JP2004313462A - Swinging operation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a swinging operation device having superior operability in a joystick type swinging operation device used as an industrial endoscopic device. <P>SOLUTION: This swinging operation device 1 is provided with a pipe guide attached with a camera head to a tip via a freely bendable part, and an operation part 10 attached to the rear end of the pipe guide via a retaining part. The operation part 10 is provided with slide members 23 fixed to the rear ends of four operation wires W having their tips fixed to the camera head and inserted into the pipe guide; slide grooves 21b letting the respective slide members 23 to slide, a fixed shaft 26 rotatably provided so as to fix and release the fixing of the respective slide members 23 on the way to sliding; and a clamp mechanism 20 having a knob 32 rotating the rotating shaft 26. The clamp mechanism 20, after bending the pipe guide into a desirable shape, fixes the respective slide members 23 so as to set it in an initial state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a joystick type swing operation device used as, for example, an industrial endoscope device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When inspecting the inside of a pipe leading to a special environment such as a nuclear reactor, an industrial endoscope device is used. Also, when inspecting the inside of a bent slender pipe such as a sewer pipe or a gas pipe, observation using an industrial endoscope apparatus is effective.
[0003]
As this kind of industrial endoscope device, a pipe guide having a camera head at the tip, an operation part for manipulating the direction of the camera head at hand, and a bendable pipe guide between the camera head and the operation part There is known a joystick type swing operation device which is connected by a computer (for example, see Patent Document 1). The pipe guide houses four operation wires connecting the camera head and the operation unit, an optical fiber cable for illumination, a camera cable, and the like.
[0004]
This swing operation device directs the camera head in a desired direction by bending the operation portion, pulling the wire outside the bend, and relaxing the wire inside the bend.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2002-341258 (paragraph [0016], FIG. 1)
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in a case where the operation section is operated and the swinging operation device is operated in a state where the pipe guide is inserted into the bent elongated pipe and the camera head is arranged at a desired inspection position, the camera head is moved to a desired inspection position in the pipe. When the pipe guide is arranged at the position, the pipe guide is bent according to the shape of the pipe, and the four wires accommodated in the pipe guide are also pulled or relaxed. If the operation unit is bent in this state, the camera head does not instantaneously point in the desired direction because there is a pulled wire and a loosened wire.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a swing operation device excellent in operability.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the swinging operation device of the present invention includes a bendable elongated tubular guide member accommodating a plurality of operation wires, and a plurality of wires attached to a distal end of the guide member. And a function part in which the tip of the wire is fixed at a position separated from the center axis of the guide member, and a flexible portion attached to the rear end of the guide member and allowing the plurality of wires to be inserted at a position separated from the center axis. An operating portion having a flexible bent portion, and fixing and fixing the plurality of wires at positions separated from the central axis of the guide member and at positions separated from the guide member from the bent portion, respectively, provided on the operating portion. And a clamp mechanism for releasing.
[0009]
According to the swing operation device of the present invention, the guide member is bent into a desired shape in a state where the plurality of wires are released from being fixed by the clamp mechanism, and thereafter, the plurality of wires are fixed by the clamp mechanism. In this state, the operating portion is operated to bend the bent portion, to pull the wire on the outside of the bend and relax the wire on the inside of the bend, to direct the functional portion in a desired direction. As described above, the wire is fixed before the operation by the operation unit, and after the guide member is bent into a desired shape, the wire is fixed, so that all the wires are tensioned immediately before the operation. Thereafter, when the bent portion is bent, the functional portion is instantaneously directed in a desired direction, and the operability is improved.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
FIG. 1 schematically shows the appearance of a joystick-type swing operation device 1 (hereinafter, simply referred to as an operation device 1) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The operating device 1 is used as an industrial endoscope device, and is used, for example, to inspect the inside of a pipe that leads to a special environment such as a nuclear reactor, and to inspect the inside of a slender pipe such as a water and sewage pipe and a gas pipe.
[0012]
The operating device 1 has a bendable and slender tubular pipe guide 2 (guide member) accommodating four operation wires W to be described later. A camera head 4 (functional unit) is attached to the distal end of the pipe guide 2 via a bendable portion 3 made of, for example, a substantially cylindrical elastic member that can be bent. The bendable portion 3 and the camera head 4 have substantially the same outer diameter as the pipe guide 2, and are not caught when inserted into an elongated tube.
[0013]
The camera head 4 includes a sensor and a lens (not shown), and the tip end of each of the plurality of optical fiber cables (not shown) for illumination is exposed at the tip end surface. That is, the pipe guide 2 accommodates a plurality of optical fiber cables and a camera cable (not shown) in addition to the four wires W.
