CN115474889A

CN115474889A - Snake bone and endoscope

Info

Publication number: CN115474889A
Application number: CN202211366023.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 陆海同
Original assignee: Hangzhou Sikang New Medical Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Hangzhou Sikang New Medical Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2022-11-03
Filing date: 2022-11-03
Publication date: 2022-12-16
Also published as: CN220512823U

Abstract

The embodiment of the specification provides a snake bone and an endoscope. The snake bone comprises a snake bone structure and a flexible pipe fixed in the snake bone structure, the snake bone structure can be bent in a first direction, two traction channels are arranged on the flexible pipe, the two traction channels are arranged at intervals in the first direction, and the two traction channels are symmetrically arranged on the axis of the flexible pipe.

Description

Snake bone and endoscope

Technical Field

The specification relates to the field of medical instruments, in particular to a snake bone and an endoscope.

Background

The snake bone is a common component provided on an endoscope, and the bending of the snake bone is usually controlled by a steel cable. The side wall of the common snake bone is provided with grooves sunken towards the inside of the snake bone structure, or the inner wall of the snake bone is provided with an inner ring groove, the steel wire rope is axially arranged in the grooves or the inner ring grooves along the snake bone, when the steel wire rope on one side is pulled, the snake bone is bent towards the direction, and when the steel wire rope on the other side is pulled, the snake bone moves in the opposite direction. However, in the existing design, the structures such as the groove or the inner ring groove are arranged on the inner wall of the snake bone, so that the inner section of the snake bone is formed into an irregular shape, the inner space of the snake bone is small, and the difficulty in mounting other components is increased.

Disclosure of Invention

One of the embodiments of the present specification provides a snake bone, which includes a snake bone structure and a flexible tube fixed in the snake bone structure, wherein the snake bone structure can be bent in a first direction, two traction channels are provided on the flexible tube, the two traction channels are arranged at intervals along the first direction, and the two traction channels are symmetrically arranged relative to an axis of the flexible tube.

In some embodiments, the snake bone structure comprises a plurality of bony prominences; or the snake bone structure is an integrated structure made by laser engraving.

In some embodiments, a module passage extending along an axial direction of the flexible pipe is arranged in the flexible pipe, and the module passage is used for arranging a camera module.

In some embodiments, an optical fiber channel extending along an axial direction of the flexible tube is arranged in the flexible tube, and the optical fiber channel is used for arranging an optical fiber; and/or an instrument channel extending along the axial direction of the flexible tube is arranged in the flexible tube and used for allowing a surgical instrument to pass through.

One of the embodiments herein provides an endoscope comprising; the device comprises a sheath pipe, a snake bone, a camera module, a bending control mechanism and two traction cables; the snake bone comprises a snake bone structure and a flexible pipe fixed in the snake bone structure, wherein the snake bone structure can be bent in a first direction, two traction channels are arranged in the flexible pipe at intervals along the first direction, and the two traction channels are symmetrically arranged relative to the axis of the flexible pipe; the snake bone structure is connected to the far end of the sheath, and at least part of the camera module is positioned at the far end of the snake bone structure; the bending control mechanism is connected to the near end of the sheath tube, the near ends of the two traction cables are connected with the bending control mechanism, the far ends of the two traction cables penetrate through the two traction channels respectively and are fixed to the far ends of the two traction channels respectively, and the bending control mechanism pulls the two traction cables to control the bending of the snake bone structure.

In some embodiments, a module channel is arranged in the flexible pipe, and the camera module is detachably mounted in the module channel.

In some embodiments, the endoscope is a hysteroscope and the serpentine bone structure is a serpentine bone structure that is unilaterally curved in a first direction.

In some embodiments, the endoscope further comprises an end cap and an optical fiber, the flexible tube is internally provided with a fiber channel and an instrument channel, the end cap is arranged at the distal end of the flexible tube, at least part of the end cap is of a transparent structure, and the camera module and the optical fiber are fixed with the end cap; the end cap seals at least the module passage and/or the fiber passage; the endcap includes a through bore in communication with the instrument channel.

In some embodiments, the endoscope further comprises an inner tube disposed within the sheath; the distal end of the inner tube is connected with the flexible tube; the inner pipe is provided with a first channel, a second channel and a third channel, and the first channel, the second channel and the third channel all extend along the axial direction of the inner pipe; the first channel is communicated with the module channel, the second channel is communicated with the optical fiber channel, and the third channel is communicated with the instrument channel.

