JP2001046315A - Main body operation part of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To lessen the burden of an operator who carries out the operation of an endoscope by providing the flank of a casing in a main body operation part with a mound part for leading out a universal cord so as to project outward to reinforce the leading out portion of the cord and making it stably hold the side wall of the mound part even if the gripping force of the hand of the operator does not act thereon when the operator holds the main body operation part with the hand. SOLUTION: The drawing out part of the universal cord 20 in a casing of a main body case part 1a constituting the main body operation part 1 and the juncture of the fluid piping 21 are made thicker, by which the mound part 35 is formed. The portion at the neck of the forefinger when the main body operation part 1 is clamped is eventually brought into abutment on the side wall 35a in the mound part 35. If the forefinger is upwardly rectilinearly extended, the forefinger comes to a position aligned to an operation button 5 and the axis A of a control valve 10 operated by this operation button 5 and the side wall 35a are nearly paralleled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope used for medical purposes and the like.
The present invention relates to a main body operation unit of an endoscope which is used by an operator or the like to perform an operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an endoscope used for medical purposes or the like includes an insertion portion inserted into a body cavity or the like, a main body operation portion provided with a base end portion of the insertion portion, and a main body operation portion. And a universal cord that is pulled out and connected to the light source device in a detachable manner. The endoscope is inserted into the body of the patient to perform examinations, diagnosis, treatment, etc., but the operator who operates the endoscope grasps the main body operation unit and performs the operation. Will be done. For this reason, a casing which can be grasped by an operator with one hand is formed in a casing constituting the main body operation section.

Various operation members are mounted on the main body operation section. Typical of these operating members are:
There is an angle operating means for turning the tip of the insertion portion in a desired direction. In addition, a cleaning fluid for cleaning a lens (or a cover glass) at a distal end constituting an objective lens group attached to an observation window formed at a distal end of the insertion portion is supplied, and suction from the body is performed. Operation buttons of the control valve for controlling
A control switch such as a TR (video tape recorder) and other operation members are provided. Furthermore, it is common to provide a treatment instrument introduction section for guiding a treatment instrument such as forceps from the distal end of the insertion section.

[0004] Examination and diagnosis of the inside of a patient's body performed by operating an endoscope may take a long time, for example, one hour or more. During this time, since the surgeon must always hold the main body operation unit, the burden on the hand becomes extremely large. Except when operating the above-mentioned operation means, the main body operation part is held by hand, but if it is not necessary to apply a grip force to this main body operation part, the burden on the operator will be significantly increased It is reduced. Since the universal cord is pulled out from the lower surface of the main unit operation unit, when simply holding the main unit operation unit, the crotch between the thumb and index finger of the surgeon's hand should be applied to the universal cord drawer unit. If they are brought into contact with each other, they can be held sufficiently stably without applying a grip force to the main body operation unit. However, when performing operations of the angle operation means and the operation buttons, it is sometimes necessary to change the gripping position of the main body operation unit, that is, to perform so-called holding.

In consideration of this point, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 3-64601 proposes a configuration in which a finger support is detachably mounted on a side surface of a casing of a main body operation unit. According to this structure, the index finger is brought into contact with the finger contact portion, so that the main body operation portion can be stably held even when the gripping force on the main body operation portion is released. be able to. In addition, by appropriately setting the mounting position of the finger support, various operation means can be operated without holding the main body operation unit. Therefore, the operator holds the grip portion of the main body operation unit with his / her hand, releases the grip force when not operating the operation means and rests his hand, and operates the main body operation unit accordingly when operating any operation means. The operability can be remarkably improved because it is sufficient to hold the main body operation unit so that the stability of the body is not lacking.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to stably abut the finger, it is made of a thick plate, and this finger pad is fixed to the side surface of the casing of the main body operation unit with a screw. However, in recent years, there has been a tendency to reduce the thickness of the casing of the main body operation section in order to reduce the size and weight of the main body operation section. Therefore, it is difficult to attach the finger pad to such a thin casing with screws. It is difficult, and if a load is applied to the screw, the possibility of causing damage to the casing cannot be denied.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to reinforce a lead portion of the cord when the cord is led out from the main body operation unit, and to provide an operator or the like. The object of the present invention is to make it possible to stably hold the main body operation unit without applying a grip force of the hand when holding the operation unit with the hand.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an operating means in which a base end of an insertion portion is continuously provided and a finger can be operated on an upper portion of a casing having a grip portion. A mound portion for pulling out a cord consisting of a thick portion that is attached and that protrudes outward from the side surface of the casing is formed, at least a universal cord is led out from the mound portion, and the mound portion is connected to the insertion portion. It is characterized in that the side wall facing the side is configured as a receiving surface to which a hand holding the holding portion can abut.

