JP2001269308A - Flexible tube connection end of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flexible tube connection end of an endoscope that has a structure wherein the point of an anti-breakage cover is glued to a flexible tube and that can permit a removal of an anti-breakage element from a rigid part without ungluing work. SOLUTION: An anti-breakage cover 20 is formed out of a material elastically deformable to a degree affording an axial turnover, and has a base end capable of engagement and disengagement with and from a rigid part 2. Between a point portion A of the anti-breakage cover 20 and an anti-breakage element 10, such an interval L is formed as is required for an axially moving removal of the anti-breakage element 10 from the rigid part 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flexible tube connecting endoscope provided with a buckle for preventing a flexible tube of the endoscope from being sharply bent near a connecting end with a rigid portion. Regarding the end.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A flexible tube of an endoscope is connected to a rigid body such as an operation unit, and the vicinity of the connection end is much more easily buckled when bent with a small radius of curvature than other parts. The buckle is made of a resilient material.

[0003] The end stop of such an endoscope is generally formed in a tapered tapered shape, and is attached so as to surround the vicinity of a connecting end of a flexible tube. It is secured so as to clamp the outer surface of the flexible tube at the tip.

However, it is very difficult to clean dirt and the like when it enters between the buckle and the flexible tube. Therefore, the buckle should be used in a poor environment. (See Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-319676).

[0005]

One problem of hygiene is solved by enclosing the buckle with a cover as described above, and by adhering and fixing the tip of the cover to the surface of the flexible tube. There are great benefits to doing so.

However, when the buckle is removed from the operation unit to repair the endoscope (in general, when the flexible tube and the operation unit are separated, the buckle must first be removed from the operation unit).
In this method, since the adhesion between the tip of the fold-preventing cover and the surface of the flexible tube must be removed, not only the work is troublesome, but also the flexible tube may be damaged.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a flexible tube connecting end of an endoscope in which the tip of a fold-preventing cover is adhered and fixed to a flexible tube, and the buckle can be removed from the rigid portion without removing the adhesion. The purpose is to provide a part.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the flexible tube connecting end of the endoscope according to the present invention is provided with a flexible stopper made of a resilient material. Attached so as to surround the vicinity of the connection end of the flexible tube connected to the portion, the base portion of the buckle is detachably fixed to the rigid body portion, and the fold attached so as to surround the buckle. At the flexible tube connecting end of the endoscope in which the distal end portion of the stop cover is adhesively fixed to the surface of the flexible tube, the bend preventing cover is formed of a material which is elastically deformable to the extent that it can be turned in the axial direction. The base end is configured to be freely disengageable from the rigid part, and the interval required to move the stopper in the axial direction to separate from the rigid part is determined by the distal end of the cover and the stopper. It is formed between.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows an endoscope, in which an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity such as a stomach is covered by an insertion portion flexible tube 1. The bending portion 3 connected to the distal end portion can be remotely bent by rotating the operation knob 4 arranged on the operation portion 2 connected to the base end of the insertion portion flexible tube 1. it can.

A distal end main body 5 containing an objective optical system and the like is connected to the distal end of the bending portion 3. Reference numeral 7 denotes a connection flexible tube to which a connector 8 connected to a light source device (not shown) is connected at the tip.

The connecting end portion of the flexible tube 1 for insertion into the rigid operating portion 2 and the connecting end portion of the flexible tube 7 are
A buckle 10 for restricting the flexible tubes 1 and 7 from bending with a small radius of curvature is attached.
Is provided with a fold-preventing cover 20.

FIG. 1 shows a connecting portion between the insertion portion flexible tube 1 and the operation portion 2, and the illustration of optical fiber bundles, tubes, signal cables, and the like inserted therein is omitted. I have.

A base end 1a of the flexible tube fixed to the base end of the flexible tube 1 of the insertion portion is pressed and fixed to the lower end of the operation portion main body frame 2a by a holding ring 11 screwed to the operation portion main body frame 2a. The operation unit body frame 2a is covered with a cover tube 2b. Reference numeral 2c denotes a holding nut for pressing and fixing the cover cylinder 2b to the operation section main body frame 2a.

The buckling stopper 10 is formed in a tapered cylindrical shape with a resilient rubber material (for example, neoprene (registered trademark) rubber or polyurethane rubber), and has a flexible tube 1 at the distal end. It is attached in a state where it is elastically tightened.

