JP2003111758A - Ultrasonic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic endoscope where wirings printed on a flexible board for transmitting a signal inputted/outputted to/from an ultrasonic probe are hardly disconnected, is excellent in durability and stable in quality. SOLUTION: An electrically insulated flexible sheet 44 having a width being nearly equal to that of the flexible board 40 is arranged by superimposition in a tightly adhering state with the flexible board 40 in the ultrasonic endoscope. A surface at least at the side of the flexible sheet 44 on a contact surface 44a between the flexible sheet 44 and the flexible board 40 is formed in a satin finished state.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic endoscope in which an ultrasonic probe and an objective optical system for optical observation are provided side by side at the tip of an insertion portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an ultrasonic endoscope, it is necessary to insert and arrange a signal transmission member for transmitting a signal input to and output from an ultrasonic probe, and in recent years, a signal transmission member in a bending portion has to be arranged. A so-called flexible substrate is used as

However, in such an ultrasonic endoscope, the bending of the insertion portion exerts a force to expand and contract the flexible substrate in the longitudinal direction (axial direction of the insertion portion).

As a result, the flexible substrate repeats the wavy state and the straightly extended state due to the compressive force, which may cause a failure in which the wiring provided on the flexible substrate is broken. It was

Therefore, the inventor of the present invention has previously filed a patent for an invention in which an electrically insulating flexible sheet having a width similar to that of the flexible substrate is superposed and reinforced in a state of closely contacting the flexible substrate. (Japanese Patent Application 2000-35374
3).

[0006]

However, when the flexible sheet is placed so as to be in close contact with the flexible substrate as described above, the flexible substrate and the flexible sheet are stuck together. Since the rigidity increases and it becomes difficult to bend, the phenomenon may occur in which the flexible substrate is bent to cause a failure of wiring.

In order to prevent such a phenomenon, a method of applying an anti-friction agent or the like to the contact surface between the flexible substrate and the flexible sheet is conceivable. However, uniform application work is difficult and there is a large variation in quality. Tends to occur.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the wiring provided on the flexible substrate for transmitting the signals input to and output from the ultrasonic probe is not easily broken and has excellent durability, and the ultrasonic wave is stable in quality. The purpose is to provide an endoscope.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic endoscope of the present invention performs optical observation with an ultrasonic probe for emitting and receiving an ultrasonic signal at the tip of an insertion portion. And an objective optical system for use in the ultrasonic probe, wherein the flexible substrate is used as a signal transmission member for transmitting a signal input / output to / from the ultrasonic probe in the insertion section. In a case where an electrically insulating flexible sheet having a width of about a certain degree is superposed and arranged so as to be in close contact with the flexible substrate, at least the flexible sheet side of the contact surface between the flexible sheet and the flexible substrate. The surface is formed to have a satin finish.

A flexible heat-shrinkable tube may be adhered to the outer surface of the flexible substrate and the flexible sheet in a superposed state to shrink-cover the flexible substrate and the flexible sheet. The surface of the contact surface with the flexible substrate side may be formed in a satin finish.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 shows an ultrasonic endoscope. A bending portion 2 that is bent by remote control is connected to the tip of a flexible tube portion 1 inserted into a body cavity, and the bending portion 2 is connected to the tip of the bending portion 2. A cylindrical ultrasonic probe 4 is attached to the tip portion main body 3.

In addition to the tip end body 3, an objective optical system for optical observation, a solid-state image pickup device for picking up an optical observation image, and a light guide fiber bundle for illuminating an optical observation range are emitted. Edges etc. are built in.

A bending operation knob 6 for bending the bending portion 2 is arranged on the operation portion 5 connected to the base end of the flexible tube portion 1. The bending portion 2 is bendable in the four directions of up, down, left and right, and in FIG. 3, a state in which the bending portion 2 is bent halfway upward is shown by a chain double-dashed line.

A treatment instrument insertion channel 10 for inserting a treatment instrument over the entire length of the flexible tube portion 1 and the bending portion 2.
Is inserted and disposed, and the insertion opening 7 for the treatment instrument into the treatment instrument insertion channel 10 is disposed at the lower end of the operation portion 5 so as to project obliquely upward.

A first connecting flexible tube 8 connected to the operating portion 5.
A video signal connector portion 81 and a light guide connector portion 82, which are connected to a video processor (not shown), are provided side by side at the tip of the, and the tip of the second connecting flexible tube 9 is not shown. An ultrasonic signal connector unit 91 connected to the ultrasonic signal processing device is provided.

FIG. 4 shows the distal end portion of the insertion portion, and the front is optically observed through the observation window 11 arranged on the distal end surface of the distal end portion main body 3. The ultrasonic probe 4 is surrounded by a balloon 12 which is inflated with deaerated water or the like,
Ultrasonic tomographic images can be obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves radially around the axis.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view in a cross section perpendicular to the axis of the ultrasonic probe 4, for example, 270 ° around the axis.
Ultrasonic signals are transmitted and received (electronically scanned) in the range of (135 degrees to the left and right around the upward direction), and radial scanning is performed in the direction perpendicular to the axis.

