part 30 can be operated suitably irrespective of the state of the insertion part 20. For example, even if the position of the insertion unit 20 is changed by moving an object to be observed, the operation unit 30 does not move from the position of the operation unit 30 suitable for the user. The part 31a can be maintained at a position where the operability is good.

  On the other hand, when the display unit 32a is difficult to see when the insertion unit 20 is inserted into the object or the input unit 31a is difficult to operate, the operation unit 30 is moved to a predetermined position with respect to the insertion unit 20. It can move so that it may become a desired positional relationship between angle (theta) which is a range. For this reason, the operativity of the operation part 30 can be improved.

  Further, the angle wire 72 extends toward the proximal end 21 of the insertion portion 20 and extends into the connection main body 41 of the movable connection portion 40. The angle wire 72 is pulled by a rotation drive mechanism 75 (motor) and a pulley 73 as a pulling portion inside the connection body 41. For this reason, even if the relative position of the operation part 30 and the insertion part 20 changes in the movable connection part 40, the relative position of the rotational drive mechanism 75, the pulley 73, and the insertion part 20 does not change. Therefore, the traction force of the angle wire 72 is transmitted to the bending operation unit 71 disposed at the distal end 22 of the insertion unit 20 with high accuracy.

  Further, both ends of the angle wire 72 are fixed at radially spaced positions at the distal end 22 of the insertion portion 20, and are pulled by a pulley 73 and a rotational drive mechanism 75 (motor) at an intermediate portion of the angle wire 72. For this reason, the distal end 22 of the insertion portion 20 can be bent in two opposing directions with respect to one angle wire 72. For this reason, it can be set as a space-saving structure by reducing the number of the rotational drive mechanisms 75 and the pulleys 73. FIG.

  Further, a slip ring mechanism is configured by the passive electrode 333 provided on the operation unit 30 side and the contact electrode 43 provided on the movable connection unit 40 side. For this reason, the driving power for driving the rotation driving mechanism 75, the power for causing the light source 63 to emit light, and the signal transmitted to and received from the solid-state imaging device in the imaging mechanism 50 are transmitted via the passive electrode 333 and the contact electrode 43. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the drive power and the signal from being interrupted when the operation unit 30 and the insertion unit 20 are relatively rotated in the movable connecting unit 40. In addition, it is possible to suppress fatigue of the driving power and the signal line for transmitting signals when the relative rotation operation between the operation unit 30 and the insertion unit 20 is repeated.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, an endoscope apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In each embodiment described below, portions having the same configuration as those of the endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  The endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment includes a neutral member interposed between the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30, and the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 are at a predetermined position in an intermediate portion of a predetermined movable range. The configuration is different from that of the endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment in that it is biased so as to be stationary.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment, and (A) and (B) are perspective views illustrating a configuration of a main part of the endoscope apparatus.

FIG. 8A shows an enlarged portion of the movable connecting portion 40. As shown in FIG. 8A, the connection main body 41 is provided with a neutral member 44 so that the protrusion 42 penetrates the protrusion 42 in the radial direction.
The neutral member 44 is formed of an elastic member having elasticity, and folded portions 44a and 44b are formed at both ends. Specifically, the neutral member 44 is configured by inserting and fixing an elastic wire through the protrusion 42 and folding both ends. Further, the neutral member 44 is provided for each of the protrusions 42.

  FIG. 8B shows an enlarged part of the operation unit 30. As shown in FIG. 8B, the rotation support portion 33 of the operation portion 30 is provided with sliding contact surfaces 334a and 334b with which the neutral member 44 can slide.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing the operation unit 30 in a partial cross section. In addition, the insertion part 20 and the movable connection part 40 are shown with the dashed-two dotted line.
As shown in FIG. 9, in the endoscope apparatus 2 of the present embodiment, a predetermined movable range of the movable connecting portion 40 is restricted at a position where the operation portion 30 and the connecting main body 41 are in contact with each other. In the present embodiment, the movable range of the movable connecting portion 40 with respect to the operation unit 30 when the longitudinal direction (axis O2 direction) of the operation unit 30 is an angle 0 is 90 degrees.

  In a state where the operation unit 30 and the connection main body 41 are assembled, the amount of elastic deformation of the neutral member 44 in the positional relationship in which the operation unit 30 and the movable connection unit 40 are at an angle of 45 degrees around the rotation axis O1. The least. At this time, the folded portions 44a and 44b of the neutral member 44 are in contact with the sliding contact surfaces 334a and 334b. If the weight of the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 is ignored, the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 are stationary at a predetermined position where the angle is 45 degrees.

