JP2003126024A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope which improves its insertibility by allowing a distal end to make small turns easily, prevents decline of a bending function of the endoscope, and increases flexibility of the layout for articles housed in an insertional part. SOLUTION: A repulsive force applying part 25, which applies repulsive force against a bending operation by a bending operation wire 19 to the side of a proximal end of the bending part 7 at the time of the bending operation by the bending part 7 and makes the side of a distal end of the bending part 7 start bending motions earlier than the side of the proximal end, is provided at a part on the side of the proximal end of the bending part 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical or industrial endoscope apparatus in which a bending portion capable of bending operation is provided at a distal end portion of an insertion portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, as a medical or industrial endoscope device, a slender insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity or a duct is connected to a bending portion capable of performing a bending operation and a proximal end portion of the insertion portion. It is known that a bending operation mechanism for bending the bending portion is provided in each of the operation portions on the proximal side, and a channel for inserting a treatment tool is provided inside the insertion portion.

A plurality of bending pieces are arranged in series in the bending portion of the endoscope of this type in the axial direction of the insertion portion, and adjacent bending pieces are rotatably connected by rivets. Further, a bending operation wire for bending the entire bending portion is arranged inside the insertion portion. The tip portion of the bending operation wire passes through the inside of each bending piece of the bending portion and is fixed to one of the tip member of the insertion portion or the bending piece. The proximal end portion of the bending operation wire is connected to the bending operation mechanism of the operation portion on the near side. The bending operation mechanism is driven by a bending operation knob of the operation unit or the like. Then, when the bending operation knob of the operation portion is operated, the bending operation wire is pulled through the bending operation mechanism, and the distal end member or the bending piece of the insertion portion is pulled toward the hand side by the pulling force from the bending operation wire. Each bending piece of the bending portion is rotated about a rivet as a rotation axis, and the entire bending portion is bent in the operating direction of the bending operation knob.

Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-294711 discloses an endoscope in which a coil spring is disposed inside a bending portion, and a bending operation wire is inserted and guided in the coil spring. There is. Here, a wire guide is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the bending piece of the bending portion, a bending operation wire is inserted inside the wire guide, and a coil spring is arranged between the wire guides of the front and rear bending pieces. . When the bending portion is bent, the bending characteristic of the bending portion is changed by the elastic action of the coil spring acting on the bending piece, and the bending portion is bent from the distal end side.

[0005]

In the endoscope having the above-mentioned conventional structure, when the bending operation wire is pulled when the bending operation knob of the operation portion is operated, the bending portion is located at the base side located at the end portion on the operation portion side. The bending operation is started from the bending piece, and the bending piece on the distal end side of the insertion portion operates last. Therefore, for example, when observing a large intestine or a bronchus in which a body cavity is complicatedly bent with a medical endoscope, in a bending portion in which a bending operation is started from the root side of the bending portion, the bending portion is bent when the bending portion is bent. Since the locus drawn by the distal end of the endoscope becomes long, it is difficult to make a small turn, and there is a problem that it takes time to reach the target site at the deep part of the large intestine or the bronchus.

Further, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-294711, a coil spring is arranged inside the bending portion, and a bending operation wire is inserted into the coil spring to act on the bending piece during bending operation of the bending portion. The elasticity of the coil spring changes the bending characteristics of the bending portion, and in the endoscope configured to bend the bending portion from the distal end side, the distal end portion of the endoscope can be easily turned slightly to improve insertability into the large intestine or bronchus. Can be achieved. However, this Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-29
In the endoscope of Japanese Patent No. 4711, since the bending operation wire is inserted inside the coil spring, when the bending operation wire is pulled and the bending portion bends, the coil spring separates the bending operation wire from the bending piece. By being sandwiched between them, the operation of the bending operation wire may be hindered, and the bending function of the endoscope may be deteriorated.