Here, not only the cord but also a fluid pipe such as a suction pipe or a liquid feed pipe can be connected from the mound portion, and the fluid pipe can be pulled out to any of the upper and lower positions of the cord withdrawal position. Good. When the operating means is a push button for operating a control valve for controlling a fluid flowing through the fluid pipe, the receiving surface of the mound portion is disposed below the push button mounting portion. In addition, in order for the push button to be pushed more smoothly while the index finger or the base of the index finger is in contact with the receiving surface, the push stroke of the push button must be moved with respect to the axis of the main body operation part. It is desirable that the receiving surface of the mound portion be disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the axis at a position rearward of the axis at a predetermined angle so that the lower side is forward.

[0010]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 4 show a schematic configuration of the endoscope. In FIG.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a main body operation unit, and 2 denotes an insertion unit connected to the main body operation unit 1. The insertion portion 2 includes a distal end hard portion 2a,
An endoscope observation mechanism including an illumination window and an observation window is provided on a distal end surface (or a distal side surface) of the distal end hard portion 2a. The endoscope observation mechanism includes an angle portion 2b and a flexible portion 2c. Have been. In addition to these, a treatment tool outlet or the like for leading out a treatment tool such as forceps is provided. The angle portion 2b is for directing the distal end hard portion 2a in a desired direction, and can be bent up and down by remote control from the main body operation portion 1. The flexible portion 2c is formed of a flexible structure that bends in an arbitrary direction along an insertion path such as in a body cavity.

The main body operation section 1 is used by an operator or the like to perform an operation while holding the body by hand. Normally, the operator operates the main body operation unit 1
Can be held with one hand, and a certain kind of operating means can be operated with the finger of the hand holding the main body operation unit 1. For this reason, the casing of the main body operation part 1 is divided into three main parts, a main body case part 1a, a gripping case part 1b, and a branch case part 1c in order from the base end side.
As shown in FIG. 2, the gripping case portion 1b located in the middle has a substantially cylindrical shape suitable for gripping by an operator or the like. The main body case portion 1a bulges up and down, and its maximum dimension is larger than the gripping case portion 1b, but its horizontal dimension is approximately the same as the diameter of the gripping case portion 1b. ing. Therefore, the left and right side portions of the main body case portion 1a are connected to each other so that almost no step is formed with respect to the gripping case portion 1b.

The branch case portion 1c located on the distal end side of the gripping case portion 1b is provided with an insertion portion 2 connected thereto, and a treatment instrument introduction portion 3 for introducing a treatment instrument is provided in a branched manner. The treatment instrument introduction section 3 is disposed at a portion on the distal end side of the main body operation section 1, that is, in the vicinity of a portion connected to the insertion section 2, and forceps, a high-frequency treatment instrument and the like are inserted from the treatment instrument introduction section 3. Then, the operation is performed so as to protrude from the opening for guiding the treatment tool provided at the distal end of the insertion section 2. The operation of inserting the treatment tool and performing treatment such as resection of the affected part is performed not with the hand holding the main body operation unit 1 but with the other hand.

On the other hand, various operation means are mounted on the main body case portion 1a located on the base end side of the main body operation portion 1. Among the operating means, an angle lever 4 is provided as an angle operating means for operating the angle portion 2b in a vertical direction, and the angle lever 4 is, as is clear from FIGS. 3 and 4, the main body case 1a. Is connected to a rotating shaft provided so as to penetrate one side surface thereof, and reciprocates the rotating shaft by a predetermined angle. Angle lever 4
The side surface of the main body case portion 1a is connected to the rotating shaft, but extends downward from this connection position and is routed along the lower surface of the main body case portion 1a. The angle lever 4 is normally held at a position shown by a solid line in FIG. 3, and at this position, the angle portion 2b is held in a straight state. Then, when displaced to the position shown by the one-dot chain line in the same figure, the angle portion 2b bends upward, and when displaced to the position shown by the two-dot chain line, the angle portion 2b bends downward. The operation of the angle lever 4 is as follows.
The operation can be performed with the fingers of the hand gripping the grip case portion 1b of the main body operation portion 1, specifically, the thumb extended rearward. The operating means of the angle portion 2b is not limited to the rotating lever type described above, but may be constituted by a rotating knob or the like.