  FIGS. 10A and 10B are side views showing a partial cross-sectional view of the operation of the endoscope apparatus 2 when it is used. As shown in FIG. 10A, when the connection main body 41 is relatively rotated from the axis O102 to the axis O103 with respect to the operation unit 30, the neutral member 44 comes into contact with the sliding contact surface 334b. The neutral member 44 is elastically deformed on the folded portion 44b side. On the other hand, the folded portion 44a is separated from the sliding contact surface 334a. At this time, the folded portion 44b is biased in a direction in which the shape of the neutral member 44 is restored.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10B, when the connecting body 41 is relatively rotated with respect to the operation unit 30 from the axis O102 toward the axis O104, the neutral member 44 contacts the sliding contact surface 334a. To do. Further, the neutral member 44 is elastically deformed on the folded portion 44a side. Therefore, contrary to the above-mentioned relative movement toward the axis O103 side, the neutral member 44 is biased in the direction in which the shape of the neutral member 44 is restored on the folded-back portion 44a side.
As described above, the connecting body 41 is biased toward the axis O102 regardless of the direction of the axis O103 and the axis O104 when the connecting body 41 is moved relative to the operation unit 30.

  In the endoscope apparatus 2 of the present embodiment, the positional relationship of the insertion portion 20 is urged not to be vertically downward as in the endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment but to a predetermined position defined by the neutral member 44. Has been. In the natural state, the insertion member 20 and the operation unit 30 are positioned at the predetermined position of the above-described angle of 45 degrees by the action of the neutral member 44.

Further, when the relative position between the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 is changed, the neutral member 44 suppresses a sudden change in the relative position between the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30. Therefore, the impact on the operation unit 30 due to the relative movement between the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 is reduced. Furthermore, since the collision between the insertion portion 20 and the operation portion 30 is suppressed, damage to the insertion portion 20, the operation portion 30, and the movable connecting portion 40 can be suppressed.
The predetermined position defined by the neutral member 44 may be set to an appropriate angle by changing the positional relationship between the neutral member 44 and the protrusion 42. The predetermined position is set by changing the relative positional relationship between the axis of the through hole formed in the protrusion 42 and the connecting body 41 so that the neutral member 44 is inserted so as to have an appropriate angle around the rotation axis O1. This can be achieved.
At this time, a configuration may be adopted in which a plurality of through holes having an angle around the rotation axis O1 are formed in the protrusion 42, and through holes having a desired positional relationship are selected from the plurality of through holes. .

(Third embodiment)
Next, an endoscope apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment is different from the endoscope apparatuses of the above-described embodiments in the configuration of wiring between the movable connecting portion 40 and the operation unit 30.
11A is an enlarged perspective view showing the movable connecting portion 40, and FIG. 11B is an enlarged front view showing the operating portion 30 in a state where the movable connecting portion 40 is removed from the operating portion 30. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 11A, in the endoscope apparatus 3 of the present embodiment, the movable connecting portion 40 has a connecting body 141 instead of the connecting body 41. The connection main body 141 has a through-hole portion 143 through which the signal line 52 and the light guide 62 are inserted so as to freely advance and retract. Further, the through hole portion 143 is formed at a position recessed inward with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the connection main body 141. This recess is formed on the outer surface of the connecting body 141 so as to extend concentrically with the rotation axis O1. Although details are not shown, the gap between the signal line 52 and the light guide 62 in the through-hole portion 143 is closed watertight.

  As shown in FIG. 11 (B), the operation portion 30 is provided with a through hole portion 335 into which the signal line 52 extending from the connection main body 41 and the light guide 62 are inserted through the through hole portion 143. Although details are not shown, the gap between the signal line 52 and the light guide 62 in the through hole portion 335 is closed in a watertight manner in the same manner as the through hole portion 143.

  FIG. 12 is a side view showing an operation in use of the endoscope apparatus 3 in a partial sectional view. As shown in FIG. 12, also in the endoscope apparatus 3, the connection main body 141 is relatively rotated around the protrusion 42 with respect to the operation unit 30 in the same manner as the endoscope apparatus 1 described above. At this time, the signal line 52 and the light guide 62 are moved back and forth inside the through hole 143, and the length by which the signal line 52 and the light guide 62 are extended from the through hole 143 changes. For this reason, even if the insertion part 20 and the operation part 30 are relatively moved, it is suppressed that tension | tensile_strength arises between the signal wire | line 52 and the light guide 62. FIG. For this reason, disconnection of the signal line 52 and the light guide 62 is suppressed.

(Modification 1)
Below, the modification of the endoscope apparatus of this embodiment is demonstrated with reference to FIG.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a partially broken configuration of the endoscope apparatus according to the present modification, and is a diagram showing the configuration of the movable connecting portion 40.
As shown in FIG. 13, in this modification, a CCU (Communication Control Unit) 53 that is electrically connected to the signal line 52 and receives a signal from the solid-state imaging device, and a light source 63 are arranged inside the coupling body 141. Has been. A signal line 152 and a power supply line 64 extending from the CCU 53 and the light source 63 are inserted into the through-hole portion 143.

