JP2000051148A - Removal of loosening of operation wire of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method to remove loosening of an easily maneuverable operation wire for endoscope without enlarging the size of an operation part. SOLUTION: In a loosening removal work for an operation wire 39, a first process to remove a holding part casing 15 from an operation part, a second process to remove a guide member 54 from an exposed part of the operation part after the holding part casing 15 is removed, and a third process to remove the loosening of the operation wire 39 at the connection part of the operation wire 39 and a curved operation mechanism 17 are provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for removing slack in an operation wire of an endoscope provided with a bending operation mechanism for operating a bending portion by pulling an operation wire disposed in an insertion portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a flexible endoscope has a proximal operating portion connected to a proximal end of an elongated insertion portion. In addition, the insertion portion has a curved portion at the tip of an elongated flexible tube portion having flexibility,
The distal end components are sequentially connected. further,
The operation section is provided with a bending operation knob for remotely bending the bending section. Here, a bending operation mechanism connected to a bending operation knob is disposed inside the operation unit. A transmission mechanism such as an operation wire for transmitting a bending operation by the bending operation mechanism to the bending section is inserted into the insertion section. Then, the operation wire is pulled and driven through the bending operation mechanism in accordance with the rotation operation of the bending operation knob, and the bending portion is bent.

By the way, in an endoscope, there is a possibility that the operating wire is generally loosened by repeatedly bending the bending portion. In this case, a phenomenon occurs in which the bending operation knob does not follow the operation of the bending operation knob, such as a knob play of the bending operation knob, or a desired bending angle cannot be obtained. As a prior art of a device for removing such a slack of an operation wire, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 52-144178 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
1 and JP-A-8-286123.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 52-144178 discloses a pulley which is always in contact with an operation wire. The operation wire is constantly tensioned by the pulley, and the slack of the wire is automatically absorbed, so that the operation wire is automatically operated. A configuration that does not require an adjustment operation for removing a slack in a wire is shown.

In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-19511, a slack removing member is provided which presses and abuts on the operating wire to remove slack of the operating wire, and the slack removing member can be operated from the outside of the operating section casing for operation. A structure is shown in which slack of the wire can be removed from the outside without removing the operation unit casing.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-286123 discloses a method in which an operating knob for removing slack of an operating wire is projected outside the operating section casing, and the slack of the operating wire is removed by the operating knob. Have been.

[0007]

However, in the structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 52-144178, a mechanism for automatically absorbing the slack of the operation wire must be provided in the operation section. There is a problem that it becomes larger. Further, since a high tension is constantly applied to the operation wire, a large load is applied to the bending portion and the like. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the strength of each part in order to improve the durability of those parts, and there is a problem that the parts are expensive and heavy.

Also, in the case of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 8-19511, a mechanism for removing the slack of the wire must be provided in the operation unit, and thus there is a problem that the entire operation unit becomes large. Further, the publication does not disclose a mechanism for holding the rotation of the screw for adjusting the slack of the wire, and further adding the structure further complicates the internal structure of the operation unit. Further, there is a problem that workability is poor because the work of removing and adjusting the slack of the wire needs to be performed through a small hole.

Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-286123, a slack removing mechanism for removing slack of the operation wire is incorporated in the operation section, so that the entire operation section is inevitably increased in size. In addition, since the adjustment knob is disposed so as to protrude outside the casing, there is a problem that the operation of the endoscope is hindered. Furthermore, when assembling the operation unit, it is necessary to accurately position the internal structure of the operation unit and the casing. For this reason, there is a problem that the cost increases because the accuracy of each component and the assembly accuracy must be increased.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method of removing slack of an operation wire of an endoscope with good workability without increasing the size of an operation unit. .

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided an insertion portion having a bending portion, an operation portion connected to a rear end of the insertion portion and having a bending operation mechanism for performing a bending operation on the bending portion; An operation wire fixed to the distal end of the bending portion and the other end connected to the bending operation mechanism via a connection member, and a bending operation knob connected to the bending operation mechanism and performing a bending operation on the bending portion are provided. An operation unit casing that is provided and forms a part of an exterior member of the operation unit; and a holding unit that is connected to an end of the operation unit casing on the insertion unit side and that forms an exterior member of the operation unit. A casing, and a guide member that is disposed inside the operation unit and that guides the traveling of the connection member during the bending operation of bending the bending portion. , Small At least a first step of removing the holding portion casing from the operation portion, a second step of removing the guide member from an exposed portion of the operation portion after removing the holding portion casing, and removing the guide member And a third step of removing the slack of the operation wire at a connecting portion between the operation wire and the bending operation mechanism after the operation of the operation wire. Then, a phenomenon in which the bending portion does not follow the operation of the bending operation knob or a phenomenon in which a desired maximum bending angle cannot be obtained occurs.
When performing the operation of removing the slack of the operation wire, first, the holding unit casing is removed from the operation unit (first step). Next, the guide member that regulates the traveling of the connecting member is removed (second step), but the work in a wide space can be performed because the holding casing is removed. Next, the slack of the connecting member and the operation wire is removed (third step), but the work can be performed in a wide space also in this case. Further, since the guide member is removed, the operation of pulling out the connecting member from the operation unit can be performed.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B) to FIGS. 10 (A) and 10 (B). FIG. 1A shows a schematic configuration of the entire endoscope 1 of the present embodiment.

In the endoscope 1 of the present embodiment, an operation section 3 on the hand side is connected to a rear end of an elongated insertion section 2 inserted into a body cavity. This operation unit 3 has a universal cord 4
Are connected to each other. This universal code 4
The connector 5 is connected to the tip of the. The universal cord 4 of the endoscope 1 is connected via a connector 5 to a light source device (not shown) and a video processor.

The insertion portion 2 includes a hard distal end portion 6 from the front end and a curved portion 7 formed at the rear end of the front end portion 6.
And a flexible tube portion 8 formed at the rear end of the curved portion 7 and having flexibility. The bending section 7 is operated to bend in two directions, that is, up and down and left and right, and can be bent in any direction by combining these two directions.

As shown in FIG. 1 (B), the distal end portion 6 is formed with a side-view type observation portion 6a which is notched in a substantially flat shape on one side of the outer peripheral surface. The observation section 6a is provided with an objective lens 9 arranged in a direction perpendicular to the center line direction of the insertion section 2, and a nozzle 10 opening in the direction of the objective lens 9.

Further, an image pickup device (not shown) is arranged inside the distal end portion 6 so as to face the objective lens 9. An image captured by the objective lens 9 is converted into an electrical image signal by an image sensor (not shown). In addition,
A video cable (not shown) for transmitting a video signal is connected to the imaging device. This video cable is inserted section 2,
It is sequentially inserted into the operation unit 3 and the universal cord 4 and guided to the connector 5.

Further, an air supply pipe and a water supply pipe (not shown) inserted into the insertion section 2 are connected to the nozzle 10. These conduits are led to a connector 5 via an air / water supply cylinder (not shown) provided in the operation unit 3 and a universal cord 4.

An illumination lens 11 is provided in the distal end portion 6 in the same direction as the objective lens 9. Inside the illumination lens 11, an end of a light guide fiber (not shown) is provided. The light guide fiber is inserted into the insertion section 2, the operation section 3, and the universal cord 4 sequentially, and is guided to the connector 5.

Further, in the vicinity of the objective lens 9 and the nozzle 10, there is formed a treatment instrument raising table storage section 12 which opens in the same direction. A treatment tool raising table 13 is provided in the storage section 12.

Next, returning to FIG. 1A, the configuration of the operation unit 3 will be described. The outside of the operation unit 3 is covered with an operation unit casing 14 and a holding unit casing 15 in a watertight manner. Here, the insertion portion 2 of the holding portion casing 15
At the end on the side, a fold-preventing member 16, which will be described later, made of elastic rubber for preventing sudden bending of the flexible tube portion 8 is provided.

The operating portion casing 14 has a curved portion 7.
Bending operation knob 22 for bending operation of the vertical direction
B and an RL bending operation knob 22A for performing bending operation in the left-right direction are coaxially arranged. These vertical U
The D bending operation knob 22B and the left and right RL bending operation knob 22A are connected to a bending operation mechanism 17 (see FIG. 2) described later provided inside the operation unit casing 14.

Further, the treatment instrument raising table 13 is raised coaxially with the UD bending operation knob 22B and the RL bending operation knob 22A.
A raising knob 18 for inverting is provided. The raising knob 18 is connected to a raising operation mechanism 19 (see FIG. 2) described later inside the operation unit casing 14.

Further, a switch box 21 provided with a plurality of switches 20 for remotely controlling peripheral devices such as a video processor is fixed to the operation unit casing 14 in a watertight manner. The holding unit casing 15 is provided with a treatment tool introduction port 23 for introducing a treatment tool (not shown).

A bending operation mechanism 17 and a raising operation mechanism 19 are provided inside the operation section 3 as shown in FIG. These mechanisms are fixed to a plate-like base plate 24 disposed inside the operation unit 3. The base plate 24 is formed by die-casting of aluminum by injection molding. The base plate 24 is screwed and fixed to the operation unit casing 14 via a fixing plate 130.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the bending operation mechanism 17 in a portion covered by the operation section casing 14, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the bending operation knob 22 along the central axis. The bending operation mechanism 17 of the present embodiment includes an RL bending operation mechanism 17A for bending the bending portion 7 in the left-right direction and a UD bending operation mechanism 17B for bending the bending portion 7 in the vertical direction. Have been. Here, as shown in FIG. 4, an RL bending operation mechanism 17A is disposed on the upper surface of the main plate 24. Further, a partition plate 25 is provided above the RL bending operation mechanism 17A.
The UD bending operation mechanism 17B is disposed with the. The cover member 2 is provided on the upper surface of the UD bending operation mechanism 17B.
7 are provided.

