JP2003210385A - Device for correcting curl of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for correcting the curl of an endoscope which is capable of easily and rapidly correcting the curl of an insertion portion of the endoscope. <P>SOLUTION: The device for correcting the curl of the endoscope combined with the endoscope having a flexible tube disposed with a resin layer on the outermost layer is constituted by providing a cylindrical body 12 inserted with the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 to hold the same on a straight line with a conductive wire 13 for warming part of the insertion portion 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope bending habit correcting device for correcting a bending habit of an endoscope insertion portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A device for heating an endoscope for preventing discomfort caused by a temperature difference between a patient's body temperature and the endoscope and dew condensation on the observation window of the endoscope tip has already been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-31835. It is proposed in the official gazette. On the other hand, there is a bending habit correcting device that heats the insertion part of the endoscope in order to correct the bending habit of the insertion part of the endoscope.
It is disclosed in the publication. This bending habit correction device for an endoscope inserts a long and hard cylinder with a built-in heater into the channel (pipe line) of the endoscope, and heats the insertion portion of the endoscope to heat the insertion portion. This is a method of correcting the bending habit.

[0003]

A so-called flexible mirror provided with a flexible insertion portion has an appropriate flexibility by impregnating the outer skin of the flexible tube with a resin or coating a resin tube. Is often given. However, since the resin is used for the outer skin of the flexible tube in both methods, the insertion part is bent and stored when the endoscope is disinfected or sterilized and stored in the disinfection / sterilization case. Exposed to heated disinfectant and atmosphere. At this time, it is inevitable that the flexible tube is bent. An endoscope in which the insertion portion is still bent may hinder the smooth operation of the endoscope by the operator.

The above-mentioned bending habit correcting device of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-287916 is intended to solve this problem, but a long and hard cylinder having a straight heater built in the channel of the endoscope. Since it is a method of inserting the tube and heating the insertion portion of the endoscope, it cannot be applied to an endoscope without a channel. Even in the case of an endoscope having a channel, it takes a long time to evenly warm the outermost resin layer when using the bending habit correcting device. Further, there is a problem that the work of inserting a long and hard cylinder having a built-in heater into the channel of the endoscope is complicated and troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and an object thereof is to provide a bending habit correcting device for an endoscope which can easily and quickly correct the bending habit of an endoscope insertion portion. It is in.

[0006]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In a bending habit correcting device for an endoscope, which is combined with an endoscope having a flexible tube having a resin layer as an outermost layer, a tubular body for inserting an endoscope insertion portion and holding it in a straight line, and the tubular body A bending habit correcting device for an endoscope, comprising a heating means for heating at least a part of the insertion portion. The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the bending habit correction device for an endoscope has a connecting means for connecting to a housing device that houses peripheral devices such as a light source. It is a device for correcting the bending habit of an endoscope. The invention according to claim 3 is provided with a sterilized or sterilized sheet interposed between the inner wall of the cylindrical body and the endoscope insertion part. It is a device for correcting the bending habit of a mirror.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION (First Embodiment) A bending habit correcting device for an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a bending habit correcting device 2 with an endoscope 1 attached. As shown in FIG. 2, the endoscope 1 is provided with an insertion portion 3, an operation portion 4 and an eyepiece portion 5 in this order from the distal end side thereof, which are sequentially connected. The insertion portion 3 is composed of a distal end portion 6, a bending portion 7 and a flexible tube 8, and the insertion portion 3 as a whole is flexible. Although not shown, an image guide fiber, a light guide fiber and the like are arranged in the insertion portion 3. The outermost layer of the flexible tube 8 is formed of a resin, and appropriate flexibility is applied to adapt the flexibility to the application of the endoscope 1.

The bending habit correction device 2 for an endoscope shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on a trolley 11 for accommodating endoscope peripheral devices such as a light source device. The bending habit correction device 2 for an endoscope includes a cylindrical body 12 as a straight cylindrical body having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1. A conductive wire 13 is embedded in the meat portion of the cylindrical body 12 in a spirally wound state coaxially with the cylindrical body 12.
The conductive wire 13 is a heating wire made of an electric resistance material such as a nichrome wire, and generates heat when energized, and constitutes a heating means for heating the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1.