At the rear end portion of the ultrasonic probe 4, a flexible substrate provided with wiring for transmitting signals input to and output from the ultrasonic probe 4 is connected, and as shown in FIG. A flexible substrate 40 extends rearward from the tip portion main body 3.

The flexible board 40 is a single board having a wide width in the vicinity of the connection portion with the ultrasonic probe 4, and is divided into, for example, parallel quadrants in a portion located in the curved portion 2 behind the flexible board 40. Has been done.

The flexible substrates 40 divided in the bending portion 2 and arranged in parallel are formed to have different lengths, but even the shortest flexible substrate 40 has the bending portion 2.
The length is set so as to pass through the inside to reach the inside of the flexible tube portion 1, and is connected to the plurality of signal lines 51 of the signal cable inserted and arranged in the flexible tube portion 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the inside of the bending portion 2, and FIG. 8 is a cross section perpendicular to the axis of the bending portion 2 (cross section VIII-VIII in FIG. 6).
FIG. The operation wires 20 are inserted through the wire guides 21 arranged at 90 ° intervals on the inner peripheral surfaces of the bending portion 2 at the upper, lower, left, and right positions so as to be movable back and forth in the axial direction. It bends in the direction in which the operation wire 20 pulled from is located.

In the internal space of the bending portion 2, in addition to the flexible substrate 40 and the treatment instrument insertion channel 10 described above, a video signal cable 14 for transmitting an image pickup signal of an endoscopic observation image, an illumination light. Various built-in components such as the light guide fiber bundle 15 for transmitting the water, the degassed water injection / drainage tube 17 to the balloon 12, and the like are inserted and arranged.

As shown in FIG. 2, the flexible substrate 40 has an electrically insulating flexible sheet 44 having a similar width.
8 are superposed in close contact with each other, and are contracted and covered from outside by a heat shrinkable tube 41 having flexibility as shown in FIG. There is.

As the heat-shrinkable tube 41, for example, a polyester-based, polyethylene-based, fluororesin-based, or silicon-based synthetic resin tube is used, and the flexible substrate 40 is loosely covered and then heated to the outer peripheral surface of the flexible substrate 40. Is in close contact with.

The flexible sheet 44 is made of, for example, a polyester-based, polyethylene-based, or fluororesin-based sheet and has a width substantially the same as that of the flexible substrate 40. There is.

The contact surface 44a of the flexible sheet 44 with respect to the flexible substrate 40 is formed in a so-called satin-like shape with fine irregularities, as shown in FIG. .

As a result, the frictional resistance between the flexible substrate 40 and the flexible sheet 44 is remarkably reduced, and both can slide relative to each other. Even if the sheet 44 is arranged, it is not made rigid and the flexible substrate 40 is difficult to bend.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, not only the contact surface 44a of the flexible sheet 44 on the flexible substrate 40 but also the contact surface on the flexible substrate 40 side of the flexible sheet 44. May be satin-finished.

The flexible substrate 40 and the flexible sheet 44 may be arranged in various manners, such as one flexible sheet 44 sandwiched between two flexible substrates 40. it can.

[0030]

According to the present invention, an electrically insulating flexible sheet having a width about the same as that of the flexible substrate is placed so as to be in close contact with the flexible substrate. By forming the contact surface of the sheet in a satin finish, the flexible sheet does not stick to the flexible substrate and both can slide relative to each other, so even if the flexible sheet is arranged, it is flexible. The substrate is not easily bent, the wiring on the flexible substrate is not easily broken, and the durability is excellent. Moreover, since a step of applying a lubricant is not required, stable quality can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion in which a heat-shrinkable tube is coated on a flexible substrate and a flexible sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a flexible substrate and a flexible sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an overall side view of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic front cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing a state in which outer skins of an insertion portion of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention are removed.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an ultrasonic endoscope of an embodiment of the present invention in FIG.
It is a VIII-VIII sectional view.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Flexible tube 2 curved part 3 Tip body 4 Ultrasonic probe 40 flexible board 41 heat shrink tube 44 Flexible sheet 44a contact surface

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 4C061 AA00 BB01 BB08 DD03 FF41                       WW16                 4C301 EE12 FF05 GA02 GB19 JA12                       JA17                 4C601 EE10 FE01 FE02 GA01 GA02                       GB01 GB19 GD11 GD12

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic probe for emitting and receiving an ultrasonic signal and an objective optical system for performing optical observation are arranged at the tip of an insertion portion, and the signals input to and output from the ultrasonic probe are described above. An ultrasonic endoscope in which a flexible substrate is used as a signal transmission member for transmitting in an insertion portion, wherein an electrically insulating flexible sheet having a width similar to that of the flexible substrate adheres to the flexible substrate. In an ultrasonic wave characterized in that at least the surface on the side of the flexible sheet among the contact surfaces of the flexible sheet and the flexible substrate is formed in a satin-like shape in the state of being superposed in a state. Endoscope. 2. The ultrasonic wave according to claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate and the flexible sheet are overlapped with each other, and a flexible heat-shrinkable tube is closely adhered to the outer surface of the flexible substrate for shrinkage coating. Endoscope. 3. The ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein among the contact surfaces between the flexible sheet and the flexible substrate, the surface on the flexible substrate side is also formed in a satin finish.