JPH10234653A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve observation and treatment performance by preferentially bending a tip side of a bending part. SOLUTION: This endoscope is constituted so as to have a bending part 8 which serially arrays plural bending pieces 36, connects the adjacent bending pieces 36 freely rotatably, coats the outer periphery of the bending pieces 36 by a net-shaped metallic coating film 40 as a coating member and is provided with a second elastic coating film 42 as the elastic jacket member for coating the outer periphery of the net-shaped metallic coating film 40, and a bending mechanism which fixes the tip of an operating wire inserted to the bending part 8 to the tip side of the bending part 8 and bending-operates the bending part 8 by moving the operating wire foreward and backward. In this case, the first elastic coating film 41 as at least one elastic member is partially arranged between the net-shaped metallic coating film 40 and the second elastic coating film 42.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope having a bending mechanism for operating a bending portion by moving an operation wire forward and backward.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a bending portion is formed in an insertion portion of an endoscope in order to perform required observation / treatment and enhance insertability, and this bending portion is remotely operated from a hand side operation portion side. Can be forced to bend.

[0003] By the way, in a general bending portion, an operation wire is connected to the distal end of the bending portion, and the bending shape is operated by pulling the operation wire. The bending moment on the side is small, while the bending moment on the proximal side is large. Therefore, the bending portion bends more preferentially on the proximal end side than on the distal end side.

However, in actual use, it is desirable to start bending from a portion close to the distal end side, since the distal end makes a small turn, from the viewpoint of insertability and observability in a narrow lumen. Therefore, a means for solving this phenomenon is known, for example, from Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 53-20953. this is,
The elastic coating of the curved portion is formed so as to be gradually thinner from a portion near the flexible tube portion to a portion near the distal end portion.

In Japanese Patent Application No. 55-2943, the hardness of the elastic coating of the curved portion is formed so as to gradually decrease from a portion close to the flexible tube portion toward the distal end. As another example, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-223925, the outer surface of a curved tube is covered with first and second elastic coatings. The second elastic coating is configured to have a smaller elastic modulus than the first elastic coating, and to have a greater thickness nearer the tip.

[0006] The insertion portion of a normal endoscope is designed to hang straight down in the direction of gravity when the operation portion is held and hung. It is said that the posterior wall of the stomach, the esophagus, and the periphery of the cardia are difficult to observe and treat with a general direct-viewing endoscope.

Therefore, an endoscope having a plurality of curved end portions is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-28301 in order to improve the performance of observing and treating these parts. The endoscope has a first joint piece connected to one end of an operation wire.
And a second bending section operating means in which one end of an operating wire is connected to a joint piece located rearward from the front end.

[0008]

However, the construction disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 53-20953 cannot make a difference between a thin wall and a thick wall in terms of molding. Therefore, the effect was insufficient because the thickness was not sufficiently changed.

In the configuration of Japanese Patent Application No. 55-2943, it is necessary to integrally mold a plurality of resins having different hardnesses in order to change the hardness, but this is difficult to manufacture and it is difficult to maintain a constant quality. There was a problem that is.

The structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-223925 uses an elastic coating whose thickness changes gradually. However, since the elastic coating is manufactured by casting molten rubber into a mold and molding it, if the thickness is partially varied, the speed at which the molten rubber cools and solidifies will differ greatly depending on each part. .

[0011] Therefore, there is a problem that the residual stress after molding becomes large and large deformation easily occurs after molding, and it is difficult to manufacture with high accuracy.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a method using a device capable of adjusting the temperature of the mold for each part is conceivable.
This requires a large amount of equipment cost due to the necessity of complicated control, and the productivity is worse than that of a unit having a uniform thickness.

FIG. 14A is a cross-sectional view of the stomach when a normal endoscope is inserted into the stomach and viewed from the chest.
Since there is a contact point d with the insertion portion c at the right portion of the bottom b in the drawing, even if the insertion portion c is pushed in and inserted further into the back, it easily bends in the direction shown by the broken line in the drawing and proceeds in the direction in which it is desired to insert It is hard.

When the insertion portion c is pushed in with a certain amount of force, the distal end e advances in the direction of the duodenum f due to the force of the deflection returning to the original position. It was a source of increased pain.

FIG. 15A is a cross-sectional view of the stomach when viewed from the left side when a normal endoscope is inserted into the interior of the stomach a. The insertion part c is inserted into the. Therefore, even if there is a lesion on the rear wall g, it can be observed only from the side, and the inspection accuracy is reduced.

As represented by Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-28301, an endoscope having a plurality of curved portions generally has a problem in that the number of operation wires is increased and a built-in component is complicated, resulting in a high manufacturing cost. Was. There is also a problem that the outer diameter of the insertion portion is increased due to the complexity of the built-in component.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to be able to preferentially bend the distal end side of the curved portion of the insertion portion, and to perform necessary observation and treatment. Another object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope capable of improving insertion and insertion properties.

[0018]

According to the present invention, a plurality of bending pieces are arranged in series, adjacent bending pieces are rotatably connected to each other, and the outer circumference of the bending piece is covered. A curved portion having an elastic outer covering member covering the outer periphery of the covering member, and a distal end of an operation wire inserted into the curved portion is fixed to a distal end side of the curved portion,
By moving the operation wire forward and backward, in an endoscope having a bending mechanism for bending the bending portion, at least one elastic member is partially interposed between the covering member and the elastic outer member. It is characterized by.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a distal end portion of an endoscope, and FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of an endoscope apparatus. As shown in FIG. 2, the endoscope 1 includes an operation unit 2. The operation section 2 is provided with a grip section 2a for holding it by hand. The operating section 2 is connected with an insertion section 3 and a universal cord 4. A connector 5 is provided at an end of the universal cord 4, and the connector 5 is connected to a light source device 6 that supplies illumination light.

The insertion section 3 is provided with a tip section 9 via a bending section 8 which is bent by an angle knob 7 provided on the operation section 2. The tip section 9 is inserted into the insertion section 3. An opening 9d for the forceps channel is provided. The other opening of the forceps channel communicates with a forceps opening 10 provided in the operation unit 2.

Further, an observation window 9b is provided on the distal end component 9,
A nozzle 9a that can supply air and water toward the observation window 9b, and an illumination window 9 for illuminating the observation target.
c is provided. A forceps stopper 11 is attached to the forceps opening 10 as needed. The insertion portion 3 is provided with a break prevention cover 12 for preventing breakage.

The connector 5 of the universal cord 4 includes an air supply device 13, a water supply device 14, and a suction device 1.
5 and a video processor 16 for processing a video signal via a connection adapter 16a.

The video processor 16 has a monitor 17 for displaying a subject image based on the processed video signal, a VTR deck 18 for recording and reproducing the video signal, a video printer 19 for printing the subject based on the video signal, and Video disk 20 as a large-capacity storage device for recording
Etc. are connected.

A switch 21 for operating the video processor 16 is provided on the operation unit 2. Further, the operation unit 2 is provided with an air / water switching device 22 for air / water supply, and a suction operation device 23 for suction, which are connected to the nozzle 9a opened to the distal end component 9 of the insertion portion 3. .

Next, a description will be given of the bending portion 8 which is a main part of the present invention. As shown in FIG.
One. The flexible tube 31 is an elongated flexible tubular member, and has a flex 32 formed by spirally winding a thin plate-shaped metal member into a tubular shape. On the flex 32, a net-shaped metal coating 45 as a coating member formed by knitting a thin metal wire to form a tube is coated.

Further, on the net-like metal coating 45, a resin layer 3
3 is weld-coated. A cylindrical base 34 is integrally attached to one end of the flexible tube 31. In addition, snake tube 3
The other end of 1 is connected to the operation unit 2 of the endoscope 1.

A cylindrical end 35a of a joint 35 is fitted around the outer periphery of the base 34, and both are integrally fixed by an adhesive or the like. The joint part 35 is formed by combining a plurality of bending pieces 36, which are thin-walled cylindrical metal members.

The bending pieces 36 are connected to each other so as to be rotatable about the joint pin 37. A distal end block 38 which is a cylindrical metal member is integrally attached to the other end 35b of the joint portion 35.

