JPH0142086Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to a device for fixing a protective outer cover to the insertion unit main body, and the outer cover of an industrial endoscope insertion unit can be detachably fixed from almost any angle in the circumferential direction. Relating to fixation devices.

In recent years, by inserting an elongated insertion section into a body cavity, it is possible to observe the internal organs of the body cavity, and if necessary, use forceps inserted through the forceps channel to collect in-vivo tissue and diagnose the affected area in detail. Medical endoscopes are widely used. Furthermore, in the industrial field, industrial endoscopes are also used for maintenance purposes, such as observing the condition inside pipes of boilers, chemical plants, etc., or collecting and inspecting deposits on the inner surfaces of pipes.

The above-mentioned endoscopes include flexible endoscopes that have a flexible insertion section and a bendable structure, and rigid endoscopes that have a rigid insertion section that is approximately linear.

In these endoscopes, when the insertion section is inserted, an illumination optical system that transmits illumination light supplied to the proximal side and emits the illumination light to the object side on the distal end side of the insertion section; An observation optical system is provided that can form an image of the illuminated object and observe it from behind the eyepiece on the hand side.

If the above-mentioned industrial endoscope insertion section is repeatedly inserted into and removed from a subject, the outer circumferential surface of the insertion section will be damaged or damaged. to form an outer covering).

The following features are required as a means for fixing the above-mentioned outer cover.

a The fixed part of the outer sheath does not rotate. This is necessary so that the jacket will not be damaged when twisted.

b. There is no danger that the fixing means will fall off. This is necessary because if it falls off, an accident will occur within the object to be inspected.

c It must be easy to install. This is necessary for efficient assembly, maintenance, and repair work during manufacturing.

d) Easy attachment and detachment, which is necessary for efficient maintenance and repair.

However, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-37322, the conventional example uses a screw or the like as a fixing means, and therefore does not satisfy the above feature (b).

Furthermore, fixing the screw with an adhesive so that the screw does not fall off the top of the screw does not satisfy the characteristic c.

In addition, in the case of means for fixing the outer cover at both ends of a curved part or both ends including a curved part, if twisting occurs due to variations in component manufacturing, the engagement position may shift and assembly may be impossible or impossible. When assembled, there was a problem that the bending operation could not be performed smoothly.

The present invention has been developed in view of the above-mentioned points, and includes providing a plurality of uneven portions on the outer periphery of the fixing portion of the insertion portion, and at least either end of the tube-shaped outer covering that covers the outer periphery of the insertion portion. Provided is an outer covering fixing device for an industrial endoscope insertion section that can be attached and detached from almost any angle in the circumferential direction by forming an engaging section that fits into the uneven section on the inner periphery of the section. The purpose is to

The present invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the distal end side of an industrial endoscope insertion section using an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the A--
A schematic cross-sectional view taken along line A′ is shown.

In these figures, an insertion section 11 in an industrial endoscope using an embodiment of the present invention is (insertion section)
It is composed of a distal end portion 12 and a flexible soft portion (flexible portion) 14 connected to the distal end portion 12 with a curved portion 13 interposed therebetween.

A hole is formed in the axial direction of the insertion portion 11 on the upper side of the hard tip member 15 made of metal or the like in the tip portion 12, and objective lenses 16, 16 are disposed through a lens frame 17. There is. Further, the distal end side of a light guide fiber 19 that emits illumination light forward from its distal end surface via the cover glass 18 is fixed to one of the two holes on the lower side of the distal end member 15, and the rear part of the light guide fiber 19 is fixed to one of the two holes on the lower side of the distal end member 15. is covered with a flexible tube member 21, and illumination light is supplied from the proximal side via the flexible portion 14.

The other hole on the lower side of the distal end member 15 is used, for example, as a channel for inserting a treatment instrument.

