JP2003038418A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope capable of performing the operation of setting at a suitable distance the space between the distal end part of the endoscope and a target observation region and the operation of looking at the distal end part of the endoscope in front view to the target observation region in the state of keeping the suitable distance in performing the curving operation for curving a curving part. SOLUTION: In this endoscope 1, an insert part 2 is provided with the distal end part 5 where an observation window 11 is disposed, and a curving part 6 formed by a main curving part 6a operated to curve by moving forward and backward a main curving wire 43 by the operation of a main curving part operating knob 20 mounted at an operating part 3 of the endoscope 1 and a sub-curving part 6b operated to curve by moving forward and backward a sub-curving wire 47 by the operation of a sub-curving part operating knob 21 mounted at the operating part 3. In the endoscope, the curving direction of the main curving part 6a is set to four directions, the curving direction of the sub-curving part 6b is set to two directions, and the length of the sub-curving part 6b is set smaller than the length of the main curving part 6a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an endoscope insertion portion,
The present invention relates to an endoscope having a first bending portion and a second bending portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Endoscopes include endoscopes having a rigid insertion portion and endoscopes having a flexible insertion portion. Some flexible endoscopes have a curved portion at the insertion portion. is there. The curved portion is generally connected to the distal end portion that constitutes the distal end side of the insertion portion,
The operation wire extending from the curved portion is inserted into the insertion portion and attached to a hand operation portion provided on the operation portion. Therefore, by appropriately operating the hand operation part to move the operation wire forward and backward, the bending part is bent to direct the tip part to a desired part.

For example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-41207, a plurality of bending pieces are arranged in a row, adjacent bending pieces are rotatably connected to each other, and a net tube or a flexible pipe is provided on the outer circumference of the bending pieces group. An endoscope having a curved portion formed by covering a certain tube body is shown.

When a contrast agent is endoscopically injected into the bile duct or pancreatic duct to perform X-ray imaging using the endoscope having the curved portion, a side-viewing endoscope is usually used. A contrast tube is inserted into the duodenum via a treatment tool channel provided in this endoscope, and the tip of the contrast tube is inserted into the duodenal papilla. At this time, as shown in FIG. 8 (a diagram showing a state where the distal end portion of the endoscope is inserted into the duodenum to perform a bending operation), an endoscope in which an observation window 91 forming an observation optical system is provided on the side surface. It is important to keep the tip 90 in front of the duodenal papilla while maintaining an appropriate distance for easy observation and treatment.

[0005]

However, when the bending portion 92 is bent during observation to change the angle at which the duodenal papilla, which is the observation target portion, is observed, the bending portion 9 is bent.
By bending from the proximal side of 2 and bending the entire bending portion 92, the state shown by the solid line in the figure changes to the state shown by the broken line, and the distance from the duodenal papilla becomes (or approaches). Therefore, it is difficult to perform a front view while maintaining an appropriate distance.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when performing a bending operation for bending a bending portion, an operation for setting an appropriate distance between the distal end portion of the endoscope and a target observation site, and It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope capable of performing an operation of allowing the distal end portion of the endoscope to be viewed in front of a target observation site while maintaining an appropriate distance.

[0007]

The endoscope of the present invention can be operated by operating a distal end portion having an observation optical system in an endoscope insertion portion and a first bending portion operation knob provided in the endoscope operation portion. A second bending portion operation knob provided in the endoscope operating portion, which is disposed between the first bending portion and the first bending portion, which bends by moving the first bending operation wire forward and backward, and the first bending portion. An endoscope having a bending portion configured by a second bending portion that bends by moving a second bending operation wire forward and backward by an operation, wherein one of the bending directions of the first bending portion is set to four directions. The bending direction of the second bending portion is set to two directions, and the length dimension of the second bending portion is set shorter than the length dimension of the first bending portion.

According to this structure, the first bending portion and the second bending portion can be connected to each other by the first bending portion operating knob and the second bending portion operating knob without impairing the operability of the bending portion of a normal endoscope. By appropriately performing a bending operation, the distal end portion is held at a predetermined distance from the target observation site and is viewed from the front.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an endoscope, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a distal end portion, and FIG. 3 illustrates a configuration of a bending portion. 4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining the action of the bending portion, and FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the bending operation and the position of the tip portion.

FIG. 4 (a) is a diagram for explaining a state in which the main bending portion is curved and the tip portion is moved, and FIG. 4 (b) is a state in which the auxiliary bending portion is curved and the tip portion is moved. FIG. 5 (a) is a diagram for explaining an operation example when setting the distance between the distal end portion and the duodenal papilla, and FIG. 5 (b). It is a figure explaining the example of operation at the time of making a tip part oppose the duodenal papilla.