The distal end block 38 is provided with a plurality of holes in its longitudinal direction. The holes are provided in the illumination window 9c, the observation window 9b, the solid-state image sensor (not shown) shown in FIG. The light guide 39 and the tip 47 of the forceps channel shown in FIG. 1 are fixed.

The joint portion 35 is covered with a net-shaped metal coating 40 formed by knitting a thin metal wire and forming a cylindrical shape.
Further, a first elastic coating 41 as an elastic member, which is a cylindrical soft rubber member, is coated on the reticulated metal coating 40 on the operation portion 2 side of the joint portion 35.

Since the first elastic coating 41 is formed of a cylindrical elastic rubber member, it can be easily molded, and has an advantage that the cost of parts is low. In addition, since an appropriate tightening force is generated after the assembly and an appropriate frictional force is generated, there is an advantage that the position of the first elastic coating 41 is hard to be shifted even when repeatedly used. The first elastic coating 41 is coated from an intermediate position of the joint portion 35 to a position above the bending piece 36 at the operation portion side end 35a.

The length in the longitudinal direction of the portion where the first elastic covering 41 is installed is 1/3 to 1/2 of the total length of the joint 35.
In this condition, the amount of operating force is not so heavy, the curved shape is good, and the maximum effect can be obtained with less fatigue.

An upper layer of the first elastic coating 41 is coated with a second elastic coating 42 as an elastic outer member, which is a cylindrical soft rubber member, and its distal end 42a is connected to the distal block. After the string 38 is tied with a thread, the thread is fixed by applying an adhesive from above the thread, and the end 42b on the operation unit 2 side is also fixed to the flexible tube 31 in the same manner.

The second elastic coating 42 is formed so that the thickness of the operation unit 2 side is thicker than the front end side with the step position 44 as a boundary. As a result, the curved portion 8 is more easily bent from the front end than that having a uniform thickness. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the step position 44 is shifted to the distal end side from the distal end portion 41b of the first elastic coating 41, and thereby the abrupt position at the distal end portion 41b is caused. The step is not changed. Even if the step position 44 is shifted toward the operation unit 2 from the front end 41b, a sudden change in the step does not occur. In FIG. 1, various built-in components built in the flexible tube 31 and the joint 35 are not shown for the sake of simplicity.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a modification of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG.
A method is also conceivable in which the thickness of the first and second elastic coatings 42 is gradually reduced toward the distal end so that the curved portion 8 can be bent more easily from the distal end.

In the present embodiment, the number of the elastic coatings is two, but it is not particularly necessary that the number of the elastic coatings be two, and it is conceivable to provide three or more to further improve the curved shape. Or the first
It is also conceivable to provide the elastic coating 41 on a part of the circumference instead of the entire circumference.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3C (a cross-sectional view taken along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bending portion), a first elastic coating is formed on the circumference of the bending portion 8 on the maximum bending side or on the opposite side. 4
1 to improve the curved shape in the maximum bending direction, which is the most frequently used, and at the same time, the first elastic coating 41 over the entire circumference.
The outer diameter of the curved portion 8 can be made smaller than in the case of providing. Since the outer diameter of the curved portion 8 can be reduced, the distal end can easily pass through the pharynx of the patient. In addition, the elasticity of the various built-in components built in the insertion portion 3 is different,
The phenomenon in which the bending portion 8 bends slightly in a direction slightly deviated from the desired bending direction is often seen. However, by installing the first elastic covering 41 in a direction in which the bending portion 8 is easily deflected, the above-described problem can be easily dealt with.

The first elastic coating 41 is adhered and fixed to the net-shaped metal coating 40 at an end 41a on the operation section 2 side. This allows the first elastic coating 41 to be used during use.
This prevents the curved shape from deviating and becoming different from the initial state.

In the present embodiment, the bonding portion is only at the operation portion side end portion 41a of the first elastic coating 41, but the point is that the position of the first elastic coating 41 is not displaced. The position is not limited.

Further, the first elastic coating 41 and the second elastic coating 42 may be bonded and fixed to each other. Alternatively, a method in which at least one of the rubbers is melted and the both are welded without using a bonding method is also conceivable.

In this embodiment, the entire circumference is fixed.
The point is that it is only necessary to secure an adhesion area that can sufficiently fix the elastic coating and the mesh metal, and it is also possible to partially adhere instead of the entire circumference.

For example, the following configuration may be used.

FIG. 4 is an external view of the vicinity of the bonding portion 43 in a state where the covering member 42 is peeled off. A portion surrounded by a broken line indicates a bonding portion 43 with the internal reticulated metal coating.
The bonding portion 43 is formed such that the net-like metal coating 40 and the first elastic coating 41 are formed such that the bonding area increases toward the operation unit 2 side.
And are glued.

According to this method, the bonding portion 43 on the tip side
As compared with the case, the bonding portion 43 on the operation portion 2 receives a greater resistance from the net-shaped metal coating 40 when bending, so that the bonding portion 43 on the distal end side is more easily bent.

As another method, if the first elastic coating 41 has a sufficiently large frictional resistance when it moves in the longitudinal direction, the positional displacement does not easily occur even without adhesion or the like. It is not necessary to perform bonding, welding, and the like.

According to the first embodiment, when curved, the joint portion 35 covered with the first elastic covering 41 is larger than the portion covered only with the second elastic covering 42.
Large bending resistance occurs. Therefore, since the joint 35 bends preferentially from the front side, a small turning of the distal end portion is effective, and observation and treatment can be easily performed even in a narrow lumen. In the method of simply changing the thickness of the elastic coating in the middle to obtain the same effect as that of the present configuration, there is a limit to the change in thickness due to difficulty in molding. Since there is no thickness change, the desired thickness change can be obtained.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show the second embodiment, and show the structure of the joint 35. FIG. At the end of the bending piece 36, an ear portion 36a protruding like a tongue piece is provided. The bending piece 3
A similar ear portion 36a is provided on the bending piece 36 facing the same. 6, and when assembling the bending pieces 36, 36, the outer surface and the inner surface of each ear portion 36a, 36a are in contact with each other. It has become. Further, the ear portion 36a has a circular pin hole 36b at a substantially center thereof.
Is provided, through which a cylindrical joint pin 37 is provided.
And both are rotatably fastened. This joint pin 37
Are provided with disk-shaped flange portions 37a and 37b at both ends.

The distance between the flange portions 37a and 37b is slightly larger than the thickness when the ear portions 36a are overlapped, and the gap between the joint pins 37 is larger than the diameter of the joint pin insertion hole 36b. Since the outer diameter of the shaft is slightly smaller, the ear portion 36a can smoothly rotate about the joint pin 37 as an axis.

The flange portion 37b is not formed on the joint pin 37 before assembly. Joint pin 3 in this state
7 is assembled into the joint pin insertion hole 36b, and the end portion is caulked, so that the flange portions 37 are provided at both ends as shown in FIG.
a and 37b.

The joint pin 37 is made of a shape memory alloy, and a heater insertion hole 50, which is a circular hole, is provided substantially at the center. The heater insertion hole 50
, One end of a heat transfer wire 57 which is a metal wire is integrally attached with a heat-resistant adhesive.

Around the heat transfer wire 57, a nichrome wire 58 coated with an insulating film is spirally wound. The lower end of the heat transfer wire 57 is integrally provided with a flange portion 57a.
7 so as not to fall off. The nichrome wire 5
8 are connected to the conductive line 59 at both ends.

The other end of the conductive wire 59 is connected to the operation switch mechanism 201. The same mechanism as above is used for bending piece 3
6 are provided for all the joint pins 37, and these extending conductive wires 59 are connected to the operation switch mechanism 201.
Are all connected to The operation switch mechanism 201 is provided with a plurality of operation switches 202. When one of the operation switches 202 is pressed, a predetermined plurality of conductive wires 59 are energized.

According to such a configuration, since the energization and non-energization of the conductive wire 59 is controlled simply,
There is an advantage that the apparatus is simple and the production cost is low.

The shape of the joint pin 37 is stored so that it is deformed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 7 when heated, and is restored to its original shape when left at room temperature.