Even with such a configuration, the insertion unit 20 can be moved relative to the operation unit 30 in the same manner as the endoscope apparatus 3 described above, and disconnection of the signal line 152 and the power supply line 64 can be suppressed.
In this modification, the example in which the CCD is employed as the image sensor has been described, but another element, for example, a CMOS sensor may be employed. In this case, the position of the CCU 53 can be simplified as a mount portion for securing a video output and a power supply line. Moreover, when LED is employ | adopted for the light source 63, a structure can be made still more compact.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, an endoscope apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The endoscope apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a slip ring mechanism 142b capable of transmitting a signal flowing through the signal line 52, and a connection member 142a capable of relaying light transmitted to the light guide 62, instead of the protrusion 42. Therefore, the configuration is different from the endoscope apparatus of each embodiment described above.

  FIG. 14 is a bottom view showing the configuration of the main part of the endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment in a cross-sectional view. As shown in FIG. 14, in the endoscope apparatus 4, a connecting body 241 is provided in the movable connecting portion 40 in place of the connecting body 41.

  As in the endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, an angle wire 72, a pulley 73, and a rotation drive mechanism 75 are arranged inside the connection main body 241.

  The slip ring mechanism 142b is provided with a contact electrode (not shown) and a passive electrode that can rotate relative to each other on the same axis as the rotation axis O1, and the slip ring mechanism 142b alone is configured to be capable of infinite rotation. The slip ring mechanism 142b is inserted into a bearing 1332b formed on the rotation support portion 33 in the operation portion 30 and fixed at one end, and the signal line 52 is provided on the operation portion 30 side via the slip ring mechanism 142b. It is electrically connected to the signal line 52b.

  The connecting member 142a is provided coaxially with the rotation axis O1 so as to pass through the coupling body 241 and has a through hole extending along the rotation axis O1. The light guide 62 is inserted into the through hole formed in the connecting member 142a.

  Further, the connection member 142a protrudes from the outer surface of the connection main body 241, and the operation unit 30 is provided with a bearing 1332a that supports the outer peripheral surface of the connection member 142a. In the present embodiment, a ball bearing capable of reducing the sliding resistance between the operation unit 30 and the connection member 142a is employed as the bearing 1332a.

  A light source 63 is connected to the connection member 142 a inserted into the operation unit 30. An attachment 1421 is interposed between the light source 63 and the connection member 142a, and the light beam of the light source 63 is set to enter the light guide 62 inserted into the connection member 142a.

  In the present embodiment, the slip ring mechanism 142b and the connection member 142a provided in place of the protrusions 42 are used for signal transmission between the solid-state imaging device and the electrical connection between the light guide 62 and the light source 63, and the movable member. It also serves as a function of supporting the connecting portion 40 so as to be rotatable.

  The light guide 62 inserted through the connection member 142a is fixed to the connection main body 241 of the movable connection portion 40 and rotates around the rotation axis O1 with respect to the operation portion 30. Therefore, even if the incident light beam incident on the light guide 62 and the light guide 62 are relatively moved between the movable connecting portion 40 and the operation unit 30, the incident light beam can be suitably guided to the light guide 62. For this reason, the illumination light in the light projection part 61 can be maintained brightly.

(Fifth embodiment)
Next, an endoscope apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 to 18.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a main part of the endoscope apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 15, the endoscope apparatus 5 includes a pulling portion 370 a that is a part of the bending portion 70 on the proximal end 21 side of the insertion portion 20. The movable connecting portion 40 is provided with a connecting body 341 instead of the connecting body 41. The connection main body 341 is formed between a pair of side wall portions 341 a formed with protrusions 42 to be connected to the operation portion 30 and the side wall portions 341 a, and can be slidably contacted with the operation portion 30. A sliding contact curved surface 341b is formed. The sliding surface 341b has a condensing lens portion 344 that is concentric with the rotation axis O1 and extends along the sliding surface 341b, and a contact electrode 343 that is exposed to the sliding surface 341b and extends concentrically with the rotation axis O1. And are provided.

FIG. 16A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a main part of the endoscope device 5, and is a view in which the connection main body 341 is viewed in cross section at a position including the condenser lens portion 344. As shown in FIG. 16A, the condensing lens portion 344 is connected to the light guide 62 inside the coupling body 341. Further, a reflective material 345 is interposed between the condensing lens portion 344 and the connection main body 341, and a reflection portion 347 that reflects the leaked light is also provided around the light source 63. The light incident on the optical lens unit 344 is totally reflected and transmitted to the light guide 62.
The reflecting portion 347 has flexibility (flexibility) that can change its shape in accordance with the operation of the connection main body 341, and is in close contact with the condenser lens portion 344.

  FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a part of the insertion portion 20, and shows one of the pulling portions 370a. As shown in FIG. 16 (B), inside the sheath 20a of the insertion portion 20, there are a rotation drive mechanism 375, a gear 376 and a gear 73a for converting the direction of the rotational force of the rotation drive mechanism 375 into a direction orthogonal to each other, A pulley 73 that rotates integrally with the gear 73a is provided.

  The angle wire 72 is wound around the pulley 73 similarly to the angle wire 72 of the first embodiment. The angle wire 72 is inserted through a flexible cylindrical wire guide 72a.

  The pulling portion 370a is fixed by a pin 377 inside a connecting tube 378 interposed in a part of the sheath 20a. Two pulling portions 370a are provided in the insertion portion 20 so as to be separated from each other in the axial direction. Although not shown in detail, the bending operation portion 71 can be bent in four directions by two angle wires.

  FIG. 17 is a front view showing the operation unit 30 of the endoscope apparatus 5. In the operation unit 30, a light source 63 is disposed at a position where it overlaps with the condenser lens unit 344 when the above-described coupling body 341 is assembled. Further, a passive electrode 336 corresponding to each of the contact electrodes 343 shown in FIG. 15 is provided, and a slip ring mechanism 346 is configured by the contact electrode 343 and the passive electrode 336. The slip ring mechanism 346 transmits / receives a signal to / from the solid-state image sensor of the imaging mechanism 50 and supplies power to the rotation driving mechanism 375.

  FIG. 18A and FIG. 18B are diagrams showing an operation when the endoscope apparatus 5 is used, and are side views showing a partial configuration of the endoscope apparatus 1 in a partial cross-sectional view.

  As shown in FIG. 18A, the light source 63 and the condensing lens unit 344 are always in contact with each other within the movable range thereof, and slide with each other when the operation unit 30 and the movable connecting unit 40 are relatively rotated. It is touched. For this reason, the light generated by the light source 63 is incident on the condenser lens portion 344. In the condenser lens unit 344, the incident light beam is guided to the light guide 62, and the light transmitted from the light source 63 and incident on the light guide 62 is received at the distal end 22 of the insertion unit 20 as in the endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. Irradiated from the light projecting unit 61.

  As shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, even if relative movement between the operation unit 30 and the coupling body 341 occurs, the light generated by the light source 63 enters the condenser lens unit 344 without being blocked. The condenser lens unit 344 guides the incident light beam incident from the light source 63 to the light guide 62 regardless of the positional relationship between the condenser lens unit 344 and the light source 63. For this reason, even if the positional relationship between the operation unit 30 and the connection main body 341 changes, fluctuations in the brightness of the illumination light emitted from the light projecting unit 61 are suppressed.

  According to the endoscope device 5 of the present embodiment, the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 can be relatively rotated within a predetermined movable range, similarly to the endoscope device 1 of the first embodiment. For this reason, the operation part 30 can be operated suitably irrespective of the state of the insertion part 20. Further, since the condensing lens unit 344 is interposed between the light guide 62 and the light source 63, even if the positional relationship between the operation unit 30 and the connection main body 341 changes, the light guide and the signal line are excessive. Generation of bending stress is suppressed.

(Sixth embodiment)
Next, an endoscope apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the endoscope apparatus 6 of the present embodiment, the configuration of the movable connecting portion 40 is different from the configurations of the endoscope apparatuses of the above-described embodiments.

  FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the back side of the endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 19, the endoscope apparatus 6 includes a connection main body 441 in place of the connection main body 41 in the movable connection portion 40. The connection main body 441 and the operation unit 30 can rotate around the central axis O401 at the hinge 442.

  FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a main part of the endoscope apparatus 6, and is a perspective view illustrating the connection main body 441 in an exploded manner. As shown in FIG. 20, a traction unit 470, a CCU 53, and a light source 63, which are part of the bending unit 70, are arranged inside the connection main body 441.

  The towing unit 470 is housed in a case including a lid 470a and a housing 470b, and the lid 470a and the housing 470b are fixed by screws 470c. The lid 470a is provided with a band 470d for fixing the signal line 52 and the light guide 62, and each of the signal line 52 and the light guide 62 is positioned and fixed.

  FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the configuration of the main part of the endoscope apparatus 6, and is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the traction unit 470 by further disassembling the connection main body 441. As shown in FIG. 21, an angle wire 72 extending from the insertion portion 20 is connected to the pulling portion 470. In the present embodiment, the angle wire 72 includes two wires 4721 and 4722 and is wound around pulleys 4731 and 4732, respectively.