A highly flexible image guide fiber 22 is disposed as an image transmitting means so that its tip surface is located at the position where the optical image of the subject is formed by the objective lenses 16, 16. This image guide fiber 22 is housed in a flexible tube member 23 and is inserted to the rear operating section side, and is an observation optical system that enables observation of an optical image formed by objective lenses 16, 16 from behind an eyepiece (not shown). is configured.

The distal end side of the image guide fiber 22 is fitted into a cylindrical member 24 and fixed to the inner wall of the distal end member 1 by an intervening member 25 .

In the curved part 13 adjacent to the distal end part 12, a large number of substantially annular joint pieces 26, 26, . ..., 26 can be bent vertically, horizontally, etc. by pulling and relaxing the proximal portion of the operating wires 27, 27, 27, 27 inserted through the insertion portion 11 by operating the bending operating lever. is formed.

The joint pieces 26, 26, . . . , 26 are housed in a (flexible) soft inner mesh pipe (blade) 28 made of thin wires made of metal or the like braided into a mesh shape, and are located at the most advanced (frontmost) joint. The piece 26 is fixed to the rear end of a cylindrical body 30 that is fixed to the tip member 15 by a substantially ring-shaped locking piece 29.

Further, the rearmost joint piece 26 is connected to the mesh pipe 28.
Along with the rear end, a substantially cylindrical insertion portion main body portion 3 formed in a step shape is provided at the boundary between the curved portion 13 and the flexible portion 14.
1 is fixed to the front end side.

The outer periphery of the mesh pipe 28 that covers the joint pieces 26, 26, . It is fixed with pressure to maintain fluid tightness.

The front end sides of a mesh tube 34 and a flexible tube 35 made of resin or the like in which the mesh tube 34 is fitted and accommodated are fixed to the inner periphery of the rear end portion of the main body 31 (insertion section) with adhesive or the like. A flexible threaded tube 36 formed by winding a long thin plate-like member in a threaded manner is inserted into the inner circumference, and inside this is inserted an image guide fiber 22 for transmitting an image and a light guide for transmitting illumination light. A fiber 19 etc. is inserted through it.

The outer periphery of the flexible tube 35 made of the resin or the like is covered with a protective outer mesh tube 37. The front end of the mesh pipe 37 covering the flexible part 14 is compressed and clamped from the inside and outside by the tubular inner pipe 38 and outer pipe 39, and is fixed by caulking, soldering, (silver) brazing, spot welding, adhesive, etc. After fixing, cut and make mesh pipe 3
While keeping the 7 ends from unraveling, the ring-shaped or cylindrical fixing member 40 is fitted into a base with a thinned inner circumferential side on the rear end side, and soldered, solder (silver), adhesive, etc. It is fixed. In this case, the inner tube 38 is longer than the outer tube 39 and extends to the rear, and the portion of the mesh tube 37 adjacent to the portion compressed and clamped by the outer tube 39 swells in the radial direction (outside), and the outer diameter of this portion The outer diameter of the thin outer tube 39 is almost the same diameter, and when the insertion section 11 is removed after insertion, there is a step on the inner periphery of the insertion point, and the end of the outer tube 39 comes into contact with the step. It is also shaped so that it does not get caught.

In addition, when fixing the mesh pipe 37 with both the inner and outer pipes 38 and 39, for example, the inner pipe 38 is fitted inside the mesh pipe 37, and then the outer pipe 39 is passed through from the outside (this order may be reversed). Therefore, even if the end of the mesh pipe 37 is loosened, it can be inserted more easily between the inner and outer pipes 38 and 39. By bending the outer tube 39 (in this case, the inner tube 38 or both inner and outer tubes 38 and 39 may be plastically worked), the mesh tube 37 can be fixed by pressure clamping (further fixed with adhesive, etc.). ), align the fixed thing with the ends of both the inner and outer tubes 38, 39 at a predetermined length,
Alternatively, both the inner and outer tubes 38 and 39 are cut together.

