JP2004154244A - Insertion part of ultrasonic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an insertion part of an ultrasonic endoscope whose wiring laid on flexible substrates for transmitting signals inputting in/outputting from an ultrasonic probe is hardly disconnected and highly durable even if bending actions of a curved part are repeated. <P>SOLUTION: A flexible sheet 22o positioned distal to the axis of the curved part 2 out of the flexible sheets 22i and 22o which are so disposed as to clamp the plurality of flexible substrates 21i and 21o for transmitting the signals to be inputted in/outputted from the ultrasonic probe 4 therebetween has a higher strength than the flexible sheet 22i positioned proximal to the axis of the curved part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an insertion section of an ultrasonic endoscope in which an ultrasonic probe and an observation window for optical observation are provided at the tip.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The insertion section of the ultrasonic endoscope is connected to the distal end of a flexible tube of the insertion section by a remote operation from the operation section so that insertion and guidance can be easily performed similarly to a general endoscope. In addition, a so-called flexible board is used as a signal transmission member for transmitting a signal input / output to / from the ultrasonic probe in the insertion section.
[0003]
However, in such an ultrasonic endoscope, a bending portion bends to exert a stretching force on the flexible substrate, and as a result, the flexible substrate repeatedly repeats a wavy state and a straightened state as a result. May be disconnected.
[0004]
Therefore, conventionally, an electrically insulating flexible sheet having a width similar to that of the flexible substrate has been arranged so as to overlap with the plurality of flexible substrates while sandwiching the plurality of flexible substrates in a sandwich shape (for example, see Patent Document 1). 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2002-153468
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in an endoscope bending portion that is bent with a small radius of curvature, there is a characteristic in which a portion located farther from the axis of the bending portion is more likely to be damaged due to a larger expansion and contraction force.
[0007]
As a result, of the plurality of flexible boards arranged in an overlapping manner, a flexible board at a position farther from the axis of the curved portion is more easily damaged than a flexible board at a position closer to the axis of the curved portion. Was.
[0008]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an insertion portion of an ultrasonic endoscope which is hard to be broken in wiring provided on a flexible substrate even when a bending operation of a bending portion is repeated and has excellent durability.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the insertion portion of the ultrasonic endoscope of the present invention has a bending portion that is bent by remote control connected to a distal end of a flexible tube portion, and is configured to transmit and receive an ultrasonic signal. An acoustic probe and an observation window for performing optical observation are arranged at a portion closer to the distal end than the curved portion, and a flexible substrate is used in the curved portion as a signal transmission member for transmitting signals input to and output from the ultrasonic probe. The insertion of the ultrasonic endoscope, which is arranged in such a manner that an electrically insulating flexible sheet of the same width as the flexible board is sandwiched between the plurality of flexible boards in a sandwich-like manner and is superposed on the plurality of flexible boards. In the portion, among the flexible sheets arranged to sandwich the plurality of flexible substrates, the flexible sheet located farther from the axis of the curved portion is closer to the axis of the curved portion. It is obtained to have a stronger stiffness than the flexible sheet located.
[0010]
As the flexible sheet located farther from the axis of the bending portion, a flexible sheet thicker than the flexible sheet located closer to the axis of the bending portion may be arranged. A plurality of flexible sheets having the same thickness as the flexible sheet located closer to the axis of the curved portion may be arranged as a flexible sheet located farther from the bending section.
[0011]
Further, in a state where the flexible substrate and the flexible sheet are overlapped with each other, a flexible heat-shrinkable tube may be closely adhered and shrink-coated on the outer surface thereof.
[0012]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows an ultrasonic endoscope, in which a distal end of a flexible tube 1 inserted into a body cavity is connected to a bending portion 2 which is bent by remote control, and is connected to the distal end of the bending portion 2. A cylindrical ultrasonic probe 4 is attached to the distal end main body 3.
[0013]
An observation window 10 and the like for optical observation are arranged on the distal end surface of the distal end main body 3. In the distal end main body 3, an objective optical system for projecting and imaging an optical observation image and a solid-state imaging device are provided. The exit end of the light guide fiber bundle for illuminating the optical observation range is arranged.
[0014]
A bending operation knob 6 for bending the bending portion 2 and the like are arranged on the operation portion 5 connected to the base end of the flexible tube portion 1. A video signal connector section 81 and a light guide connector section 82 connected to a video processor (not shown) are provided side by side at the distal end of the first connection flexible tube 8 connected to the operation section 5. An ultrasonic signal connector unit 91 connected to an ultrasonic signal processing device (not shown) is provided at the distal end of the second connection flexible tube 9.
[0015]
FIG. 1 shows the distal end portion of the insertion portion, and is a cross-sectional view (II cross-sectional view in FIG. 2) in a cross section perpendicular to the axis of the bending portion 2. The operation wire 15 is inserted and arranged in the arranged wire guide 16 so as to be able to advance and retreat in the axial direction, and the bending portion 2 is bent in the direction in which the operation wire 15 pulled from the operation portion 5 is located.
[0016]
Reference numeral 11 denotes a video signal cable for transmitting an imaging signal or the like of an endoscope observation image, 12 a light guide fiber bundle for transmitting illumination light, 13 a treatment tool insertion channel for guiding a treatment tool, and 14 a super It is a tube for pouring and draining deaerated water to a balloon attached around the acoustic probe 4.
[0017]
Reference numeral 21 (21i, 21o) denotes a flexible substrate for transmitting signals input / output to / from the ultrasonic probe 4, and eight flexible substrates 21 are provided at positions close to the axis of the bending portion 2 by two each. The flexible board 21i and the flexible board 21o located at a position far from the axis of the bending portion 2 are arranged in four sets so as to overlap each other.
[0018]
Further, flexible sheets 22 (22i, 22o) having a width similar to that of the flexible substrates 21i, 21o and having electrical insulation properties, for example, of polyester, polyethylene, or fluororesin type, are superposed in pairs. The flexible substrates 21i and 21o are arranged so as to be sandwiched between them in a sandwich shape.
[0019]
Then, on the outer surfaces of the superposed flexible substrates 21i and 21o and the flexible sheets 22i and 22o, a heat-shrinkable tube made of a synthetic resin tube made of, for example, polyester, polyethylene, fluororesin, or silicon is used. 23 are coated.
[0020]
The heat-shrinkable tube 23 is loosely covered so as to surround the flexible substrates 21i and 21o and the flexible sheets 22i and 22o, and then contracts by being heated so that the flexible substrates 21i and 21o and the flexible sheets 22i and 22i. It is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of 22o.
[0021]
In the embodiment configured as described above, of the flexible sheets 22i and 22o sandwiching the two flexible substrates 21i and 21o, the flexible sheet located farther from the axis of the curved portion 2 is arranged. As 22o, a flexible sheet thicker than the flexible sheet 22i located closer to the axis of the curved portion 2 (for example, having a thickness of about 1.2 to 3 times) is used. .
[0022]
With such a configuration, when the flexible substrate 21 is in a wavy state by the expansion and contraction force acting on the flexible substrate 21 due to the bending of the bending portion 2, the presence of the flexible sheet 22 (and the heat-shrinkable tube 23) is present. Thereby, the bending of the flexible substrate 21 is reduced so as not to be extremely small.
[0023]
Since the flexible sheet 22o located farther from the axis of the bending portion 2 is thicker and stiffer than the thickness of the flexible sheet 22i located closer to the axis of the bending portion 2, it is curved. The flexible substrate 21o located far from the axis of the part 2 and on which a large expansion and contraction force acts is sufficiently reinforced and is hardly damaged, and the wiring thereof is not disconnected.
[0024]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may have a configuration in which a third flexible sheet or the like is sandwiched between two flexible substrates 21i and 21o, for example.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 3, the flexible sheet 22o located farther from the axis of the bending portion 2 has a plurality of flexible sheets 22i having the same thickness as the flexible sheet 22i located closer to the axis of the bending portion 2. Of flexible sheets 22o-1 and 22o-2 may be arranged in an overlapping manner.
[0026]
Regardless of the thickness of the flexible sheet 22, the point is that the flexible sheet 22 o located farther from the axis of the bending section 2 is a flexible sheet 22 o located closer to the axis of the bending section 2. Any material may be used as long as it is made of a material that is stiffer than the sheet 22i or a flexible sheet having hardness.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, among the flexible sheets arranged so as to sandwich the plurality of flexible substrates, the flexible sheet positioned farther from the axis of the curved portion is closer to the axis of the curved portion. By having a stronger waist than the positioned flexible sheet, the flexible board, which is located far from the axis of the bending portion and exerts a large expansion and contraction force, is sufficiently reinforced, and the bending operation of the bending portion is repeated. Also, the wiring provided on the flexible substrate is hardly broken, and excellent durability can be obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is a cross-sectional view (II cross-sectional view in FIG. 2) of a cross section perpendicular to an axis of a bending portion of an ultrasonic endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an overall side view of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view in a cross section perpendicular to an axis of a bending portion of an ultrasonic endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 flexible tube section 2 bending section 4 ultrasonic probe 21 flexible board 21i flexible board 21o located closer to axis of bending section flexible board 22i located farther from axis of bending section closer to axis of bending section Flexible sheet 22o located Flexible sheet 23 located far from the axis of the bendable part Heat-shrinkable tube