Further, since the coil spring is arranged substantially concentrically with respect to the bending operation wire, there is no freedom in the space for incorporating the coil spring. Therefore, there is a problem that it becomes a great constraint condition for the layout of the internal components of the insertion portion such as the image fiber and the light guide fiber arranged inside the curved portion.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to make it easier to make a small turn around the distal end portion of an endoscope to improve insertability of the endoscope. An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope device which can prevent the bending function of a mirror from being deteriorated and can increase the degree of freedom in the layout of the insertion section built-in object.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a bending portion capable of performing a bending operation is coupled to a distal end portion of an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity or a duct, and a proximal end portion of the insertion portion. A bending operation mechanism for performing a bending operation of the bending portion is arranged on the operation portion, a channel for inserting a treatment tool is arranged inside the insertion portion, and a plurality of bending pieces are arranged in the axial direction of the insertion portion. Are connected in series to each other so as to be bent so as to form the bending portion, pass through the inside of each bending piece of the bending portion, and the tip portion is fixed to the tip member of the insertion portion or one of the bending pieces. In an endoscope apparatus in which a bending operation wire for bending the entire bending portion is configured by a wire having a proximal end connected to the bending operation mechanism, a bending operation by the bending operation wire during bending operation of the bending portion. A repulsive force imparting portion that applies a repulsive force to the rear end portion side of the bending portion to start the bending operation earlier than the rear end portion side of the bending portion is the base end portion of the bending portion. The endoscope device is characterized in that it is provided in a side portion. In the invention of claim 1, when the bending operation wire is bent by the bending operation wire during the bending operation of the bending portion, the bending operation wire bends by the repulsive force imparting portion at the base end side portion of the bending portion. The repulsive force to the operation is applied to the rear end portion side of the bending portion, and the bending operation is started earlier on the front end portion side of the bending portion than on the rear end portion side.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the repulsive force applying portion is
A bending portion wire having a tip end fixed to a bending piece at an intermediate position of the bending portion, and a base end portion fixed to a bending piece at the base end portion of the bending portion, and the bending portion wire inserted through the bending portion wire. The endoscope device according to claim 1, wherein the endoscope device is configured by a tubular elastic member that exerts a repulsive force on a side opposite to a bending operation direction by the bending operation wire when the bending operation is performed. In the invention according to claim 2, when the bending portion is operated to bend, the bending portion wire between the bending piece at the intermediate position of the bending portion and the bending piece at the proximal end of the bending portion is inserted by the tubular elastic member. A repulsive force is applied to the side opposite to the bending operation direction by the bending operation wire, and the bending operation is started first at the tip end side portion of the bending portion.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the bending portion is formed with a tip member of the insertion portion and a wire guide into which the bending operation wire is inserted, respectively, and the bending operation wire includes the tip member. The wire guide of the bending piece at the rear end of the bending portion is fixed to a wire guide of the bending portion, which is inserted into the wire guide of the bending portion and is folded back toward the operation portion side. It is an endoscopic device. And in the invention of claim 3,
After inserting the wire guide of the tip member of the bending portion, the wire guide of the tip member of the bending portion is pulled back by folding back to the operation portion side and pulling the bending operation wire fixed to the wire guide of the bending piece at the end of the bending portion. As a fulcrum,
The pulling force of the bending operation wire is applied from the operation portion side toward the distal end side to start the bending operation. As a result, when the bending portion is bent, the bending operation is started from the tip end side portion of the bending portion, and the bending piece on the operation portion side is bent last.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2A to 2D.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of the entire system of the endoscope apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. Endoscope device 1 of the present embodiment
In this system, an endoscope 2 and a light source device 3 are provided.

Further, the endoscope 2 is provided with an elongated insertion portion 4 to be inserted into a body cavity, a duct or the like, and a hand side operation portion 5 connected to a proximal end portion of the insertion portion 4. There is. Further, the insertion portion 4 is provided with a bending portion 7 capable of performing a bending operation at a tip portion of a long and slender flexible tube 6, and a tip forming portion 8 is provided at a tip portion of the bending portion 7. . An objective lens (not shown) of the observation optical system, an illumination lens (not shown) of the illumination optical system, a distal end opening portion of a treatment instrument insertion channel for inserting a treatment instrument, and the like are arranged in the distal end configuration unit 8.

An eyepiece 9 is provided at the terminal of the operation unit 5 on the hand side. Further, a proximal end portion of the universal cord 10 is connected to the operation portion 5, and a bending lever 11 that bends the bending portion 7, a suction button 12 that controls suction of fluid, and a treatment tool are inserted. A treatment instrument insertion port portion 13 and the like connected to the treatment instrument insertion channel are provided. Here, universal code 10
A connector 14 is connected to the tip of the. The connector 14 is detachably connected to the light source device 3. The bending lever 11 is connected to a bending operation mechanism (not shown) arranged inside the operation unit 5.

FIG. 2A shows the internal structure of the bending portion 7. A plurality of bending pieces 15 are arranged in series in the bending portion 7 in the axial direction of the insertion portion 4. Here, each bending piece 15 of the bending portion 7 is rotatably connected by a rivet 16.