The end side of the product formed as described above is fitted so as to be covered by the thin base part on the rear end side of the fixing member 40, and adhesive is applied to the hole formed in the thin base part leading to the outer circumference of the outer tube 39. It can be filled and fixed, or welded with solder, silver solder, etc. Since the outer tube 39 is covered with the thin cap part in this way, the damage caused by caulking can be substantially covered and the appearance can be improved.

The side cap portion of the fixing member 40 fixed to the outer tube 39 is shorter than the outer tube 39, and the outer circumferential side of the rear end of the cap portion is shaved so that the rear end side is smoothly tapered and has a small diameter. , so that there is no step that can get caught. In addition, since the cap part is formed shorter than the outer tube 39, even if solder, silver solder, etc. seeps out from the rear end of the cap part when it is fixed to the outer tube 39 with solder, etc., it will not be directly connected to the mesh pipe 37 side. In addition to being able to prevent this from occurring, it is also configured to be able to confirm whether or not the soldering, etc. is sufficient (by checking for seepage from the edges). In addition, the solder that has oozed out reduces the step at the rear end of the cap, which reduces the chance of it getting caught.

The inner peripheral side of the front end of the fixing member 40 has a main body portion 31
It engages with the uneven portion 42 so as to fit into (the latter half of) a plurality of engaging uneven portions 42 formed by external teeth such as a plurality of splines or serrations formed on the outer periphery of the annular member 41 that is integrated with the annular member 41 by adhesion or the like. An engaging portion 43 is formed with matching internal teeth. Similarly, a substantially annular connecting member 45 having an engaging portion 44 formed by internal teeth that engages with (the front half of) the uneven portion 42 formed on the inner periphery of the rear end is moved from the front to the rear as shown by arrow B. In some cases, the uneven portion 42 and the engaging portion 44
The connecting member 45 is configured to be prevented from rotating (rotating) in the circumferential direction by fitting and locking the unevenness.

By forming a large number of uneven portions 42 in the circumferential direction, the above-mentioned engagement by unevenness eliminates the need for rotation such as twisting for positioning in the circumferential direction in the case of a single engagement means. Since engagement is possible at any position, the inconvenience of being unable to engage without twisting due to variations in processing accuracy is eliminated.

An annular member 46 having the outer diameter of the concave portion of the uneven portion 42 is fixed to the outer periphery of the main body 31 at a distance from the annular member 41 provided with the uneven portion 42 on the outer periphery. A circumferential groove 47 or a recess is formed on the outer periphery of the main body 31, and as shown in FIG.
arcuate leaf springs 48, 48 are housed therein. Movement of these leaf springs 48, 48 in the circumferential direction is restricted by protrusions provided within the groove 47.

These leaf springs 48 , 48 are formed so as to have a biasing force that always has a radius of curvature smaller than the diameter of the outer periphery of the main body 31 , and when accommodated in the groove 47 , both arcuate ends are accommodated in the groove 47 . A part of the arc-shaped center protrudes outward in the radial direction, and the connecting member 45
The main body portion 31 is pressed against the recess formed on the inner periphery to prevent the connecting member 45 from moving in the axial direction of the insertion portion 11.
It is configured to be fixed.

On the other hand, the leaf spring 48 in the connecting member 45,
Holes 49, 49 are formed on the outer periphery of the portion where 48 protrudes, respectively, and when the plate springs 48, 48 are pressed inward with a pin or the like from the outside of the holes 49, 49, the connecting member 45 is moved as shown by arrow B. By moving forward in the opposite direction, the concave and convex portions are disengaged and the engagement with the annular member 41 can be released.

In this way, even if there is a misalignment (with respect to the circumferential direction) between the uneven part 42 and the engaging part 44, even if there is a deviation (with respect to the circumferential direction) between the uneven part 42 and the engaging part 44, for example, the positioning in the equal circumferential direction can be achieved by using the engagement means using a plurality of (preferably a large number of) uneven parts. It is formed so that it can be engaged removably with almost no need for it.
Therefore, maintenance and repair are easy, and there is no risk of them falling off when using screws.