  Each of the wires 4721 and 4722 is fitted in a groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pulleys 4731 and 4732 and is fixed at one place. Furthermore, the outer peripheral surfaces of the pulleys 4731 and 4732 are formed in a gear shape.

  Motors 4751 and 4752 with gears 4761 and 4762 attached to the drive shaft are provided on the gear-like portions of the outer peripheral surfaces of the pulleys 4731 and 4732, and the pulleys 4731 and 4732 and the gears 4761 and 4762 are connected to each other. Yes.

  Also in the endoscope apparatus 6 of the present embodiment, the insertion section 20 and the operation section 30 are coupled to each other by a movable coupling section 40 so as to be rotatable at the hinge 442, as in the endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment described above. ing. For this reason, the operation part 30 can be operated suitably irrespective of the state of the insertion part 20. As a result, the operability of the operation unit 30 can be improved.

(Modification 2)
Below, the modification of the endoscope apparatus of this embodiment is demonstrated with reference to FIG.
FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing an endoscope apparatus according to this modification. As shown in FIG. 22, in this modification, a neutral member 444 is interposed between the connection main body 441 and the operation unit 30. The neutral member 444 of this modification is a coil spring, and is a coil spring that holds the connecting body 441 at an angle θ with respect to the operation unit 30, and more specifically, generates a biasing force for both tension and compression. .

  In the present modification, the neutral member 444 is provided, so that when the user grips and uses the operation unit 30, the insertion unit 20 is neutral against the force of the insertion unit 20 moving downward in the vertical direction. A biasing force of the member 444 is generated. For this reason, the positional relationship between the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 stops at an intermediate portion of the movable range between the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30. Thereby, there exists an effect similar to the endoscope apparatus 2 of 2nd Embodiment, and the impact to the operation part 30 accompanying the relative movement of the insertion part 20 and the operation part 30 is relieve | moderated. Furthermore, since the collision between the insertion portion 20 and the operation portion 30 is suppressed, damage to the insertion portion 20, the operation portion 30, and the movable connecting portion 40 can be suppressed.

(Seventh embodiment)
Next, an endoscope apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the movable direction of the movable connecting portion with respect to the operation unit 30 is different from the endoscope devices of the above-described embodiments.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing the back side of the endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 23, the endoscope apparatus 7 includes a movable connecting portion 740 instead of the movable connecting portion 40.
Although the movable connection part 740 is the same as the endoscope apparatus of each above-mentioned embodiment by the point attached to the operation part main body 32 side in the operation part 30. FIG. The direction of the rotation shaft when the relative rotation operation is performed between the operation unit 30 and the movable connection unit 740 is different.

  FIG. 24 is a side view of the endoscope apparatus 7. As shown in FIG. 24, the movable connecting portion 740 of the endoscope apparatus 7 has an axis O71 orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the operation portion 30 as a rotational axis in a side view shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the axis O71 is also orthogonal to the surface of the display 32a. For example, when the display 32a is arranged with a tilt angle in the operation unit main body 32, the axis O71 may be set so as to be orthogonal to the back surface 32b of the operation unit main body 32, and on the surface of the display 32a. It does not need to be orthogonal. Thus, the axis O71 can be set at an appropriate angle with respect to the operation unit 30.

  FIG. 25 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of the endoscope apparatus 7. As shown in FIG. 25, the movable connecting portion 740 includes a connecting body 741 that is fixed to the insertion portion 20 and connected to the operation portion 30 so as to be capable of relative rotation. A CCU 53 and a light source 63 are arranged inside the connection main body 741.

  Further, in the bending portion 70, the angle wire 72 extends from the insertion portion 20 to the grip portion 31 side through the inside of the connection main body 741 while being inserted through the wire guide 72 a. Further, the operation portion main body 32 is formed with a drawing port 731 a (not shown in detail) for drawing the angle wire 72 into the grip portion 31. An angle wire 72 is drawn into the grip portion 31 through a pull-in port 731a, and the pull portion has the pulley 73 and the rotation drive mechanism 75 described in each of the above-described embodiments. Has been.

  In the present embodiment, the operation unit 30 and the movable connection unit 740 can be relatively rotated around the axis O71. For this reason, the operation part 30 can be operated suitably irrespective of the state of the insertion part 20. As a result, the operability of the operation unit 30 can be improved.

(Modification 3)
Below, the modification of the endoscope apparatus of this embodiment is demonstrated with reference to FIG. 26 (A) and FIG.26 (B). FIG. 26A is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the configuration of the endoscope apparatus according to this modification. FIG. 26B is a cross-sectional view showing the operation unit and the movable connection unit of the endoscope apparatus according to this modification.