In some embodiments, the endoscope further comprises a handle, the bending control mechanism is disposed on the handle, the endoscope further comprises a rotating mechanism, the rotating mechanism is rotatably connected with the handle, the sheath is connected to the handle, and the rotating mechanism controls the sheath to rotate around the axis of the sheath.

Through above-mentioned technical scheme, the metal hose in the snake bone structure is equipped with two and pulls the passageway, pulls the passageway and can supply the haulage cable to pass to retrain two haulage cables in two are pulling the passageway, two haulage cables can be close to the inner wall of snake bone structure all the time, and keep unanimous with the axis extending direction of snake bone structure, can effectively control the snake bone structure when making the tractive haulage cable and bend or return to straight. The traction channel is arranged in the flexible pipe, so that the snake bone structure can have a regular circular cross section, the internal space of the snake bone structure is increased, and the flexible pipe and the snake bone are more convenient to assemble.

Drawings

The present description will be further explained by way of exemplary embodiments, which will be described in detail by way of the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are not intended to be limiting, and in these embodiments like numerals are used to indicate like structures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a snake bone according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a snake bone according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the structure of a snake bone according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram of a snake bone according to some embodiments of the present disclosure in a straightened state;

FIG. 4B is a schematic view of a serpentine bone shown in a bent state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flexible pipe shown in accordance with some embodiments of the present description;

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural view of an endoscope according to some embodiments of the present description;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the structure of an endoscope according to some embodiments of the present description;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a camera module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9A is a schematic structural view of an endcap, according to some embodiments described herein;

fig. 9B is an axial view of an end cap according to some embodiments of the present description.

Wherein the reference numerals are: 10. snake bones; 11. a snake bone structure; 101 111, condyle masses; 112. concave-convex combination buckles; 113. an arc-shaped seam; 102. a central through hole; 12. a flexible tube; 103 121, a traction channel; 122. a module channel; 123. a fiber channel; 124. an instrument channel; 125. a liquid circulation passage; 20. a sheath tube; 30. a camera module; 31. a camera; 33. an integrated circuit board; 32. a housing; 40. a traction cable; 60. a stopper; 70. an optical fiber; 80. a handle; 81. a three-way pipe; 82. a rotation mechanism; 90. an end cap; 91. a module hole; 92. an optical fiber hole; 93. a through hole; 94. a liquid injection port; 50. a surgical instrument; d1, a first direction; d2, second direction.

Detailed Description

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly described below. It is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only examples or embodiments of the present description, and that for a person skilled in the art, the present description can also be applied to other similar scenarios on the basis of these drawings without inventive effort. Unless otherwise apparent from the context, or otherwise indicated, like reference numbers in the figures refer to the same structure or operation.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms "a," "an," "the," and/or "the" are not to be taken in a singular sense, but rather are to be construed to include a plural sense unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In general, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" merely indicate that steps and elements are included which are explicitly identified, that the steps and elements do not form an exclusive list, and that a method or apparatus may include other steps or elements.

The snake bone in some embodiments of the present disclosure is a common component disposed on an endoscope, and the snake bone can maintain a certain rigidity of at least a part of the endoscope in the moving direction thereof, and can change the direction and angle of a camera of the endoscope through bending so as to expand the visual field of the endoscope and adapt to the bending part in the body cavity. Fig. 1 shows a schematic structural diagram of a snake bone, and in some embodiments, the snake bone 10 comprises a plurality of bone segments 101, each bone segment 101 is provided with a central through hole 102 and at least two traction channels 103, and each traction channel 103 is composed of a plurality of rings arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the snake bone 10. Due to the size limitation of the bone segment 101, after the two traction channels 103 are arranged, the central through hole 102 cannot present a regular round shape, so that the process of assembling the bone segment 101 into the snake bone 10 is inconvenient, and the two traction channels 103 occupy the space inside the snake bone 10, so that the utilization rate of the inner space is low.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a snake bone according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a snake bone structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, some embodiments of the present specification provide a snake 10, the snake 10 comprises a snake bone structure 11 and a flexible tube 12 fixed in the snake bone structure 11, the snake bone structure 11 can be bent in a first direction D1, two traction channels 121 are provided on the flexible tube 12, the two traction channels 121 are spaced along the first direction D1, and the two traction channels 121 are symmetrically arranged relative to the axis of the flexible tube 12. Wherein the first direction D1 is perpendicular to the axis of the snake bone structure 11.