The cylindrical body 12 has means for connecting to a casing device for accommodating peripheral devices of the endoscope such as a light source. In this embodiment, the connector 14 is used to attach the trolley 11 in a vertical state to the side wall. The connecting tool 14 is preferably of a type in which the cylindrical body 12 can be attached and detached. An upper end portion of the cylindrical body 12 forms an entrance 15 into which the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 is inserted. The entrance 15 is a taper having a large opening at the top for facilitating insertion of the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1. It is formed into a shape.

The cylindrical body 12 has a straight and equal diameter except for the entrance 15, and a power source connecting portion 16 is provided in the vicinity of the lower side of the entrance 15 and both ends of the conductive wire 13 are provided in the power source connecting portion 16. Is guided and connected to it. The conductive wire 13 is connected to the power source by connecting the plug 18 of the power supply cord 17 to the power source connecting portion 16.

A cylindrical body 12 is provided on the side wall of the trolley 11.
A hanger 19 for suspending the operation portion 4 of the endoscope 1 which is located above and is inserted into the cylindrical body 12 is provided.

After the endoscope 1 is disinfected / sterilized, it is suspended on the hanger 19 of the trolley 11 for the next use. At that time, as shown in FIG. The insertion portion 3 is inserted into the cylindrical body 12 located immediately below the hanger 19. Then, the conductive wire 13 is energized to heat the insertion portion 3 in the cylindrical body 12. As shown in FIG. 1, since the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 is vertically suspended in the cylindrical body 12, even if the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 has a bending tendency, it can be corrected. The cylindrical body 12 is sterilized / sterilized after use, like the endoscope 1.

According to the present embodiment, in particular, the labor for correcting the bending tendency of the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 is unnecessary,
The bending habit can be corrected simply by keeping the endoscope 1 on standby.

In order to efficiently heat the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1, the lower end of the cylindrical body 12 is closed to close the cylindrical body 1.
2 may be filled with sterilized water and heated in the same manner as above.

(Second Embodiment) An endoscope bending habit correcting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, a disinfecting and sterilizing cylindrical disposable sheet 20 is mounted inside the cylindrical body 12 in the first embodiment.

When the insertion section 3 of the endoscope 1 is inserted into the cylindrical body 12 having the disposable sheet 20 mounted thereon, the insertion section 3 is covered by the disposable sheet 20, and the insertion section 3 of the endoscope 1 is inserted into the cylindrical body 12. Do not directly touch the inner surface of the.

In order to prevent contamination of the endoscope 1 without the disposable sheet 20, the entire bending habit correcting device 2 must be repeatedly sterilized / sterilized at the same timing as the endoscope 1, but here A sterilized disposable sheet 20 is used, and the sheet 20 separates the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 from the cylindrical body 12.
It is possible to prevent the insertion portion 3 from being contaminated. Further, it is not necessary to disinfect / sterilize the entire bending habit correction device 2, and the disposable endoscope 20 can be used for the next endoscope 1 with only the trouble of replacing the disposable sheet 20. Regardless of whether or not there is a duct in the insertion section 3 of the endoscope 1, the outermost layer of the insertion section 3 of the endoscope 1 can be quickly and easily attached to the insertion section 3 of the endoscope 1 without extra work during standby. You can quickly and easily heat the resin layer to correct its bending habit.

(Third Embodiment) An endoscope bending habit correcting device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In the present embodiment, a local heating device 30 is added to the outside of the cylindrical body 12 of the first embodiment described above. The local heating device 30 is the cylindrical body 1 described above.
2 has a cylindrical heat insulating member 31 to be fitted on the outer periphery thereof, and a conductive wire 32 is embedded in the meat portion of the heat insulating member 31 in a spirally wound state coaxially with the heat insulating member 31. ing. The conductive wire 32 is a heating wire made of an electric resistance material such as a nichrome wire, and generates heat when energized. The heat retaining member 31 is provided with a power supply connecting portion 33, and both ends of the conductive wire 32 are guided to the power supply connecting portion 33.
The plug 35 of the power supply cord 34 is connected to the power supply connection portion 33, whereby the conductive wire 32 is connected to the power supply. The local heating device 30 is slidable along the axial direction of the cylindrical body 12, and can be held at an arbitrary position on the cylindrical body 12 by, for example, mechanical frictional force.

