JPH035167B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a curved tube for an endoscope in which movement of built-in objects is restricted.

[Technical Background of the Invention and Problems Therewith] Generally, an endoscope inserted into a body cavity has a curved tube section and a distal end component formed at its distal end. A large number of joint rings are rotatably connected to this curved pipe section,
The node ring is bent by pushing and pulling the bending operation wire. Inside the nodal ring, the bending operation wire is fixed to the distal end component by passing through a embossed portion protruding from the inner surface. In addition, built-in parts such as an image transmission optical fiber bundle, a light transmission optical fiber bundle, and a forceps channel are inserted inside the nodal ring, and by applying curvature, these built-in parts move and connect with the inner wall of the nodal ring. Objects are pressed together. In particular, if the optical fiber bundle is caught between the forceps channel and the punching part, the optical fiber bundle will be damaged.

The endoscope was developed in 1973 as an endoscope that eliminated these drawbacks.
−105494 is known. This is an endoscope that can be curved in four directions, and has four protruding parts through which four operating wires are inserted, which protrude greatly inward, and the protruding tips support a forceps channel in the center of the parts. It is something. However, this is an endoscope that can be bent in four directions, and an endoscope that can only be bent in two directions cannot support the forceps channel in the center. In addition, making the ejection part longer than necessary will reduce the filling rate of other built-in objects, making it impossible to reduce the outer diameter of the endoscope, and forcing the endoscope to fill it will make it difficult to bend the endoscope. may cause damage.

[Object of the Invention] An object of the present invention is to provide a curved tube for an endoscope in which the optical fiber bundle is not damaged due to being caught between other built-in objects and the inner wall of the curved tube.

[Summary of the Invention] The curved tube for an endoscope of the present invention has a protruding part on the inner wall of the curved tube through which a bending operation wire is inserted, and divides the movement area of the forceps channel and the movement area of other built-in objects. , is characterized by regulating mutual movement.

[Example] Next, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a curved tube according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and the curved tube section at the tip of the endoscope insertion section has a plurality of node rings 1 arranged in its axial direction. These respective node rings 1 are rotatably connected by left and right rings 2 and 3. Further, on the inner surface of the node ring 1, projecting parts 5, 5 having insertion parts through which the operating wires 4, 4 are inserted are provided so as to be biased toward the shaft 3 side. The operating wires 4, 4 are extended and inserted from the endoscope operating section, and are attached and fixed to the most advanced node ring 1. Furthermore, a forceps channel 6, an image transmission optical fiber bundle 7, a light transmission optical fiber bundle 8, etc. are built into the curved tube.

Here, this bending tube has a bending mechanism in two directions, up and down, and the inside of the node ring 1 is the forceps channel 6.
It is divided into a region 10 through which it is inserted and a region 11 other than that by two punched portions 5, 5. The interval 12 between the protruding parts 5, 5 separating each region is formed to be smaller than the outer diameter 13 of the forceps channel 6, so that the forceps channel 6 is brought into contact with the inner wall of the node ring 1 and the protruding part 5 within the curved tube. The maximum distance 14 between the ejecting portion 5 and the forceps channel 6 when deflected to the maximum extent is smaller than the outer diameter of the optical fiber bundles 7 and 8.

When performing a bending operation, by pulling one of the operating wires 4, the node ring 1 rotates around the shafts 2 and 3, and is bent in the direction of the pulled wire 4.
At this time, the forceps channel 6 moves slightly within the region 10, but does not enter the region 11. In addition, the other built-in optical fiber bundles 7 and 8 are also included in the area 1.
Although it moves slightly within 1, it does not go beyond the embossing parts 5, 5 and into the area 10. That is, it is normally blocked by the forceps channel 6, and the gap 14 is smaller than the outer diameter of the optical fiber bundles 7, 8, so that it cannot enter. The forceps channel 6 is blocked by the projections 5, 5 and cannot enter the region 11.

Therefore, according to this first embodiment, the optical fiber bundles 7 and 8 are not compressed and damaged more than necessary due to the movement of the forceps channel 6, and the forceps channel 6 is not damaged.
There is no possibility that the optical fiber bundles 7 and 8 will be pinched and damaged between the punching part 5 and the punching part 5. Also, forceps channel 6
Since the movement range within the region 10 can be made relatively large, the amount of bending force on the operating section can be reduced without interfering with the rotation of the node ring 1 during bending.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a curved tube showing a second embodiment of the present invention.
It is located in the middle of 3. In addition, the launching portion 5,
5 and the distance between the forceps channel 6 and the ejecting portion 5 are the same as in the first embodiment.

In the case of this second embodiment, by making the regions 10 and 11 approximately the same size, the optical fiber bundles 7 and 8
The degree of freedom of movement has been increased.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a curved pipe showing a third embodiment of the present invention. In this third embodiment, the inside of the curved tube is divided into two regions 10 and 11 by the punched portions 25 and 25, and the optical fiber bundle 7 is inserted into the region 10 of the forceps channel 6 together. At this time, the protrusion amount of the embossing part 25 on the optical fiber bundle 7 side is increased, and the embossing part 2
5. A space is formed between the forceps channel 6 and the inner wall of the node ring 1, and the optical fiber bundle 7 is inserted into this space to prevent the optical fiber bundle 7 from being compressed by the forceps channel 6.

Also in this third embodiment, the maximum distance formed between the ejecting portion 25 and the forceps channel 6 is the optical fiber bundle 7, 8.
The optical fiber bundle 7 will not enter the region 11 from the region 10 and will not be caught between the forceps channel 6 and the punching portion 25.
Furthermore, since a plurality of built-in objects are inserted into both regions rather than one built-in object in one region, the filling rate can be increased.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a curved tube showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
The position of 35 is biased toward axis 2 on one side, and axis 3 on the other side.
biased to the side. The inner surface of the curved tube is divided into regions 10 and 11 by the punched portions 35 and 35, and a forceps channel is inserted into one region and the optical fiber bundles 7 and 8 are inserted into the other region.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a curved tube showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
45 is biased toward the shaft 2 side, the region 10 through which the forceps channel 6 is inserted is narrow, and the region 11 through which the optical fiber bundles 7 and 8 are inserted is wide.

The built-in components are not limited to the forceps channel and the optical fiber bundle, but may include various other things such as an air supply channel, a water supply channel, a forceps elevator operating wire guide tube, and the like.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, the region of the forceps channel is defined by the ejection portion and movement to another region is prevented, and the ejection portion and the forceps channel prevent other built-in objects from moving from one region to the other. Since the optical fiber bundle is prevented from moving to the region, the optical fiber bundle will not be pinched between the ejecting part and the forceps channel, and will not be damaged.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a curved pipe showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a curved pipe showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a curved pipe showing a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a curved pipe showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a curved pipe showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 1...Node ring, 4...Operation wire, 5, 15, 2
5, 35, 45... Embossed portion, 6... Forceps channel, 7, 8... Optical fiber bundle, 10, 11...
region.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A curved tube for an endoscope that connects a number of joint rings so as to be freely rotatable in the axial direction, and has a protruding part that protrudes from the inner surface of the joint ring and through which an operating wire is inserted. The interior is divided into an area where the channel passes through and other areas, and
The interval between the two embossed portions that separate the region through which the channel is inserted and the other region is formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the channel, and the channel is inserted between the inner wall of the node ring and the one embossed portion within the curved tube. A curved endoscope characterized in that when the channel is deflected to the maximum extent so as to come into contact with the curved tube, the maximum distance between the other projected portion and the channel is smaller than the outer diameter of the optical fiber bundle inserted into the curved tube. tube.