As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope 1 according to the present embodiment.
Is an elongated and flexible insertion part 2 to be inserted into a body cavity.
And a universal cord provided with an operating portion 3 connected to the base end portion of the insertion portion 2 and a connector portion 4a extending from a side portion of the operating portion 3 and detachably attached to a light source device (not shown) at the base end portion. It is mainly composed of 4 and.

The insertion portion 2 has a bending portion 6 composed of a tip portion 5, a secondary bending portion 6b which is a second bending portion, and a main bending portion 6a which is a first bending portion in this order from the distal end side. It is configured by connecting the parts 7 in series.

The tip portion 5 includes a tip body (see reference numeral 13 in FIG. 2) formed of, for example, a metal member, and a tip insulating cover (FIG. 2) that covers the tip body 13 and electrically insulates it.
And a lighting window 12 that constitutes an illumination optical system, and a housing that accommodates the raising stand 15 at the side of the tip portion 5. A chamber 16 is provided.

The storage chamber 16 communicates with a treatment instrument insertion channel (not shown) which is inserted through the insertion portion 2. The storage chamber 16 has a distal end opening 1 of the treatment instrument insertion channel.
It is configured to double as 7. Further, the operation section 3 has a treatment instrument insertion opening 18 communicating with the treatment instrument insertion channel.
Is provided. Therefore, by inserting the treatment instrument 9 such as a contrast tube from the treatment instrument insertion port 18 into the treatment instrument insertion channel, the tip portion 9a of the treatment instrument 9 can be projected from the storage chamber 16. At this time, the projecting direction of the tip portion 9a is adjusted by the raising base 15.

The operating portion 3 has a main bending portion operating knob 20 which is a first bending portion operating knob for bending the main bending portion 6a vertically and horizontally, and a sub bending portion 6b for vertically bending. Secondary bending portion operating knob 21, which is the second bending portion operating knob, and the raising base 15 arranged in the storage chamber 16.
A treatment instrument raising lever 22 for performing the undulating movement of the treatment instrument is provided. Further, the operation unit 3 is provided with an air / water supply operation button 23, a suction operation button 24, various control switches 25 for controlling an external device, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the distal end 5 is provided with the observation window 11 and a plurality of various optical lenses 26 as a lens frame 27.
The objective lens unit 28 fixedly mounted on the objective lens unit 28, and the observation optical system 30 including a solid-state imaging device 29 arranged at the image forming position of the objective lens unit 28 and converting an observation image into an electric signal are built-in. ing.

Since the side view type endoscope 1 is shown in this figure, a prism 31 for changing the observation direction is arranged in the observation optical system 30. In addition to the observation optical system 30, a light guide 32, which constitutes an illumination optical system whose front end surface faces the illumination window 12 and supplies illumination light during observation,
An air / water supply nozzle 33 for ejecting air, water, or the like toward the window surface of the observation window 11 is provided.

Now, the structure of the bending portion 6 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the figure, the bending portion 6 is a main bending portion 6a which is mainly used when the position of the tip portion 5 is largely changed at the time of inserting the endoscope or during observation, and the adjustment of the direction of the tip portion 5 is delicate. And the sub-curved portion 6b used when performing the above-mentioned process, and the two curved portions 6a and 6b are connected by the connecting piece 40.

First, the structure of the main bending portion 6a will be described. The main bending portion 6a has a plurality of (10 in this case) bending pieces 41 formed in an annular shape arranged in the axial direction,
Adjacent bending pieces 41, 41 are rotatably connected to each other. At this time, in the main bending portion 6a, each adjacent bending piece 4
Every other 1, 41 are rotatably connected to each other by shaft rivets 42 which are arranged in a vertical position and a horizontal position.

That is, the connecting positions at the front and rear ends of each bending piece 41 are changed by 90 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction. Therefore, the bending pieces 41 connected by one shaft rivet 42,
Although 41 are configured to rotate in two directions, the main bending portion 6
As a whole, it is configured to bend in four directions, that is, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

The bending piece 41 forming the tip of the main bending portion 6a is attached to the connecting piece 40 by the rivet 42 for the shaft.
One end of a main bending wire 43, which is a first bending operation wire for bending the main bending portion 6a in the vertical and horizontal directions, is fixed to a predetermined position of the connecting piece 40. Has been done.