  As shown in FIG. 26A, in this modification, a neutral position is applied between the operation unit 30 and the connection main body 741 so that the positional relationship between the operation unit 30 and the connection main body 741 is stopped at a predetermined position. A member 744 is provided. The neutral member 744 of the present embodiment is configured by an elastic wire or plate.

The operation member 30 has a neutral member 744 fixed thereto, and a disc member 744c attached to the operation member 30 so as to be rotatable about the axis O71, and a stopper capable of contacting the outer peripheral surfaces of both ends of the neutral member 744. 744a.
The disk member 744c has screw holes 748 and 748a into which the screws 747 are screwed, and is fixed to the connection main body 741 by the screws 747 and 747a. The screw 747a is screwed into the screw hole 748a and fixed without interfering with the neutral member 744.

When the connection main body 741 is relatively rotated around the axis O71 with respect to the operation unit 30, the disk member 744c is rotated about the axis O71 integrally with the connection main body 741. For example, when the connecting body 741 is relatively rotated with respect to the operation unit 30 in the X direction shown in the drawing, one of the neutral members 744 is pressed against the stopper 744b and the other is separated from the stopper 744a. Therefore, the neutral member 744 is elastically deformed on the side pressed against the stopper 744b, and an urging force is generated in the restoring direction. Conversely, when the coupling body 741 is relatively rotated in the Y direction shown in the figure with respect to the operation unit 30 and the neutral member 744 is pressed against the stopper 744a, an urging force in the direction opposite to that described above is generated.
For this reason, in the neutral member 744, the operation part 30 and the connection main body 741 stand still in the position where the amount of elastic deformation is the smallest.

  As shown in FIG. 26B, a pulley unit 773 is provided between the connection main body 741 and the operation unit 30 so as to pass through the connection main body 741 and the operation unit 30 along the axis O71. Yes. The pulley unit 773 includes a pulley 7731 having a cylindrical first drive shaft 7731a extending along the axis O71, and a pulley 7732 having a second drive shaft 7732a into which the pulley 7731 is rotatably inserted.

  An angle wire 72 (not shown) is wound around the pulleys 7731 and 7732, and each of the pulleys 7731 and 7732 is individually rotated by a rotation drive mechanism 75 (not shown) disposed inside the operation unit 30. Further, the signal line 52 and the light guide 62 are inserted into the first drive shaft of the pulley 7731 and extend into the operation unit 30.

  Even if it is such a structure, there can exist an effect similar to the endoscope apparatus 7 of this embodiment. Further, since the neutral member 744 is provided, a sudden change in the relative position between the insertion portion 20 and the operation portion 30 is suppressed by the biasing force of the neutral member 744. Accordingly, the impact on the operation unit 30 due to the relative movement between the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 is reduced.

(Eighth embodiment)
Next, an endoscope apparatus according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 27 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a part of the configuration of the endoscope apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 27, the endoscope apparatus 8 is the same as the endoscope apparatus 7 of the seventh embodiment in that the endoscope apparatus 8 can be relatively rotated around the axis O71 with respect to the operation unit 30.
The configuration of the endoscope apparatus 8 is different from that of the endoscope apparatus 7 according to the seventh embodiment in that a neutral member 844 is further provided. Further, the endoscope apparatus 8 includes a movable connecting portion 840 instead of the movable connecting portion 740, and the movable connecting portion 840 includes a connecting body 841 instead of the connecting body 741.

  The connection main body 841 is provided with an engagement protrusion 841a formed to protrude radially outward on the outer peripheral surface. The engaging protrusion 841 a is engaged with an engaged portion 843 provided at an intermediate portion of the neutral member 844.

  The neutral member 844 is an elastic member made of a resin material, and both end portions 844a and 844b are fixed to the operation portion 30, and the intermediate portion is engaged with the connection main body 841 as described above.

  In the present embodiment, when the operation unit 30 and the connection main body 841 are relatively rotated around the axis O71, the engaged portion 843 of the neutral member 844 is moved around the axis O71 by the engagement protrusion 841a. Here, since the end portions 844a and 844b of the neutral member 844 are both fixed to the operation portion 30, the region on the end portion 844a side of the engaged portion 843 and the end portion 844b side of the engaged portion 843 are disposed. One of the regions is elastically deformed to expand and the other to contract.

Then, a restoring force is generated in the neutral member 844 to return to the natural state, and the operation unit 30 and the connection main body 841 are stopped at a position where the amount of elastic deformation of the neutral member 844 is the smallest.
Thus, in the endoscope apparatus 8 of the present embodiment, the operation unit 30 and the connection main body 841 are biased by the biasing force of the resin neutral member 844. Therefore, a rapid change in the relative position between the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 is suppressed. Therefore, the impact on the operation unit 30 due to the relative movement between the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30 can be reduced with a simple configuration.