Further, a bending piece 15a at the most distal position is also rotatably connected to a distal end member 17 constituting the distal end forming portion 8 arranged at the most distal position of the insertion portion 4 by a rivet 16. As a result, the bending pieces 15 of the bending portion 7 are connected to each other so that the bending operation is possible with the tip member 17 at the most distal position as one end. A curved rubber 18 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the curved portion 7 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2B, a pair of bending operation wires 19 capable of pulling the bending portion 7 inside the insertion portion 6 and an image guide which is a glass fiber bundle for transmitting an optical image. 21 and two light guides 22 that are glass fiber bundles that transmit illumination light, and a channel tube 23 that forms a treatment instrument insertion channel for inserting a treatment instrument. .

Here, the front end portion of the light guide 22 is disposed so as to face the inner surface side of the illumination lens (not shown) of the front end forming portion 8. Further, the base end side of the light guide 22 is extended from the operating portion 5 on the hand side through the universal cord 10 into the connector 14. And the light source device 3
The illumination light from is guided to the tip side of the insertion section 4 through the light guide 22, and is radiated to the outside from the illumination lens (not shown) of the tip forming section 8.

Further, the front end of the image guide 21 is arranged so as to face the inner surface of the objective lens (not shown) of the front end forming portion 8. Further, the base end portion of the image guide 21 is arranged to face the eyepiece portion 9 of the operation portion 5. And
The observation image formed by the objective lens is transmitted to the eyepiece section 9 via the image guide 21.

The distal end of the channel tube 23 is connected to the distal end opening of the treatment instrument insertion channel of the distal end forming section 8. Further, the proximal end portion of the channel tube 23 is connected to the treatment instrument insertion port portion 13 of the operation portion 5 on the proximal side. A forceps plug 24 that covers the treatment instrument insertion port is attached to the treatment instrument insertion port portion 13.

Further, the tip end portion of each bending operation wire 19 passes through the inside of each bending piece 15 of the bending portion 7 and is fixed to the tip end member 17 of the insertion portion 4. Here, as shown in FIGS. 2 (A) and 2 (B), two concave first wire guides 20 that are recessed inward are formed on the inner peripheral surfaces of the tip member 17 and each bending piece 15. There is. These first wire guides 20 are arranged at positions separated by approximately 180 ° in the circumferential direction. The bending operation wires 19 are inserted into the respective first wire guides 20. Further, the tip end portion of each bending operation wire 19 has a tip end member 17
Is fixed to the first wire guide 20. In addition,
The tip of each bending operation wire 19 may be fixed to one first wire guide 20 of the bending piece 15.

The proximal end portion of each bending operation wire 19 extends toward the operation portion 5 side and is connected to a bending operation mechanism (not shown) inside the operation portion 5. Then, one of the bending operation wires 19 is pulled by the bending operation mechanism in accordance with the operation of the bending lever 11 of the operation portion 5, and the pulling force of the bending operation wire 19 causes the bending operation wire 19 to move.
The bending portion 7 is transmitted to the tip fixing portion, and the entire bending portion 7 is bent in the pulling direction of the bending operation wire 19.

Further, the endoscope 2 of the present embodiment is provided with two repulsive force imparting portions 25 at the base end side portion of the bending portion 7. The repulsive force imparting portion 25 has a bending portion wire 26 having a distal end portion fixed to a bending piece 15b at an intermediate position of the bending portion 7 and a proximal end portion fixed to a bending piece 15c at the proximal end portion of the bending portion 7, The bending portion wire 26 is slidably inserted, and is configured by a close-wound coil (cylindrical elastic member) 27 that applies a repulsive force to the side opposite to the bending operation direction by the bending operation wire 19 when bending the bending portion 7. Has been done.

Here, the close-wound coil 27 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (D), it is formed by winding a single wire element wire 29 into a coil shape in a closely contacted state. And
The bending wire 26 is slidably inserted into each closely wound coil 27.

The bending piece 15b at the intermediate position of the bending portion 7
Further, the bending piece 15c at the base end portion of the bending portion 7 is formed with concave second wire guides 28 which are depressed inward at positions separated by approximately 180 ° in the circumferential direction. In addition,
As shown in FIG. 2B, the two second wire guides 28 are arranged side by side in the vicinity of the two first wire guides 20, respectively. Furthermore, each closely wound coil 27
In the state where the bending portion wire 26 is slidably inserted in the axial direction, the distal end portion of the bending portion wire 26 is inserted into the second wire guide 28 of the bending piece 15b, the proximal end of the bending portion wire 26 The parts are fixed in a state of being inserted into the second wire guide 28 of the bending piece 15c.