According to such a modification, the flange 37
Since the contact area between a and the bending piece 36 is relatively small, the frictional resistance does not increase more than necessary, and there is no possibility that the smooth rotation operation of the bending piece 36 is hindered.

In the above configuration, the joint pin 37 itself is deformed, so that the configuration is simple and the assembly is easy. However, it is not always necessary that the joint pin 37 itself be deformed. As a first modification, as shown in FIG. 8A, a means for providing a washer 52 made of a shape memory alloy between the joint pin 37 and the ear 36a is also available. Conceivable. The washer 52 is formed of a band-shaped member formed in a C shape.

The width of the notch of the washer 52 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the shaft of the joint pin 37. When assembling this to the joint pin 37, the washer 52
The notch 52a is mounted on the shaft of the joint pin 37 and pushed in, and is elastically deformed to increase the width of the notch 52a.

After the assembly, the notch 52a returns to its original width, so that the washer 52 does not come off the joint pin 37. Since the washer 52 is formed in a C-shape, there is an advantage that the washer 52 can be easily replaced even after being assembled once, and labor for repair is reduced. Further, since the amount of the shape memory alloy to be used is smaller than that of the donut-shaped washer 52, there is an advantage that the production cost can be reduced.

A heater insertion hole 53 is provided at at least one position on the side surface of the washer 52, and a heat transfer wire 54 is adhesively fixed to the heater insertion hole 53. The washer 52 is, as shown in FIG.
At the time of heating, the shape is stored so as to be deformed in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing (broken line portion in the drawing). Further, when the washer 52 is left at room temperature, it returns to its original shape.

In the above configuration, the flange portions 37a, 37b
Although the washer 52 is provided between the lug 36a and the ear 36a, as shown in FIG. 9 as a second modification, a method of providing the washer 52 between the shaft 37c of the joint pin 37 and the insertion hole 36b is also conceivable.

The normal inner diameter of the washer 52 in this case is slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft portion 37c, and the outer diameter of the washer 52 is made slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the insertion hole 36b. The length of the washer 52 in the longitudinal direction is smaller than the distance between the inner surfaces of the flange portions 37a and 37b. Therefore, the ear portion 36a is connected to the joint pin 3
7 can be smoothly rotated about the axis.

Further, in the configuration of FIG. 9, the heat transfer wire 54 is attached to the joint pin 37 in the same manner as the manner of attaching the joint pin 37 of FIG. Is transmitted to the washer 52 through a contact portion between the joint pin 37 and the washer 52.

The shape of the washer 52 is stored such that the washer 52 is deformed from the state shown in FIG. 9C to the state shown in FIG. 9D by the heat generated by the nichrome wire (not shown). Due to this deformation, the frictional resistance between the outer surface of the washer 52 and the insertion hole 36b increases, and at the same time, the frictional resistance between the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 37c and the inner peripheral surface of the washer 52 increases. According to such a configuration, the material of the joint pin can be made sufficiently strong, so that the strength of the structure can be increased.

As a third modification, a configuration as shown in FIG. 10 can be considered. As shown in FIG. 10 (a), an L-shaped hole 48 is
Are provided axially symmetrically, and two tongue pieces 49 formed by being separated by this are provided.

The shape of the tongue piece 49 is memorized so as to be deformed outward when heated, as shown in FIG. Due to this deformation, the tongue piece portion 48 is strongly pressed against the wall surface of the insertion hole 36b, thereby increasing the frictional resistance when the ear portion 36a of the bending piece 36 rotates.

In the structure shown in FIG. 10, the number of tongue pieces 49 is two, but the number is not particularly limited to this. For example, only one tongue piece is provided to improve workability. Alternatively, it is conceivable to provide three or more to stabilize the operation of the joint pin 37 during the heating deformation.

Alternatively, as a modification 4, as shown in FIG. 11 (a), the joint pin 37 made of a shape memory alloy is provided with a rectangular through hole 55 on the side surface along the center axis thereof. Thus, two support portions 56 are formed. When the support 56 is heated, the support 56 is deformed into a "U" shape as shown in FIG.

Since the distance between the flanges 37a is reduced by the deformation, the ears 36a of the bending piece 36 are sandwiched to increase the frictional resistance. Further, since the diameter of the shaft of the joint pin 37 increases, the frictional resistance of the ear portion 36a with respect to the insertion hole 36b increases.

Due to such deformation, the flange portion 37a
Between the shaft and the bending piece 36 and the shaft portion and the bending piece 36
Since both of the resistances generated between the first and second members increase, a sufficient frictional resistance can be generated with a smaller deformation amount to generate the same frictional resistance as compared with a case where one of them is deformed. In other words, the response from the start of energization to the completion of the deformation can be hastened because the amount of deformation is small.

In FIGS. 10 and 11, each joint pin 37 is used.
Although the heat transfer wire and the nichrome wire for heating are not shown in the figure for easy understanding, they are provided in the same manner as in FIG.

In this embodiment, the joint pin 37 having the above structure is used.
Alternatively, the washer 52 is used to connect the bending pieces 36 over the entire length of the joint 35.

In the present embodiment, all the joint pins 37 can be deformed as described above. However, if the use is limited, such a configuration is not necessarily required, and the joint pins 37 are woven with ordinary joint pins 37 made of stainless steel or the like. May be used.

For example, some joint pins 37 on the operation section 2 side of the joint section 35 may have a structure in which the rotation resistance is variable as shown in FIGS. Some of the joint pins 37 may have a variable rotation resistance structure.

The bending portion 8 of this embodiment has a structure in which the joint pin 37 or the washer 52 heats and deforms the shape memory alloy with the Nichrome wire 58. For example, a method of forming a pin or a washer with a chemomechanical material or a piezoelectric element and applying a voltage thereto to change the shape is also conceivable.

In the present embodiment, the joint pin 37 is indirectly heated by connecting the nichrome wire and the joint pin 37 via the heat transfer wire 54, but as another method, the nichrome wire and the joint pin 37 are heated. May be directly connected.

According to such a structure, as compared with the case where the heat transfer wire 54 is used, since the heating element is in direct contact with the shape memory alloy, heat loss is small, and therefore, the shape memory alloy can be quickly manufactured with little power. This has the advantage that the pins or spacers can be heated and the responsiveness of the device is increased.

In the case of the above embodiment, the joint pin 37
Although a nichrome wire is used to heat the material, the material is not particularly limited as long as it becomes a heat source.

Further, the joint pin 37 of the embodiment and the heater for heating the joint pin 37 are provided in one-to-one correspondence. However, this is not always necessary, and a structure in which a plurality of heat transfer wires 54 are connected to one heater is also possible. Good.

The position where the heater is provided is not particularly limited to the inside of the bending portion 8, but may be inside the flexible tube 31, inside the operation portion 2,
Alternatively, it may be provided in the operation switch mechanism 201 or the like, and may be connected to the joint pin 37 by a heat transfer wire 54.

According to this method, since the heating element can be provided in a portion other than the bending section 8, it is not necessary to increase the outer diameter of the bending section 8 in order to incorporate the heating element. Further, since a plurality of pins can be connected to one heating element, the number of heating elements can be reduced.

In any of the above configurations, when the operation switch 2002 of the operation switch mechanism 201 is pressed to energize the conductive wire 59, the nichrome wire 58 generates heat, and this heat is transmitted via the heat transfer wire 57 to the shape memory alloy. Is transmitted to the joint pin 37 or the washer 52, and is deformed to increase the rotational resistance of the bending piece 36.

In use, changes in the rotational resistance of the bending piece 36 are combined as follows.

When the rotational resistance of the plurality of joint pins 37 on the operation unit 2 side is increased, the bending piece 36 on the hand side becomes difficult to rotate, so that it has a curved shape as shown in FIG.

When the rotational resistance of the plurality of joint pins 37 on the distal end side is increased, the bending piece 36 on the distal end side becomes difficult to rotate, so that a curved shape as shown in FIG. 12B is obtained.
Alternatively, after bending once in one direction, the rotational resistance of the bending piece 36 on the distal end side is increased to bend in the opposite direction, as shown in FIG.
A curved shape as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the rotation resistance of all the joint pins 37 may be increased to make the bending portion 8 hard to bend.