In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the flexible tube 12 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the serpentine structure 11, such that the flexible tube 12 is disposed against the inner wall of the serpentine structure 11. In some embodiments, the axial length of the snake bone structure 11 can be less than or equal to the axial length of the flexible tube 12.

In some embodiments, the pull channel 121 may be a through hole disposed inside the flexible tube 12. In some embodiments, the traction channel 121 may be a groove formed on the outer sidewall of the flexible tube 12, which cooperates with the inner sidewall of the snake 10 to form the traction channel 121. In some embodiments, two pulling cables 40 can be respectively disposed in the two pulling channels 121 of the flexible tube 12 to control the bending of the snake structure 11, one pulling cable 40 can be used to control the bending of the snake structure 11 in the first direction D1, and the other pulling cable 40 can be used to control the straightening of the snake structure 11.

In some embodiments, the serpentine structure 11 may be a one-sided curved structure, i.e., the serpentine structure 11 can only be curved in the first direction D1. In some embodiments, the serpentine structure 11 can be a bilaterally curved structure, i.e., the serpentine structure 11 can be curved in both a first direction D1 and a second direction D2 opposite to the first direction D1. In some embodiments, the serpentine structure 11 may be a multi-side curved structure, for example, the serpentine structure 11 may be curved in four directions circumferentially spaced at about 90 ° intervals, or the serpentine structure 11 may be curved in six directions circumferentially spaced at about 60 ° intervals, or the like.

In some embodiments, the outer sidewall of the flexible tube 12 and the inner sidewall of the serpentine structure 11 may be secured by bonding or the like. In some embodiments, the outer side wall of the flexible tube 12 is attached to the inner side wall of the serpentine bone structure 11 without adhesion, the distal end of the flexible tube 12 is fixed to the distal end of the serpentine bone structure 11, and the proximal end of the flexible tube 12 is fixed to the proximal end of the serpentine bone structure 11.

Through the structure of the snake bone 10, the flexible pipe 12 in the snake bone structure 11 is provided with two traction channels 121, the traction channels 121 can be penetrated by the traction cables 40, the two traction cables 40 are restrained in the two traction channels 121, the two traction cables 40 can be always close to the inner wall of the snake bone structure 11 and keep consistent with the extension direction of the central axis of the snake bone structure 11, so that the snake bone structure 11 can be effectively controlled to be bent or straightened when the traction cables 40 are pulled. The traction channel 121 is arranged in the flexible pipe 12, the traction channel 121 does not need to be arranged on the snake bone structure 11, the inner space of the snake bone structure 11 can be in a regular circular cross section, the inner space of the snake bone 10 is increased, and the space utilization rate is improved. In addition, machining the traction channel 121 on the flexible tube 12 makes the assembly of the flexible tube 12 and the snake bone structure 11 easier, which makes the assembly and machining of the whole snake bone 10 easier and reduces the production process cost.

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram of a snake bone according to some embodiments of the present disclosure in a straightened state; fig. 4B is a schematic structural view of a snake bone shown in a bent state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 4A and 4B, in some embodiments, the serpentine bone structure 11 includes a plurality of bone segments 111, and the serpentine bone structure 11 is assembled by the plurality of bone segments 111. In some embodiments, each bone segment 111 includes a male-female fastener 112, and two adjacent bone segments 111 are hinged by the male-female fastener 112, and the hinged adjacent bone segments 111 can relatively deflect with respect to the axis. The concave-convex combination buckles 112 can limit axial displacement between the adjacent bone segments 111 and prevent the adjacent bone segments 111 from being separated, and the concave-convex combination buckles 112 can limit circumferential displacement between the adjacent bone segments 111 and prevent the adjacent bone segments 111 from rotating relatively. The length of the serpentine bone structure 11 can be set more flexibly by assembling the bone segments 111 into the serpentine bone structure 11, for example, the serpentine bone structure 11 can determine the number of assembled bone segments 111 according to the required length to match the requirements of different endoscopes.

In some embodiments, an arc-shaped slit 113 allowing the snake bone structure 11 to bend is formed between the adjacent bone segments 111, the arc-shaped slit 113 extends along the circumferential direction of the outer wall of the snake bone structure 11, and the arc-shaped slits 113 are respectively arranged on both sides of the snake bone structure 11 near the two traction channels 121. In some embodiments, the snake bone structure 11 is a structure with one-side bending, and the arc-shaped slits 113 include wide slits and narrow slits, the width of the wide slits is larger than that of the narrow slits, and the snake bone structure 11 can be bent toward the side where the wide slits are located, for example, the width of the narrow slits can be set to zero or close to zero, so that the snake bone structure 11 is not bent toward the other side after being straightened. In some embodiments, the serpentine bone structure 11 is a bilaterally curved structure, and the curved slot 113 includes a wide slot disposed on both sides of the serpentine bone structure 11, and the serpentine bone structure 11 can be curved toward both sides of the wide slot.