When one of the bending operation wires 19 is pulled during the bending operation of the bending portion 7, the bending portion wire 26 is pulled on the other bending operation wire 19 side by the elastic motion of the closely wound coil 27. A repulsive force is generated in a direction opposite to the bending direction of the bending operation wire 19 that is formed. The repulsive force due to the elastic movement of the close-wound coil 27 acts on each bending piece 15 between the bending piece 15b at the intermediate position of the bending portion 7 and the bending piece 15c at the base end of the bending portion 7. Thereby, the repulsive force to the bending operation by the bending operation wire 26 is applied to the rear end side of the bending portion 7, and the bending operation is started earlier than the front end side of the bending portion 7 compared to the rear end side. The repulsive force applying portion 25 includes the bending portion wire 26 and the close-wound coil 2.
7 and 7.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
In the system of the endoscope apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, when the endoscope 2 is bent, one of the bending levers 1 is operated by the bending operation mechanism in accordance with the operation of the bending lever 11 of the operation unit 5.
The bending operation wire 19 in the operation direction 1 is pulled. The pulling force of the bending operation wire 19 is transmitted to the tip fixing portion of the bending operation wire 19 so that the entire bending portion 7 is bent in the pulling direction of the bending operation wire 19. At this time, if one of the bending operation wires 19 is pulled,
On the other side of the bending operation wire 19, the bending portion wire 26
A repulsive force is generated in the direction opposite to the bending direction by the bending operation wire 19 pulled by the elastic motion of the close-wound coil 27 that has been inserted. The repulsive force due to the elastic movement of the close-wound coil 27 acts on each bending piece 15 between the bending piece 15b at the intermediate position of the bending portion 7 and the bending piece 15c at the base end of the bending portion 7. As a result, a repulsive force to the bending operation by the bending operation wire 26 is applied to the rear end side of the bending piece 15b in the middle position of the bending portion 7, and the tip end side of the bending piece 15b in the middle position of the bending portion 7 is applied. The bending operation can be started earlier than the portion on the rear end side.

Therefore, the following effects are obtained with the above-mentioned structure. That is, since the endoscope 2 of the present embodiment is provided with the two repulsive force imparting portions 25 at the base end side portion of the bending portion 7, one of the bending forces pulled when the bending operation of the endoscope 2 is performed. It is possible to generate a repulsive force in a direction opposite to the bending direction of the bending operation wire 19 pulled by the elastic motion of the close-wound coil 27 in which the bending portion wire 26 is inserted on the side of the bending operation wire 19 opposite to the operation wire 19. it can. As a result, a repulsive force to the bending operation by the bending operation wire 26 is applied to the rear end side of the bending piece 15b in the middle position of the bending portion 7, and the tip end side of the bending piece 15b in the middle position of the bending portion 7 is applied. Since the portion can start the bending operation earlier than the rear end portion side, that is, can be bent from the tip end side of the bending portion 7, the direction can be changed to a small turn.
Therefore, it is possible to improve the insertability of the endoscope 2 into the large intestine or the bronchus in which the body cavity is complicatedly bent, and it is possible to shorten the time required to reach the target site in the deep part of the large intestine or the bronchus. effective.

Further, in the present embodiment, the repulsive force applying portion 25
The bending portion wire 2 in which the bending operation wire 19 is adjacent to the bending operation wire 19
6 and the densely wound coil 27 through which the bending portion wire 26 is slidably inserted, the bending operation wire is operated by the operation of the densely wound coil 27 of the repulsive force applying portion 25 during the bending operation of the endoscope 2. It does not hinder the movement of 19. Therefore, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the bending function of the endoscope 2.

Further, since the densely wound coil 27 of the repulsive force applying portion 25 is inserted through the bending portion wire 26 adjacent to the bending operation wire 19, the arrangement state of the densely wound coil 27 inside the bending portion 7 is compared. It can be set freely. Therefore, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in the layout of the built-in object arranged inside the bending portion 7, and it is effective in reducing the diameter of the insertion portion 4.

Further, FIGS. 3A and 3B show the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. In this embodiment, the configuration of the bending portion 7 of the endoscope 2 of the first embodiment (see FIGS. 1 and 2A to 2D) is changed as follows.