Each of the various combinations of the rotational resistances described above corresponds to one operation switch 202. By pressing this switch, all the conductive wires 59 of the joint pin 37 whose rotational resistance is to be increased are pressed. On the other hand, electricity is supplied at the same time.

Therefore, since the bending shape of the bending portion 8 can be freely set, the most easily used bending shape corresponding to each case can be used. For example, a curved shape as shown in FIG. 12A is suitable for observation in a narrow lumen such as the esophagus and the duodenum.

The curved shape as shown in FIG. 12B is effective when the distance between the distal end of the endoscope and the observation site is too large to obtain a detailed image of the affected part. The distal end of the endoscope can be brought sufficiently close to the affected part.

The curved shape as shown in FIG. 12 (c) has a shape in which the distal end looks down on the wall, such as the rear wall of the stomach body, where the insertion portion and the wall of the lumen are inserted in parallel. Therefore, there is an effect that observation becomes easy.

When the rotational resistance of all the joint pins 37 is increased, the bending portion 8 is hardly bent. For example, when focusing on one location, the direction of the visual field is hardly changed, and the effect of facilitating the observation is obtained. is there.

The function of maintaining the viewing direction is widely used as an engagement mechanism. In general, the mechanism is mechanical and quite complicated, so that there is a problem that the weight is increased. Since only the joint pin 37, the heat transfer wire 59, and the nichrome wire 58 are used, there is an advantage that the weight can be extremely reduced.

In addition to this, the following effect is obtained.

According to the configuration shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, since the flange portion 37a and the ear portion 36a are in line contact with each other at the time of heat deformation, the frictional force generated therebetween does not become too large, and the frictional force is too strong to form the curved piece. There is no danger that the 36 will not rotate.

According to the configuration of FIG. 8, the shape is simpler than the whole joint pin 37 made of a shape memory alloy, and the amount of material used is small, so that it can be made relatively inexpensive.

According to the configuration of FIG. 9, in addition to the effect similar to the configuration of FIG. 8, the contact area between the washer 52 and the insertion hole 36b can be increased, so that a large frictional resistance can be generated. For example, it is effective when it is necessary to completely stop the rotation of the bending pieces 36 to fix the bending shape.

According to the configuration of FIG. 10, when deformed,
Since the contact area between the joint pin 37 and the bending piece 36 can be made larger than that of the configuration shown in FIG. 5, a larger frictional resistance can be generated, and it is necessary to completely stop the rotation of the bending pieces 36 to fix the bending shape. In some cases it is effective.

According to the configuration of FIG. 11, the flange 37a
Between the shaft portion and the ear portion 36a, and the shaft portion and the insertion hole 36.
Since both the resistance with the wall surface of b rises, it is necessary to generate sufficient frictional resistance with a smaller amount of deformation to generate the same frictional resistance as compared with a case where either one of them alone deforms. Can be. Therefore, since the amount of deformation is small, the response from the start of energization to the completion of deformation can be accelerated.

FIG. 13 shows a third embodiment, in which the insertion portion 3 has a state in which the distal end side of the insertion portion 3 has drawn an arc that is convex in the DOWN direction. In particular,
Insertion section 3 before covering elastic resin layer 33
Is maintained in the shape shown in FIG.
Is formed by welding to form the shape.

As another method of forming the insertion portion 3 into a curved shape, an elongated elastic member (soft rubber, spring, or the like) formed so as to draw a circular arc in one direction in a natural state is inserted into the insertion portion 3. It is also conceivable to provide a similar effect by incorporating it in a computer.

In this embodiment, a convex arc is drawn in the DOWN direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this direction, and an arc may be drawn in another direction.

FIG. 14B is a front view when the endoscope of the present embodiment is inserted into the stomach a. As shown in this figure, when the convex direction of the arc (coincident with the DOWN direction of the curved portion 8) is inserted according to the large bay side h of the stomach a, the contact point d between the bottom b of the stomach a and the insertion portion 3 becomes the duodenum f Due to the misalignment, even if the insertion portion 3 is pushed in, the insertion portion c does not bend as in the ordinary endoscope in FIG. 14A, and is easily inserted in the duodenum f direction.

FIG. 15 (b) is a side view when the endoscope of the present embodiment is inserted into the stomach. As shown in this figure,
When an endoscope having an arc shape is inserted into the insertion section 3 with the convex direction of the arc directed toward the rear wall side g of the stomach body, the distal end side e of the insertion section 3 is separated from the rear wall g, so that it is looked down from above. The lesion on the back wall g can be observed.

Further, since the insertion portion 3 is formed so as to draw an arc only on the distal end side e, the arc portion does not compress the esophagus or pharynx when observing the stomach a. Therefore, insertion into the duodenum f direction can be easily performed, which is effective in reducing the operator's examination fatigue and reducing the patient's pain.

In addition, since the observation of the rear wall g can be performed while looking down on the lesion, it is effective in improving the examination accuracy and reducing the examination fatigue of the operator. Furthermore, since there is no unnecessary pressure on the esophagus or pharynx when observing the stomach a, the pain of the patient during the examination is reduced.

FIG. 16 shows a first example of the disclosure, in which a bending correction transparent hood 60 is attached to the bending portion 8 and the distal end constituting portion 9. The curvature correction transparent hood 60 has a hood 61 which is a cylindrical transparent member. Food 61
A locking portion 62, which is a rubber tubular member, is integrally bonded and fixed to the end of the first member.

The locking portion 62 is detachable from the distal end portion 9. Specifically, the locking portion 62
Is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the distal end component 9, and when the engaging portion 62 is attached to the distal end component 9, the engaging portion 62 is elastically deformed. As a result, both are pressed, and a large frictional force is generated. For this reason, the locking portion 62 does not easily come off from the distal end configuration portion 9.

In this embodiment, the distal end component 9 and the locking portion 62
Is locked only by a frictional force, but it is only necessary that both can be connected, and the present invention is not particularly limited to this method.

For example, as shown in a first modification of FIG.
By providing a groove 63 having a semicircular cross section on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end component 9, and providing a semicircular projection 64 that can be fitted to the groove 63 on the locking portion 62, more secure connection is performed. You may do so.

The locking portion 62 is provided with a flange portion 62 a, which comes into contact with the distal end surface 65 when the locking portion 62 is connected to the distal end forming portion 9. Thereby, even if the hood 61 is strongly pushed in the direction of the distal end surface 65, the connection between the curvature correction transparent hood 61 and the distal end component 9 is prevented from being disconnected or shifted.

As shown in FIG. 16, a curved portion covering tube 66, which is a tubular elastic member, is provided at the other end of the locking portion 62. The curved covering tube 66 is connected to the curved portion 8.
And has a length that covers the curved portion 8 over its entire length when the locking portion 62 is attached to the distal end constituting portion.

The curved portion covering tube 66 is provided with a plurality of circular holes 67 at the distal end 66a. This hole 6
7, the rigidity of the coating tube 66a on the front end side is lower than the rigidity on the rear end side 66b.

In the first disclosed example, as shown in FIG. 18A, the hole 67 is a plurality of circular holes. However, the hole 67 is not particularly limited to this shape. As shown in FIG. 18B, a plurality of diamond-shaped holes 67 may be provided.

Further, a structure may be employed in which the bellows portion 68 is provided at the tip end as shown in FIG. Alternatively, a method in which the material constituting the front end side is soft and the material at the rear end side is hard may be considered. Various other methods, such as attaching an elastic member to the rear end side, are conceivable. In short, any method may be used as long as the rigidity at the rear end side is greater than the rigidity at the front end side.

As described above, when the bending portion 8 is bent with the bending correction transparent hood 60 attached to the distal end portion 9, the rigidity of the bending portion covering tube 66 that covers the bending portion 8 is reduced.
Since the distal end has a lower rigidity than the rear end and is easy to bend, the bending portion 8 bends more preferentially than the distal end. Further, the distal end component 9 is not too close to the wall of the lumen by the hood 61.