In some embodiments, the snake bone structure 11 is a unitary structure made by laser engraving to simplify the machining process and save production costs. In some embodiments, the concave-convex combination buckles 112 and the arc-shaped slits 113 of the snake bone structure 11 can be formed by laser engraving. Through the carved snake bone structure 11 of laser, both conveniently realize crooked, conveniently realize again that circumference is spacing and axial is spacing.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flexible pipe shown in accordance with some embodiments of the present description.

As shown in fig. 5, in some embodiments, a module passage 122 is provided in the flexible tube 12, the module passage 122 extending along the axial direction of the flexible tube 12, and the camera module 30 is provided in the module passage 122 (see fig. 7). In some embodiments, the module passage 122 may be disposed on the symmetry axis of the two drawing passages 121, so that the camera module 30 has a better view position.

In some embodiments, the camera module 30 includes, but is not limited to, a camera 31, a lead, and a wiring board 33 (see fig. 8). The module passageway 122 runs through to the distal end of flexible pipe 12 from the near-end of flexible pipe 12, and the camera 31 of module 30 of making a video recording can set up the distal end at module passageway 122, and integrated circuit board 33 can set up the near-end at module passageway 122, and the wire connection is between camera 31 and integrated circuit board 33. It should be noted that, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the reference to "proximal end" and "distal end" may refer to directions, that is, in the axial direction of the snake bone 10, the side facing the operator is the "proximal end", and the side facing the side extending into the human body for treatment is the "distal end"; it should be understood that "proximal" and "distal" may also refer to portions of the structure that are in the respective directions, and should not be understood to refer to only the ends.

In some embodiments, a fiber channel 123 is provided within the flexible tube 12 extending along the axial direction of the flexible tube 12, the fiber channel 123 being used to position the optical fiber 70 (see fig. 7). In some embodiments, the fiber channel 123 may include a plurality of fiber channels, each disposed at a distance beside the module channel 122. For example, the flexible tube 12 may be provided with two fiber channels 123, the two fiber channels 123 being symmetrically disposed on both sides of the module channel 122. In some embodiments, the optical fiber 70 is disposed in the optical fiber channel 123, and can assist the camera module 30 in capturing images or provide illumination for the camera module 30.

In some embodiments, an instrument channel 124 is provided within the flexible tube 12 extending along an axial direction of the flexible tube 12, the instrument channel 124 being for passage of a surgical instrument 50 (see fig. 7). In some embodiments, instrument channel 124 may be disposed on an axis of symmetry of both traction channels 121 to provide a preferred operative position for surgical instrument 50.

In some embodiments, a fluid circulation channel 125 is disposed within the flexible tube 12, and the fluid circulation channel 125 is used to direct fluid into or out of the body, wherein the fluid includes, but is not limited to, saline. In some embodiments, the flexible tube 12 includes two liquid circulation channels 125, each of which is symmetrically disposed with respect to the axis of the flexible tube 12. In some embodiments, one of the two liquid channels is a liquid inlet channel, and the other is a liquid outlet channel, liquid enters the body from the liquid inlet channel, and liquid in the body flows out of the body from the liquid outlet channel. In some embodiments, the two fluid channels may be an inlet and outlet fluid channel, and the fluid may enter the body from the two fluid channels simultaneously, or the fluid in the body may flow out of the body from the two fluid channels simultaneously.

According to the structure of the flexible tube 12, the flexible tube 12 is configured as a multi-lumen tube, i.e. including the above-mentioned module channel 122, the optical fiber channel 123, the instrument channel 124, etc., so that the space utilization rate in the flexible tube 12 is higher. The channels of the flexible tube 12 are mutually isolated, and the structures in the channels can keep mutual noninterference during working, so that the regularity of the snake bone 10 is improved, and the failure rate in the using process is reduced.

