JP4476043B2 - Tip connection structure of treatment instrument insertion channel of flexible endoscope - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a distal end connection structure of a treatment instrument insertion channel of a flexible endoscope.

  Generally, in a flexible endoscope, a treatment instrument protrusion is formed in a distal end body connected to a distal end of a flexible insertion section, and a treatment instrument insertion channel inserted in the insertion section is provided. The distal end portion is connected and fixed to the rear end portion of the distal end portion main body so as to communicate with the treatment instrument protruding port.

  As a connection fixing structure of the treatment instrument insertion channel to the rear end portion of such a distal end portion body, a structure in which a connection pipe projecting rearward from the rear end portion of the distal end portion body is inserted and connected to the distal end of the treatment instrument insertion channel Is widely adopted (for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, if the connecting pipe is projected backward from the rear end of the distal end main body, the distal end hard portion of the insertion portion becomes longer than the length of the distal end main body, causing pain to the person undergoing endoscopy. Make it bigger.

Therefore, a structure in which the distal end portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel is connected and fixed by being inserted into a channel insertion hole formed in the rear end surface of the distal end main body is widely adopted (for example, Patent Document 2).
JP-A-5-253177 JP2003-180619A

  An insertion portion (particularly a curved portion formed near the distal end) of the connection fixing portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel to the distal end main body of the flexible endoscope is irregularly and complicatedly bent. A large load is applied. Further, a larger load is applied to the connection fixing portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel when various treatment instruments are inserted and removed in such a state.

  Therefore, as in the invention described in Patent Document 2, in the structure in which the distal end portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel is inserted into the channel insertion hole formed in the rear end surface of the distal end portion main body and is simply fixed with an adhesive, the connection fixing portion In some cases, sufficient strength is not ensured, and repeated use of the endoscope breaks the adhesive state, causing water leakage failure.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a flexible endoscope having a distal end hard portion that is not elongated, and is capable of connecting and fixing the distal end of the treatment instrument insertion channel to the distal end portion body with sufficient strength. An object is to provide a channel tip connection structure.

  In order to achieve the above object, the distal end connection structure of the treatment instrument insertion channel of the flexible endoscope of the present invention is provided at the rear end portion of the distal end portion main body connected to the distal end of the flexible insertion portion. In the distal end connection structure of the treatment instrument insertion channel of the flexible endoscope in which the distal end portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel inserted and arranged in the insertion portion is connected and fixed, an outer peripheral spiral is formed on the outer peripheral surface near the distal end of the treatment instrument insertion channel. A coil spring is formed along the bottom surface of the outer circumferential spiral groove, and a distal end portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel is formed on the rear end surface of the distal end body. A channel insertion hole to be inserted is formed, and an inner peripheral spiral groove that engages with a portion of a coil spring protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the treatment instrument insertion channel is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the channel insertion hole.

  The depth of the inner circumferential spiral groove is preferably formed to be approximately equal to the difference between the diameter of the wire of the coil spring and the depth dimension of the outer circumferential spiral groove. Each depth may be formed in a dimension substantially equal to the radius of the wire of the coil spring.

  According to the present invention, the distal end hard portion of the insertion portion is formed by engaging the coil spring with both the outer peripheral spiral groove formed on the treatment instrument insertion channel side and the inner peripheral spiral groove formed on the distal end body side. It is possible to connect and fix the distal end of the treatment instrument insertion channel with sufficient strength to the distal end body without increasing the length.

  An outer peripheral spiral groove is formed on the outer peripheral surface near the distal end of the treatment instrument insertion channel, and a coil spring having a wire diameter larger than the depth dimension of the outer peripheral spiral groove is disposed along the bottom surface of the outer peripheral spiral groove, and the distal end body A channel insertion hole into which the distal end portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel is inserted is formed on the rear end surface, and an inner peripheral spiral groove that engages with a coil spring portion protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the treatment instrument insertion channel is formed in the channel insertion hole. It is formed on the inner peripheral surface.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 3 shows a flexible endoscope. A bending portion 2 formed near the distal end of the flexible insertion portion 1 that can be bent by an external force is connected to a proximal end of the flexible insertion portion 1. It is bent by a remote operation from the operation unit 3.

  A treatment instrument protrusion 5 is arranged alongside the observation window and the illumination window on the distal end surface of the distal end main body 4 connected to the distal end of the bending portion 2, and is inserted through the entire length of the flexible insertion portion 1. The distal end portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6 is connected and fixed to the rear end portion of the distal end main body 4 so as to communicate with the treatment instrument protrusion 5.

  FIG. 1 shows the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion, and an objective optical system 8 is disposed in the back of the observation window 7 disposed on the distal end surface of the distal end main body 4, and the object optical system 8 projects the object at the projection position. An imaging device 9 is incorporated. Reference numeral 10 denotes a signal cable for transmitting an imaging signal or the like.