The UD bending operation knob 22 is provided on the main plate 24.
The lower end of the shaft member 26 disposed at the center line position of the B and RL bending operation knobs 22A is fixed. This shaft member 2
The upper end of 6 extends to the outside of the operation unit casing 14 while penetrating the partition plate 25 and the cover member 27.

Further, a cylindrical R is provided outside the shaft member 26.
The L rotating cylinder 32A and the UD rotating cylinder 32B disposed outside the RL rotating cylinder 32A are independently rotatably mounted.

On the lower end side of the shaft member 26, two sprockets, that is, an RL sprocket 28A of the RL bending operation mechanism 17A and a UD sprocket 28B of the UD bending operation mechanism 17B are rotatably supported. Here, the RL sprocket 28A is fixed to the lower end of the inner RL rotary cylinder 32A, and the UD sprocket 28B is fixed to the lower end of the UD rotary cylinder 32B.

Further, an RL bending operation knob 22A is connected to an upper end of the RL rotating cylinder 32A, and a UD bending operation knob 22B is connected to an upper end of the UD rotating cylinder 32B. The RL sprocket 28A is connected to the RL bending operation knob 22A via the RL rotating cylinder 32A,
The UD sprocket 28B is connected to the UD bending operation knob 22B via a UD rotating cylinder 32B.

An RL chain member 29A is wound around the RL sprocket 28A, and a UD chain member 29B is wound around the UD sprocket 28B. here,
The partition plate 25 has a holding portion 30 at an edge on the insertion portion 2 side facing the UD sprocket 28B and the RL sprocket 28A.
Are integrally formed by outsert molding of a resin. The holding portion 30 is provided with the UD sprockets 28B and R
The position of the L sprocket 28A is regulated and the UD sprocket 28B and the RL sprocket 28A
It separates the chain member 29A and the UD chain member 29B.

Further, on both sides of the partition plate 25, the RL chain member 29A and the UD chain member 29B are prevented from protruding to the side, and furthermore, the RL chain member 29A and the UD chain member 29B are prevented from becoming loose during the bending operation. The side wall 31 forming the space 131 for absorption is integrally formed by outsert molding of resin.

The RL sprocket 28A and the UD sprocket 28B have RL chain members 29A on their outer peripheral portions.
A cover member 33 for preventing the UD chain member 29B from coming off is fixed to the main plate 24 with screws. A cylindrical member 34 into which the RL rotary cylindrical body 32A and the UD rotary cylindrical body 32B are inserted is screwed and fixed to the cover member 33.

As shown in FIG. 5, each of the chain members 2 of the RL chain member 29A and the UD chain member 29B
The connecting member 38 is connected to an end of the connecting member 9. The base end of an operation wire 39 provided in the insertion section 2 is connected to the connecting member 38. The distal end of the operation wire 39 is fixed to the distal end of the bending portion 7. The operation wire 39 is manufactured by twisting a plurality of wires, and a flexible stranded wire is used.

The operation wire 39 is inserted in the guide coil 40. The distal end of the guide coil 40 is fixed to the distal end of the flexible tube 8. The proximal end of the guide coil 40 is inserted into the flexible tube 8 and guided to the operation unit 3. Further, a locking block 41 is fixed to the proximal end of the guide coil 40 by soldering or the like as shown in FIG. The locking block 41 is engaged and fixed to an L-shaped engaging plate 42 fixed to the main plate 24 with screws.

When the RL bending operation knob 22A is rotated, the rotation of the knob 22A is transmitted to the RL sprocket 28A via the RL rotating cylinder 32A, and the RL sprocket 28A rotates together with the knob 22A. . Further, the RL chain member 29A is driven by the rotation of the RL sprocket 28A,
As the RL chain member 29A travels, the operation wire 39 is pulled and driven through the connecting member 38 so that the bending portion 7 is bent in the left-right direction.

Similarly, when the UD bending operation knob 22B is rotated, the rotation of the knob 22B is transmitted to the UD sprocket 28B via the UD rotary cylinder 32B, and the UD sprocket 28B rotates together with the knob 22B. I have. Further, the UD chain member 29B is driven to travel with the rotation of the UD sprocket 28B,
With the running operation of the UD chain member 29B, the operation wire 39 is pulled and driven via the connecting member 38, and the bending portion 7 is bent in the vertical direction.

A ring-shaped fitting concave portion 14a is formed at the front end of the operating portion casing 14 so as to fit with the rear end of the holding portion casing 15. The rear end of the holding section casing 15 is fitted into the fitting recess 1 of the operation section casing 14.
4a, and the end surface and the inner surface thereof are connected in a state of being in contact with the fitting concave portion 14a of the operation unit casing 14. Further, an O-ring 134 is attached to a contact portion between the rear end portion of the holding portion casing 15 and the fitting concave portion 14a of the operation portion casing 14, and this contact portion is water-tightly sealed.

FIGS. 6A to 6C show the connecting member 38.
2 shows a connection portion between the control wire 39 and the operation wire 39. Here, a chain member 29 (RL) is provided at the rear end of the connecting member 38.
A connecting portion 38A with the chain member 29A and the UD chain member 29B) is provided.

Further, an operating wire 39 is connected to the connecting member 38.
There is provided a wire locking portion 43 for locking the base end portion of the wire in a detachable manner. As shown in FIG. 6 (C), the wire locking portion 43 has an engagement space 4 opened on one side surface of the connecting member 38.
3A is provided. In this engagement space 43, a plurality of engagement protrusions 44 protruding toward the inside are provided with operation wires 39.
Are arranged side by side along the axial direction. Here, the engagement space 4
3 has a circular groove 132 along the axial direction of the operation wire 39.
Are formed in a row, so that the engaging projections 44 are formed by the continuous portions between the adjacent circular grooves 132.

The other side surface of the connecting member 38 (the engaging space 4
6A and 6B, an elongated hole 52 extending along the axial direction of the operation wire 39, and a substantially claw-shaped projection protruding to the outer surface side of the connecting member 38, as shown in FIGS. Contact portion 88 is formed. Here, the long hole 52 is formed in the chain member 29.
And is set to have a width smaller than the engagement space 43. Further, the contact portion 88 is disposed closer to the connection portion with the operation wire 39 than the elongated hole 52.

A substantially tubular stopper 45 is fixed to the proximal end of the operation wire 39 by soldering or the like.
The stop member 45 has a large-diameter portion 46 formed on the proximal side and a small-diameter portion 47 formed on the distal end side. Furthermore, the small diameter portion 4
7 is provided with an engagement member 49.

The engaging member 49 is formed in a cylindrical shape having substantially the same diameter as the circular groove 132 of the connecting member 38. And
The engaging member 49 is provided with a through hole 48 extending in a direction perpendicular to the center line of the columnar shape and penetrating substantially at the center of the upper surface and the bottom surface. This through hole 48 is used for the stopper member 4.
5 is larger than the small diameter portion 47 and smaller than the large diameter portion 46.

Further, a flat portion 50 is formed in the engaging member 49 at a position where the end of the large diameter portion 46 comes into contact when the small diameter portion 47 of the stopper member 45 is inserted into the through hole 48. Note that a similar flat portion 50 is also formed in the opening at the other end of the through hole 48 in the engagement member 49 of the present embodiment. Therefore, the engaging member 49 has a left-right symmetric shape of the through hole 48.

Then, by inserting the engaging member 49 into the circular groove 132, the stop member 45 is moved into the engaging space 43 while the movement of the operation wire 39 in the axial direction is restricted by the convex portion 44.
It is engaged and fixed inside. Thereby, the operation wire 39
The wire fixing position adjusting means for locking the connecting position of the moving wire along the axial direction of the operation wire 39 is configured.

Further, a cylindrical regulating member 51 having substantially the same diameter as the circular groove 132 is located on the side closer to the engagement position of the engagement member 49.
Are arranged. Then, the regulating member 51 is
By being engaged with the second member 2, the movement of the stop member 45 in the engagement space 43 is regulated.

As shown in FIG. 5, a guide wall 133 for guiding the movement of the connecting member 38 is provided on the base plate 24.
4 stands substantially vertically. The guide wall 133 contacts the opening side of the engagement space 43 of the connecting member 38 to guide the movement of the connecting member 38. The ridge lines of the connecting member 38, the engaging member 49, and the regulating member 51 provided on the guide wall 133 side are chamfered.

Further, inside the operating section 3, a bending angle setting mechanism 53 for setting the maximum bending angles of the bending section 7 in two directions, up and down and left and right, and a side section of the two connecting members 38. Two guide members 54 for regulating the traveling position are provided respectively. Here, a U-shaped portion 59 is formed on each of the two guide members 54 by bending a metal plate into a U-shape as shown in FIG. On one of the end surfaces of the U-shaped portion 59, a fixed bending surface 55 is formed which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the guide member 54 and is bent so as to be disposed on the side of the base plate 24. Further, a contact bending surface 56 is formed on the other end surface of the U-shaped portion 59 so as to be in contact with the outer surface of the fixing bending surface 55.

The fixed bending surface 55 is provided with a fixing through hole 139, and the contact bending surface 56 is arranged so as not to cover the fixing through hole 139.

The two guide members 54 are screwed and fixed to the engaging members 58 via fixing bending surfaces 55 in a state of being stacked in two upper and lower stages, respectively, by fixing screws 55A. Here, the end of the U-shaped portion 59 is
, And the width of the U-shaped portion 59 is regulated. At this time, the guide member 54 is fixed to the engagement member 58 only by the fixing bending surface 55,
Since the contact bending surface 56 is disposed in contact with the fixing bending surface 55, the U-shaped portion 59 on the contact bending surface 56 side does not protrude inward. Therefore, the contact bending surface 5
The U-shaped portion 59 on the sixth side does not protrude inward and does not hinder the sliding of the connecting member 38.

