JP2003135372A - Endoscopic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide endoscopic equipment constituted so as to achieve the miniaturization of an exterior case and efficient cooling or the increase of a housing space. SOLUTION: A suction recessed part 5c is formed so as to have a predetermined opening area and a depth dimension and first and second suction ports 51 and 52 are formed in the side surfaces of the suction recessed part 5c at predetermined positions. The second suction port 52 is opposed to a power supply part 4a and the first suction port 51 is opposed to a drum part 3 housing a light source part 14, a CCU 15, an electric curving device 16 and an electric curving circuit part 17. Therefore, the power supply part 4a and the drum part 3 are directly cooled by the open air taken into a frame 5 through the suction ports 51 and 52. A partition plate 5d is arranged in the suction recessed part 5c to provide housing recessed parts 55 and 56, and an AC cable 5a, a remote controller 6, and a remote controller cable 6a are housed in the housing recessed parts 55 and 56.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus in which a drum portion around an insertion portion of an endoscope is housed in a storage case.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Endoscope devices are widely used in medical fields and industrial fields. BACKGROUND ART As an endoscope apparatus used in the industrial field, there is an endoscope apparatus in which a slender endoscope insertion portion is inserted into a jet engine or a pipe of a power plant to observe a test site and perform various treatments.

A bendable portion is provided in a slender insertion portion of a general endoscope. The bending portion bends by pulling and loosening a pulling member such as an angle wire inserted through the bending portion. In recent years, for the purpose of saving labor in a bending operation for bending the bending portion, an electric bending device for electrically bending and pulling the bending portion by operating the controller to electrically pull and loosen the pulling member is provided. An endoscopic device is used.

For example, the applicant of the present invention has a Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-072.
No. 814 is an electric motor equipped with a light source section for supplying illumination light into a drum section around which an insertion section of an endoscope is wound, a camera control unit for performing signal processing on the image sensor, and a drive mechanism for electrically bending the bending section. A bending apparatus, an electric bending circuit section for driving and controlling the electric bending apparatus to control a bending state of the bending section, and the like are provided, and an endoscope apparatus in which the drum section is housed in a case is proposed. Then, in this endoscope apparatus, power is supplied from a power source section provided in a case to the light source section, the camera control unit, the electric bending apparatus, and the electric bending circuit section. According to this endoscope apparatus, it is possible to reduce the size of the outer case, has excellent portability, and protect the built-in object from impact.

[0005]

However, in the endoscope apparatus of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-072814, the power source part which is a heat generating part on the front panel provided in the case and the light source part which is a heat generating element in the drum part, the camera While the control unit, the electric bending device, and the intake and exhaust openings for cooling the electric bending circuit portion are provided, a storage portion for storing a remote controller, cables, and an adapter is provided in the lid portion of the case. For this reason, remote control and cable,
The handling of the adapter was complicated.

If a space for storage is provided on the front panel in addition to the opening, the area of the front panel becomes large and it becomes difficult to reduce the size of the outer case.

Further, in recent years, the number of types of adapters and the number of additional parts are increasing, and it has been desired by users to further secure a storage space.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to reduce the size of the outer case, that is, to reduce the area of the front panel projected from the upper surface, and to efficiently cool or increase the storage space. The present invention aims to provide an endoscopic device.

[0009]

The endoscope apparatus of the present invention comprises:
An endoscope having a flexible and slender insertion portion, which has a distal end portion having a built-in image sensor and a bendable bending portion, and the insertion portion is wound around an outer peripheral surface portion, and illumination light is emitted to the endoscope inside. A light source unit for supplying the image pickup device, a camera control unit for performing signal processing for the image pickup device, an electric bending device including a drive mechanism for electrically driving the bending portion to bend, and bending of the bending portion by drivingly controlling the electric bending device. A drum section provided with an electric bending circuit section for controlling the state, and the drum section being rotatably held, and a power source for the light source section, the camera control unit, the electric bending apparatus, and the electric bending circuit section in the drum section. It is composed of a frame part having a power supply part for supplying power, a front panel provided on the upper end of the frame part, on which various switches and connectors are arranged, a box body and a lid body forming a case body. And an accommodating case having a cushioning material or the like for suppressing an impact force applied to an accommodated device, wherein the front panel is provided with a recessed portion having at least one of intake and storage functions. ing.

When the recess is an intake recess having at least one intake port for taking in external air into the frame part, at least one of the constituent surfaces forming the intake recess, the power source part and the drum part. And are in a positional relationship of facing each other.

Further, the recess serves both for intake and for storage.