When the endoscope 1 is stored in the disinfection / sterilization case, a strong bending tendency may be attached only to a specific portion in the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion 3. Cylindrical body 12 according to such a part
By positioning and attaching the local heating device 30 to the outside of the, it is possible to efficiently heat the specific portion and to take a strong bending tendency.

According to the present embodiment, it is possible to efficiently correct a strong bending tendency attached to a specific portion.

(Fourth Embodiment) A bending habit correcting device for an endoscope according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, the auxiliary cylindrical body 40, which has been previously sterilized and sterilized, is inserted and mounted inside the cylindrical body 12 of the first embodiment. The auxiliary cylindrical body 40 includes a pair of hard and semi-cylindrical guide members 41 and 42. Collars 43 and 44 are formed on the upper ends of the guide members 41 and 42.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pair of guide members 41 and 42 are abutted against each other and the outer circumference thereof is bound by an elastic member 45 such as a rubber band to form a cylindrical shape. The auxiliary cylindrical body 40 in this cylindrical state is inserted into the cylindrical body 12 for use. At this time, since the collars 43 and 44 are locked to the upper end of the cylindrical body 12, the guide members 41 and 42 do not fall from the cylindrical body 12.

The insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 is inserted and held in the substantially circular gap 46 facing each other, and is heated in the same manner as described above.

Although the outer diameter of the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 varies depending on the use, even if the diameter of the insertion portion 3 varies, the guide members 41 and 42 radially constrain the insertion portion 3 in a straight line. To be done. By preparing various kinds of guide members 41, 42 such as diameter and thickness, it is possible to adapt to many endoscopes 1 having different diameters of the insertion portion 3.

According to this embodiment, the bending tendency can be corrected without being influenced by the outer diameter of the endoscope 1.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, but can be applied to other forms.

(Supplementary Note) According to the above description, the matters listed below and the matters obtained by arbitrarily combining the matters listed below can be obtained. 1. In a bending habit correcting device for an endoscope, which is combined with an endoscope having a flexible tube having a resin layer as an outermost layer, a tubular body for inserting an endoscope insertion portion and holding it in a straight line, and the tubular body A bending habit correcting device for an endoscope, comprising a heating means for heating at least a part of the insertion portion. 2. The curl correction device for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the curl correction device for an endoscope has a connecting means to a housing device that accommodates peripheral devices such as a light source. .

3. The bending habit correction device for an endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a sterilized or sterilized sheet interposed between the inner wall of the cylindrical body and the endoscope insertion portion. 4. In the first claim, a heating means for intensively heating a specific portion in the longitudinal direction of the endoscope insertion part is added, and the heating device according to the first, second or third aspect is characterized. Bending habit correction device for endoscopes.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, the resin layer on the outer layer of the insertion portion of the endoscope is quickly and easily heated to insert the endoscope regardless of the presence or absence of the duct in the insertion portion. Because it can correct the bending tendency of the part, it may interfere with the operation of the endoscope by the operator,
No additional pain will be given to the subject.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a bending habit correcting device for an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall view of an endoscope using the bending habit correcting device for an endoscope according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cylindrical body in the bending habit correcting device for an endoscope according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a cylindrical body in the bending habit correcting device for an endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a cylindrical body in a bending habit correcting device for an endoscope according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a cylindrical body in a bending habit correcting device for an endoscope according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Endoscope 2. Endoscope bending habit correction device 3 ... insertion part 4 ... Operation part 5 ... Eyepiece 11 ... Trolley 12 ... Cylindrical body 13 ... Conductive wire 16 ... Power supply connection 17 ... Power supply cord 18 ... Plug 19 ... Hanger 20 ... Disposable sheet 30 ... Local heating device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A bending habit correcting device for an endoscope, which is combined with an endoscope having a flexible tube having a resin layer as an outermost layer, comprising: a tubular body for inserting an endoscope insertion portion and holding the endoscope in a straight line; A bending habit correcting device for an endoscope, wherein the tubular body is provided with heating means for heating at least a part of the insertion portion. 2. An endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the bending habit correcting device for an endoscope has connecting means for connecting to a casing device for accommodating peripheral devices such as a light source. Bending habit correction device. 3. The bending of the endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a sterilized or sterilized sheet interposed between the inner wall of the cylindrical body and the endoscope insertion portion. Habit correction device.