The engaging member 58 is provided with a U-shaped notch 61 which is opened substantially in the same direction as the center line of the guide member 54. Further, spacers 57 for regulating the width of the U-shaped portion 59 are integrally fixed to a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the U-shaped portion 59 by bonding or the like. The surface of the U-shaped portion 59 provided on the side of the base plate 24 is provided with a retaining bent portion 67 protruding in the direction of the base plate 24.

Next, the bending angle setting mechanism 53 will be described. The bending angle setting mechanism 53 includes one fixing member 68 fixed to the main plate 24, two adjustment screws 69 for adjusting the maximum bending angle in each of the vertical and horizontal directions, And two stoppers 70 are provided. Here, the fixing member 68 includes a fixing surface 71 parallel to the front surface of the main plate 24, a side wall 72 having a side disposed on the side of the main plate 24 bent perpendicularly to the fixing surface 71, and a side wall thereof. 72 is formed by a screw receiving surface 73 which is bent substantially perpendicularly to the sliding direction of the connecting member 38. Further, screw insertion holes 74 are formed in the screw receiving surface 73 at positions facing the guide members 54 in the vertical and horizontal directions.

The stopper 70 is provided on the holding portion 7 having a screw hole 76 into which the screw portion 75 of the adjusting screw 69 can be screwed.
7 and a stopper 78 protruding in a direction perpendicular to the center line of the screw hole 76. Further, the fixing member 6
A screw portion 75 is inserted through a screw insertion hole 74 provided in the screw receiving surface 73 of the eighth member 8 from the tip end side. The screw member 75 is screwed into the screw hole 76 of the stopper 70, whereby the fixing member 68, the adjusting screw 69, and the stopper 70 are integrated.

A rotation support portion 79 having no screw groove is provided at the end of the adjustment screw 69 on the hand side. The rotation support 79 is rotatably supported by a rotation hole 80 provided in the engagement member 58. here,
At the end of the adjustment screw 69 opposite to the rotation support portion 79, an adjustment portion 81 having a diameter larger than the screw insertion hole 74 of the fixing member 68 is provided. By setting the gap between the adjusting portion 81 and the stopper 70 larger than the thickness of the fixing member 68, the fixing member 68, the adjusting screw 69, and the stopper 70 are relatively moved along the axial direction by the gap. Can be moved.

A cross-shaped groove 82 is formed on the end face of the adjusting section 81 on the tip side. The restricting portion 84 of the screwing member 83 is engaged with the groove 82 in a detachable manner. The fixing portion 85 is screwed and fixed to the side wall 72 of the fixing member 68 with the fixing screw 83A in a state where the regulating portion 84 of the screw fixing member 83 is engaged with the groove portion 82, so that the adjusting screw 69 is fixed. The rotation of is regulated. As a result, the relative movement of the fixing member 68, the adjusting screw 69 and the stopper 70 becomes impossible,
The engagement member 58 is relatively movable only in the engagement direction between the rotation support 79 and the rotation hole 80.

Further, the bending angle setting mechanism 5 according to the present embodiment.
In 3, the maximum bending angle of the bending portion 3 is controlled by restricting the movement of the connecting member 38 by bringing the contact portion 88 of the connecting member 38 into contact with the stopper portion 78 of the stopper 70. Further, in a state where the engagement between the groove 82 of the adjusting screw 69 and the restricting portion 84 of the screwing member 83 is released,
By rotating the adjustment screw 69 of the bending angle setting mechanism 53 to move the stopper 70 in the moving direction of the operation wire 39 and adjusting the position of the stopper 78, the maximum bending angle of the bending portion 3 can be set to an arbitrary value. Can be set to.

As shown in FIG. 8A, a concave portion 87 for accommodating the fixing surface 71 of the fixing member 68 is formed in the base plate 24. The recess 87 is formed at a position lower than the surface on which the connecting member 38 slides along the base plate 24 by the thickness of the fixed surface 71. The fixing surface 71 is screwed and fixed to the concave portion 87 from the front side of the main plate 24 with the fixing screw 71A. Further, a retaining bent portion 67 of the lower guide member 54 is disposed in a state of being substantially in contact with a distal end portion of the fixed surface 71.

A fixing projection 86 is formed on the side wall 72 of the fixing member 68. Further, the fixing member 68 is perpendicular to the fixing direction on the fixing surface 71 at the fixing convex portion 86, and is also fixed by screws 86A from the side of the base plate 24.

The upper and lower guide members 54 are arranged between the U-shaped portions 59 of the upper and lower guide members 54.
And the cover member 27 is disposed on the U-shaped portion 59 of the upper guide member 54. In this state, the upper and lower guide members 54 are
Is fixed to the same surface as the surface on which the connecting member 38 of the main plate 24 slides by a fixing screw 57A. At this time, the U-shaped portion 5 of the guide member 54
9 between the contact portion 88 of the connecting member 38 and the stopper 70
Are provided in a state where they are inserted. Here, the fixing member 68 and the screw fixing part of the guide member 54 to the base plate 24 are arranged at positions covered by the holding part casing 15.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of components constituting the bending operation mechanism 17 disposed around the connecting member 38, that is, the bending angle setting mechanism 53 and the guide member 5
A component unit of the bending operation mechanism 17 in which the unit 4 and the spacer 57 are integrally joined to form a unit is provided detachably with respect to the main plate 24.

As shown in FIG. 8B, a support 62 of an engaging member 58 is fixed to the base plate 24. The column 62 has a cylindrical engaging portion 63, an attachment direction regulating portion 64 formed at the upper end of the engaging portion 63 and having a smaller diameter than the engaging portion 63, and an upper end of the attaching direction regulating portion 64. Therefore, a vertical position restricting portion 65 having a larger diameter than the engaging portion 63 is provided.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8A, a fixing notch 66 is formed in the vertical position restricting portion 65 by cutting a part of the circumference of the vertical position restricting portion 65. I have. Here, the notch 61 of the engaging member 58 is
And the length from the main plate 24 to the lower surface of the vertical position restricting portion 65 is substantially equal to the length of the engaging member 58.

The column 62 is screwed and fixed to the main plate 24 from the back side thereof with a fixing screw 62A while holding the fixing notch 66. Further, the engaging portion 63 and the mounting direction regulating portion 64 of the column 62 include
The movement of the engaging member 58 in the mounting direction and the vertical direction is restricted, and the engaging member 58 is rotatably engaged with and fixed to the center of the column 62.

FIG. 9 shows a raising operation mechanism 19 near the raising knob 18. The raising operation mechanism 19 is provided with an operation ring 35 rotatably supported coaxially with the bending operation knob 22. The raising knob 18 is fixed to the operation ring 35. Further, one end of a connecting member 89 is rotatably connected to the operation ring 35.

The other end of the connecting member 89 has a piston 9
0 is likewise pivotably connected. This piston 9
To 0, the base end of a raising wire (not shown) inserted in the insertion portion 2 is fixed. The distal end of the raising wire is connected to the treatment instrument raising table 13. By operating the raising knob 18, the treatment instrument raising table 13 can be raised and inverted.

As shown in FIG. 9, the fixing notch 66 of the support column 62 is arranged so as to face the position where the connecting member 89 is arranged in a state where the treatment instrument raising table 13 is inverted. When the treatment instrument raising table 13 is inverted, the support 62
Does not interfere with the connecting member 89.

The operation unit 3 and the insertion unit 2 according to the present embodiment
Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, the structure of the fold-preventing member 16 provided at the connecting portion with the above will be described. FIG.
FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a connection portion between the folding member 16 and the holding casing 15, and FIG.
6 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible tube portion 8 side end. Here, the base end of the cylindrical member 91 is screwed and fixed to the end on the front end side of the base plate 24 as shown in FIG.
The proximal end of the flexible tube 8 is fixedly screwed to the distal end of the cylindrical member 91.

The distal end of the holding casing 15 is provided on the base end side of the cylindrical member 91. Further, a bending preventing member 16 is provided on the distal end side of the cylindrical member 91.

A branch member 93 is screwed and fixed to the cylindrical member 91. The branch member 93 includes a treatment tool insertion conduit 92 having an opening in the storage portion 12 of the distal end component portion 6,
This is for connecting a base member 94 forming a passage to the treatment instrument introduction port 23. Here, the seal between the branch member 93 and the base member 94 is provided with a deformed packing 95 so that watertightness is maintained. Similarly, the watertightness is maintained between the base member 94 and the holding portion casing 15 by the O-ring 134 and the watertight lid 96 made of rubber.

Further, the distal end of the suction pipe 97 is connected to the proximal side of the branch member 93. The base end side of the suction pipe 97 is arranged so as to run on the back side of the main plate 24 and is guided to a suction cylinder (not shown). It should be noted that other built-in components such as an air supply / water supply conduit, a light guide cable, and a video cable (not shown) are also arranged so as to run on the back side of the main plate 24.

Further, a screw portion 98 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 91 on the tip side from the position where the base member 94 is provided. A female screw portion on the inner peripheral surface of the fixing ring 100 is screwed into the screw portion 98 of the base member 94, and is disposed in a state where the holding portion casing 15 is urged toward the operation portion casing 14.

Further, a screw portion 101 for fixing the buckling member 16 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 91 on the distal end side of the fixing ring 100. Here, the breaking prevention member 1
Reference numeral 6 denotes a substantially cylindrical receiving member 99 made of metal, and a substantially cylindrical breaking rubber 102 disposed so as to cover the outer peripheral surface thereof. The buckling member 16 is fixed to the cylindrical member 91 by screwing the receiving member 99 to the screw portion 101.