An operation button 5 of a control valve and a freeze switch 6, which will be described later, are provided on the upper surface of the main body case 1a. It can be operated with the index finger, middle finger, etc. Further, a VTR switch 7 is attached to a lower portion of a rear end of the main body case 1a. The VTR switch 7 can be operated with the thumb of the hand that grips the main body operation unit 1 like the angle lever 4. Here, the endoscope is configured as an electronic endoscope, and the freeze switch 6 is for displaying an endoscope image displayed on the monitor device in a stationary state.
The TR switch 7 is a control switch for starting and stopping recording of an endoscope image on a VTR as an external recording device. Note that these switches do not necessarily have to be attached to the main body operation unit 1, for example, using a foot switch, a monitor device, a VT
In the case of a configuration such as that provided on the R itself, the main body operation unit 1
, And even if it is provided in the main body operation unit 1, its position is arbitrary.

On the other hand, the operation button 5 is constituted by a push button which is pushed by a predetermined stroke in order to perform a switching operation of the control valve 10. The control valve 10 is, for example, a valve for suction control.
For example, the configuration is as shown in FIGS. Thus, the control valve 10 has a valve casing 11 mounted in the main body case 1a.
1, a chamber 11a having a suction source side channel 12 connected to a lower end thereof and a chamber 11b having a suction channel 13 connected to a side portion thereof are formed. Also, the valve casing 1
A valve member 14 is attached to 1 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The valve member 14 is provided with a communication path 15.
The communication passage 15 includes a passage portion 15 a having a predetermined length from the lower end side of the valve member 14, and a side surface through hole 15 b which is opened on a side surface of the valve member 14 and always communicates with the passage portion 15 a. Further, a partition 16 is provided on the upper side of the chamber 11b in the valve casing 11, and the partition 16 allows the side surface through-hole 15b provided in the valve member 14 to be formed.
Is switched between a state of communicating with the atmosphere and a state of communicating with the chamber 11b.

The valve member 14 extends upward from the partition 16, and the operation button 5 is connected to the tip of the valve member 14. Under normal conditions, the valve member 14 is urged upward by the action of the spring 17, and in this state, the side surface through hole 15b communicates with the atmosphere.
The suction channel 13 is closed. When the operation button 5 is operated by finger operation to push the valve member 14 downward against the urging force of the spring 17, the side surface through hole 15b is
As a result, the suction channel 13 communicates with the suction source-side channel 12, and a suction force acts. The operation button 5 is provided so as to be connected to the tip of the valve member 14. Therefore, the operation button 5 is operated so as to be pushed downward by this stroke.

A universal cord 20 is led out of the main body case 1a, and a fluid pipe 21 is connected thereto. The universal cord 20 has at least a light guide for transmitting illumination light inserted therethrough. In addition to the light guide, for example, when configured as an electronic endoscope, a cable or the like connected to a solid-state imaging device may be used. It is inserted. On the other hand, the fluid pipe 21 is a pipe for suction, and a suction tank, a vacuum pump, and the like are connected to an end thereof. The universal cord 20 and the fluid pipe 21 are disposed on the side of the main body case 1a opposite to the side on which the angle lever 4 is disposed. As is clear from FIG. 1, the other end of the universal cord 20 is connected to the light source connector 2.
2 are connected. Further, a cable 23 is drawn out of the light source connector 22, and the distal end of the cable 23 is connected to the electric connector 24. Therefore, the light source connector 22 is detachably connected to the light source device, and the electric connector 24 is detachably connected to a processor provided integrally with or separate from the light source device. When configured as an optical endoscope,
No cable 23 and no electrical connector 24 are provided.

On the other hand, the fluid pipe 21 is mounted so as to communicate with the suction source side flow path 12 connected to the control valve 11.
Then, the suction channel 13 can be extended as an independent passage to the distal end of the insertion section 2 or can be joined to a treatment instrument insertion channel for guiding a treatment instrument. In addition,
In addition to (or instead of) the control valve 20 for suction, a control bubble for air / water supply may be provided, and the control valve for air / water supply also has an operation of pressing a predetermined stroke. It has a button. Therefore,
When the operation button of the control valve for air / water supply is provided, the operation button is disposed at a position close to the operation button 5 for suction on the upper surface of the main body case 1a.