According to these structures, the concave portion of the front panel can be used for intake or storage. When this recess is used as an intake recess, external air can be taken into the frame to efficiently cool the drum and the power supply. Further, by using the concave portion provided with the intake port also for storage, it is possible to achieve efficient cooling and increase the storage portion.

[0013]

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 an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an endoscope apparatus,
FIG. 2 is a top view of the front panel, FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the recess, FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the flow of external air taken in from the suction recess, and FIG. 5 is an example of the placement of the recess. It is a figure. In addition, FIG. 4A is a side direction explanatory view, and FIG.
(B) is an explanatory view of the upper surface direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an endoscope apparatus 1 of this embodiment is an industrial endoscope (hereinafter abbreviated as an endoscope) having an elongated insertion portion 2a having flexibility. 2, a frame 3 including a drum portion 3 for winding the insertion portion 2a of the endoscope 2 around the outer peripheral surface portion 3a, and a power source portion 4a for holding the drum portion 3 in a rotatable state and supplying power. An intake recess 5c provided at the upper end of the frame 4 and an intake port described later that also serves as a storage unit for storing various switches and connectors and, for example, an AC cable 5a extending from the power supply unit 4a. A front panel 5 provided with a remote controller (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller) 6 which is detachably connected to the front panel 5 via a remote control cable 6a, and a monitor 7 rotatably supported by a telescopic pole 7a. , Comprising a cushioning material or the like to suppress the impact force applied to the device to be stored, to form a case body box 8a
A storage case 8 composed of a lid and a lid 8b, and an insertion portion guide storage portion 9 which is arranged on the upper surface of the front panel 5 and through which the tip portion of the insertion portion 2a is inserted and arranged. .

The insertion portion 2a of the endoscope 2 extends from a waterproof insertion portion packing portion 5b formed of an elastic member provided on a rubber boot for preventing buckling provided on the front panel 5. There is.

Further, the insertion portion guide storage portion 9 has an insertion portion distal end storage portion 9a having a hole 91 shown by a broken line and a substantially U-shaped groove 90 for guiding the insertion portion 2a as shown by a chain line. The formed insertion portion guide portion 9b is integrally formed, and reference numeral 9c is an L-shaped monitor storage arrangement portion integrally provided on the upper surface side of the insertion portion guide storage portion 9 for storing the monitor 7. When the monitor 7 is stored in the case 8, the monitor 7 can be stored in a stable state by arranging the monitor 7 in the monitor storage arrangement portion 9c.

Further, the remote controller 6 is provided with various switches such as a bending lever 61 and a power ON button 62 which constitute the bending operation switch 60 which is operated when bending the bending portion 12 of the insertion portion 2a. There is.

The insertion portion 2a comprises a rigid tip body 11 in order from the tip side, a bendable bending portion 12 for orienting the tip body 11 in a desired direction, and an elongated flexible tube portion 13 having flexibility. It is connected. Various optical adapters 18a, 18b, ... Which convert optical characteristics such as a viewing direction and a viewing angle can be detachably attached to the body 11 of the endoscope insertion portion 2a.

In the inner space of the drum portion 3, a light source portion 14 for supplying illumination light to a light guide (not shown) which is an illumination transmission means of the endoscope 2 and a tip of the endoscope insertion portion 2a. The CCU 15 that performs signal processing for an image pickup device (not shown) provided in the main body 11 of the unit, an electric bending device 16 including a drive mechanism that electrically drives the bending portion 12 of the endoscope insertion portion 2a to bend, and the remote controller 6 include An electric bending circuit section 17 and the like that drive-control the electric bending apparatus 16 to control the bending state of the bending section 12 based on an operation instruction signal from the bending operation switch 60 provided are housed. Power is supplied to the light source unit 14, CCU 15, electric bending device 16, and electric bending circuit unit 17 from the power supply unit 4a.

An opening (not shown) for guiding the insertion portion 2a to the electric bending device 16 in the drum portion 3 is formed in the outer peripheral surface portion 3a of the drum portion 3. The base end portion of the insertion portion 2a is connected and arranged to the electric bending device 16 through the opening 3b and a cap (not shown). The electric bending device 16 and the electric bending circuit portion 17 are connected by a drive cable (not shown).

The signal line (not shown) extending from the tip end main body 11 through the insertion portion 2a is the CC line.
It is connected to U15. Similarly to the signal line, a light guide (not shown) that extends from the tip portion main body 11 through the insertion portion 2 a is connected to the light source portion 14. Further, similarly to the signal line and the light guide, an insertion portion side wire (not shown) inserted through the insertion portion 2a and extended from the distal end body 11 is an electric bending device driven by a motor unit (not shown). It is connected to a side wire (not shown) via a connecting member (not shown) on the base body that constitutes the electric bending device.