Therefore, the curvature correcting transparent hood 60 has the effect of securing a visual field even in the state of being close to the wall of the lumen, and the bending portion 8 is preferentially bent from the distal end side, so that a narrow tube such as an esophagus or a duodenum can be obtained. Observation inside the cavity becomes easier.

FIGS. 19 to 23 show a second disclosure example, in which a curved shape adjusting balloon 70 shown in FIG. The curved shape adjusting balloon 70 has an elongated balloon main body 71. The balloon main body 71 is an elastic body having a space inside, and is formed so as to be able to expand and contract to a certain extent when a fluid is pressurized inflow and outflow into the internal space.

At one end of the balloon body 71, an air supply tube 73, which is a hollow tubular member, is provided integrally.
It communicates with the internal space.

An air supply means (not shown) is connected to the other end of the air supply tube 73 so that air can be sent into the balloon. As the air supply means, a method of manually supplying air using a compressor or a syringe may be used. Further, a suction unit such as a vacuum pump may be provided in parallel with the air supply unit. Further, air supply or suction is selectively turned on by a switch. A method using a structure that can be turned off is also conceivable.

The outer periphery of the balloon main body 71 is covered with a tubular net-like member 72 knitted with a metal wire. The net-like member 72 is knitted in a cage shape at its tip end as shown in FIG. Also, at the other end of the mesh member 72,
As shown in FIG. 22A, a mounting member 74 which is a cylindrical member is integrally mounted by brazing.

Further, the mesh member 72 has such a flexibility that it can be bent with a light force.

At the end of the mounting bracket 74 opposite to the side where the mesh member 72 is mounted, a disk-shaped partitioning section 7 is provided.
5 are provided integrally. An insertion hole 76 is provided substantially at the center of the partition 75.

The inner diameter of the insertion hole 76 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the air supply tube 73, and is always smaller than the outer diameter of the balloon body 71 when it is reduced. The air supply tube 73 is inserted through the insertion hole 76.
Extend from the inside of the mesh member 72 to the outside. Two plate-shaped mounting ears 77 are provided on a part of the mounting bracket 74.
Are provided integrally.

The bottom surface of the mounting ear portion 77 is
6 is curved to be substantially the same as the curvature of the inner peripheral surface.
The mounting ears 77 are provided with holes 79 for inserting screws 78 respectively.

As shown in FIG. 23, a screw 78 is screwed into a female screw hole 80 provided in the bending piece 36 through the hole 79 so that the mounting bracket 74 is attached to the inner surface of the bending piece 36. Mounted against.

The installation position of the curved shape adjusting balloon 70 is as follows.
As shown in FIG. 20, the distal end portion is located near the middle portion of the bending portion 8, and the balloon body 71 extends from there to the end of the bending portion 8 on the operation unit 2 side.

In the example of the present disclosure, the distal end of the balloon body 71 is located near the middle of the curved portion 8, but this is not particularly limited to this position. Or, conversely, it may be from the tip side.

As shown in FIG.
, A disk-shaped flange portion 81 is adhesively fixed.
The flange portion 81 is provided with a partition portion 75 of the mounting bracket.
Is provided at a position sandwiched between the flange portion 81 and the operation portion side end surface 71a of the balloon main body 71, and the balloon main body 71 is attached to the attachment metal fitting 74 without play. The curved shape adjusting balloon 70
Is so large that it does not adversely affect other built-in components built in the bending portion 8 when inflated.

As described above, the air is supplied to the internal space of the curved shape adjusting balloon 71 through the air supply tube 73 by the air supply means. Then, the balloon main body 71 expands, but the net-like member 72 suppresses expansion beyond a certain level. This prevents the balloon main body 71 from inflating too much and interfering with other internal components, or preventing the balloon main body 71 from bursting.

In the state where the balloon body 71 is inflated, the wall of the elastic member constituting the balloon body 71 is in the expanded state. Becomes larger.

Therefore, if the bending portion 8 is bent in a state where the balloon main body 71 is inflated, the operating portion side of the bending portion 8 on which the balloon main body 71 is installed is difficult to bend, and therefore, the bending portion is preferentially turned from the distal end side. 8 bends.

As described above, since the bending portion 8 is bent preferentially from the distal end side, observation in a narrow lumen such as the esophagus and the duodenum becomes easy.

FIGS. 24 to 31 show a third disclosure example. The curved stylet device 101 shown in FIG. 24 has a channel insertion portion 108 which is a slender and flexible cylindrical member. The first coil sheath 1 is a hollow tubular member as shown in FIG.
02.

The first coil sheath 102 is a close contact coil formed by spirally winding a wire helically and has flexibility. The outer diameter of the endoscope 1 is smaller than the inner diameter of the forceps channel. One end of a coil spring 103 having substantially the same inner and outer diameters as the first coil sheath 102 is integrally fixed to an end of the first coil sheath 102 with a brazing material with the center axis being substantially the same. .

The coil spring 103 is connected to the first
The coil sheath 102 has elasticity enough to bend with a resistance sufficiently smaller than the resistance at the time of bending. One end of a second coil sheath 106, which is a hollow tubular member having substantially the same inner and outer diameters as the first coil sheath 102, is integrated with the other end of the coil spring 103 by a brazing material with the center axis being substantially the same. It is stuck to.

The second coil sheath 106 is a close contact coil formed by spirally winding a wire helically and has flexibility. This flexibility is substantially the same as that of the first coil sheath 102.

A first wire receiver 105, which is a cylindrical metal member, is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the first coil sheath 102 near the coil spring 103 by brazing. A second wire receiver 107, which is a cylindrical member having the same shape as the first wire receiver 105, is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the second coil sheath 106 near the coil spring 103 by brazing or the like. ing.

An operation wire 104 is inserted inside the first wire receiver 105 and the second wire receiver 107, and one end of the operation wire 104 is fixed to the first coil sheath 102. A fixing portion of the operation wire 104;
The relative positional relationship with the second wire receivers 105 and 107 is such that when the channel insertion portion 108 is linearized, the operation wire 104 is arranged substantially parallel to the center line formed by the channel insertion portion 108. I have.

As shown in FIGS. 26 and 27, the other end of the second coil sheath 106 is
Is inserted into an attachment portion 121 which is a tubular member provided on the side surface 110c of the first member, and both are adhered and fixed.

The stylet operating section 109 has a main body section 110 which is a box-shaped hollow member. The inside of the main body 110 and the second coil sheath 106 communicate with each other through an insertion hole 111 that is a hole provided in a side surface 110 c of the main body 110. The operation wire 104
Extends through the second coil sheath 106 and the insertion hole 111 to the inside of the main body 110.

The end of the operation wire 104 is fixed to a circumferential groove 113 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the winding drum 112 which is a disk-shaped member by brazing or the like. The winding drum 112 is incorporated in the main body 110, and has a columnar rotating shaft 115 integrally provided with the same central axis.

The take-up drum 112 and the rotating shaft 1
Mounting holes 112 which are circular holes with respect to the central axis of 15
a, a cylindrical fixed shaft 114 provided integrally with the bottom 110 a of the main body 110 is inserted therethrough.

The outer diameter of the fixed shaft 114 is
Since it is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of 12 a, the take-up drum 112 is rotatable with respect to the fixed shaft 114. The rotation shaft 115 extends to the outside through a hole 116 provided in the main body 110, and a disc-shaped operation dial 117 having the same central axis is attached to an end thereof.

The take-up drum 112 and the main body 1
A cylindrical spacer 11 for restricting axial movement of the winding drum 112 between the upper surface 110b and the inner surface of the upper surface 110b.
8 are provided.

However, the length of the spacer 118 in the longitudinal direction is slightly smaller than the distance between the inner surface of the upper surface 110b and the winding drum 112, and when the winding drum 112 rotates about the axis. It is designed not to generate large resistance.

In the vicinity of the end of the channel insertion portion 108 on the stylet operation portion side, a disc-shaped stopper 119 is provided.
Are adhesively fixed. The outer diameter of the stopper 119 is
It is larger than the inner diameter of the hole of the forceps opening 10.

As shown in FIG. 28, when the channel insertion portion 108 is inserted into the forceps channel through the forceps opening 10 as shown in FIG. 28, the stopper 119 is inserted until the stopper 119 abuts on its end face.
The coil spring 103 reaches a predetermined position 120 near the curved portion (hereinafter, this position is referred to as a second curved portion).