The inner periphery of the front end of the connecting member 45 is notched to form a thin base, and like the rear end of the fixing member 40, the inner tube 51 and the outer tube 52 are made of rubber or the like to cover the outer periphery of the curved portion 13. Formed tube member 3
The rear end of the protective mesh pipe 53 that further covers the protective mesh pipe 53 is clamped and fixed, and then fitted and housed in a thin base, and fixed with solder, silver solder, or the like.

In this case as well, the inner tube 51 is longer than the outer tube 52 and protrudes forward, and the outer tube 52 also protrudes forward beyond the thin base portion of the fixing member 40 on its outer periphery.

The inner diameter of the inner tube 51 is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the rear end portion of the mesh tube 33 fixed inside, and a gap is provided. It is constructed so that it can be moved forward in the direction opposite to arrow B, and the engagement by splines or the like can be released.

The front end of the mesh pipe 53 is also clamped and fixed by the inner pipe 54 and the outer pipe 55, and the loosened mesh pipe 5
3 is cut off, and the outer periphery of the outer tube 55 is fitted into a thin base at the rear end of an annular or cylindrical fixing member 56, and fixed with solder, silver solder, or the like. In this case, the fixing member 56 is fixed to the outer tube 55 with a protrusion formed at its front end that protrudes inward in the radial direction abutting a protrusion formed on the outer periphery of the tip member 15. In this case as well, the inner tube 54 is formed to protrude rearward than the outer tube 55, and the outer cap 55 is formed to protrude rearward beyond the thin cap portion of the fixing member 56, so that the insertion portion 11 can be inserted and removed smoothly. It is formed in

A fixing ring 57 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the tip member 15 adjacent to the fixing member 56 and has a male thread on the outer periphery on the front end side and a knurl on the outer periphery on the rear end side,
The front end surface of the fixing ring 57 abuts against a ring 58 fitted into a recess formed on the outer periphery of the tip member 15 with a removable notch (in the circumferential direction) to prevent it from coming off and restrict its position. This fixing ring 57 can be attached or unscrewed by screwing the female thread formed on the inner periphery of the rear end of the cylindrical cover member 59 that covers the front end side of the distal end portion 12 to the male thread of the fixing ring 57. It is constructed so that it can be removed.

Note that the portions of the cylindrical cover member 59 facing the observation objective window, illumination window, etc. are each formed to be open.

When the cylindrical cover member 59 is removed and the ring 58 is removed as described above, the fixing ring 57 can be removed. However, if the engaging means of the unevenness described above is released, the curved portion 1
3. The outer sheath that protects the outer periphery, that is, the protective mesh pipe 53 with the fixing member 56 attached to the front end and the connecting member 45 attached to the rear end, can be removed by moving in the direction opposite to the arrow B. , the mesh pipe 53 or its rear part, that is, the outer skin on the side of the flexible part 14, is formed so as to be replaceable. Therefore, even if the outer cover covering the curved part 13 or the flexible part 14 is damaged, only that part can be replaced.

Further, the mesh pipe 53 covering the curved portion 13 and the mesh pipe 37 covering the flexible portion 14 can be formed to have different characteristics.

For example, by making the diameter of the strands of the net pipe 53 that covers the curved part 13 small, that is, by making them thinner, the strands can be made to have good flexibility and be easily bent, while on the flexible part 14 side, the diameter of the strands can be made larger or the thickness of the strands can be increased. It is formed in such a way that it can be increased in durability by increasing the size.

The materials of not only the protective mesh pipes 53 and 37 but also the inner tube member 33 and the flexible pipe 35 are
By making the thicknesses different, they can be formed to have similar characteristics, and the same applies to the inner mesh pipes 28 and 34.