(Ninth embodiment)
Next, an endoscope apparatus according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment, the configuration of the movable connecting portion is different from the configuration of the movable connecting portion in the endoscope apparatus of each of the embodiments described above.
FIG. 28 is an exploded perspective view showing the endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 28, the endoscope apparatus 9 includes a movable coupling portion 940 instead of the movable coupling portion 740.

  The movable connecting portion 940 includes a first connecting body 941a to which the angle wire 72 extending from the insertion portion 20 is connected, and a second connecting body 941b to which the signal line 52 extending from the insertion portion 20 and the light guide 62 are connected. Have. The first connection main body 941a and the second connection main body 941b are overlapped and fixed to each other, and are configured integrally.

  Inside the first connecting body 941a, a pulley 973a around which an angle wire 72 is wound, a gear 973b that is coaxially formed integrally with the pulley 973a, a worm gear 976 that meshes with the gear 973b, and a worm gear 976 are rotated. And a rotational drive mechanism 975 to be moved. In this embodiment, since the rotational force is transmitted by the worm gear 976 between the pulley 973a and the rotational drive mechanism 975, the rotational force of the rotational drive mechanism 975 is transmitted to the pulley 973a. Even if the rotational force is received, the rotational force is not transmitted to the rotational drive mechanism 975.

  In the present embodiment, two angle wires 72 are provided in the same manner as the endoscope apparatus 5 of the fifth embodiment. The pulley 973a, the gear 973b, the worm gear 976, and the rotation drive mechanism 975 are provided for each angle wire, and a total of two sets are arranged.

  A cylindrical connection tube 942 is formed inside the second connection main body 941b. The connecting cylinder 942 is inserted in a through hole 933 formed around the axis O71 in the operation unit 30 so as to be rotatable around the axis O71. The signal line 52 and the light guide 62 connected to the second connection main body 941b are both wound around the connection tube 942 with a slack, and then drawn out into the operation unit 30 along the inside of the connection tube 942. Yes.

  A connector unit 980 in which the CCU 53 and the light source 63 are integrally disposed is provided inside the operation unit 30, and the signal line 52 is detachably connected to the CCU 53 and the light guide 62 is detachably connected to the light source 63. . In the figure, the contents of the operation unit 30 indicate a connector unit 980, and the other components are not shown.

  Even with such a configuration, the operation unit 30 and the movable connection unit 940 can be moved relative to each other as in the endoscope apparatus 7 of the seventh embodiment.

(10th Embodiment)
Next, an endoscope apparatus according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment, the connection relationship between the insertion unit and the operation unit is different, and the configuration of the operation unit is different.
FIG. 29 is a perspective view showing the endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 29, the endoscope apparatus 10 includes an insertion unit 20, an operation unit 30 for operating the insertion unit 20, and a movable connection unit 40 interposed between the insertion unit 20 and the operation unit 30. And.

In the present embodiment, the connection relationship between the insertion unit 20 and the movable connection unit 40 is the same as that of the endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, but in the operation unit 30, the movable connection unit 40 is located on the gripping unit 31 side. The configuration differs from the endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment in that it is connected. In addition, the structure of the movable connection part 40 is the same as that of 1st Embodiment.
In addition, the operating portion 30 is formed with a hook portion 31b that is formed to extend outward from the end portion on the movable connecting portion 40 side in the grip portion 31.

  In the endoscope apparatus 10 of the present embodiment configured as described above, the positional relationship at the time of use is different from the endoscope apparatuses shown in the above-described embodiments. That is, the user uses the endoscope apparatus 10 in a positional relationship where the operation unit main body 32 side is the proximal end and the insertion unit 20 side is the distal end.

  In the endoscope apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, contents are concentrated and arranged in a portion of the operation unit 30 on the side of the operation unit main body 32 that is configured to be large. For this reason, the center of gravity of the endoscope apparatus 10 is located on the operation unit main body 32 side in the operation unit 30.

  Here, since the catching part 31 is provided with the catching part 31b, even if the user does not grasp the gripping part 31, the user can attach the hand to the gripping part 31 and the endoscopic device 10 can be operated by the catching part 31b. Can be supported. Further, even when the user unintentionally releases the hand from the grip portion 31, the endoscope apparatus 10 can be suppressed from falling. For this reason, breakage of the endoscope apparatus 10 can be suppressed.

  In addition, the endoscope apparatus 10 can be hooked to a handrail or other structure using a hooking portion 31 b provided in the grip portion 31. Further, when the endoscope apparatus 10 is to be placed on the desk from the state where the operation section 30 is held, the lower surface of the operation section 30 (the end face on the operation section main body 32 side) is configured to be large. The endoscope apparatus 10 can be placed in a stable state. For this reason, when the endoscope apparatus 10 is used, there are more choices of places where the endoscope apparatus 10 is placed when the endoscope apparatus 10 is temporarily released.