As a result, the work of aligning the second bending portion and the coil spring 103 is eliminated, so that inspection fatigue can be reduced. Further, the second curved portion 120 is formed slightly softer than the insertion portion 3 of the other portion.

More specifically, the structure is such that the resin material covering the surface is made to have a low elasticity only at that portion. Thereby, the resistance to bend the second bending portion is sufficiently reduced, the operation torque of the operation dial 117 is reduced, and the fatigue of the operator is reduced.

According to the above configuration, the curved stylet device 101 is separate from the endoscope 1 and is inserted into the forceps channel. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. .

For example, a portion corresponding to the channel insertion portion 108 is built in the gap between the internal components inside the insertion portion 3, a mechanism built in the main body 110 is provided in the operation portion 2, and the operation dial 117 is operated. 1 may be provided.

In this way, various treatment tools can be freely inserted into the forceps channel even when the second bending portion is bent.

The channel insertion portion uses a coil sheath. However, the channel insertion portion is not limited to this. For example, a resin-made one such as a Teflon tube may be used.

Further, in addition to the above-described structure, a bending engagement mechanism widely known as a mechanism of an operation knob of an endoscope (the rotation resistance of the operation knob is increased so that the bending is restored to the original state even when the hand is released). A kind of stopper to prevent returning)
May be provided in the stylet operation section so that the second bending section can be fixed in a bent state.

First, the channel insertion portion 108 is inserted into the forceps channel from the forceps opening 10 of the insertion portion 3. When the stopper 119 is inserted until the stopper 119 comes into contact with the forceps opening 10, the coil spring 103 reaches the position of the second bending portion 120.

In this state, the operation dial 1 of the main body 110 is
When the rotating member 17 is rotated by hand, the rotating shaft 115 and the winding drum 112 rotate integrally about the axis. The operation wire 104 fixed to the winding drum 112 is wound around the circumferential groove 113 by this rotation.

When the operation wire 104 is wound, a force is applied to the first coil sheath 102 to which the other end of the operation wire 104 is fixed, toward the second coil sheath 106.

By receiving this force, the coil spring 1 having a lower elasticity than the first and second coil sheath portions 102 and 106.
03 is the first and second wire receivers 105 and 107
To the direction of. Following this, the second bending portion 120 located at a position corresponding to the coil spring 103
Also bend.

By the above operation, the shape of the insertion portion 3 is changed as shown in FIG.
As shown in (2), the bending portion 8 can be freely operated while the tip is lifted by the second bending portion 120.

By simply setting the present apparatus on a normal endoscope, it is possible to obtain a curved shape as shown in FIG. 12C described in the first embodiment, and the same effect is obtained. .

FIGS. 30 and 31 show a fourth disclosure example. As shown in FIG. 30, a bending shape variable mechanism 122 is provided inside the bending portion 8. The curved shape variable mechanism 1
22 has a coil insertion tube 123. The coil insertion tube 123 is a tube made of resin,
In the present embodiment, it is made of Teflon.

A distal tip 124 which is a cylindrical metal member is integrally attached to the distal end of the coil insertion tube 123. The outer diameter of the tip 124 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the coil insertion tube 123. An adhesive is applied to the end of the tip 124 and inserted into the coil insertion tube 123 to cure the adhesive. Both are fixed.

An elongated curved shape regulating coil 125 is built in the coil insertion tube 123. The curved shape regulating coil 125 is a close contact coil having high elasticity. The outer diameter of the curved shape regulating coil 125 is
Sufficiently smaller than the inner diameter of the coil insertion tube 123,
The movement in the longitudinal axis direction is performed smoothly. A coil operation wire 126 is fixed to an end of the curved shape regulating coil 125 on the operation section 2 side.

A structure similar to the mechanism for winding the wire shown in FIGS. 26 and 27 (not shown) is provided inside the operation unit 2. The other end of the coil operation wire 126 is Are linked.

The coil insertion tube 123 guides the coil operation wire 126 to the wire winding mechanism.

Even if the coil operation wire 126 is pushed in the same direction in order to move the curved shape regulating coil 125 to the distal end side, the coil operation wire 1
The inner diameter of the coil insertion tube 123 is formed sufficiently small so that the buckling of the coil 26 does not occur.

A constriction 127 is provided at a position of the coil insertion tube 123 in the flexible tube 31. The constriction 127 is formed by narrowing the coil insertion tube 123 by thermal deformation.
6 and smaller than the outer diameter of the curved shape regulating coil 125.

The position where the constricted portion 127 is provided is shown in FIG. 30 (b) when the curved shape regulating coil 125 is moved toward the operation unit 2 until it reaches the constricted portion 127.
As shown in (2), the end on the distal end side of the curved shape regulating coil 125 is set so as not to enter the inside of the curved portion 8.

As described above, the curved shape regulating coil 12
When the abutment 6 abuts against the stenosis portion 127, the end on the operation portion 2 side reaches the inside of the flexible tube 31.
A method is also conceivable in which the length is set so as to fit in the inside so that the elasticity of the flexible tube 31 is not affected.

When the coil operation wire 126 is pulled toward the operation section 2, the curved shape regulating coil 125 can be moved until the end on the operation section 2 side abuts on the narrowing portion 127.
When it is pulled until it hits the stenosis 127 in this way,
Since the curved shape regulating coil 125 does not reach the inside of the curved portion 8, it takes a normal curved shape when it is curved.

When the coil operating wire 126 is pushed toward the distal end, the coil can be moved until the end of the operating portion 2 side of the curved shape regulating coil 125 abuts on the distal end tip 124.

In this state, the curved shape regulating coil 12
5 is to increase the amount of bending force for a plurality of near-side bending portions 8 (three near-side portions in FIG. 30A), so that the bending piece 36 on the distal end side is more easily bent. Since the bending portion 8 is preferentially bent from the distal end side in this manner, observation in a narrow lumen such as the esophagus or the duodenum becomes easy.

According to the above embodiment, the following configuration is obtained.

(Supplementary Note 1) A plurality of bending pieces are arranged in series, adjacent bending pieces are rotatably connected to each other, and the outer circumference of the bending piece is covered with a covering member. By bending the distal end of the operation wire inserted into the bending tube portion and the bending tube portion having the outer skin member to the distal end side of the bending tube portion, and moving the operation wire forward and backward,
An endoscope having a bending portion for bending the bending tube portion, wherein at least one elastic member is partially interposed between the covering member and the elastic outer member.

(Supplementary Note 2) The endoscope according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the interposition position of the elastic member is provided on a part of the bending portion on the operation portion side.

(Supplementary Note 3) The endoscope according to supplementary note 2, wherein at least one of the elastic member and the elastic outer member is formed to be thicker on the operation portion side than on the distal end side.

(Supplementary Note 4) The endoscope according to supplementary note 1, wherein the elastic member is interposed on a part of the circumference of the curved portion.

(Supplementary Note 5) The endoscope according to Supplementary Note 4, wherein the elastic member is interposed on a part of the circumference of the bending portion on the maximum bending side or on the side opposite to the maximum bending.

(Supplementary Note 6) In Supplementary Note 2, the interposition position of the elastic member may extend from the end of the bending portion toward the operation portion to the distal end over a length of 1/3 to 1/2 of the entire length of the bending tube portion. An endoscope, which is provided.

(Supplementary Note 7) The endoscope according to supplementary note 1, wherein the elastic member is a cylindrical rubber member.

(Supplementary Note 8) In the supplementary note 1, the elastic member and the covering member may be provided on at least a part of a surface where the elastic member contacts the covering member or at least a part of a surface where the elastic member contacts the elastic covering member. And an endoscope fixed to each other.

(Supplementary Note 9) An endoscope having a bending portion formed by arranging a plurality of bending pieces in a row and connecting adjacent bending pieces with pins so as to be rotatable, wherein at least one of the bending pieces is provided. An endoscope provided with a frictional resistance adjusting means for varying frictional resistance generated between the bending pieces or between the bending piece and the pin.