The universal cord 20 is pulled out from the side surface of the main body case portion 1a, and the fluid pipe 21 is connected thereto. FIG. 7 shows the configuration of the connection between the drawn part of the universal cord 20 and the fluid pipe 21.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 30 denotes a housing of the main body case portion 1a having an opening on one side, reference numeral 31 denotes a cover for covering the opening of the housing 30, and the housing 30 is an upper surface of the main body case portion 1a. And a lower surface portion and one side surface, and each operating means mounted on the main body case portion 1a is provided in the housing 30.
It is provided on the side. The lid 31 is a universal cord 2
0, and a connection part of the fluid pipe 21. The universal cord 20 is directly inserted into a lead-out opening 32 formed in the lid 31. Fluid piping 2
1 is formed with a pipe connection through-hole 34 in which a connection pipe 33 to which 1 is connected is mounted.

The entire surface of the lid 31 is continuous with the outer surface of the gripping case portion 1b. Of these, the portion where the lead-out opening 32 and the pipe connection through-hole 34 are formed is a mound projecting outward. The mound portion 35 of the lid 31 has a thick structure. The connection pipe 33 is prevented from coming off and from rotating by a regulating plate 36 provided inside the main body case portion 1a. In addition, an insertion pipe 37 is mounted in the lead-out opening 32, and the universal cord 20 is inserted into the insertion pipe 37. Further, a shape retaining ring 38 is fitted to the insertion pipe 37, and a cover rubber 39 is fitted to an outer peripheral surface of the shape retaining ring 38. Then, the cover rubber 39 covers a portion of the universal cord 20 led out from the main body case portion 1a to a predetermined length, thereby preventing the universal cord 20 from breaking.

As described above, the lead-out portion of the universal cord 20 and the fluid pipe 21 in the main body case portion 1a
The reason why the thickness of the connection portion is increased is to make the fitting length of the insertion pipe 37 and the connection pipe 33 to the main body case portion 1a as long as possible. As a result, the universal cord 20 pulled out of the main body case portion 1a
Even if an external force, particularly a bending force, acts on the fluid pipe 21 connected to the connection pipe 33 or the connection pipe 33, the load is effectively received by the mound portion 35 so that inconvenience such as breakage of the main body case portion 1a does not occur. Become. In other words, the provision of the mound portion 35 reinforces the connecting portion of the main body case portion 1a with which the lead-out portion of the universal cord 20 and the fluid pipe 21 are provided, and the wall surface other than the mound portion 35 where no particularly large external force acts is applied. By reducing the thickness, the entire body case 1a can be reduced in size, and the internal volume can be increased.

Further, as is apparent from FIG. 2, the mound portion 35 rises from the surface connected to the gripping case portion 1b outward at a predetermined height substantially at right angles to the outside, and its front side wall 35a is controlled. The valve 10 is arranged substantially parallel to the axis A of the valve member 14 and slightly behind the axis of the valve member 24. Thus, when the operator grips the main body operation unit 1 of the endoscope, three fingers from the middle finger to the little finger are brought into contact with the grip case 1b, and the middle finger is held in the grip case 1b. From the main body case 1a. The thumb is extended so as to be along the lower surface of the main body case portion 1a, and the index finger is positioned on the main body case portion 1a side, and the base of the index finger is brought into contact with the side wall 35a of the mound portion 35. , Straight up and the operation button 5
Will be the position that matches.

When an operator or the like operates the endoscope by holding the main body operation unit 1, a mode in which a grip force is applied to the main unit operation unit 1 and a case in which a special grip force is not applied are required. There is. The grip force is applied to stabilize the main body operation unit 1. Usually, when various operation means provided on the main body operation unit 1 are operated, the grip force is applied to the main body operation unit 1. Therefore, the state at this time is referred to as a gripping state of the main body operation unit 1. In addition, a state in which the main body operation unit 1 is held but a grip force is not applied to the main body operation unit 1 is referred to as a holding state of the body operation unit 1. In this holding state, the burden on the operator's hand is significantly reduced, and the hand can be rested.

Thus, when the operator grips the main body operation section 1, the main body operation section 1 can be stabilized.
On the other hand, in the holding state of the main body operation unit 1, it is ensured that the hand can be reliably held without applying a special force to the hand. That is, as the state of the operator's hand in the holding state, the grasping case portion 1b is housed in the palm, but the index finger is brought into contact with the side wall 35a of the mound portion 35 at the base. In this state, the insertion section 2 of the main body operation section 1
If the side connected to the main body is held so as to face downward or obliquely downward, the side wall 35a of the mound portion 35 functions as a receiving surface for receiving the load of the main body operation portion 1, and The load is received by the operator from the side wall 35a,
Thus, the main body operation unit 1 can be stably held. In this manner, the hand can be rested with the main body operation unit 1 held, and the burden on the operator when operating the endoscope for a long time can be reduced, and the fatigue of the operator can be suppressed.