Further, an O-ring 135 is provided between the receiving member 99 and the end of the holding portion casing 15 which is in contact, and an O-ring 136 is provided between the receiving member 99 and the flexible tube portion 8 which is in contact.
Are provided, and the watertight state is maintained.

Further, an annular concave portion 103 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the rubber stopper 102 on the flexible tube portion 8 side, as shown in FIG. 10B. The thin portion 137 is provided on the tip side of the concave portion 103 of the rubber 102.
Are formed.

The inner diameter of the thin portion 137 is set equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the flexible tube 8. Further, the thin portion 137 on the tip side of the rubber stopper 102
Is covered with a rear end portion of a thin rubber elastic tube 104 in contact with the concave portion 103. The distal end of the elastic tube 104 is coated on the outer peripheral surface of the flexible tube 8. The elastic tube 104 covers the periphery of the joint between the thin portion 137 on the distal end side of the buckling rubber 102 and the flexible tube 8. The inner diameter of the elastic tube 104 is set smaller than the outer diameter of the flexible tube portion 8, for example, about 90% or less of the inner diameter of the rubber 102. As a result, the elastic tube 104 and the flexible tube portion 8 are firmly adhered to each other, and the thin portion 137 of the rubber stopper 102 is also urged in the direction in which the elastic tube 104 comes into close contact with the flexible tube portion 8 so that the elastic tube 104 is tightly attached. Have been. The depth of the concave portion 103 on the distal end side of the rubber stopper 102 is set substantially equal to the thickness of the elastic tube 104.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
First, the bending operation of the endoscope 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. When one of the bending operation knobs of the operation unit 3, for example, the RL bending operation knob 22A is rotated in a desired direction,
Rotational motion is transmitted to the RL sprocket 28A via the RL rotating cylinder 32A, and the RL chain member 29A wound around the RL sprocket 28A is pulled toward the hand.

At this time, the RL chain member 29A on the side to be pulled out is pressed by the pressing portion 30 to the RL sprocket 28A.
Since the RL chain member 29A is separated from the RL sprocket 28A, the RL chain member 29A does not hinder the bending operation. Further, although the loosened chain member 29 is loosened, the looseness is absorbed by the space 131 whose side surface is covered by the side wall portion 31 and the side wall portion 31 does not protrude to the side. Operability is obtained. Further, since the holding portion 30 and the side wall portion 31 are formed integrally with the partition plate 25, the assembly operation is unnecessary and the manufacture is easy.

Further, with the operation of pulling the RL chain member 29A toward the hand, the connecting member 38, the engaging member 4
The operation wire 39 is pulled into the hand side through the 9 and the stopper member 45. Thereby, the bending portion 7 is bent in a desired direction. At this time, when tension is applied to the operation wire 39, the operation wire 39 is rotated by the twisting method, but the rotation is absorbed because the stopper member 45 is rotatable relative to the engagement member 49. . Therefore, a load due to the rotation is not applied to the fixing portion between the stop member 45 and the operation wire 39, and the operability is not hindered.

Further, since the stopper member 45 and the engaging member 49 are formed separately, the volume of the stopper member 45 can be reduced, and the operation for fixing the operation wire 39 by soldering is easy. Further, a stop member 45 opposite to the bending direction of the bending portion 7
, A load is applied in the direction of being pushed toward the hand side via the operation wire 39, but the stop member 45 is
Is restricted, the stop member 45 does not come off from the engagement member 49, and the RL is
The chain member 29A is pushed into the hand, and the space 1
The load is absorbed by the RL chain member 29A becoming loose at 31.

Further, when the RL bending operation knob 22A is further rotated, the abutting portion 88 of the connecting member 38 abuts on the stopper portion 78 of the stopper 70, whereby the rotation range, that is, the maximum bending angle of the bending portion 7 is regulated. You. Here, when a load is further applied to the RL bending operation knob 22A in a state where the contact portion 88 of the connecting member 38 and the stopper portion 78 of the stopper 70 are in contact with each other, the adjusting portion 81 of the adjusting screw 69 causes the screw RL to be in contact with the screw receiving surface 73. Since the abutting portion is pulled toward the hand, a load is applied to the fixing member 68 that is relatively twisted between the fixing surface 71 and the side wall 72. However, the fixing member 68 is fixed to the fixing surface 7.
Since the base 1 and the fixing projection 86 are fixed to the base plate 24 in two directions orthogonal to each other, a high fixing strength can be obtained even with the load.

Here, the operation in the case where the RL bending operation knob 22A is rotated in a desired direction has been described, but the same applies to the case in which the UD bending operation knob 22B is rotated in a desired direction.

In order to set the maximum bending angle of the bending portion 7, a fixing screw 83 fixing the screw member 83 is used.
A is removed, and the engagement between the groove 82 of the adjusting screw 69 and the restricting portion 84 is released. As a result, the adjusting screw 69 becomes rotatable. In this state, when the adjustment screw 69 is rotated while the rotation support portion 79 and the rotation hole 80 of the engagement member 58 are engaged, the stopper 70 is guided by the screw portion 75 and
9 in the moving direction. By this operation, the stopper 7
The maximum bending angle of the bending portion 7 is adjusted by adjusting the contact position between the stopper portion 78 of the stopper 70 and the contact portion 88 of the connecting member 38 by moving the zero stopper portion 78 in the moving direction of the operation wire 39. Is set.

If the maximum bending angle of the bending portion 7 cannot be adjusted completely by the above operation, the stopper 70 is
8 needs to be replaced with another stopper 70 having a different position. In this case, by pulling out the adjustment screw 69 toward the hand side, the rotation support portion 79 is disengaged from the rotation hole 80 of the engagement member 58, and the two fixing screws 86A and 71A fixing the fixing member 68 are further fixed. The main plate 2 of the operation unit 3
4, the bending angle setting mechanism 53 can be integrally removed.

Then, the stopper 70 is replaced with a stopper having a different position of the stopper portion 78, and the bending angle setting mechanism 53 is assembled to the base plate 24 of the operation portion 3 by the operation reverse to the above, and the position of the stopper portion 78 of the stopper 70 is changed. By adjusting, a desired maximum bending angle of the bending portion 7 can be obtained. At this time, the fixing member 68 is fixed from the upper surface side of the main plate 24 and two fixing screws 86A and 71A from the side surface orthogonal to the upper surface side.
Is performed by screwing. Therefore, the main plate 24
Since it does not affect the built-in components disposed on the back side of the device, it does not damage them.

Next, the operation of the breaking preventing member 16 will be described. When the insertion section 2 is inserted into a body cavity, an operation of bending the flexible tube section 8 in various directions with respect to the operation section 3 is performed as the insertion operation proceeds. At this time, the flexible tube portion 8 is gently bent by the elastic breaking rubber 102 at the joint between the operation portion 3 and the flexible tube portion 8, so that the flexible tube portion 8 is prevented from buckling.

Further, since the thin portion 137 of the rubber 102 is prevented from being bent by the elastic tube 104 while the flexible tube portion 8 is strongly tightened, the elastic tube 104 and the flexible tube portion 8 can be connected to each other by the above operation. There is no gap between the contact portion and the contact portion between the elastic tube 104 and the thin portion 137 of the rubber stopper 102. Further, since the elastic tube 104 and the thin portion 137 of the rubber 102 are thin, even if the flexible tube 8 is strongly tightened, it is flexible.
Since the load is slight, the flexible tube 8 does not buckle. Further, since the depth of the concave portion 103 of the rubber stopper 102 and the thickness of the elastic tube 104 are substantially equal, the appearance is smooth.

Next, a description will be given of a method of removing slack generated in the operation wire 39 by repeatedly performing the bending operation on the bending portion 7. In this case, first, it is necessary to remove the holding section casing 15 of the operation section 3 to expose the bending operation mechanism 17, and it is necessary to remove the fold-preventing member 16.

When removing the breaking preventing member 16, first, the elastic tube 104 is cut and removed. Here, since the elastic tube 104 is a tubular member, it is inexpensive, and since it is small, it is easy to carry.

Next, the breaking member 16 is rotated in the direction opposite to the screwing direction, and after the receiving member 99 and the cylindrical member 91 are disengaged from each other, the bending preventing member 16 is moved in the distal direction. At this time, since the bending preventing member 16 from which the elastic tube 104 has been removed is in contact with the flexible tube portion 8 or is in a state where a slight gap is formed, the flexible tube portion 8 is displaced in the above-mentioned rotation operation or in the distal direction. Work is easy because there is no need to use a jig or the like.

Next, the connection between the watertight lid 96 and the base member 94 and the branch member 93 is disconnected, the base member 94 is removed, and the fixing ring 100 is rotated to remove the screw engagement with the screw part 98.
Accordingly, the fixed state of the holding unit casing 15 is released, and the bending operation mechanism 17 is exposed to the outside by shifting the holding unit casing 15 to the distal end side.

Next, it is necessary to remove the guide member 54 on the side of the connecting member 38 to secure a work space for removing the slack of the operation wire 39 at the connecting member 38 portion. At this time, when removing the guide member 54, it is necessary to also remove the bending angle setting mechanism 53 on the side thereof.

When removing them, first, the two fixing screws 86A and 71A fixing the fixing member 68 are removed. At this time, as described above, the built-in components on the back side of the base plate 24 are not damaged.

Further, since the fixing surface 71 of the fixing member 68 and the retaining bent portion 67 of the guide member 54 are disposed substantially in contact with each other, the engagement between the rotation supporting portion 79 and the rotation hole 80 may be disengaged. However, the bending angle setting mechanism 53 and the guide member 54 are maintained in an integrated state.