The beneficial effects that the snake bone 10 in some embodiments of the present application may bring include, but are not limited to:

(1) The flexible pipe 12 in the snake bone structure 11 is provided with two traction channels 121, the traction channels 121 can be penetrated by the traction cables 40, and the two traction cables 40 are restrained in the two traction channels 121, the two traction cables 40 can be always close to the inner wall of the snake bone structure 11 and keep consistent with the extension direction of the central axis of the snake bone structure 11, so that the bending or straightening of the snake bone structure 11 can be effectively controlled when the traction cables 40 are pulled. The traction channel 121 is arranged in the flexible pipe 12, so that the snake bone structure 11 can have a regular circular section, the internal space of the snake bone structure 11 is enlarged, and the flexible pipe 12 and the snake bone 10 are more conveniently assembled;

(2) The flexible tube 12 is configured as a multilumen tube, i.e. comprising the above-mentioned plurality of module channels 122, fiber channels 123, instrument channels 124, etc., allowing for a higher space utilization within the flexible tube 12. The channels of the flexible pipe 12 are isolated from each other, and the structures in the channels can keep mutual noninterference during working, so that the regularity of the snake bone 10 is improved, and the failure rate in the use process is reduced.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an endoscope according to some embodiments of the present description. Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the structure of an endoscope, according to some embodiments of the present description.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, some embodiments of the present description also provide an endoscope comprising; sheath 20, snake bone 10, camera module 30, bending control mechanism (not shown in the figure) and two traction cables 40. For more details on the snake bone structure 11, reference may be made to fig. 2 to 5 and the related description thereof.

In some embodiments, the snake bone structure 11 is connected to the distal end of the sheath 20, and at least a part of the camera module 30 is located at the distal end of the snake bone structure 11; in some embodiments, the snake bone structure 11 and the sheath 20 can be connected to the sheath 20 by bonding, welding, etc. In some embodiments, the outer surface of the distal end of the sheath 20 is provided with a radially inwardly recessed mounting groove in which the snake structure 11 can be embedded. After the sheath 20 is inserted into the human body, the snake bone structure 11 bends to bend the section at the far end of the sheath 20, so that the far end of the sheath 20 can move in a certain range, and the camera module 30 has a larger view field range.

In some embodiments, the bending control mechanism is connected to the proximal end of the sheath 20, the proximal ends of the two traction cables 40 are connected to the bending control mechanism, the distal ends of the two traction cables 40 are respectively passed through the two traction channels 121 and are respectively fixed to the distal ends of the two traction channels 121, and the bending control mechanism pulls the two traction cables 40 to control the bending of the snake bone structure 11. In some embodiments, the bend control mechanism may be operable by a user, for example, the bend control mechanism may be configured as a wheel around which the pull cord 40 is wound, the user pulling the pull cord 40 by rotating the wheel. In some embodiments, the pull cable 40 may be a steel wire rope.

In some embodiments, the endoscope further includes an inner tube (not shown) disposed within sheath 20. In some embodiments, the inner tube is a unitary structure with the flexible tube 12, and the inner tube has a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel thereon, each extending in an axial direction of the inner tube. In some embodiments, the first channel of the inner tube communicates with the modular channel 122 of the flexible tube 12, the second channel of the inner tube communicates with the fiber channel 123 of the flexible tube 12, and the third channel of the inner tube communicates with the instrument channel 124 of the flexible tube 12.

In some embodiments, the inner tube is a separate structure from the flexible tube 12, and the distal end of the inner tube is connected to the flexible tube 12, for example, the distal end of the inner tube and the proximal end of the flexible tube 12 are connected by bonding, welding, fastening, etc. In some embodiments, the inner tube may be a flexible tube 12. In some embodiments, the inner tube may be a rigid tube. In some embodiments, the first channel of the inner tube communicates with the modular channel 122 of the flexible tube 12, the second channel of the inner tube communicates with the fiber channel 123 of the flexible tube 12, and the third channel of the inner tube communicates with the instrument channel 124 of the flexible tube 12.

In some embodiments, the endoscope further comprises a stopper 60, the stopper 60 is disposed outside the sheath 20, and an outer diameter of the stopper 60 is larger than an outer diameter of the sheath 20. The stopper 60 can limit the length of the sheath 20 extending into the human body, so as to prevent the sheath 20 from extending into the human body too much to damage the human tissue.

Fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a camera module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 7 and 8, in some embodiments, a module channel 122 is disposed in the flexible tube 12, and the camera module 30 is detachably mounted in the module channel 122, so that the camera module 30 can be disassembled for reuse after the endoscope is used, thereby reducing the cost of consumables.