(Eleventh embodiment)
Next, an endoscope apparatus according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the endoscope apparatus according to the present embodiment, the shape of the operation unit 30 is different from the endoscope apparatuses according to the above-described embodiments.
FIG. 30 is a perspective view showing the endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 30, the endoscope apparatus 11 includes an insertion unit 20 and a movable connection unit 40 as in the endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. In addition, the operation unit 30 connected to the movable connection unit 40 is formed with an overhanging portion 31 c formed to protrude outward in the grip portion 31. A socket 81 in which a battery 80 for supplying electric power for driving each of the imaging mechanism 50, the illumination mechanism 60, and the bending portion 70 is disposed is formed inside the overhang portion 31c.

Although details are not shown, in addition to the display 32a, a control board of the imaging mechanism 50, a light source 63 of the illumination mechanism 60, a pulling unit of the bending unit 70, and the like are arranged inside the operation unit main body 32. Yes.
In addition, a rotating portion 31d that can be relatively rotated about the axis O111 is provided between the grip portion 31 and the operation portion main body 32.

  In the present embodiment, a heavy object is disposed inside the operation unit main body 32, and a battery 80, which is another heavy object, is disposed in the grip unit 31. For this reason, the center of gravity of the endoscope apparatus 11 is in the middle of the operation unit 30 in the direction of the axis O111. As a result, the weight balance when the user holds the endoscope apparatus 11 is good, and the burden on the user's wrist is reduced.

  Further, since the operation unit main body 32 can be relatively rotated around the axis O111 with respect to the grip part 31, it is desired that the display 32a has high visibility by changing the direction of the operation part main body 32 with respect to the grip part 31. Or the position where the input unit 31a can be easily operated.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail with reference to drawings, the concrete structure is not restricted to this embodiment, The design change etc. of the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention are included.
In each embodiment of the present invention, a rotational drive mechanism is employed to pull the angle wire 72. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a linear drive mechanism that pulls the angle wire 72 in the axial direction of the insertion portion 20 is employed. It does not matter.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Endoscope device 20 Insertion section 30 Operation section 33 Rotation support section (Rotation support mechanism)
40, 440, 540, 640, 740, 840, 940 Movable connecting part 42 Protrusion (rotation support mechanism)
44, 444, 744, 844 Neutral member 62 Light guide 70 Bending part 72 Angle wire 73, 4731, 4732, 7731, 7732 Pulley (traction part)
75 Rotation drive mechanism (traction part)
142a Connecting member 142b Slip ring mechanism 370a, 470 Traction unit

Claims (9)

An insertion part that is inserted into an object to be observed and extends in the direction of the central axis;
An operation unit for operating the insertion unit;
A movable connecting portion that connects the insertion portion and the operating portion so as to be relatively movable between a predetermined movable range;
An endoscope apparatus comprising: The movable connecting portion is
The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation support mechanism that supports the operation unit and the insertion unit so that the operation unit and the insertion unit can be relatively rotated between the movable ranges about a predetermined rotation axis. The rotation support mechanism is
A neutral member interposed between the insertion portion and the operation portion;
The endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the insertion member and the operation unit are urged by the neutral member so as to be stationary at a predetermined position in an intermediate portion of the movable range. The neutral member is
At least a part of the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit are connected together, and elastic deformation occurs between the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit in accordance with the relative movement of the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the endoscope apparatus is a possible elastic member.   The neutral member is connected to both the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit, and is elastic with relative movement between the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit between the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the endoscope apparatus is a deformable coil spring.   The neutral member is connected to both the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit, and an axis line is provided between the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit along with the relative movement of the rotation support mechanism and the operation unit. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the endoscope apparatus is a resin member that can expand and contract in a direction. The insertion portion has a distal end and a proximal end, and the proximal end is fixed to the movable connecting portion;
An angle wire that is arranged extending in the axial direction of the insertion portion and at least a part of which is fixed to the distal end of the insertion portion, and at least another portion of which is arranged extending to the proximal end side of the insertion portion; A bending portion having a pulling portion capable of pulling the distal end of the insertion portion in the proximal direction via the angle wire;
The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1.   The endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the movable connecting portion includes a slip ring mechanism having a rotation center coaxially with the rotation shaft. The movable connection portion has a rotation center coaxially with the rotation shaft, and one is fixed to the movable connection portion and the other is rotatable about the rotation center with respect to the operation portion. A connecting member connected and having a through hole along the pivot axis;
A light guide that is at least partially inserted through the through hole and capable of transmitting light along the through hole and the insertion portion;
The endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, comprising:

Images