That is, in the present embodiment, the reticulated tube 31 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of each bending piece 15 on the rear end side of the bending portion 7 of the endoscope 2. As shown in FIG. 3 (A), the tip portion of the mesh tube 31 is fixed to the bending piece 15b at the intermediate position of the bending portion 7 to which the tip portion of the bending wire 26 is fixed. Further, the base end portion of the mesh tube 31 is fixed to the bending piece 15c at the base end portion of the bending portion 7. And
Each of the bending pieces 15 between the bending piece 15b at the intermediate position and the bending piece 15c at the base end of the bending portion 7 is covered by the mesh tube 31.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described. When the bending operation of the endoscope 2 of the present embodiment is performed, the bending operation mechanism along with the operation of the bending lever 11 of the operation portion 5 pulls the bending operation wire 19 in the operation direction of one of the bending levers 11, and the bending operation is performed. The pulling force of the operation wire 19 is transmitted to the distal end fixing portion of the bending operation wire 19 and the entire bending portion 7 is bent in the pulling direction of the bending operation wire 19. At this time, when one of the bending operation wires 19 is pulled as in the first embodiment, the bending portion wire 26 is pulled by the elastic motion of the closely wound coil 27 through which the bending portion wire 26 is inserted on the other bending operation wire 19 side. A repulsive force is generated in a direction opposite to the bending direction of the bending operation wire 19 that is formed. The repulsive force due to the elastic movement of the close-wound coil 27 is the bending piece 15b at the intermediate position of the bending portion 7.
And each bending piece 15 between the bending piece 15c at the base end of the bending portion 7 and the bending piece 15. As a result, the elastic motion of the close-wound coil 27 having the bending portion wire 26 inserted therein causes a repulsive force to the bending operation by the bending operation wire 26 to act on the rear end side of the bending piece 15b at the intermediate position of the bending portion 7. You can

Further, in the present embodiment, since the reticulated tube 31 is exteriorly mounted on the outer peripheral surface of each bending piece 15 on the rear end side of the curving section 7, the curving section 7 is curved at the exterior portion of the reticulated tube 31. At this time, the frictional resistance between the bending piece 15 and the mesh tube 31 increases. Therefore, the portion of the bending portion 7 not covered by the reticulated tube 7 that is closer to the tip end side than the bending piece 15b at the intermediate position is curved as compared to the portion of the bending portion 7 that is covered by the reticulated tube 31 that is on the rear end side. It can be made easier.

As a result, the repulsive force to the bending operation by the bending operation wire 26 is applied to the rear end side of the bending piece 15b at the intermediate position of the bending portion 7, and the bending piece 1
5 (B) by the frictional resistance between the mesh 5 and the mesh tube 31.
As shown in FIG. 7, the bending operation can be started earlier in the portion of the bending portion 7 that is closer to the leading end than the bending piece 15b at the intermediate position than that of the rear end. At this time, first, the bending pieces 15d1 on the tip end side of the bending pieces 15b and the shoulder openings of the bending pieces 15b come into contact with each other, then the bending pieces 15d1 and the bending pieces 15d2 come into contact with each other, and the bending pieces 15d2, the bending pieces 15d3, and the bending pieces 15d3.
And the bending piece 15a come into contact with each other, and finally the bending piece 15a comes into contact with the tip member 17.

Therefore, also in the endoscope 2 of the present embodiment, the two repulsive force applying portions 25 provided on the base end side portion of the bending portion 7 are provided.
The repulsive force to the bending operation by the bending operation wire 26 is applied to the rear end side of the bending piece 15b in the middle position of the bending portion 7 so that the portion closer to the tip end side than the bending piece 15b in the middle position of the bending portion 7 is applied. Since the bending operation can be started earlier than the rear end side, that is, the bending can be started from the front end side of the bending portion 7, the direction can be changed to a small turn. Therefore, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the reticulated tube 31 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of each bending piece 15 on the rear end side of the bending section 7, the friction resistance of the reticulation tube 31 at the bending section 7 is reduced when the bending section 7 is bent. By acting on each bending piece 15 on the end side, the bending portion 7
It is possible to more reliably realize the operation of bending the distal end side of the first.

Further, FIGS. 4A and 4B show the third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. In this embodiment, the configuration of the bending portion 7 of the endoscope 2 of the first embodiment (see FIGS. 1 and 2A to 2D) is changed as follows.