Here, the structure and operation of the intake recess 5c will be described in detail. The suction concave portion 5c is formed in the drum portion 3
Also, it is a concave portion for taking in external air into the frame portion 4 provided with the power source portion 4a, and takes in external air into the frame portion 4 from an intake port described later. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the front panel 5 is provided with an exhaust port (not shown) for exhausting the air in the frame portion 4 as shown by arrows a and b.

In the present embodiment, the formation position of the intake concave portion 5c is between the power source portion 4a and the drum portion 3,
The positional relationship is such that one surface side of the constituent surface forming the intake recess 5c closely faces the power source section 4a, and the other surface side that faces the one surface closely faces the drum section 3. That is, there is a positional relationship in which at least one of the constituent surfaces of the intake recess 5c and the power supply section 4a and the drum section 3 closely face each other.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 (a) and 4 (b), the intake recess 5c is formed with a predetermined opening area and depth, and constitutes the intake recess 5c. A first intake port 51 and a second intake port 52 having a predetermined area in consideration of cooling are formed at predetermined positions on the side surface of the.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), from the opening of the intake recess 5c to the intake ports 51, 5
External air taken into the frame part 4 through 2 flows as indicated by an arrow, and the power source part 4a and the light source part 1
4, CCU 15, electric bending device 16, electric bending circuit unit 1
The drum part 3 containing 7 is cooled efficiently.

Further, in this embodiment, the intake recess 5 is formed.
A partition plate 5d is arranged in c to provide storage recesses 55 and 56. Then, the AC cable 5a, the remote controller 6 and the remote controller cable 6 are placed in the respective storage recesses 55 and 56.
A and a are stored.

Therefore, the storage recess 5 is used during inspection.
The AC cable 5a, the remote controller 6, and the remote controller cable 6a are taken out from the cables 5, 56, and the recess acts as an intake port. On the other hand, after the inspection is completed, the AC cable 5a, the remote controller and the remote controller cable are housed in the housing recesses 55 and 56 again, and the recess functions as a housing.

As described above, by forming the concave portion at the predetermined position of the front panel and forming the predetermined intake port on the predetermined surface of the concave portion, the external air is taken in through the intake port to generate heat, and the power supply unit is generated. Also, the drum part can be cooled efficiently.

Further, by forming a concave portion having a predetermined opening area and depth in the front panel, the AC cable, the remote controller, the remote controller cable and the like which constitute the endoscope apparatus can be accommodated in this concave portion. .

As a result, it is not necessary to store the AC cable, the remote controller and the remote controller cable on the lid side, and the working efficiency when using the endoscope apparatus is greatly improved.

Further, by forming a recess having a predetermined opening area and depth on the front panel and forming an intake port at a predetermined position on a predetermined surface of the recess, the power supply section and the drum section are efficiently cooled. It is possible to store the AC cable, the remote controller and the remote controller cable that form the endoscope apparatus.

As a result, two functions can be obtained by one recess without providing the recess having the storage function and the recess having the intake function on the front panel, and the projection area of the front panel on the upper surface side can be obtained. The area can be reduced, and the case size can be further reduced.

Note that the positional relationship between the power source section and the drum section and the recessed portion forming the intake port is not limited to the above-mentioned positional relationship, and other disposition positions of the recessed portions shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b). It may be a position or the like shown in the figure for explaining. Figure 5
In FIG. 5A, one surface of the component surface forming the recess is closely opposed to the drum portion 3 and the power supply portion 4a, and in FIG. 5B, adjacent surfaces of the component surface forming the recess are the drum portion 3 and the power source, respectively. It closely faces the portion 4a. An intake port is formed at a predetermined position on the component surface in consideration of efficient cooling.

Further, the intake ports 51, 52 are provided with, for example, mesh plates or the like which prevent parts such as screws from falling into the case through the openings of the intake ports 51, 52.

Further, in the present embodiment, the AC cable 5a, the remote controller 6 and the remote controller cable 6a are stored in the intake recess 5c, but the member stored in the recess is not limited to these, and the opening The area and the depth may be appropriately set to accommodate the adapter or the like, or the formation position may be changed to form the exhaust port for exhaust in the recess.

Further, the shape of the intake recess and the shape and position of the intake port, or the quantity thereof are not limited to those in this embodiment.