Reference numeral 44 is a wire receiver through which the main bending wire 43 fixedly mounted on the bending piece 41 is inserted. The bending piece 41, which constitutes the base end of the main bending portion 6a, is rotatably connected to the connecting pipe 45 provided at the distal end of the flexible tube portion 7 by the shaft rivet 42. Further, a tip end portion of a main coil pipe 46 which is a first coil pipe for inserting the main bending wire 43 is attached to a predetermined position on the inner peripheral surface of the connecting pipe 45. The main bending wire 43 inserted through the main coil pipe 46 has the other end fixed to the main bending portion operation knob 20 through the operation portion 3. As a result, the main bending portion operation knob 20
Is operated to pull the main bending wire 43, the main bending portion 6a is bent in the vertical and horizontal directions.

Next, the structure of the sub-curved portion 6b will be described.

The sub-curving portion 6b has a plurality of (four in this case) bending pieces 41, 41a arranged in the axial direction in the same manner as the main bending portion 6a, and the adjacent bending pieces 41, 41 are rotated together. It is connected freely. That is, the total length of the sub-curved portion 6b is set shorter than the total length of the main curved portion 6a. Like the main bending portion 6a, the sub bending portion 6b is rotatably connected to every other adjacent bending pieces 41, 41 by shaft rivets 42 arranged in vertical and horizontal positions. is doing.

The bending piece 41 forming the base end portion of the sub-curving portion 6b has a shaft rivet 42 on the tip side of the connecting piece 40.
It is rotatably connected using. On the other hand, the tip end portion of the auxiliary bending portion 6b and the tip end bending piece 41a which is the tip end piece of the bending portion is fixed to the tip end portion main body 13 that constitutes the tip end portion 5.

At a predetermined position on the endoscope surface of the tip bending piece 41a, one end of a sub-bending wire 47, which is a second bending operation wire for bending the sub-bending portion 6b in the up-down direction, moves in the up-down two directions. It is fixed.

A tip portion of a sub coil pipe 48, which is a second coil pipe for inserting the sub bending wire 47, is attached to a predetermined position on the inner peripheral surface of the connecting piece 40. The sub bending wire 47 inserted through the sub coil pipe 48 has the other end fixed to the sub bending portion operation knob 21 through the operation portion 3. By this,
By operating the auxiliary bending portion operating knob 21 to pull the auxiliary bending wire 47, the auxiliary bending portion 6b is bent in the vertical direction. In addition, the up and down direction in the present embodiment refers to the surface side on which the observation window 11 is arranged.

The operation of the endoscope 1 configured as described above will be described. The bending portion 6 of the endoscope 1 of the present embodiment is configured by a main bending portion 6a and a sub-curving portion 6b, and the length dimension of the sub-curving portion 6b is set shorter than the length dimension of the main bending portion 6a. is there.
For this reason, as shown in FIG.
As compared with the case where 0 is operated to bend the main bending portion 6a to move the distal end portion 5, as shown in FIG. 4B, the sub bending portion operating knob 21 is operated to bend the sub bending portion 6b. The amount of movement of the tip portion 5 is smaller when the tip portion 5 is moved by moving the tip portion 5.

Therefore, when the distal end portion 5 of the endoscope 1 is inserted to a predetermined portion and the distal end portion 5 and the duodenal papilla are viewed from the front with an optimum distance, first, as shown in FIG. 5 (a). Thus, the main bending portion 6a is bent to set the distance between the tip portion 5 and the duodenal papilla.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), the sub-curved portion 6b is bent to make a fine adjustment with respect to the direction of the tip portion 5 with respect to the duodenal papilla. Then, without changing the distance between the tip portion 5 and the duodenal papilla greatly, the tip portion 5
The position of changes to the optimum front view observation state.

As described above, the bending portion is composed of the sub-bending portion that bends in two directions and the main bending portion that bends in four directions, and
By setting the length dimension of the sub-curved portion shorter than the length dimension of the main curved portion, the front end portion and the observation target portion can be viewed from the front with an optimum distance.

Further, by limiting the bending operation of the sub-bending portion to the fine adjustment of the tip end portion, it is possible to avoid complication of the bending operation and improve the operability.

Further, by setting the operation directions of the main bending portion to four directions of up, down, left and right, the same operation as a normal endoscope operation can be performed.

6 and 7 relate to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the structure of the bending portion, and FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the bending operation and the position of the tip portion. .

As shown in FIG. 6, the insertion portion 2A of this embodiment.
In, the configuration of the sub-curved portion 6b is different. That is, in the first embodiment, the sub-bending portion is composed of four bending pieces, whereas in the sub-bending portion 6b of the present embodiment, there is one tip bending piece 41a.