That is, in the present embodiment, the wire guide 20 of the tip member 17 is inserted into the tip of one bending operation wire 41 for bending the bending section 7 of the endoscope 2 and folded back to the operation section 5 side. A folded portion 42 is provided. The tip of the folded-back portion 42 is inserted into the wire guide 20 of each bending piece 15 of the bending portion 7 and extends rearward, and is fixed to the wire guide 43 formed on the bending piece 15c at the rear end. Further, the bending operation wire 41
The middle portion is inserted into the second wire guide 44 formed on the bending piece 15c at the rear end of the bending portion 7.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described. During the bending operation of the endoscope 2 according to the present embodiment, the bending operation wire 41 is pulled by pulling the bending operation wire 41 and using the wire guide 20 of the distal end member 17 as a fulcrum.
A traction force acts from the operation portion 5 side toward the distal end side, and the bending operation starts. At this time, as shown in FIG.
First, the tip end member 17 comes into contact with the shoulder opening of the bending piece 15a at the most distal position, and then the bending piece 15a and the bending piece 15e behind it.
1, the bending piece 15e1 and the bending piece 15e2,
The bending pieces 15e2 and 15e3 come into contact with each other, and thereafter, the rearward bending pieces 15 come into contact with each other in the same manner, and finally the bending portion 7
The bending piece 15c at the base end of the above and the bending piece 15 immediately before that contact.

Therefore, the following effects can be obtained with the above-mentioned structure. That is, in the present embodiment, after the wire guide 20 of the tip end member 17 of the bending portion 7 is inserted, the wire guide 20 is folded back to the operation portion 5 side and fixed to the wire guide 43 of the bending piece 15c at the end of the bending portion, and the middle portion is bent. The bending operation wire 41 inserted through the second wire guide 44 formed on the bending piece 15c at the rear end of the portion 7 is provided.
Therefore, during bending operation of the endoscope 2, the bending guide wire 41 of the distal end member 17 is used as a fulcrum to pull the bending operation wire 41, and a pulling force is applied to the bending operation wire 41 from the operation portion 5 side toward the distal end side to bend the bending operation wire 41. By starting the operation, the bending operation is started from the tip end side portion of the bending portion 7 during the bending operation of the bending portion 7, and the bending piece 15 on the rear end side is started.
The bending piece 15 immediately before c can be bent at the very end. Therefore, by bending and bending the bending operation wire 41 with the wire guide 20 of the tip member 17, the bending portion 7 can be completely bent from the bending piece 15a on the tip side.

In the present embodiment, only one of the two bending operation wires 19 is changed to the bending operation wire 41 which is folded back by the wire guide 20 of the tip member 17, but the bending operation wire 41 is changed. By changing the other bending operation wire 19 to the above-mentioned bending operation wire 41, it is possible to realize the bending portion 7 that bends from the distal end side in both up and down directions.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Next, other characteristic technical matters of the present application will be additionally described as follows. Note (Additional Item 1) An insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity or a duct is provided, and the insertion portion has a bending portion capable of performing a bending operation and a channel for inserting a treatment tool, and bends the bending portion. In an endoscope apparatus equipped with a bending operation mechanism, bending pieces arranged in series in the axial direction of an insertion portion forming the bending portion and connected to each other for bending operation, and inserted through the inside of the bending pieces. Operation guide wire having one end fixed to a guide provided on the tip member or one of the bending pieces and the other end connected to a bending operation mechanism, and a first guide provided on the bending piece located in the middle of the bending portion. A wire having one end fixed to the second guide and the other end fixed to a second guide provided on a bending piece at the end of the bending portion on the operation portion side, and the wire penetrates the bending sesame lumen, Cylindrical elastic member disposed between An endoscope apparatus characterized in that

(Additional Item 2) The endoscope device according to Additional Item 1, wherein the bending portion is formed by covering the mesh tube up to an intermediate position of the bending portion.

(Additional Item 3) In the above-mentioned bending portion, the guide provided on the tip member and the bending fixed to the guide provided on the bending piece at the end of the bending portion are inserted back through the guide and folded back to the operation portion side. The endoscope device according to appendix 1, wherein the endoscope device comprises an operation wire.

(Prior Art of Supplementary Notes 1 and 2) In a conventional bending mechanism of an endoscope insertion portion, a plurality of bending pieces are connected in series in the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion, and adjacent bending pieces are fitted with rivets. It is joined by rivets so that it can rotate about the axis of rotation. When the bending operation wire is pulled, the bending portion starts the bending operation from the bending piece on the operation portion side, and the bending piece on the distal end side of the insertion portion operates last.