The main body operation section 1 is provided with an angle lever 4 for bending the angle section 2b of the insertion section 2 as operation means. Since the thumb of the hand gripping the gripping case portion 1b is located at a position where the angle lever 4 can be reached, the thumb is used to hold the gripping case portion 1b as it is, that is, in the gripping state, so that the thumb moves the angle lever 4 back and forth. Can be rotated. Thereby, the angle operation, that is, the angle portion 2b of the insertion portion 2 can be bent up and down. Since the VTR switch 7 is also provided within a range where the thumb can reach, the grip case portion 1b is also used.
It can be operated with its thumb without changing the position of the hand holding it.

An operation button 5 for performing a suction operation in the body is provided on the upper surface of the main body case section 1a of the main body operation section 1, and this operation button 5 must be operated so that a predetermined stroke is pressed. Here, the pushing direction of the operation button 5 is the direction of the axis A of the valve member 14, and this axis A is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction of the main body case portion 1a. The direction of this inclination is obliquely forward and downward, and the side wall 35a of the mound portion 35 with which the index finger or the base thereof abuts is substantially parallel to the axis A near the axis A. Therefore, the operation button 5 is located at the position where the index finger is extended, and the operation button 5 can be pressed as it is, that is, without changing the position of the hand holding the holding case portion 1b. In addition, since the operation button 5 can be operated in the direction along the trajectory of the index finger, it can be operated very smoothly and reliably up to the end position of the pushing stroke. Further, since the freeze switch 6 is located close to the mounting position of the operation button 5 and located on the side connected to the insertion section 2, the freeze switch 6 can also be operated with the index finger or the middle finger or the like. The pushing direction of the operation button 5 does not necessarily have to be provided on the inclined axis A. However, in order to smoothly operate the operation button 5 from the holding state of the main body operation unit 1 to the holding state at the same position. In addition, the side wall 35a of the mound portion 35 needs to be substantially parallel to the direction in which the operation button 5 is pushed.

Here, the reason why the lid 31 is formed in the thickened mound part 35 is primarily to reinforce the draw-out part of the universal cord 20 and the connection part of the fluid pipe 21. By reducing the thickness of the main body case portion 1a except for the portion where the mound portion 25 is formed, the main body operation portion 1 can be reduced in size and weight as a whole. Then, the side wall 25a of the mound portion 25 formed for the purpose of reinforcement abuts the index finger or the base of the hand holding the main body operation portion 1 to stabilize the endoscope without applying a gripping force. It functions as a rising wall for holding the main body, whereby the main body operation unit 1
The internal space of the endoscope can be widened, and the burden on the operator or the like operating the endoscope can be reduced.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the mound portion is provided so as to protrude outward from the side surface of the casing of the main body operating portion, the universal cord is led out from the mound portion, and the By making the side wall function as a receiving surface against which the hand holding the gripper can abut, the lead-out portion of the cord is reinforced, and when the operator or the like holds the main body operation unit by hand, the grip force of the hand is used. The main body operation section can be stably held without the action of, and the effect of reducing the burden on the operator or the like who operates the endoscope can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an endoscope showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a right side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a control valve.

6 is a sectional view of the control valve showing an operation state different from that of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main-body operation part 2 Insertion part 4 Angle knob 5 Operation button 6 Freeze switch 7 VTR switch 10 Control valve 20 Universal code 21 Fluid piping 30 Housing 31 Cover 32 Lead-out opening 33 Connection pipe 34 Pipe insertion through-hole 35 Mound part 35a Side wall

Claims (4)

[Claims] An operation means capable of performing finger operation is mounted on an upper portion of a casing formed with a grip portion, and a thick portion protruding outward from a side surface of the casing. Forming a mound part for cord withdrawal
At least the universal cord is led out from the mound portion, and a side wall of the mound portion facing the side connected to the insertion portion is configured as a receiving surface to which a hand holding the holding portion can abut. Endoscope main body operation unit. 2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a connection pipe of a fluid pipe is further led out from the mound portion to a position above or below a position where the cord is pulled out. Main unit operation unit. 3. The operating means is a push button for operating a control valve to which the fluid pipe is connected, and a receiving surface of the mound portion is arranged near a position below the push button mounting portion. The main body operation section of the endoscope according to claim 2, wherein: 4. A push stroke of the push button is provided to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to an axis of the main body operation part so that a downward direction is forward, and a receiving surface of the mound part is located at a rear position of this axis. 4. The endoscope main body operating section according to claim 3, wherein the main body operating section is arranged in a direction substantially parallel to the axis.