A metal mounting base 10a is integrally inserted into an inner peripheral portion on the base end side of the buckling stopper 10, and a male screw portion formed on the mounting base 10a is connected to a lower end of the operating section main body frame 2a. It is screwed with a female screw part formed on the inner peripheral surface.

As a result, the base end of the buckling stopper 10 is fixed to the lower end of the operation unit 2, and by loosening the screwing of the mounting base 10a to the operation unit main body frame 2a, the buckling stopper 10 is set. The operation unit 2 comes off.

A fold-preventing cover 20 surrounding the fold-prevention 10
Is formed in a tapered cylindrical shape having a tapered shape such that the size of the buckle 10 is increased to a substantially similar shape. However, the fold-preventing cover 20 is formed of a material that is softer and more elastic than the fold-preventing member 10 such as silicon rubber.

A metal attachment base 20a is integrally inserted into the inner peripheral portion on the base end side of the fold-preventing cover 20, and a female screw portion formed on the attachment base 20a is attached to the operation section main body frame 2a. It is screwed with a male screw part formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lower end.

As a result, the base end of the fold-preventing cover 20 is fixed to the lower end of the operation unit 2.
By loosening the screw a, the break prevention cover 20 comes off the operation unit 2.

The tip portion of the fold-preventing cover 20 is bonded and fixed to the outer surface of the flexible tube 1 so that external moisture cannot enter the inside of the fold-preventing cover 20 from that portion. A is the bonding portion.

The adhesive portion A is provided apart from the tip of the buckle 10 so that there is an interval L in the axial direction between the buckle 10 and the adhesive portion A. As the interval L, an interval necessary for moving the buckle 10 in the axial direction and detaching it from the operation unit 2 is secured as described below.

As shown in FIG. 3, the fold-preventing cover 20 formed of a soft and elastic material is elastically deformed in a state where it is detached from the operation section 2 so that
The bonding portion A to the flexible insertion tube 1 can be left as it is, and can be turned up to the front side in the axial direction.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the mounting base 10a of the buckle 10 is connected to the operation section main body frame 2.
a, the folding stopper 10 can be moved to the front side, and the insertion part flexible tube 1 can be removed from the operation part main body frame 2a by further removing the holding ring 11 from the operation part main body frame 2a.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG.
The engagement and disengagement of the fold-prevention cover 20 with respect to the operation unit 2 is performed by elastically deforming the elastic member portion 20b at the base end of the fold-prevention cover 20. It is fixed to the operation unit body frame 2a.

The present invention may be applied to a flexible tube connecting end of an endoscope other than the insertion portion flexible tube 1 such as the connecting flexible tube 7 side.

[0026]

According to the present invention, the fold-preventing cover is formed of a material which can be elastically deformed to the extent that it can be turned up in the axial direction, and its base end is configured to be freely detachable from the rigid body. The gap required to move the buckle in the axial direction to separate it from the rigid part is formed between the tip of the buckle cover and the buckle. Can be removed from the rigid portion without removing the adhesive, and the disassembly and repair can be performed safely without fear of damaging the flexible tube.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a flexible tube connecting end of an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a state in which the end stop is removed from the operation unit.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a state where a buckle is removed from an operation unit.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a flexible tube connecting end of an endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part flexible tube 2 Operation part (rigid body part) 2a Operation part main body frame 10 Break prevention 10a Mounting base 20 Folding cover 20a Mounting base A Adhesive part L Interval

Continuation of the front page F term (reference) 2H040 BA21 CA22 DA03 DA15 DA18 DA21 4C061 AA00 BB00 CC00 DD03 FF25 FF30 JJ11

Claims (1)

[Claims] A buckle formed of a resilient material is attached so as to surround a connection end of a flexible tube connected to a rigid body of an endoscope, and a base portion of the buckle is provided. Is detachably fixed to the rigid part,
The end portion of the fold-prevention cover attached so as to surround the fold-prevention is attached to the end of the flexible tube of the endoscope adhered and fixed to the surface of the flexible tube. It is formed of a material that is elastically deformable to the extent that it can be turned up, and its base end is configured to be freely disengageable from the rigid part, and the stopper is moved in the axial direction to be separated from the rigid part. A flexible tube connecting end portion of an endoscope, wherein a space required for the endoscope is formed between a tip portion of the buckling cover and the buckling member.