Thereafter, the fixing screw 57A fixing the guide member 54, the partition plate 25 and the guide member 27 at the portion where the spacer 57 is fixed is removed. As a result, the member in which the bending angle setting mechanism 53, the guide member 54, and the spacer 57 are integrated is in a state where only the engaging member 58 is engaged with the support column 62. Here, the three fixing screws 8
6A, 71A, and 57A are exposed to the outside of the operation unit 3 by removing the holding unit casing 15, so that the attachment and detachment work is easy.

Subsequently, the integrated member is inserted into the insertion portion 2.
Pull out in the direction of. At this time, when the guide member 54 and the retaining bent portion 67 interfere with the engagement plate 42 and the base plate 24, the guide member 54 and the retaining plate 67 can be integrally removed by combining rotation operations with the support column 62 as a fulcrum.

In this state, an operation for removing the slack in the operation wire 39 is performed. Here, first, the connecting member 3
The engagement between the engagement member 49 and the circular groove 132 in the engagement space 43 is released by pulling the engagement member 8 to the side of the main plate 24. At this time,
Since the guide member 54 and the bending angle setting mechanism 53 are removed and a wide working space is secured, workability is good.

Next, the adjustment length of the operation wire 39 in each direction is determined according to the slack amount of the operation wire 39, and the locking position of the regulating member 51 in the circular groove 132 is set closer to the hand by the length. Stagger. At this time, the regulating member 51 can be easily removed from the circular groove 132 by pushing the regulating member 51 outward through the long hole 52 of the connecting member 38.

Then, the engaging member 49 is inserted into the circular groove 132 on the side of the insertion portion 2 by two positions from the position where the regulating member 51 is engaged.
Engages. At this time, the convex portions 44 formed before and after that
As a result, the engaging member 49 does not shift in the axial direction. With the above operation, the slack of the operation wire 39 is removed, and the play of the bending operation knob 22 is eliminated.

Next, as a re-assembly operation, first, a member in which the bending angle setting mechanism 53, the guide member 54, and the spacer 57 are integrated is assembled to the main plate 24 of the operation unit 3 in the reverse operation. At this time, the position of the stopper portion 78 of the stopper 70 is arranged at the same position as before disassembly. Since the decrease in the maximum bending angle is caused by the slack of the operation wire 39, the slack of the operation wire 39 is removed in the above operation, so that it is not necessary to reset the maximum bending angle during the reassembly operation.

Next, the fixing ring 100, the base member 94 and the fold-preventing member 16 are assembled respectively, and finally, a new elastic tube 104 is assembled. This elastic tube 104
When assembling, the maximum diameter of the insertion portion 2 and the rubber
The elastic tube 104 is externally mounted on a working pipe (not shown) which is larger in diameter than the thin portion 137 of FIG. 02 and smaller than the portion of the anti-folding rubber 102 closer to the recess 103, and inserts the working pipe from the tip component 6 side. I do. Since the work pipe cannot be pulled further toward the hand side by contacting the concave portion 103 of the rubber stopper 102, the fixed positioning work is easy. Then, while holding the elastic tube 104, the working pipe is pulled out,
At that time, the end face of the elastic tube 104 and the rubber 1
By pulling out the work pipe in a state in which the recess 103 of 02 is in close contact with the recess 103, the assembly can be assembled with a smooth appearance.

Therefore, the above configuration has the following effects. That is, in the present embodiment, the operation wire 3
9 to carry out the slack removal operation, the holding portion casing 1
Since the operation of removing the slack of the operation wire 39 is performed after the detachment of the operation wire 5, it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for removing the slack of the operation wire 39 in the operation unit 3. Therefore, the operation unit 3 does not increase in size.

Further, the operation of removing the slack of the operation wire 39 is performed after the holding section casing 15 is removed, and then the connecting member 3 is removed.
Since the operation is performed after the guide member 54 arranged on the side of 8 is also removed, a wide work space is secured and workability is good.

In the present embodiment, the breaking member 16 is removed before the holding casing 15 is removed.
May be adopted.

Further, when the guide member 54 is removed, the bending angle setting mechanism 53 is also removed, but only the guide member 54 arranged on the side of the connecting member 38 is removed without removing the bending angle setting mechanism 53. A configuration may be adopted.

FIG. 11 shows a schematic configuration of the entire system of the electronic endoscope apparatus 200. The main part of the electronic endoscope device 200 is an endoscope 201 which is inserted into a body cavity to perform observation and treatment, a light source device 202 for supplying illumination light to the endoscope 201, and a light transmitted from the endoscope 201. And a video processor 203 for processing the obtained video signal. Here, the electronic endoscope apparatus 200 has a configuration using an electronic endoscope 201 provided with an imaging means at the distal end of the insertion section. Further, the video processor 20
Reference numeral 3 denotes a monitor 204 for displaying a subject image based on the video signal processed by the video processor 203, a VTR 205 for recording and reproducing the video signal, a video printer 206 for printing an image of the subject based on the video signal, and a large for recording the video signal. A video disk 207 or the like, which is a storage device having a capacity, is connected.

The endoscope 201 has an elongated insertion portion 208 inserted into the body cavity, an operation portion 209 on the hand side serving also as a grip portion connected to the base end of the insertion portion 208, and
A universal cord 210 extending to the side of the operation unit 209 is provided. Here, a light guide and a signal cable are provided inside the universal cord 210. Furthermore, this universal cord 21
0 is provided with a connector 211 at the tip.

The endoscope 201 is connected to the connector 211
, And is electrically connected to a video processor 203 via a signal cable 212 extending from a side of the connector 211.

The insertion portion 208 is provided with a bendable bending portion 214 formed by connecting a plurality of bending tubes to the distal end of an elongated soft flexible tube portion 213.
At the front end, there is provided a front end component 215 in which an imaging optical system, an illumination optical system, and the like are arranged.

Further, the operation section 209 is provided with an air / water button 216 and a suction button 217. Then, the air supply / water supply to the objective lens provided in the distal end component 215 for observing the inside of the body cavity is performed by operating the air supply / water supply button 216, and the operation of suctioning dirt and the like in the body cavity by operating the suction button 217. Is controlled.

A first switch 218 is provided side by side on the surface on which the air / water supply button 216 and the suction button 217 are provided. Further, a trapezoidal switch box 223 is provided at the head of the operation unit 209, that is, at the end of the operation unit 209 opposite to the end connected to the insertion unit 208. This switch box 223 includes
As shown in (A), a second switch 224, a third switch 225, and a fourth switch 226 are provided on adjacent surfaces, respectively. Here, the second switch 224
Are arranged on an extension surface of the arrangement surface of the first switch 218. Further, the third switch 225 is connected to the operation unit 209.
Are arranged on the surface on the side opposite to the connection end with the insertion portion 208. The fourth switch 226 is arranged on a surface substantially opposite to the second switch 224.

The switches 218, 224, 2
25 and 226 are VTRs via the video processor 203
205, video printer 206, video disk 207
Remote operation of the above-described peripheral devices or remote operation of the video processor 203 to control operations such as freeze and release of images, control of side light mode, and change of a screen size output to the monitor 204. Can be done. Then, each switch 218, 224, 22
5 and 226 are provided by the endoscope 201 and the video processor 2.
03 allows free selection. At this time, the first switch 218 and the fourth switch 226
Can be operated while holding the operation unit 209. for that reason,
Since the first switch 218 and the fourth switch 226 have better operability than the second switch 224 and the third switch 225, the functions that are frequently used, such as photographing (release) and image pause ( For example, a freeze may be selected and assigned to the first switch 218 and the fourth switch 226.

The first to fourth switches 218, 2
24, 225 and 226 may be provided with an identification symbol for distinguishing them from other switches, for example, "1" for the first switch 218 and "2" for the second switch 224. , The third switch 225 may be described as “3”, and the fourth switch 226 may be described as “4”. In addition, these identification symbols are not limited to numbers, and may be any symbols that can be distinguished from other things such as alphabets and Roman numerals,
Further, it may be written by any method such as printing, engraving, projection, and the like.

Next, the second to fourth switches 224, 2
Details of the structures 25 and 226 will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 (A) and (B) to FIGS. 18 (A) and (B). FIG.
FIG. 12A is a cross-sectional view taken along a plane passing through the respective central axes of the switches 224, 225, and 226.
FIG. 13B is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.
2 (A) is a sectional view taken along the line BCDDEFG, FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line HH of FIG. 13 (partly a sectional view taken along the line JJ), and FIG.
5 is a sectional view taken along line LL of FIG. 13, FIG. 16 is a transverse sectional view of the switches 224, 225 and 226 of FIG. 14, and FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of the switch box 223.

The switch box casing 232 that forms the outer wall of the switch box 223 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (A), one end face is opened, and this open end face is in contact with the rear end face of the operation section casing 229 of the operation section 209. Here, a rectangular frame-like projection 230 having a substantially rectangular frame shape is provided on the rear end surface of the operation unit casing 229. An O-ring 231 is interposed at the outer peripheral portion of the rectangular frame-shaped projection 230 as a watertight member. The O-ring 231 ensures watertightness between the operation unit casing 229 and the switch box casing 232.

As shown in FIG. 17, the second switch 224 includes a tact switch 233 as a switch for performing a switching operation of various operation instructions, a switch base 234 supporting the tact switch 233, and a tact switch 233. And a switch cap 235 that covers the switch base 234 and presses the tact switch 233. Here, the switch cap 235 is formed of an elastic body, for example, a rubber member such as silicon rubber or fluorine rubber. The switch cap 235 may be formed of a thermoplastic elastomer.

A cable 236 for transmitting an electric signal of the tact switch 233 is connected to the tact switch 233.
Are connected by solder or the like. Here, the tact switch 233 is bonded and fixed to the switch pedestal 234 with an adhesive or the like.
69 are provided.

Further, the tact switch 233 and the cable 2
When the solder 36 is connected by solder, the solder may rise and become convex, so that the switch pedestal 234 is provided with a solder escape portion 270 to avoid this convex portion.