By the way, in recent years, various optional parts have been proposed for the endoscope apparatus, and another case is required to form these optional parts. In addition to optional products, there is a demand for carrying a notebook personal computer for recording data and changing setting conditions.

Therefore, as shown in the drawing for explaining the structure of the storage case of FIG. 6, a screw hole 57 is provided at a predetermined position on a side portion of the box body 8a of the present embodiment, while the bolt 54 is inserted into the screw hole 57. A removable auxiliary case 53 is prepared. Therefore, by integrally fixing the auxiliary case 53 to the box body 8a with the bolts 54, the option product can be carried together with the case body.

Reference numeral 58 is a pair of wheels for movement, and reference numeral 59 is a movable operation handle (hereinafter abbreviated as a handle) which can be expanded and contracted as shown by an arrow. As shown in the figure, the wheels 58 are arranged diagonally with respect to the expansion / contraction position of the handle 59, and the handle body 59 can be easily moved by gripping the extended handle 59 by hand. It is supposed to be done.

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

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

(1) An endoscope having a distal end portion containing an image pickup element and a bendable bending portion, and having a flexible and elongated insertion portion, and the insertion portion wound on an outer peripheral surface portion, and is internally wound as described above. A light source section that supplies illumination light to the endoscope, a camera control unit that performs signal processing for the image pickup device, an electric bending apparatus that includes a drive mechanism that electrically drives the bending section to bend, and the drive control of the electric bending apparatus. And a drum portion provided with an electric bending circuit portion for controlling the bending state of the bending portion, and a drum portion that holds the drum portion in a rotatable state, the light source portion in the drum portion, a camera control unit, an electric bending device, and an electric motor. A frame portion provided with a power supply portion for supplying power to the bending circuit portion, a front panel provided at an upper end of the frame portion, in which various switches and connectors are arranged,
An endoscope apparatus comprising a box body and a lid body forming a case body, and a storage case including a cushioning material for suppressing an impact force applied to a stored device, wherein at least the front panel is cooled or cooled. An endoscope apparatus provided with a recess having one function of storage.

(2) When the concave portion is an intake concave portion having at least one intake port for taking in external air for cooling into the frame portion, at least one of the constituent surfaces constituting the intake concave portion, and The endoscope apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein the power source section and the drum section are in a positional relationship of facing each other.

(3) Note 1 or 2 in which the recess is for exhausting air in the frame for cooling.
The endoscopic device according to 1.

(4) The endoscope device according to appendix 2, wherein the concave portion serves both for intake and for storage.

(5) The endoscope device according to appendix 3, wherein the concave portion serves both for exhausting and for storing.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, the exterior case is downsized, that is, the upper surface projected area of the front panel is minimized, and efficient cooling or storage space is increased. A mirror device can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

[Figure 2] Top view of the front panel

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a recess.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a flow of external air taken in from a suction concave portion.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining an arrangement example of recesses.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a storage case.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Endoscopic device 2a ... insertion part 5 ... Front panel 5c ... recess 5d ... Partition board 8 ... Storage case 8a ... Box 8b ... Lid 51 ... First intake port 52 ... Second intake port 55 ... storage recess 56 ... Storage recess

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope having a distal end portion containing an image pickup element and a bendable bending portion, and having a flexible and elongated insertion portion, and the insertion portion wound on an outer peripheral surface portion, and the inside portion is internally wound. A light source section that supplies illumination light to the endoscope, a camera control unit that performs signal processing for the image pickup element, an electric bending apparatus that includes a drive mechanism that electrically drives the bending section to bend, and the drive control of the electric bending apparatus is performed. A drum unit provided with an electric bending circuit unit for controlling a bending state of the bending unit, and a drum unit that holds the drum unit in a rotatable state, and includes a light source unit in the drum unit, a camera control unit, an electric bending device, and an electric bending unit. A frame portion provided with a power supply portion for supplying power to the circuit portion, a front panel provided at the upper end of the frame portion, in which various switches and connectors are arranged,
An endoscope apparatus comprising: a box body and a lid body that form a case body, and a storage case that includes a cushioning material or the like that suppresses an impact force applied to a stored device. An endoscope apparatus having a recess having one function of storage. 2. When the concave portion is an intake concave portion having at least one intake port for taking in external air into the frame portion, at least one of the constituent surfaces forming the intake concave portion, the power source portion and the drum portion. The endoscopic device according to claim 1, wherein and are in a positional relationship of facing each other. 3. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the concave portion serves both for intake and for storage.