In some embodiments, the camera module 30 includes, but is not limited to, a camera 31, a lead (not shown), an integrated circuit board 33, and a housing 32. The housing 32 is configured as a hollow elongated shape extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the flexible tube 12, the camera head 31 is mounted at the distal end of the housing 32, the integrated circuit board 33 is disposed at the proximal end of the housing 32, and the lead wires are connected between the camera head 31 and the integrated circuit board 33 and are confined within the housing 32. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the housing 32 is the same as the cross-sectional shape of the module passage 122, such as a rectangular cross-section or a circular cross-section. In some embodiments, the housing 32 is removably coupled to the module channel 122, which allows the camera module 30 to be removably coupled to the module channel 122, which facilitates assembly. In some embodiments, the image signal collected by the camera 31 is transmitted to the integrated circuit board 33 through a wire, and the image signal is output through the integrated circuit board 33.

In some embodiments, the endoscope further comprises a handle 80, the handle 80 being for manipulation by a user. In some embodiments, a signal external device is disposed in the handle 80, and the signal external device can be connected to the integrated circuit board 33 of the camera module 30, and is used for acquiring the image signal collected by the integrated circuit board 33 and outputting the image signal to an external display.

In some embodiments, the endoscope further comprises an optical fiber 70, the optical fiber 70 being disposed within the fiber channel 123 of the flexible tube 12, the optical fiber 70 being capable of assisting the camera module 30 in capturing images or providing illumination to the camera module 30.

Fig. 9A is a schematic structural view of an endcap, according to some embodiments described herein. Fig. 9B is an axial view of an end cap according to some embodiments of the present description.

As shown in fig. 7, 9A and 9B, in some embodiments, the endoscope further includes an end cap 90, the end cap 90 is disposed at the distal end of the flexible tube 12, at least a portion of the end cap 90 is transparent, the end cap 90 is used for fixing the camera module 30 and/or the optical fiber 70, and the camera module 30 and/or the optical fiber 70 collects images through the transparent end cap 90. The camera module 30 and/or the optical fiber 70 are fixed through the end cap 90, so that the stability of the image collected by the camera module 30 and/or the optical fiber 70 can be improved.

In some embodiments, the end cap 90 includes a module aperture 91 that secures the camera module 30, with the camera module 30 secured within the module aperture 91. In some embodiments, the end cap 90 includes a fiber bore 92 that secures the optical fiber 70, with the optical fiber 70 secured within the fiber bore 92. In some embodiments, the module aperture 91 and the fiber aperture 92 are through holes that extend axially through the end cap 90, and light can enter the camera module 30 and the optical fiber 70 from the module aperture 91 and the fiber aperture 92. In some embodiments, the end cap 90 is a non-transparent structure, and the distal ends of the module aperture 91 and the fiber aperture 92 are provided with transparent elements through which light enters the camera module 30 and the fiber 70. In some embodiments, the cap 90 is a generally transparent structure, and the module aperture 91 and the fiber aperture 92 are counter-bored holes disposed closed at the distal end.

In some embodiments, the end cap 90 at least seals the module passage 122 and/or the fiber passage 123, for example, a transparent seal is disposed in the module hole 91 and/or the fiber hole 92 of the end cap 90 to seal the camera module 30 and/or the optical fiber 70 from the environment, so as to prevent the camera module 30 and/or the optical fiber 70 from being contaminated. Through the sealed effect of end cap 90, module 30 and/or optic fibre 70 of making a video recording can remain clean throughout the use, can reduce the disinfection and sterilization time to and module 30 and/or optic fibre 70 of making a video recording can reuse many times, in order to reduce the consumptive material cost. In some embodiments, the end cap 90 only provides a hermetic seal for the camera module 30, allowing the camera module 30 to be reused multiple times. The end cap 90 does not need to seal the optical fiber 70, thereby avoiding adverse effect of the transparent blocking piece on permeability of the optical fiber 70, and the optical fiber 70 can be treated together with the sheath tube 20 as a disposable consumable after being unsealed and used.

In some embodiments, the light exit angle of the optical fiber 70 is small, such as 60 ° -90 °, and during the examination or treatment, there are many locations of the region to be examined or treated that are not sufficiently illuminated. Therefore, the end cap 90 may be provided with a widening mechanism for widening the light exit angle of the optical fiber 70. By using a diverging mechanism, the light emitted from the optical fiber 70 can be diverged to increase the light exit angle to 120 ° or more, for example, 150 °, thereby making the illumination more sufficient. In some embodiments, the optical fiber 70 may be multiple, with multiple optical fibers 70 being able to increase the field of view of the endoscope front end. When the plurality of optical fibers 70 can irradiate various angles of the distal end of the endoscope or acquire images at various angles, the plurality of optical fibers 70 may not be provided with an angle expanding mechanism to improve the permeability of the optical fibers 70.