(Supplementary Note 10) In the supplementary note 9, the frictional resistance adjusting means may include a pin made of a shape memory alloy that changes into a shape that increases or decreases the frictional resistance between the bending pieces or the frictional resistance between the bending piece and the pin during heating deformation. An endoscope comprising a heating device for heating and deforming the shape memory alloy pin.

(Supplementary Note 11) In the supplementary note 9, the pin may include a shaft portion, and flange portions provided at both ends of the shaft portion and sandwiching a bending piece to be connected therebetween, and the frictional resistance adjustment may be performed. Means are provided at least between the flange portion of the pin and the bending piece or between the shaft portion of the pin and the bending piece, and are deformed into a shape that increases or decreases the rotational resistance of the bending piece connected by the pin during heating deformation. An endoscope comprising: at least one shape memory alloy spacer; and a heating device for heating and deforming the shape memory alloy spacer.

(Supplementary Note 12) In the supplementary note 10 or 11, the heating device may include a heating element that generates heat when energized, an electric cable that supplies electricity to the heating element, and a power switch that controls the flow of electricity to the electric cable. An endoscope comprising: a heating element and a heat conductor that connects a pin made of a shape memory alloy or a spacer made of a shape memory alloy.

(Supplementary Note 13) In the supplementary note 10 or 11, the heating device may include a heating element mounted on the spacer made of the shape memory alloy and generating heat when energized, an electric cable for supplying electricity to the heating element, and the electric cable. And a power switch for controlling the flow of electricity to the endoscope.

(Supplementary note 14) The endoscope according to supplementary note 12 or 13, wherein the power switch selectively supplies electricity to a plurality of electric cables.

(Supplementary Note 15) In the supplementary note 10, the pin made of a shape memory alloy has a shaft portion, and a flange portion provided at both ends of the shaft portion and sandwiching a connecting piece to be connected, An endoscope characterized in that at least a part of a distance between flange portions is deformed during heating deformation.

(Supplementary Note 16) In the supplementary note 10, the pin made of a shape memory alloy has a shaft portion, and a flange portion provided at both ends of the shaft portion and sandwiching a bending piece to be connected therebetween. An endoscope, wherein at least a part of the shaft portion is deformed in a radial direction during heating deformation.

(Supplementary Note 17) In the supplementary note 10, the pin made of a shape memory alloy has a shaft portion, and a flange portion provided at both ends of the shaft portion and sandwiching a connecting piece to be connected therebetween. An endoscope, wherein at the time of heating deformation, the shaft portion is deformed in a radial direction and at least a part of a distance between the flange portions is deformed.

(Supplementary Note 18) The endoscope according to supplementary note 11, wherein the shape memory alloy spacer has a C-shape, and the width of the cutout portion is slightly smaller than the diameter of the pin shaft. .

(Supplementary Note 19) In an endoscope having an elongated insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity, at least a part of the insertion portion is formed so as to naturally draw a circular arc shape in one direction in a natural state. Endoscope that features.

(Supplementary note 20) The endoscope according to Supplementary note 19, wherein the position of the arc shape is near the distal end curved portion of the endoscope.

(Supplementary note 21) An elongated insertion portion having a length that can be inserted into the channel of the endoscope and can be inserted halfway in the channel, and is provided on at least a part of the insertion portion, and is provided in at least one direction. A bending assist device that includes a bending portion that bends and an operation mechanism that is connected to the insertion portion and that performs a bending operation on the bending portion of the insertion portion.

(Supplementary note 22) In Supplementary note 21, the distal end position of the insertion portion is provided in the insertion portion of the bending assist device and abuts on a part of the operation portion of the endoscope so that the position of the distal end of the insertion portion can be changed. A bending assist device provided with a stopper member for adjusting the position to a predetermined position.

(Supplementary Note 23) An elongated insertion portion provided inside the insertion portion of the endoscope, and at least a part of the insertion portion, which is formed by actively changing the shape of the insertion portion. A bending assist device comprising: a bending portion capable of changing a shape of an insertion portion of an endoscope in a portion where the insertion portion is inserted; and an operation mechanism connected to the insertion portion and performing a bending operation of the bending portion of the insertion portion.

(Supplementary note 24) In Supplementary note 21 or 23, the insertion portion of the endoscope is characterized in that a portion bent by the insertion portion of the bending assist device is formed to be softer than other portions. Endoscope.

(Supplementary Note 25) In Supplementary Note 3, the thickness range of the elastic member or the elastic outer member is from 1/3 to 1/2 of the total length of the bending tube portion from the operation portion side of the bending portion toward the distal end. An endoscope characterized by being provided over a range.

(Supplementary note 26) The endoscope according to Supplementary note 3, wherein the thickness of the elastic member or the elastic covering member gradually increases from the distal end side of the curved portion toward the operation portion side.

According to Supplementary Note 1, since the bending resistance of the portion where the elastic member of the bending portion is interposed can be sufficiently increased, the desired bending shape can be obtained, and the productivity is high.

According to Supplementary Notes 2, 3, 25, and 26, the bending portion bends preferentially from the distal end side in order to increase the bending resistance on the operation portion side of the bending portion. Therefore, the joint bends preferentially from the tip, so that the tip can be turned slightly, and observation and treatment can be easily performed even in a narrow lumen. in addition,
According to Supplementary Note 3, the small turning of the tip becomes more effective than in Supplementary Note 2. According to Appendix 25, in addition to these effects,
The balance between the curved shape and the amount of bending operation is improved. According to Supplementary Note 26, in addition to the effect of Supplementary Note 23, since the bending resistance can be gradually changed, damage to the built-in component due to locally bending with a small radius can be prevented.

According to Supplementary Note 4, the bending resistance of the portion where the elastic member is interposed is increased locally and with deflection. Therefore, when the bending portion does not bend in the intended direction due to the difference in elasticity of the various built-in components in the endoscope insertion portion, a countermeasure for this problem can be easily made by interposing the elastic member in a direction that is easily deflected. .

According to Supplementary Notes 5 to 7, as in Supplementary Note 1, the bending resistance of the portion of the bending portion where the elastic member is interposed is increased. According to Supplementary Note 5, in addition to the effect of Supplementary Note 2, the maximum outer diameter of the curved portion is smaller than that of the case where the elastic member is interposed on the entire circumference, and it is possible to reduce the pain of the patient when inserting the endoscope. it can. Further, in addition to this effect, according to Appendix 6, the balance between the curved shape and the amount of bending operation force is very good.

According to Appendix 7, in addition to the effect of Appendix 5, the configuration is simple and the cost is low.

According to appendix 8, when the bending portion is bent,
The position of the elastic member is prevented from shifting. Therefore, in addition to the effect of Appendix 1, the internal elastic member is difficult to move during use.

According to appendix 9, the rotational resistance of the bending piece can be adjusted by the frictional resistance adjusting means. Therefore, although only a fixed curved shape can be obtained in Appendix 1, a plurality of curved shapes can be selected in the configuration of Appendix 9, so that the most effective curved shape can be obtained depending on the use situation.

According to Supplementary Note 10, the heat generated from the heating device deforms the shape memory alloy pin, and can adjust the rotational resistance of the bending piece. In addition to the effect of Appendix 9, the configuration is compact because the frictional resistance adjusting means is integrated with the pin.

[0207] According to appendix 11, the heat generated by the heating device deforms the spacer made of the shape memory alloy, and the rotational resistance of the bending piece can be adjusted. Therefore, in addition to the effect of Appendix 9, since the frictional resistance adjusting means is separate from the pin, the material used for the pin can be made sufficiently strong.
The strength of the structure can be increased.

According to Appendix 12, when the power switch is operated, electricity is supplied to the heating element via the electric cable,
Thereby, heat is generated from the heating element. This heat is transmitted to the pins or spacers made of a shape memory alloy via a heat conductor, and these are deformed to change the rotational resistance of the bending piece. Therefore, in addition to the effect of Appendix 9, the heating element can be provided in a portion other than the inside of the bending tube, so that it is not necessary to increase the outer diameter of the bending tube in order to incorporate the heating element. Also, since a plurality of pins can be connected to one heating element, the number of heating elements can be reduced,
Cost can be reduced.