  For example, an outer peripheral spiral groove 11 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6 formed of a flexible tube such as a tetrafluoroethylene resin tube, for example, a coil spring made of stainless steel wire. 12 is wound along the bottom surface of the outer circumferential spiral groove 11.

  The wire diameter (diameter) of the coil spring 12 is formed to be larger than the depth dimension of the outer peripheral spiral groove 11 (for example, about twice the depth dimension of the outer peripheral spiral groove 11). A part of the wire diameter of the coil spring 12 protrudes from the surface of the channel 6 in a spiral.

  Then, at the rear end surface portion of the distal end portion body 4 corresponding to the back side position of the treatment instrument protruding port 5, the distal end of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6 is also shown in FIG. 2 showing the state where the treatment instrument insertion channel 6 is removed. A channel insertion hole 13 into which the portion is inserted is formed up to the middle position of the thickness of the tip body 4, and an inner peripheral spiral groove 14 is formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the inner peripheral spiral groove 14 is wound around the outer peripheral spiral groove 11 of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6, and a coil spring 12 in which a part of the wire diameter protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6. Are formed at the same pitch in the same direction as the outer peripheral spiral groove 11 of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6.

  Further, the depth dimension of the inner peripheral spiral groove 14 is formed to be approximately equal to the difference between the diameter of the wire of the coil spring 12 and the depth dimension of the outer peripheral spiral groove 11. For example, the depth dimension of the outer peripheral spiral groove 11 and the coil spring 12 is formed to be approximately equal to the radius of the wire of the coil spring 12.

  In the distal end connection structure of the treatment instrument insertion channel of the flexible endoscope of the embodiment configured as described above, when the distal end portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6 is connected and fixed to the distal end portion body 4, the treatment instrument insertion channel is inserted. A coil spring 12 is wound around the outer peripheral spiral groove 11 of the channel 6, and an adhesive is applied to at least one of the outer peripheral portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6 and the inner peripheral portion of the channel insertion hole 13, and then the channel insertion hole 13. The treatment instrument insertion channel 6 is inserted into the channel insertion hole 13 while rotating around the axis so that the coil spring 12 is screwed into the inner spiral groove 14 on the side.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the distal end portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6 is not only fitted and bonded to the channel insertion hole 13, but the coil spring 12 is connected to both the outer peripheral spiral groove 11 and the inner peripheral spiral groove 14. As a result, the treatment instrument insertion channel 6 is mechanically engaged with the distal end portion body 4 with high strength.

  As a result, the distal end of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6 can be connected and fixed with sufficient strength to the distal end portion main body 4 without lengthening the distal end hard portion of the insertion portion, and even when the endoscope is used repeatedly. The connection part of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6 with respect to the distal end part body 4 is not damaged.

  The coil spring 12 may be wound only in the vicinity of the most distal end of the treatment instrument insertion channel 6, but the coil spring 12 wound around the treatment instrument insertion channel 6 is extended to the forefront as it is in the entire length in the bending portion 2. May be used.

It is side surface sectional drawing of the front-end | tip connection structure of the treatment tool penetration channel of the flexible endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the state which removed the treatment tool penetration channel of the front-end | tip connection structure of the treatment tool penetration channel of the flexible endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is a side view of the flexible endoscope of the Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Flexible insertion part 4 Tip part main body 5 Treatment tool protrusion 6 Treatment tool insertion channel 11 Outer periphery spiral groove 12 Coil spring 13 Channel insertion hole 14 Inner periphery spiral groove

Claims (3)

A flexible endoscope in which a distal end portion of a treatment instrument insertion channel inserted and arranged in the insertion portion is connected and fixed to a rear end portion of a distal end portion main body connected to a distal end of a flexible insertion portion. In the distal end connection structure of the treatment instrument insertion channel,
An outer peripheral spiral groove is formed on the outer peripheral surface near the distal end of the treatment instrument insertion channel, and a coil spring having a strand diameter larger than the depth dimension of the outer peripheral spiral groove is disposed along the bottom surface of the outer peripheral spiral groove, A channel insertion hole into which the distal end portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel is inserted is formed in the rear end surface of the distal end portion main body, and the coil spring portion protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the treatment instrument insertion channel is engaged. A distal end connection structure for a treatment instrument insertion channel of a flexible endoscope, wherein a circumferential spiral groove is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the channel insertion hole. The flexible endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the inner circumferential spiral groove is formed to be approximately equal to a difference between a diameter of a wire of the coil spring and a depth dimension of the outer circumferential spiral groove. The tip connection structure of the treatment instrument insertion channel. The treatment instrument insertion channel of the flexible endoscope according to claim 2, wherein each of the outer circumferential spiral groove and the inner circumferential spiral groove has a depth substantially equal to a radius of a wire of the coil spring. Tip connection structure.

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