In some embodiments, the angle expanding mechanism may also be used to expand the view angle of the camera 31 of the camera module 30, so that the view range of the camera 31 is larger.

In some embodiments, an optical element having a certain refractive index, such as a concave lens, may be disposed in the module hole 91 and the optical fiber hole 92 of the end cap 90 as an angle expanding mechanism, and the optical element can expand the light exit angle of the camera 31 and the optical fiber 70 of the camera module 30, so as to expand the view angle of the camera 31 and the optical fiber 70 of the camera module 30.

In some embodiments, an instrument channel 124 is disposed within the flexible tube 12, and a through hole 93 is disposed in the end cap 90, the through hole 93 communicating with the instrument channel 124. The surgical instrument 50 within the instrument channel 124 can be extended from the through hole 93 to perform a surgical operation.

In some embodiments, the end cap 90 is further provided with a priming port 94, the priming port 94 is in communication with the fluid circulation passageway 125 of the flexible tube 12, and fluid enters and exits the fluid circulation passageway 125 through the priming port 94.

In some embodiments, the bend control mechanism is provided on the handle 80 to facilitate manipulation by the user.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, in some embodiments, the endoscope further comprises a rotation mechanism 82, the rotation mechanism 82 being rotatably coupled to the handle 80, the sheath 20 being coupled to the handle 80, the rotation mechanism 82 controlling the rotation of the sheath 20 about the axis of the sheath 20. By the curved fit of the rotating mechanism 82 and the snake bone structure 11, the camera module 30 of the endoscope can have a larger field of view, and the surgical instrument 50 passing through the endoscope can have a larger operating angle.

In some embodiments, a tee 81 is also provided on the handle 80, and the proximal end of the fluid circulation channel 125 of the flexible tube 12 is connected to the tee 81, which tee 81 can be connected to an external fluid circulation circuit to effect circulation of fluid in and out of the body. In some embodiments, the tee 81 includes a first port connected to the external liquid circulation loop, a second port connected to the liquid pump, and a third port connected to the outside for discharging the waste liquid.

In some embodiments, the endoscope is a hysteroscope and the serpentine bone structure 11 is a serpentine bone structure 11 that is bent one-sided in the first direction D1. Since the hysteroscope needs to pass through the narrow cervix when entering the uterus, the bilaterally curved snake bone structure 11 may be curved into a C-shaped or S-shaped structure due to resistance during the passing through of the cervix, which may easily cause damage to the cervix. Therefore, in some embodiments, the snake bone structure 11 is configured as a unilaterally curved snake bone structure 11, and the snake bone structure 11 can be made rigid in the moving direction by pulling the traction cable 40 during the process of passing through the cervix, so as to pass through the cervix without damage.

In some embodiments, the endoscope may also be other endoscopes used for surgical procedures, such as laparoscopes, thoracoscopes, and the like.

The beneficial effects that may be brought about by the endoscope in some embodiments of the present application include, but are not limited to:

(1) The endoscope includes the end cap, and module passageway and/or fibre channel are sealed at least to the end cap, makes the isolated external environment of module and optic fibre of making a video recording, avoids making a video recording the module and/or optic fibre to receive the pollution. Through the sealing effect of the end cap, the camera module and/or the optical fiber can be kept clean all the time in the using process, the disinfection and sterilization time can be reduced, and the camera module and/or the optical fiber can be repeatedly utilized for multiple times, so that the material consumption cost is reduced;

(2) The end cap can also expand the view angle of the camera module and the optical fiber, for example, the end cap can be an optical element with a certain refractive index, and the optical element can expand the light-emitting angle of the camera module and the optical fiber, so that the view angle of the camera module and the optical fiber can be expanded;

(3) The snake bone structure of the endoscope is set to be a snake bone structure which is bent at one side, and the snake bone structure can be straightened to be a rigid structure by pulling the traction rope in the process of passing through the cervix, so that the snake bone structure can pass through the cervix without damage.

It is to be noted that different embodiments may produce different advantages, and in different embodiments, any one or combination of the above advantages may be produced, or any other advantages may be obtained.