Claims (4)

A bending portion that is bent by remote operation is connected to the distal end of the flexible tube portion, and an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic signal and an observation window for performing optical observation are located on a distal end side of the bending portion. A flexible substrate is used in the bending portion as a signal transmission member for transmitting signals input / output to / from the ultrasonic probe, and an electrically insulating flexible member having a width similar to that of the flexible substrate is used. In the insertion portion of the ultrasonic endoscope arranged in a state in which a plurality of flexible substrates are sandwiched in a sandwich shape,
Among the flexible sheets disposed to sandwich the plurality of flexible substrates, the flexible sheet located farther from the axis of the curved portion is located closer to the axis of the curved portion. An insertion part for an ultrasonic endoscope, which has a stronger waist than a flexible sheet. 2. The flexible sheet located farther from the axis of the curved portion is a flexible sheet thicker than the flexible sheet located closer to the axis of the curved portion. Insertion section of an ultrasonic endoscope. A plurality of flexible sheets having the same thickness as the flexible sheet located closer to the axis of the curved portion are arranged as the flexible sheet located farther from the axis. An insertion part of the ultrasonic endoscope according to 1. 4. The ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate and the flexible sheet are overlapped with each other, and a flexible heat-shrinkable tube is tightly shrink-coated on an outer surface thereof. Insertion part of mirror.

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