Further, a plurality of ribs 2 are provided on the inner surface of the switch cap 235 as shown by dotted lines in FIGS.
37 are provided radially from the center of the switch cap 235, and the ribs 237 improve the force when the switch cap 235 is pressed. As shown in FIG. 16, a connection portion 239 between the tact switch 233 and the cable 236 is provided in a gap between the plurality of ribs 237.

Here, by changing the number of the ribs 237, the pressing force of the switch cap 235 can be adjusted. Further, when the switch cap 235 is pressed, the thin portion other than the rib 237 is deformed, so that a click feeling when the tact switch 233 is pressed can be obtained.

The movable part 23 of the tact switch 233
An appropriate clearance 272 is provided between 3a and the switch cap 235. When the switch cap 235 is pressed, a sufficient working distance is obtained by the clearance 272, and the operational feeling is improved. The switch base 234 is provided with a substantially semicircular cable hole 238 through which a cable 236 connected to the tact switch 233 passes.

Furthermore, the switch box casing 23
2 is provided with a recess 240 for accommodating the switch cap 235. A locking hole 242 through which the foot portion 241 of the switch base 234 penetrates is opened at the bottom of the concave portion 240. Here, the tact switch 23 is shown in FIG.
3, an arrow view from the foot 241 side when the switch base 234 and the switch cap 235 are assembled is shown. As shown in FIG. 18A, the cross section of the foot portion 241 has a substantially square shape. The three sides (foot sides 241a, 241b, 241c) of the foot 241 have the same size with respect to the central axes 271a, 271b of the switch cap 235, and the remaining one side (foot side 241d) is as described above. It has an asymmetric shape with a size different from the three sides.

The opening on the side of the foot 241 of the switch cap 235 that covers the switch pedestal 234 has a substantially elliptical shape, and one side (switch cap side 235a) of the side (switch cap side 235a) having a different size of the foot 241. The size is such that it contacts the foot side 241d). Further, the locking hole 242 also has an asymmetrical substantially square shape like the cross-sectional shape of the foot portion 241.

That is, the switch cap 235 is attached to the foot 2
41, the switch cap 235 is positioned relative to the switch pedestal 234 by assembling the switch cap side 235a and the foot side 241d so that the tact switch 233 is always in the gap between the ribs 237. The connecting portion 239 of the cable 236 will be arranged.

When the tact switch 233, the switch base 234, and the switch cap 235, which are covered by the switch cap 235 and are integrated, are inserted into the recess 240, the shape of the foot 241 and the locking hole 242 are matched. By doing so, the positioning of the switch base 234 and the switch box casing 232 becomes possible, and the positioning of the switch cap 235 with respect to the switch box casing 232 becomes possible. Therefore, for example, when the identification number of the switch is attached to the upper part of the switch cap 235, the identification number always faces a predetermined direction, which prevents erroneous assembly and facilitates assembly.

The foot 241 has an air insertion notch 2
73 are provided. The inside of the operation unit casing 229 and the inside of the switch cap 235 communicate with each other through the air insertion notch 273. Therefore, for example, when there is a possibility that the switch cap 235 has been cut, the inside of the operation unit casing 229 is pressurized to detect water leakage, but since the inside of the operation unit casing 229 communicates with the inside of the switch cap 235. If the switch cap 235 has been cut, air leaks from that portion, and water leak detection can be reliably performed.

The foot 241 has an E-ring groove 244 through which an E-ring can be inserted. And foot 2
After the 41 is inserted into the locking hole 242, the switch base 234 is locked by the E-ring 243.

The cable 23 is provided at the bottom of the concave portion 240.
6 is opened. The cable 236 is connected to the cable hole 238 and the cable hole 2.
It is led through 45 to the inside of the switch box casing 232. Here, a protrusion 246 having a substantially triangular shape and a maximum diameter larger than the diameter of the concave portion 240 is provided on the side surface circumference of the switch cap 235. This allows
Since the switch cap 235 is formed of an elastic body, when the switch cap 235 is accommodated in the concave portion 240, the protrusion 246 is deformed by the side surface of the concave portion 240,
Watertightness between the switch cap 235 and the recess 240 is ensured.

When the switch cap 235 is assembled to the switch box casing 232, the upper surface of the switch cap 235 protrudes from the outer surface of the switch box casing 232, so that the operator's finger can easily reach.

A circular through hole 247 is provided in the foot 241 of the switch base 234. Then, when the switch base 234 is accommodated in the switch box casing 232 and the E-ring 243 is inserted into the E-ring groove 244, an L-shaped pulling jig (not shown) made of metal or the like is hooked on the through hole 247, By pulling into the switch box casing 232, the E-ring 2
43 is easily inserted into the E-ring groove 244, and assembly is facilitated.

It should be noted that the other third and fourth switches 225,
226 has the same configuration as the second switch 224, and is similarly attached to the switch box casing 232.

As shown in FIG. 13, a plurality of small projections 248 are provided on the inner surface of the switch box casing 232 in order to prevent the O-ring 231 from coming into the switch box casing 232. That is, the O-ring 231 includes the outer periphery of the rectangular frame-shaped protrusion 230, the inner surface of the switch box casing 232, and the rib 2.
48 and the operation unit casing 229. And this O-ring 23
By preventing the bulge 1 from occurring, watertightness between the operation unit casing 229 and the switch box casing 232 is ensured.

Here, the switch box casing 23
Since No. 2 is formed by molding with a resin such as Noryl, if a thick portion is provided, shrinkage or the like occurs due to thermal contraction of the material at the time of molding, resulting in poor appearance. Therefore, it is desirable that the convex portion for preventing the deformation of the O-ring 231 is formed of a plurality of small ribs.

The hole filling member 249 is a hole filling member that receives an impact on the switch box casing 232 when the operator accidentally drops the endoscope or hits the corner of a desk or the like. . This filling member 24
Nine side surfaces 249 a and 249 b have substantially the same shape as the inner surface of the switch box casing 232. Further, the switch 224 and the switch 22
5. Notches 250a, 250b, 250c are provided to prevent the respective switch pedestals 234 of the switch 226 from protruding into the switch box casing 232.

Here, the switch box casing 23
The impact on the side surfaces 232A and 232B of the second
9, the side surfaces 249a, 249b come to receive,
The switch box casing 232 is prevented from being damaged.
Also, the switches 224, 225, 22
6 receives an impact, the bottom of the foot portion 241 of each switch base 234 of each switch section becomes the upper surface 250 of each notch 250 of the filling member 249.
The switch box casing 232 is prevented from being damaged by being hit by the a, 250b, 250c.

As shown in FIG. 15, the switch box casing 232 has a female screw 2 made of metal.
51 is formed integrally with the switch box casing 232 by insert molding. A metal holding member 252 is provided on the lower surface of the filling member 249, and the filling member 249 is sandwiched between the holding member 252 and the female screw 251. And
The hole filling member 249 is held and fixed to the switch box casing 232 together with the pressing member 252 using a fixing screw 253 screwed and fixed to the female screw 251.

Further, in order to further firmly fix the filling member 249, the side surface 249 of the filling member 249 is formed.
a, 249b and an inner surface of the switch box casing 232 facing the surfaces 249a, 249b are bonded and fixed with an adhesive.

Further, in order to increase the bonding strength between the filling member 249 and the switch box casing 232, projections 254 that engage with the ribs 248 of the switch box casing 232 are provided on the side surfaces 249a and 249b of the filling member 249. ing. Then, the protrusion 254 and the protrusion 2 of the switch box casing 232 are formed.
46 and the bonding area increases, and the hole filling member 2
49 and the switch box casing 232 are improved in adhesive strength.

As shown in FIG. 13, the hole filling member 249 has a cable hole 255 through which the cable 236 of the third switch 225 passes. Then, the cable 236 passes through the cable hole 255 and is guided to the operation unit casing 229 side.

Further, the hole filling member 249 is provided with a cable groove 256 connected to the cable hole 255. Then, the cable 2 passing through the cable hole 255
36 is guided along the groove of the cable groove 256, one is guided to the second switch 224 side and the other is guided to the fourth switch 226 side, and the cable 236 of the second switch 224 and the fourth switch 226 are Each bundled together with the cable 236. Here, the cable 236 of the third switch 225 is connected to the pressing member 252.
13 is inclined as indicated by the line JJ shown in FIG.

Further, one side surface 252a of the pressing member 252 is a part of the side wall of the cable groove 256 as shown in FIG. Thus, one side surface 252a of the pressing member 252
Is a part of the side wall of the cable groove 256, the labor for processing the cable groove 256 in the hole filling member 249 is reduced, and the processing cost is reduced.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, a total of four upper and lower projections 2 are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the switch box casing 232.
Reference numerals 46 extend toward the inside of the switch box casing 232, respectively. These projections 246 are respectively engaged with recesses 257 provided on the rectangular frame-shaped projections 230 of the operation unit casing 229. When the switch box casing 232 is brought into contact with one end of the operation section casing 229, the projection 246 of the switch box casing 232 and the recess 257 of the operation section casing 229 are engaged, so that the operation of the switch box casing 232 is performed. Part casing 229
The movement in the rotation direction with respect to is regulated.

As shown in FIG. 12B, a metal base fixing plate 258 as a base mounting member abuts inside the rectangular frame-shaped projection 230 on the joint end face of the operation section casing 229 with the switch box 223. It is provided. The base fixing plate 258 is fixed to the operation unit casing 229 by fixing screws 259.

The base fixing plate 258 has the structure shown in FIG.
Three connecting plate portions 2 bent in an L shape as shown in FIG.
58a, 258b and 258c are provided. These connecting plate portions 258a, 258b, 258c are shown in FIG.
As shown in (B), it is guided into the operation part casing 229 through three through holes 260 provided in the operation part casing 229. And these connecting plate portions 258
a mounting base 28 to which a bending operation mechanism (not shown) for performing a bending function of the bending portion 214 is mounted on a, 258b, and 258c;
0 is attached.