Having thus described the basic concept, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing detailed disclosure is to be regarded as illustrative only and not as limiting the present specification. Various modifications, improvements and adaptations to the present description may occur to those skilled in the art, although not explicitly described herein. Such modifications, improvements and adaptations are proposed in the present specification and thus fall within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present specification.

Also, the description uses specific words to describe embodiments of the description. Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," and/or "some embodiments" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with at least one embodiment of the specification is included. Therefore, it is emphasized and should be appreciated that two or more references to "an embodiment" or "one embodiment" or "an alternative embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, some features, structures, or characteristics of one or more embodiments of the specification may be combined as appropriate.

Similarly, it should be noted that in the foregoing description of embodiments of the specification, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure aiding in the understanding of one or more of the embodiments. This method of disclosure, however, is not intended to imply that more features than are expressly recited in a claim. Indeed, the embodiments may be characterized as having less than all of the features of a single embodiment disclosed above.

Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other variations are also possible within the scope of the present description. Thus, by way of example, and not limitation, alternative configurations of the embodiments of the specification can be considered consistent with the teachings of the specification. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present description are not limited to only those embodiments explicitly described and depicted herein.

Claims

1. A snake bone is characterized by comprising a snake bone structure and a flexible pipe fixed in the snake bone structure, wherein the snake bone structure can be bent in a first direction, two traction channels are arranged on the flexible pipe and are arranged at intervals along the first direction, and the two traction channels are symmetrically arranged relative to the axis of the flexible pipe.

2. A snake bone according to claim 1, wherein said snake bone structure comprises a plurality of bony prominences; or the snake bone structure is an integrated structure made by laser engraving.

3. A snake bone as claimed in claim 1, wherein a modular channel is provided in said flexible tube extending in the axial direction of said flexible tube, said modular channel being adapted to provide a camera module.

4. A snake bone as claimed in claim 3, wherein a fiber channel extending in the axial direction of said flexible tube is provided in said flexible tube, said fiber channel being for the provision of an optical fiber; and/or an instrument channel extending along the axial direction of the flexible tube is arranged in the flexible tube, and the instrument channel is used for allowing a surgical instrument to pass through.

5. An endoscope, comprising; the device comprises a sheath pipe, a snake bone, a camera module, a bending control mechanism and two traction cables;

the snake bone comprises a snake bone structure and a flexible pipe fixed in the snake bone structure, wherein the snake bone structure can be bent in a first direction, two traction channels are arranged in the flexible pipe at intervals along the first direction, and the two traction channels are symmetrically arranged relative to the axis of the flexible pipe;

the snake bone structure is connected to the far end of the sheath, and at least part of the camera module is positioned at the far end of the snake bone structure; the bending control mechanism is connected to the near end of the sheath tube, the near ends of the two traction cables are connected with the bending control mechanism, the far ends of the two traction cables penetrate through the two traction channels respectively and are fixed to the far ends of the two traction channels respectively, and the bending control mechanism pulls the two traction cables to control the bending of the snake bone structure.

6. The endoscope as defined in claim 5, wherein a module channel is provided within the flexible tube, the camera module being removably mounted within the module channel.

7. The endoscope of claim 5, wherein the endoscope is a hysteroscope and the serpentine structure is a serpentine structure that curves unilaterally in a first direction.

8. The endoscope as defined in claim 6, further comprising an end cap and an optical fiber, the flexible tube having an optical fiber channel and an instrument channel therein, the end cap being disposed at a distal end of the flexible tube, at least a portion of the end cap being of a transparent construction, the camera module and the optical fiber being secured to the end cap; the end cap seals at least the module channel and/or the fiber channel; the end cap includes a through bore in communication with the instrument channel.

9. The endoscope as defined in claim 8, further comprising an inner tube disposed within the sheath; the distal end of the inner tube is connected with the flexible tube; the inner pipe is provided with a first channel, a second channel and a third channel, and the first channel, the second channel and the third channel all extend along the axial direction of the inner pipe; the first channel is communicated with the module channel, the second channel is communicated with the optical fiber channel, and the third channel is communicated with the instrument channel.

10. The endoscope as defined in claim 5, wherein the endoscope further comprises a handle, the bending control mechanism being disposed on the handle, the endoscope further comprising a rotation mechanism rotatably coupled to the handle, the sheath being coupled to the handle, the rotation mechanism controlling the sheath to rotate about an axis of the sheath.