JP2002330926A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope which enables an operator to smoothly carrying out curving control without allowing the stipping of a thumb fingertip from a curving control piece in controlling the movement of the curving control piece in a vertical direction by means of the fingertip. SOLUTION: This endoscope is constituted to be bent by a curving section 3 disposed near the distal end of an insertion portion 2 when this curving section controls the movement of the curving control piece 11 arranged on the rear surface above a grip section 1a of a control section 1 connected to the base end of the inspection portion 2 in the vertical direction. A bank-like portion 12 built-up toward the rear is formed at the side edge of the curving control piece 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an endoscope has a curved portion formed near a distal end of an insertion portion, and the bending portion is moved by operating a bending operation piece of an operation portion connected to a base end of the insertion portion. Is bent.

[0003] There are several types of arrangement of such a bending operation piece. For example, in the case where the bending portion is bent only in two directions, such as an endoscope for bronchial examination, a grip of the operation portion is provided. A bending operation piece is arranged on the rear surface above the section, and the bending operation is performed by moving the bending operation piece in the vertical direction with the thumb of the hand holding the grip portion.

[0004]

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the conventional endoscope as described above is viewed from above. Is formed by bending the operation lever 10 having substantially the right angle so as to follow the rear surface of the operation unit 1. The fingertip engagement surface 11a with which the tip of the thumb of the operator touches is provided with a non-slip lateral groove (knurl). Is formed.

However, such a bending operation piece 11 is vertically moved by a fingertip of a thumb (in FIG. 4, a direction perpendicular to the paper surface).
Is performed, the fingertip of the thumb slides laterally and separates from the bending operation piece 11 as shown by a two-dot chain line, and there are many cases where a smooth bending operation cannot be performed.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an endoscope which can smoothly perform a bending operation without moving a fingertip from the bending operation piece when the bending operation piece is vertically moved with a fingertip of a thumb. Aim.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope according to the present invention is characterized in that a bending portion provided near a distal end of an insertion portion has an operation portion connected to a base end of the insertion portion. In an endoscope configured to bend by vertically moving a bending operation piece disposed on a rear surface above a grip portion, a bank-like portion protruding rearward at a side edge of the bending operation piece. Is formed.

The bank-shaped portion may be formed on both left and right side edges of the bending operation piece.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows an endoscope, in which a curved portion 3 is formed at a portion near a distal end of a flexible tubular insertion portion 2.

A base end of the insertion section 2 is connected to a lower end of the operation section 1, and a half (lower half) of the operation section 1 on the side to which the insertion section 2 is connected is gripped by the operator. The grip portion 1a is provided.

In addition, a suction operation button 4 is arranged on the front side and an eyepiece 5 is arranged on the upper end of the operation section 1 above the grip section 1a, and the bending section 3 is remotely bent. A bending operation piece 11 is provided on the rear side.

As shown in FIG. 3 which is a plan view, the bending operation piece 11 is provided so that the operation lever 10 having a rotation center axis X at a side position of the operation section 1 is substantially perpendicular to the rear surface of the operation section 1. It is formed by bending.

The bending portion 3 is moved in the direction of arrow A (downward) shown in FIG. 2 with the thumb of the operator's hand gripping the grip portion 1a, whereby the bending portion 3 is moved to the direction of arrow B.
And bends in the opposite direction by operation in the opposite direction.

A lateral groove (knurl) for preventing slipping is formed on the fingertip engaging surface 11a of the bending operation piece 11 with which the tip of the thumb of the operator touches. As shown in FIG. 3, a bank-like portion 12 protruding rearward is formed at the edge.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, when the operator moves the bending operation piece 11 up and down with the fingertip of the thumb engaged with the fingertip engaging surface 11a of the bending operation piece 11, the fingertip is moved. Even if it slides to the left and right, it does not come off from the fingertip engaging surface 11a by colliding with the bank-shaped portion 12, so that the bending operation can be performed smoothly.

[0016]

According to the present invention, the bank-like portion raised rearward is formed on the side edge of the bending operation piece, so that the operator can move the bending operation piece up and down with the fingertip of the thumb. Then, even if the fingertip slides right and left, it does not come off the bending operation piece by hitting the bank-shaped portion, so that the bending operation can be performed smoothly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a bending operation state of an operation unit of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation unit of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a bending operation state of an operation unit of a conventional endoscope.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Operation part 1a Grip part 2 Insertion part 3 Bending part 11 Bending operation piece 11a Fingertip engagement surface 12 Bank-shaped part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A bending portion provided near a tip of an insertion portion,
An endoscope, which is configured to bend by vertically moving a bending operation piece disposed on a rear surface above a grip portion of an operation portion connected to a base end of the insertion section, An endoscope wherein a bank-like portion protruding rearward is formed on a side edge portion. 2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the bank-shaped portions are formed on left and right side edges of the bending operation piece.