As shown in FIG. 12B, two adjacent sides of the base fixing plate 258 have flat portions 258A and 258B.
Is provided. Further, flat portions 230A and 230B are provided on at least two sides of the inner peripheral surface of the rectangular frame-shaped projection 230. The planes 258A and 258B of the base fixing plate 258 are in contact with the planes 230A and 230B inside the rectangular frame-shaped projection 230.

Here, since a complicated bending operation mechanism having a large number of parts is mounted on the mounting base 280, the mounting base 280 must be mounted at an accurate position with respect to the operation unit casing 229. That is, the base fixing plate 258 to which the mounting base 280 is attached must also be mounted at an accurate position with respect to the operation unit casing 229. Therefore, 258A provided on the base fixing plate 258,
258B to the flat surfaces 230A, 230 of the rectangular frame-shaped protrusion 230.
If the base fixing plate 258 is fixed with the fixing screw 259 while being in contact with B, the position of the base fixing plate 258 with respect to the operation unit casing 229 can be accurately positioned. At the time of assembly, the base fixing plates 2258A and 258B are
Since it is sufficient to fix the fixing screws 259 while making contact with 30A and 230B, the assembly is facilitated.

The cable 236 is connected to the base fixing plate 258 and the operating section casing 229 by the operating section casing 22.
9, openings 261a, 261b, and 261c are provided. The cable 236 is connected to the opening 261.
a, 261b, 261c, and
9 is led.

The base fixing plate 258 is formed to be as small as possible so as to fit in the rectangular frame-shaped projection 230 in order to reduce the weight of the operation part 209 as much as possible. Here, a through hole 263 through which the screw portion of the fixing screw 262 penetrates is opened in the base fixing plate 258. The holding member 252 is provided with a female screw 264 screwed with the fixing screw 262. Further, the base fixing plate 2 is provided on the operation unit casing 229.
A through hole 266 larger than the washer 265 of the 58 through hole 263 is opened.

Then, the fixing screw 262 is sequentially passed through the through hole 266 of the operating portion casing 229 and the through hole 263 of the base fixing plate 258 and is screwed into the female screw of the pressing member 252 so that the pressing member 252 is moved to the operating portion casing 229. Can be pulled to the side. As a result, the switch box casing 232 can be brought into contact with the operation section casing 229, and the operation section casing 229 and the switch box casing 232 are fixed in the longitudinal direction of the insertion section 208.

Therefore, the electronic endoscope apparatus 200 having the above-described configuration is used.
When the switches 224, 225, and 226 on the switch box 223 of the electronic endoscope 201 are projected and viewed from above, the connection portion 239 between the tact switch 233 and the cable 236 is connected to the rib 237 of the switch cap 235.
The rib 237 is provided in the gap between the connection portion 239 and the switch 235 when the switch cap 235 is pressed.
Never hit. Therefore, even if it is repeatedly used, the connection portion 239 is not damaged, and the switch box 2
The durability of each of the switches 224, 225, 226 on 23 is improved.

Since the base fixing plate 258 is fixed in contact with the outer surface of the operation section casing 229, FIG.
The pulling force F acting on the mounting base 280 as shown in FIG.
Is transmitted to the base fixing plate 258 via the connection plate portions 258a, 258b, 258c, and is received on the entire outer surface of the operation unit casing 229. As described above, the pulling force F acting on the mounting base 280 is reduced.
9, the fixing screw 259
In addition, since the load is not concentrated on the female screw with which the fixing screw 259 is engaged, the fixing screw 259 and the female screw with which the fixing screw 259 is engaged are not damaged, and the durability of the base fixing plate 258 is reduced. Is improved.

Further, a base fixing plate 25 serving as a base mounting member is provided.
Since only one 8 is in contact with the outside of the operation unit casing 229, the number of components can be reduced as compared with the related art, and the inexpensive endoscope 201 can be provided.

In FIG. 19, the structure of the connecting portion between the base fixing plate 258 and the operation unit casing 229 is changed as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 12, a convex curved surface portion 229t having a curvature R is projected from a contact surface of the operation portion casing 229 with the base fixing plate 258, as shown in FIG.
The base fixing plate 258 has an engaging portion 2 provided with a concave curved surface having a curvature R which engages with the convex curved surface portion 229t of the operation portion casing 229.
58t is provided. Then, the base fixing plate 258
The engaging portion 258t of the base fixing plate 258 and the operating portion casing 229
And the convex curved surface portion 229t.

In FIG. 19, the operation unit casing 229
And the switch box casing 232 are connected and fixed by a snap-fit action action. That is, the fill-in member 249 is provided with a snap-fit engaging portion 276 having a convex portion 275 for performing a snap-fit action and engaging with the operation unit casing 229. The operation section casing 229 is provided with a through hole 277 through which the snap fit engagement section 276 passes.

Then, at the contact surface between the base fixing plate 258 and the operating portion casing 229, the engaging portion 258t of the base fixing plate 258 and the convex curved surface portion 22 of the operating portion casing 229 are formed.
9t and the curved surfaces having the curvature R are brought into contact with each other, so that the contact area is widened, the tensile force F acting on the mounting base 280 is dispersed, and the pressure is reduced. Therefore, the load acting on the base fixing plate 258 is reduced, and the durability of the base fixing plate 258 is improved.

Further, when the snap-fit engaging portion 276 is inserted into the through-hole 277 of the operating portion casing 229,
The convex portion 275 of the snap fit engagement portion 276 is engaged with the inner surface of the operation portion casing 229, and the switch box casing 232 is fixed to the operation portion casing 229.
Therefore, since the switch box casing 232 is fixed to the operation unit casing 229 by a snap-fit action action, the switch box casing 232 can be easily removed at the time of repair or the like, and repair can be easily performed.

The unevenness of the joint surface between the base fixing plate 258 and the operation casing 229 is not limited to the curved surface having the curvature R as described above, and may be a triangular shape, which impairs the effect of the present structure. If it is not, it can of course be modified into any form.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Next, other characteristic technical matters of the present application will be additionally described as follows. (Additional Item 1) An insertion portion having a bending portion, an operation portion connected to a rear end of the insertion portion and having a bending operation mechanism for performing a bending operation on the bending portion, and one end fixed to a distal end of the bending portion, An operation wire having the other end connected to the bending operation mechanism via a connection member, a guide member for regulating travel of the connection member during the bending operation, and a part of an exterior of the operation unit, and an internal bending operation mechanism An endoscope comprising an operating section casing having a bending operation knob for bending the bending section connected to the operating section casing and a holding section casing connected to the insertion section side of the operating section casing and forming an exterior of the section. A method for removing slack in an operation wire, comprising at least a step of removing a holding unit casing, a step of removing a guide member, and a step of removing slack in an operation wire at a connecting portion between the operation wire and a bending operation mechanism.

(Additional Item 2) The endoscope according to Additional Item 1, wherein the fixing portion of the guide member is disposed at a position exposed to the outside when the holding portion casing is removed.

(Additional Item 3) The endoscope according to additional item 1, wherein the connecting member in a state where the bending portion is not bent is disposed at a position exposed to the outside when the holding portion casing is removed. mirror.

(Additional Item 4) The endoscope according to Additional Item 1, further comprising a step of removing a buckling member disposed on the insertion portion side of the holding portion casing and preventing buckling of the insertion portion. .

(Additional Item 5) The endoscope according to Additional Item 1, wherein a step of removing a member constituting a treatment instrument introduction port provided in the holding portion casing is added.

(Additional Item 6) A feature of forming a part of the bending operation mechanism and adding a step of removing a bending angle setting member for setting a bending angle of the bending portion by contacting the connecting member. 2. The endoscope according to claim 1.

(Additional Item 7) The endoscope according to Additional Item 6, wherein the fixing position of the bending angle setting member is arranged at a position exposed to the outside when the holding section casing is removed.

(Prior Art of Additional Items 1 to 7) Additional Items 1 to 7
No. 7-144178, JP-A-8-19511 and JP-A-8-286123.
There is an official gazette.

(Problems to be Solved by Additional Items 1 to 7)
Problems with Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 52-144178 The operation wire is constantly tensioned by the pulley, and the slack of the wire is automatically absorbed, so that no adjustment work is required. However, there is a problem that the entire operation unit becomes large because the mechanism must be provided inside the operation unit. Furthermore, since a high tension is always applied to the operation wire, a large load is applied to the bending portion and the like, and it is necessary to increase the strength of each part in order to improve the durability of those parts, which makes the part expensive and heavy. There was a problem.

Problems with Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-19511 A structure is disclosed in which slack of an operation wire can be removed from the outside without removing a casing. However, in this case, it is necessary to provide a mechanism in the operation unit to remove the slack in the wire.
There is a problem that the entire operation unit becomes large. Further, a mechanism for holding the rotation of the adjusting screw is not shown, and the structure is further complicated to add the structure. Further, there is a problem that workability is poor because the adjustment work needs to be performed through a small hole.

Problems of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-286123 Here, a method of removing the slack of the operation wire by using the operation knob protruding outside the casing is described.
After all, it is inevitable that the entire operation unit becomes large. In addition, there is a problem that the operation is hindered because the adjustment knob is disposed so as to protrude from the casing. Further, when assembling the operation unit, it is necessary to accurately position the internal structure of the operation unit and the casing. For this reason, there is a problem that the cost increases because the accuracy of each component and the assembly accuracy must be increased.

(Purposes of Additional Items 1 to 7) An object of additional items 1 to 7 is to provide a method of removing slack of an operation wire with good workability without increasing the size of an operation unit.