For example, when observing the large intestine or the bronchus with a medical endoscope, those body cavities are complicatedly bent, and at the bending portion that bends from the root, the locus drawn by the tip end during bending becomes long and a small turn. Was difficult, and it took time to reach the target site.

In order to improve this insertion method, an endoscope is proposed in which the bending piece on the distal end side is bent. An example of this endoscope is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-294711. The endoscope shown here fixes a coil spring, which is guided by inserting a bending operation wire necessary for bending operation, to a bending piece, and the bending portion is bent by the elastic action of the coil spring that acts on the bending piece when bending. Is curved from the tip side.

(Problems to be solved by the additional items 1 and 2)
In the case of the endoscope device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-294711, a bending operation wire is inserted inside the coil spring, and the coil spring is extended to an intermediate portion of the bending portion. In that case, when the bending operation wire is pulled and the bending portion bends, the coil spring is sandwiched between the bending operation wire and the bending piece, which hinders the operation of the bending operation wire and reduces the bending function of the endoscope. It will be. Also, since the coil spring is arranged so as to be substantially concentric with the bending operation wire, there is no freedom in the space for incorporating the coil spring, and it is suitable for the layout of the internal components such as the image fiber and the light guide fiber. It was a big constraint.

(Problem to be Solved by Supplementary Note 3) Further, regarding the starting point at which the bending operation is started, JP-A-9-
According to JP-A-294711, since the bending operation starts from the vicinity of the end point on the distal end side of the coil spring, the bending operation is not completely started from the distal end side of the bending portion, and the endoscope bends from the distal end side bending piece. As for, it was insufficient.

(Purpose of Additional Items 1 to 3) To provide an endoscope apparatus which bends not from the bending piece on the root side but from the bending piece on the more distal side.

(Means and Actions for Solving the Problems of Additional Items 1 and 2) A bending piece located in the middle of the bending portion and a wire different from the bending operation wire fixed to the end of the bending portion on the operating portion side, Due to the elastic movement of the tubular elastic member through which the wire is inserted, only the bending portion on the distal end side first starts the bending operation during the bending operation.

(Means and Actions for Solving the Problem of Supplementary Note 3) A guide provided on the tip member of the bending portion,
When the bending operation wire that is inserted through the guide, folded back toward the operation section, and fixed to the guide provided on the bending piece at the end of the bending section is pulled, the bending operation starts from the bending section on the tip side, and the bending piece on the operation section side starts. But at the very end it bends.

(Additional Item 4) A bending portion capable of performing a bending operation at a distal end portion of an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity or a duct, and a bending portion of the bending portion at an operation portion connected to a proximal end portion of the insertion portion. A bending operation mechanism for operating each is arranged, a channel for inserting a treatment tool is arranged inside the insertion portion, and a plurality of bending pieces are arranged in series in the axial direction of the insertion portion, each of which is The bending portion is configured to be operably connected to the bending portion, passes through the inside of each bending piece of the bending portion, and the leading end portion is fixed to the tip member of the insertion portion or one of the bending pieces, and the base end portion is the bending operation. In an endoscope device in which a bending operation wire for bending the entire bending portion is configured by a wire connected to a mechanism, in a bending operation of the bending portion, a repulsive force with respect to a bending operation by the bending operation wire is applied to the bay. A repulsive force imparting portion that acts on the rear end side of the bending portion and starts the bending operation earlier than the front end side of the bending portion as compared with the rear end portion side is provided at the base end side portion of the bending portion. An endoscopic device characterized by the above.

(Additional Item 5) The repulsive force imparting portion has a distal end portion fixed to a bending piece at an intermediate position of the bending portion, and a proximal end portion fixed to a bending piece at a proximal end portion of the bending portion. And a tubular elastic member which is inserted through the bending portion wire and applies a repulsive force to the side opposite to the bending operation direction by the bending operation wire when bending the bending portion. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1.

(Additional Item 6) The endoscope device according to claim 2, wherein the tubular elastic member is a close-wound coil in which a wire of an element wire is wound in a close contact state.

(Operation of Supplementary Note 6) In Supplementary Note 6, the bending portion wire between the bending piece at the intermediate position of the bending portion and the bending piece at the base end portion of the bending portion is inserted during bending operation of the bending portion. By the elastic motion of the tubular elastic member, a repulsive force is applied to the side opposite to the bending operation direction by the bending operation wire, and the bending operation is started first at the tip end side portion of the bending portion.