Specifically, 3 is provided on the tip side of the connecting piece 40.
Rivets 42 for shafts without disposing one bending piece 41
Is used to connect the tip bending piece 41a so as to be vertically rotatable.

Thus, the tip portion 5 can be operated independently of the bending operation of the bending portion 6A, and by operating the auxiliary bending portion operation knob 21, the tip portion 5 can be operated as shown by the broken line in FIG. While maintaining the distance between 5 and the duodenal papilla, only the direction of the distal end portion 5 is adjusted to achieve the optimum front view observation state. Other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment, and the same members are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, by constructing the sub-curved portion with the length from the connecting piece to the tip portion being the shortest, the angle at the time of changing the direction of the tip portion is reduced, but the tip portion and the target observation site are It is possible to make the tip end face-on to the target observation site with almost no change in the position.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[Additional Remarks] According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention described in detail above, the following configuration can be obtained.

(1) By moving the first bending operation wire forward and backward by operating the distal end portion having the observation optical system in the endoscope insertion portion and the first bending portion operation knob provided in the endoscope operation portion. A first bending portion that performs a bending operation, the tip portion, and the first
A bending portion formed of a second bending portion that bends by moving a second bending operation wire forward and backward by operating a second bending portion operation knob provided between the bending portion and the endoscope operation portion; In the endoscope having, the bending direction of the first bending portion is set to four directions, the bending direction of the second bending portion is set to two directions, and the length dimension of the second bending portion is set to the above-mentioned. An endoscope set to be shorter than the length dimension of the first bending portion.

(2) The endoscope according to appendix 1, wherein an observation window forming the observation optical system is provided on a side portion of the distal end portion.

(3) The first bending portion and the second bending portion are connected to each other via a connecting piece, and the first piece is placed at a predetermined position of the connecting piece.
2. The additional operation according to claim 1, wherein one end of the bending operation wire is fixed, and one end of the second bending operation wire is fixed at a predetermined position of a tip bending piece located at the tip of the bending portion and fixed to the tip. Endoscope.

(4) In an endoscope having a distal end portion having an observation optical system in the endoscope insertion portion, and a bending portion in which the second bending portion and the first bending portion are connected to the distal end portion in this order. The bending direction of the first bending portion is set to four directions, the bending direction of the second bending portion is set to two directions, and the length dimension of the second bending portion is set to the length of the first bending portion. An endoscope set shorter than the dimensions.

(5) The endoscope according to appendix 4, wherein an observation window forming the observation optical system is provided on a side portion of the distal end portion.

(6) The first bending portion and the second bending portion are connected to each other via a connecting piece, and the first piece is placed at a predetermined position of the connecting piece.
5. The method according to appendix 4, wherein one end of the bending operation wire is fixed, and one end of the second bending operation wire is fixed at a predetermined position of the tip bending piece that is positioned at the tip of the bending portion and fixed to the tip. Endoscope.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a bending operation for bending a bending portion is performed, an operation for setting an appropriate distance between the distal end portion of the endoscope and the target observation site, and this appropriate operation. It is possible to provide an endoscope capable of performing an operation of causing the distal end portion of the endoscope to be viewed from the front of the target observation site while maintaining a large distance.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an endoscope.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the tip portion.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a bending portion.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the action of a bending portion.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a bending operation and a position of a tip portion.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a bending portion.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a bending operation and a position of a tip portion.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the distal end portion of the endoscope is inserted into the duodenum and a bending operation is performed.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Endoscope 5 ... Tip 6 ... Curved part 6a ... Main bending portion 6b ... Sub curved portion 7 ... Flexible tube 20 ... Main bending part operation knob 21 ... Sub-curve part operation knob 40 ... Connecting pieces 41 ... Curved piece 41a ... Tip bending piece 43 ... Main bending wire 47 ... Secondary bending wire

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope insertion portion is bent by moving a first bending operation wire forward and backward by operating a distal end portion having an observation optical system and a first bending portion operation knob provided on the endoscope operation portion. Advancing and retracting the second bending operation wire by operating a first bending portion that operates and a second bending portion operation knob that is provided between the distal end portion and the first bending portion and that is provided in the endoscope operation portion. In an endoscope having a bending portion configured by a second bending portion that bends according to, the bending direction of the first bending portion is set to four directions and the bending direction of the second bending portion is set to two directions. In addition, the length dimension of the second bending portion is set shorter than the length dimension of the first bending portion. 2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein an observation window forming the observation optical system is provided on a side portion of the distal end portion.