(Operation of Supplementary Items 1 to 7) If a phenomenon occurs in which the bending portion does not follow the operation of the bending operation knob or a desired maximum bending angle cannot be obtained, first, the holding portion casing is removed. Next, the guide member for restricting the travel of the connecting member is removed, but the work in a wide space can be performed because the holding portion casing is removed. Next, loosening of the connecting member and the operation wire is removed, and in this case, work can be performed in a wide space. Further, since the guide member is removed, the operation of pulling out the connecting member from the operation unit is also possible.

(Effects of Additional Items 1 to 7) An effect of Additional Items 1 to 7 is to provide a method of removing slack of an operation wire with good workability without increasing the size of the operation unit.

(Additional Item 8) In an endoscope provided with a push button device for performing various operation instructions related to the endoscope in an operation unit, the push button device is a switch unit for performing a switching operation of the operation instruction related to the endoscope. A cable connected to the switch unit and transmitting an electric signal from the switch unit; and a pressing unit that covers the switch unit, operates the switch unit by pressing, and has a plurality of ribs. An endoscope wherein a connection portion between the switch portion and the cable is provided in a gap between ribs of the pressing portion when the push button device is projected from above.

(Additional Item 9) The endoscope according to Additional Item 8, wherein the pressing portion is formed of an elastic body.

(Additional Item 10) The endoscope according to Additional Items 8 to 9, wherein the rib of the pressing portion is formed radially from the center of the pressing portion.

(Prior Art of Supplementary Items 8 to 10) As a prior art, there is JP-A-2-92333.

(Problems to be Solved by Additional Items 8 to 10) In the prior art, a push button device for an endoscope is constituted by a waterproof film made of elastic rubber and a switch body as a pressing portion. The waterproof membrane is provided with a plunger for pressing the switch, and a metal tubular body is provided for preventing deformation of the plunger. The metal tubular body is integrally formed with the waterproof rubber film by insert molding. Here, insert molding is very expensive, and there has been a problem that the waterproof film becomes expensive.

In order to solve the above problem, it is conceivable to eliminate the metal plunger. However, the plunger is deformed and the switch body cannot be operated properly. In order to suppress the deformation of the plunger and to operate the switch body well, there is an attempt to reduce the distance between the waterproof membrane and the switch body and shorten the plunger. Here, the waterproof film is formed of rubber, and the rubber hardness is variously changed, and the rubber is provided with ribs to optimize the amount of force when the waterproof film is pressed and the click feeling when the switch body is pressed. Is trying to be something. However, as described above, since the distance between the waterproof film and the switch body is narrow, a rib provided on the waterproof film has a contact portion between the switch and a cable that transmits an electric signal from the switch when the waterproof film is pressed. When the switch is operated repeatedly, the connection between the switch and the cable is damaged.

(Objects of Additional Items 8 to 10) An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope having a durable push button device.

(Function of Supplementary Items 8 to 10) When the push button device is projected from above and viewed, a switch portion for performing a switching operation of an operation instruction related to the endoscope and a cable for transmitting an electric signal from the switch portion are provided. By providing the connection portion with the rib in the gap between the rib provided on the pressing portion, the rib of the pressing portion does not hit the connection portion when the pressing portion is pressed, and the durability of the switch portion is improved. I do.

(Effects of Additional Items 8 to 10) An endoscope having a push button device having a durable switch portion is provided.

(Additional Item 11) In an endoscope provided with a base fixing member for fixing a mounting base of a bending mechanism in an operation section,
A connecting plate portion in which the base fixing member abuts and is fixed to the outside of the operation portion main body casing and the base fixing member extends into the operation portion main body casing through a through hole provided in the operation portion main body casing. Wherein the connecting plate portion and the mounting base are fixed to each other.

(Supplementary Note 12) On the contact surface between the base fixing member and the operating portion main body casing, uneven portions are provided on the base fixing member and the operating portion main body casing, respectively, so as to engage with each other. 14. The endoscope according to claim 11, wherein:

(Prior Art of Supplementary Items 11 and 12) As a prior art, there is JP-B-3-74568.

(Problems to be Solved by Additional Items 11 and 12) In the prior art, the side wall of the operation unit main body casing is sandwiched between a pair of metal bodies, and the side wall of the operation unit main body casing is tightened and fixed with set screws and nuts. I have. In addition, a metal body in the operation unit main body casing of the pair of metal bodies is used as a base fixing member, and a connecting part that connects to a mounting base on which the bending mechanism is mounted extends.

By the way, in order to make the distal end portion of the endoscope insertion section bendable, the endoscope operation section is provided with a gear, a bending operation wire and the like constituting a bending operation mechanism mounted on a mounting base provided inside the operation section. It has a structure to do. Here, since a large pulling force or bending force is applied to the bending operation wire, a pulling force is always applied to the mounting base on which the bending mechanism is mounted, and the base fixing member for fixing the mounting base is a casing. It must be firmly fixed to the main body.

Here, assuming that the metal body in the operating portion main body casing is a base fixing member, a force acts on the base fixing member so as to be separated from the operating portion main body casing. Then, this force is transmitted to the set screw fixing the pair of metal plates and the set screw, and is concentrated on the screw portion of the metal plate outside the casing. Therefore, in the conventional structure, since the load concentrates on the set screw and the screw portion of the metal body, there is a problem that the set screw and the screw portion of the metal body are easily damaged. In addition, since a plurality of metal members are required, the number of parts is increased and the cost is increased.

(Object of Supplementary Items 11 and 12) An object of the present invention is that even if a large force acts on the base fixing member, a large force is applied to the screw fixing the base fixing member and the screw portion of the base fixing member. It is to provide an endoscope having a durable base fixing member without acting. Another object is to provide an inexpensive endoscope with a reduced number of parts.

(Operation of Supplementary Items 11 and 12) The base fixing member is brought into contact with the outside of the operation portion main body casing and fixed.
The connecting plate portion provided on the base fixing member extends into the operating portion main body casing through a through hole provided in the operating portion main body casing, and the base plate is fixed by fixing the connecting plate portion and the mounting base in the operating portion. Since the load applied to the member can be distributed to the outer surface of the operation unit main body casing, a large force does not act on the screw fixing the base fixing member and the screw portion of the base fixing member, and the durability of the base fixing member is reduced. Is improved. Further, since only one base fixing member is in contact with the outside of the operation portion main body casing, the number of components can be reduced.

By providing irregularities on the surfaces that contact the base fixing member and the operation unit main casing, the contact area can be increased, and the pressure applied to the base fixing member and the operation unit main casing can be reduced. The durability of the base fixing member can be improved.

(Effects of Additional Items 11 and 12) An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope having a durable base fixing member.
Another object is to provide an inexpensive endoscope.

[0189]

According to the present invention, at the time of the operation for removing the slack of the operation wire in the endoscope, at least the holding member casing is removed from the operation portion, the guide member is removed from the exposed portion of the operation portion, and further thereafter, the operation wire is removed. Since the slack of the operation wire is removed at the connecting portion between the operating wire and the bending operation mechanism, the workability of the work of removing the slack of the operation wire can be improved without increasing the size of the operation unit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention;
1A is a schematic configuration diagram of the entire endoscope, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing a peripheral portion of a distal end component.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an internal configuration of an operation unit in the endoscope according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a bending operation mechanism in the endoscope according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the endoscope according to the first embodiment, taken along a central axis of the bending operation knob;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part showing an internal configuration of a part covered by a holding part casing in the endoscope according to the first embodiment.

6A and 6B show a connecting member of the endoscope according to the first embodiment, wherein FIG. 6A is a side view of one side, FIG. 6B is a longitudinal sectional view showing an internal configuration, and FIG. The side view of the other side part side.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a detachable unit of the bending operation mechanism in the endoscope according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8A is a side view showing a screwed state of the attachment / detachment unit of the bending operation mechanism in the endoscope according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 8B is a longitudinal section of a column portion of the attachment / detachment unit of the bending operation mechanism; FIG.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the endoscope according to the first embodiment, showing a state in which the treatment instrument raising base is inverted.

FIG. 10A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the endoscope according to the first embodiment in the vicinity of a connection portion between a fold-preventing member and a holding portion casing, and FIG. The longitudinal section of the important section showing an end.

FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram of the entire system of the electronic endoscope apparatus.

12A is a longitudinal sectional view showing a structure of a switch of an operation unit, and FIG. 12B is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line BCDDEFG in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line HH of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along line LL of FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the switch unit.

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of a switch unit.

18A is a plan view showing the back side of the switch unit, and FIG. 18B is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part showing a connection state between the switch and the mounting board.

FIG. 19 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part showing a connection state between the main body casing and the board fixing plate.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Insertion part 3 Operation part 7 Bending part 14 Operation part casing 15 Holding part casing 17 Bending operation mechanism 22A RL bending operation knob 22B UD bending operation knob 38 Connecting member 39 Operation wire 54 Guide member

Claims (1)

[Claims] An insertion portion having a bending portion; an operation portion connected to a rear end of the insertion portion and having a bending operation mechanism for performing a bending operation on the bending portion; one end fixed to a distal end of the bending portion An operation wire having the other end connected to the bending operation mechanism via a connecting member; and a bending operation knob connected to the bending operation mechanism for performing a bending operation on the bending portion. An operation unit casing forming a part of the exterior member of the operation unit; a holding unit casing connected to an end of the operation unit casing on the insertion unit side to form an exterior member of the operation unit in the portion; And a guide member that regulates the movement of the connecting member during a bending operation for bending the bending portion. A first step of removing the holding section casing; a second step of removing the guide member from an exposed portion of the operation section after removing the holding section casing; and the operating wire after removing the guide member. And a third step of removing slack in the operation wire at a connection portion between the bending wire and the bending operation mechanism.