[0209] According to Appendix 13, when the power switch is operated, electricity is supplied to the heating element via the electric cable.
Thereby, heat is generated from the heating element. This heat is transmitted directly to the pins or spacers made of a shape memory alloy via a heat conductor, which deforms and changes the rotational resistance of the bending piece. Therefore, in addition to the effect of Appendix 9, the heat loss is small because the heating element is in direct contact with the shape memory alloy. Therefore, the pin or spacer made of the shape memory alloy can be quickly heated with a small amount of electric power.

According to Supplementary Note 14, by selectively heating the pin, the portion where the rotational resistance of the bending piece changes varies variously depending on the use conditions. Therefore, a large number of curved shapes can be obtained only by controlling energization and non-energization of the conductive wire. Further, since the control method is simple, the production cost is low.

According to appendices 15 and 16, the frictional resistance of the contact surface between the inner surface of the flange portion and the bending piece and the contact surface between the connected bending pieces increases due to the heat deformation. Therefore, according to Supplementary Note 15, in addition to the effect of Supplementary Note 10, since a part of the flange is in line contact with the bending piece, the frictional resistance does not become too large, and the bending pieces do not rotate. According to Supplementary Note 16, in addition to the effect of Supplementary Note 10, since a contact area between the pin and the bending piece can be increased, a large frictional resistance can be generated, and rotation of the bending pieces can be completely stopped. To fix the curved shape.

According to Supplementary Note 17, due to the heat deformation, the contact surface between the inner surface of the flange portion and the bending piece, the contact surface between the connecting bending pieces, and the contact surface between the shaft portion of the pin and the insertion hole of the pin. Frictional resistance increases. Therefore, in addition to the effect of Appendix 10, both the resistance generated between the flange portion and the bending piece and the resistance between the shaft portion and the bending piece increase, so that compared with the case where either one of them is deformed alone. Thus, a sufficient frictional resistance can be generated with a smaller amount of deformation to generate the same frictional resistance. In other words, the response from the start of energization to the completion of the deformation can be hastened because the amount of deformation is small.

According to Supplementary Note 18, the notch of the C-shaped spacer is aligned with the pin, and is pushed in to elastically deform the spacer, thereby assembling with the pin. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the supplementary note 11, the washer can be easily removed even after the assembling. In addition, since the amount of the shape memory alloy to be used is smaller than that of the donut-shaped washer, the production cost can be reduced.

According to Supplementary Note 19, in the upper gastrointestinal tract examination, when the stomach is inserted from the stomach into the duodenum, the convex direction of the arc is directed toward the large bay of the stomach body, so that the distal end of the endoscope is directed toward the duodenum Head for. Also, in observing the posterior wall of the stomach,
When the convex direction of the arc is directed in the opposite direction to the rear wall of the body, the distal end of the endoscope is sufficiently separated from the rear wall. Therefore, the insertability in the direction of the duodenum is improved, and the performance of observing the posterior wall of the stomach body is improved. Further, since the construction is very simple, the production cost is low and the outer diameter of the insertion portion does not increase.

According to Supplementary Note 20, in addition to the effect of Supplementary Note 19, since the esophageal passage is straight, the esophageal wall is not pressed. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the supplementary note 19, since the esophagus is not compressed at the time of insertion, the patient suffers less pain.

According to appendices 21 and 23, by bending the bending portion of the insertion portion, the insertion portion of the endoscope in which the insertion portion is built is bent. Accordingly, in the appendix 21, simply by setting the present apparatus on a normal endoscope, the observation ability for a difficult-to-observe portion such as the posterior wall of the stomach body part is dramatically improved. In Appendix 23, in addition to the effects of Appendix 21,
Unlike Appendix 21, the channel can be used, so that the treatment ability can be improved.

According to Supplementary Note 22, the position of the curved portion of the insertion portion is always adjusted to the fixed position of the insertion portion. Therefore, since there is no need to perform the operation of positioning the bending portion of the bending assist device, it is possible to reduce inspection fatigue.

According to appendix 24, when the bending portion of the insertion portion is bent, the bending resistance of the insertion portion bent by the bending portion is small. Therefore, in addition to the effects of Supplementary Notes 21 and 23, the amount of operating force is reduced, which leads to a reduction in inspection fatigue.

[0219]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the bending portion is operated to bend, the distal end side of the bending portion bends preferentially, so that the observation and treatment performance is further improved and the insertability is improved. Improvement can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a bending portion according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the entire endoscope apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary sectional view of an elastic coating showing a modification of the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a bonding direction between an elastic covering and a net-like metal member.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a second embodiment of the present invention and showing an engagement state of a bending piece by an articulated pin.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary perspective view showing an engagement state of the bending piece by the joint pin according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a view showing a deformed state of the joint pin according to the embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows a first modification of the embodiment, in which (a) is a longitudinal sectional side view showing an engagement state of a bending piece by an articulating pin, and (b) is a perspective view of a washer.

9A and 9B show Modification 2 of the embodiment, wherein FIG. 9A is a longitudinal sectional side view showing an engagement state of a bending piece by an articulating pin, FIG. 9B is a perspective view of a washer, and FIGS. FIG.

10A and 10B show Modification Example 3 of the embodiment, wherein FIG. 10A is a side view before deformation of the joint pin, and FIG. 10B is a side view after deformation of the joint pin.

11A and 11B show Modification Example 4 of the embodiment, wherein FIG. 11A is a side view before deformation of the joint pin, and FIG. 11B is a side view after deformation of the joint pin.

FIG. 12 is a view showing various curved shapes formed by selectively changing the rotation resistance of the node ring of the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a side view showing an insertion portion having a circular arc shape in the vicinity of a distal end, showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 14A and 14B are explanatory diagrams when an insertion portion of an endoscope is inserted into a stomach.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are explanatory diagrams when an insertion portion of an endoscope is inserted into a stomach.

FIG. 16 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the entire configuration of the curvature correction transparent hood of the first disclosure example.

FIG. 17 is a partially longitudinal side view showing a mounting structure of a curvature correction transparent hood according to a first modification of the first disclosure example;

FIGS. 18A and 18B show Modification 2 of the first disclosure example, and FIGS.
(C) is a side view showing a different example of the curved portion covering tube of the curved correction transparent hood.

FIG. 19 is an overall configuration diagram of a curved shape adjustment balloon showing a second disclosure example.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a place where the curved shape adjustment balloon according to the embodiment of the disclosure is installed in the curved portion.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a configuration of a balloon body of the curved shape adjustment balloon according to the embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 22 is an enlarged perspective view of a mesh member of the curved shape adjusting balloon according to the embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure for attaching the curved shape adjusting balloon of the disclosure to a curved tube.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a curved stylet device according to a third disclosure example.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a distal end configuration of a channel insertion portion of the curved stylet device according to the embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the stylet operation unit of the curved stylet device according to the embodiment of the disclosure, taken along line BB of FIG. 27;

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the stylet operating unit of the curved stylet device according to the embodiment of the disclosure, taken along line AA of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the channel insertion portion of the curved stylet device according to the embodiment of the disclosure is inserted into the forceps port until the stopper abuts.

FIG. 29 is a diagram illustrating a state of an insertion portion when the curved stylet device according to the embodiment of the disclosure is used.

FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a curved shape variable device according to a fourth disclosure example.

FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating a detailed structure of the variable curved shape device according to the embodiment of the disclosure;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope 2 ... Operation part 3 ... Insertion part 8 ... Bending part 36 ... Bending piece 40 ... Net-like metal coating (covering member) 41 ... 1st elastic coating (elastic member) 42 ... 2nd elastic coating (elasticity) Outer member)

Claims (1)

[Claims] An elastic covering member for arranging a plurality of bending pieces in series, connecting adjacent bending pieces rotatably, covering an outer periphery of the bending piece with a covering member, and further covering an outer periphery of the covering member. An endoscope having a bending portion having a bending mechanism that fixes the distal end of the operation wire inserted into the bending portion to the distal end side of the bending portion, and advances and retracts the operation wire to bend the bending portion. An endoscope, wherein at least one elastic member is partially interposed between the covering member and the elastic outer member.