According to an embodiment configured in this manner, for example, the flexible portion 14 is fixed to the main body portion 31 and has the engagement uneven portion 42 formed on the outer periphery of the annular member 41.
When the mesh pipe 37 covering the mesh pipe 37 is moved rearward as shown by arrow B, the engaging portion 43 formed on the inner periphery of the front end of the fixing member 40 attached to the end of the mesh pipe 37 engages with the uneven portion 42. It is fixed so that it does not rotate in the circumferential direction. In this case, since a large number of concavo-convex portions 42 are formed, engagement can be made at almost any angle.

Furthermore, the mesh pipe 53 that covers the curved portion 13 can be bent at almost any angle by moving the connecting member 45, in which the rear end of the mesh pipe 53 is fixed to the uneven portion 42 on the outer periphery of the annular member 41, in the direction of arrow B. An engaging portion 44 formed on the inner periphery of the rear end of the connecting member 45 is engaged with the uneven portion 42 and fixed so as not to rotate in the circumferential direction.

In this case, when the rear end of the connecting member 45 comes into contact with the front end of the fixed member 40 by moving in the direction of arrow B, the leaf spring 4 accommodated in the groove 47 on the outer periphery of the main body 31
The center portions of the arcuate portions 8 and 48 protrude outward in the radial direction and are accommodated in a recess formed on the inner periphery of the connecting member 45, and the connecting member 45 is fixed so as not to move in the axial direction of the insertion portion 11, that is, in the forward direction. Ru.

Since the connecting member 45 is fixed so that it does not move forward, the flexible portion 14 that comes into contact with the rear end thereof
The side jackets are also fixed.

To release the fixation at the outer circumference of the main body 31, press the leaf springs 48 inward,
All that is required is to move the connecting member 45 forward.

According to the above fixing means, the above-mentioned problems can be solved.

Note that the uneven portion 42 formed on the outer periphery of the annular member 41 is not limited to the entire outer periphery, but may be formed partially. Further, the engaging portions 43 and 44 that engage with the uneven portions 42 are not limited to being formed on the entire inner circumference, but may be formed only on a part of the inner circumference. Section 43 or 44
In some cases, the function can be maintained even if engagement projections are formed at several locations.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. A device in which a concavo-convex portion is formed at a suitable fixing portion on the part 11 side and an engaging portion is formed at the end portion falls within the scope of the present invention. In this case, a leaf spring 48 is installed in the groove 47 to prevent the end from moving when it moves in the front-rear direction.
48 or may be configured to form a recess as used in the distal end portion 12 and to fit a cut-out ring therein.

It is clear that the present invention is not limited to the mesh pipes 37, 53 as the outer cover, but can also be applied to outer covers made of special materials depending on the insertion location.

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of uneven portions are formed on the insertion portion side, and a means for engaging with the uneven portions is formed on the outer cover end, so that most of the circumferential direction is It can be engaged from any angle and fixed so as not to rotate in the circumferential direction. Therefore, there is an advantage that even if there are variations in processing accuracy of the fixing end portion of the outer cover, the fixing end portion of the outer cover can be attached without having to perform circumferential alignment such as twisting.

Further, the outer cover can be easily attached and detached.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 relate to the present invention; FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the distal end side of an industrial endoscope insertion section using an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is the same as that shown in FIG. A-
It is a sectional view taken along the line A′. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11... Insertion part, 12... Tip part, 13... Curved part, 14... Soft part, 31... (Insertion part) main body part, 37, 53... Mesh pipe, 38, 51, 54...
Inner tube, 39, 52, 55... Outer tube, 40, 56...
... Fixed member, 41 ... Annular member, 42 ... Uneven part, 43, 44 ... Engagement part, 45 ... Connection member,
46... Hole, 47... Groove, 48... Leaf spring, 5
8...Ring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In an industrial endoscope in which a tube-shaped outer covering covering the outer periphery of the insertion section is fixed at the outer periphery of the insertion section, a plurality of uneven portions are provided on the outer periphery of the insertion section for fixation, and the outer covering is An outer sheath fixing device for an industrial endoscope insertion section, comprising an engaging portion that fits into the uneven portion on the inner periphery of at least one of the ends thereof.