(Additional Item 7) In the bending portion, a wire guide into which the bending operation wire is inserted is formed in the tip member of the insertion portion or the bending piece, and the bending operation wire is the tip member or the bending portion. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a tip portion is fixed to one wire guide of the piece.

(Operation of Supplementary Note 7) In the invention of Supplementary Note 7, during the bending operation of the bending portion, the traction force from the bending operation wire is passed through the wire guide to which the distal end portion of the bending operation wire is fixed, or the tip member or the bending portion. This is transmitted to one of the pieces and the bending operation of the bending portion is started.

(Additional Item 8) The bending piece is formed with a wire guide through which a bending portion wire is inserted, and the bending portion wire has a tip end fixed to one wire guide of the bending piece and a base end portion. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the endoscope is fixed to a wire guide of a bending piece at a base end portion of the bending portion.

(Operation of Supplementary Item 8) In the invention of Supplementary Item 8, when the entire bending portion is bent by the bending operation wire during the bending operation of the bending portion, the tubular elastic member having the bending portion wire inserted therethrough is used. The elastic movement generates a repulsive force on the side opposite to the bending operation direction by the bending operation wire, and the repulsive force is applied to the bending piece on the proximal end side of the bending section via a wire guide to which the bending section wire is fixed. Thus, the bending operation is started first at the tip end side portion of the bending portion.

(Additional Item 9) The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the curved portion has a mesh tube covering the installation portion of the repulsive force applying portion.

(Operation of Supplementary Note 9) In the invention of Supplementary Note 9, frictional resistance between the bending piece and the reticulated tube is increased when the bending portion is bent by the reticulated tube covering the installation portion of the repulsive force imparting portion. It is made to act so that the tip side of the bending portion can be bent more easily.

[0063]

According to the present invention, the distal end portion of the endoscope can be easily turned small to improve the insertability of the endoscope, and at the same time, the bending function of the endoscope can be prevented from being deteriorated. In addition, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in the layout of the built-in insertion portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire endoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2A is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part showing an internal configuration of a bending portion in the endoscope device of the first embodiment, FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIB-IIB of FIG. C) is a perspective view of the close-wound coil, and (D) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the close-wound coil.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention,
(A) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a state where the bending part is not bent, and (B) is a longitudinal sectional view of the essential part showing a state where the bending part is bent.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention,
(A) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a state where the bending part is not bent, and (B) is a longitudinal sectional view of the essential part showing a state where the bending part is bent.

[Explanation of symbols]

7 curved part 19 Bending operation wire 25 Repulsion unit 26 Curved wire 27 Close-wound coil (cylindrical elastic member) 28 Wire guide

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A bending portion capable of performing a bending operation at a distal end portion of an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity or a duct, and a bending operation of the bending portion to an operation portion connected to a base end portion of the insertion portion. A bending operation mechanism is provided, a channel for inserting a treatment tool is provided inside the insertion section, and a plurality of bending pieces are arranged in series in the axial direction of the insertion section.
Each of them is operably connected to form the bending portion, passes through the inside of each bending piece of the bending portion, and the tip portion is fixed to the tip member of the insertion portion or one of the bending pieces,
In an endoscope apparatus in which a bending operation wire for bending the entire bending portion is configured by a wire having a proximal end connected to the bending operation mechanism, a bending operation by the bending operation wire during bending operation of the bending portion is performed. The repulsive force imparting portion that causes a repulsive force to act on the rear end side of the bending portion and starts the bending operation earlier than the front end portion side of the bending portion compared to the rear end portion side is a base end portion side of the bending portion. An endoscopic device characterized in that it is provided in the part. 2. The bending portion wire, wherein the repulsive force applying portion has a distal end portion fixed to a bending piece at an intermediate position of the bending portion, and a proximal end portion fixed to a bending piece at a proximal end portion of the bending portion. The bending portion wire is inserted, and the bending portion wire is configured to include a tubular elastic member that exerts a repulsive force on a side opposite to a bending operation direction by the bending operation wire when bending the bending portion. The endoscopic device according to 1. 3. The bending section is formed with a wire guide into which the bending operation wire is inserted in the tip member of the insertion section and the bending piece, respectively, and the bending operation wire is inserted into the wire guide of the tip member. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a front end portion of the folded-back portion that is folded back toward the operation portion is fixed to a wire guide of the bending piece at a rear end portion of the bending portion.