[0014]
The bendable portion 3 has four elongated holes (not shown) through which the four wires W are slidably inserted at positions separated from the central axis (not shown) of the pipe guide 2. The four holes are provided with a phase difference of 90 ° from each other. The tip of each wire W inserted into each hole of the bendable portion 3 is fixed to the rear end of the camera head 4 at a position separated from the center axis.
[0015]
The bendable portion 3 is bent by pulling or relaxing the four wires W at the rear end of the pipe guide 2, and the direction of the camera head 4 can be freely directed 360 ° in up, down, left, right, and oblique directions. It works to make it work.
[0016]
On the other hand, an operation section 10 is attached to the rear end of the pipe guide 2 via a substantially cylindrical holding section 5 having a larger diameter than the pipe guide 2. The holding unit 5 has a room for allowing the wire W to be loosened when the operation device 1 is operated, and also functions as a handle held by an operator.
[0017]
The operation unit 10 has a bendable portion 6 continuous with the holding portion 5 and an operation handle 7 continuous with the bendable portion 6. The operation handle 7 has a built-in clamp mechanism 20, which will be described later, for fixing and releasing the fixing of the four wires W at positions away from the central axis.
[0018]
Hereinafter, the operation unit 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the operation unit 10, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the operation unit 10.
[0019]
The operation section 10 has a substantially columnar mounting member 12 fixed to the rear end 5a of the holding section 5 with a screw 11. The attachment member 12 has a hole 12a at the center thereof for receiving the tip of a flexible shaft 13 (shaft member) made of a bendable substantially cylindrical elastic member. After the flexible shaft 13 is inserted into the hole 12 a of the mounting member 12, the flexible shaft 13 is fixed to the mounting member 12 by the above-described screw 11 for fixing the mounting member 12 to the holding portion 5.
[0020]
Further, the mounting member 12 has four holes 12b through which the four wires W are slidably inserted at positions away from the central axis. The four holes 12b are provided with phases different from each other by 90 °.
[0021]
On the outer periphery of the flexible shaft 13 fixed to the mounting member 12, a plurality of substantially circular plate-like members 14 are provided in parallel with each other at a constant interval in the axial direction. A plurality of elastic members 15 such as a substantially circular sponge are buried.
[0022]
The plate-like member 14 and the elastic member 15 each have a central hole 16 for fitting the flexible shaft 13 and four holes 17 for slidably inserting the four wires W, respectively. The four holes 17 are provided at phases different from each other by 90 °, corresponding to the holes 12b described above.
[0023]
A substantially cylindrical frame member 21 of a clamp mechanism 20 built in the operation handle 7 is attached to the rear end of the flexible shaft 13 exposed through the center hole 16. The frame member 21 has a hole 21a for receiving the rear end of the flexible shaft 13, and the rear end of the flexible shaft 13 is fixed to the frame member 21 by a screw 22a. Further, the frame member 21 has four holes 21a through which the four wires W are slidably inserted.
[0024]
Since the outer diameter of the frame member 21 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the plate member 14 and the elastic member 15, by fixing the frame member 21 to the flexible shaft 13, the elasticity of the plate member 14 and the elastic member 15 is increased. The structure is restrained between the mounting member 12 and the frame member 21.
[0025]
As described above, by fixing both ends of the flexible shaft 13 to the mounting member 12 and the frame member 21, respectively, rotation of the frame member 21 with respect to the mounting member 12 can be prohibited. In other words, the flexible shaft 13 non-rotatably connects the pipe guide 2 and the operation unit 10 to each other, and curves itself.
[0026]
Further, in the present embodiment, since the bent portion 6 is configured by a simple structure in which the plurality of plate-like members 14 and the elastic members 15 are provided on the outer periphery of the flexible shaft 13, the parts are compared with the conventional structure. The number of points can be reduced, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the weight of the device can be reduced. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, in a state where the bellows-shaped cover 18 for protecting the bent portion 6 is provided, the cover 18 is not damaged by the plate-shaped member 14, and the durability is excellent. Furthermore, by using the above-described structure for the bent portion 6, the bent portion 6 can be smoothly bent in all directions by 360 °, and operability can be improved.
[0027]
Returning to FIGS. 2 and 3, the frame member 21 has four slide grooves 21b. Each slide groove 21b accommodates a substantially rectangular block-shaped slide member 23 fixed to the rear end of the wire W inserted through each of the four holes 21a of the frame member 21 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. The slide grooves 21b are provided corresponding to the four holes 21a, respectively, and are provided along the outer periphery of the frame member 21 with a phase difference of 90 ° from each other.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 3, the slide member 23 has a non-penetrated hole 23a for receiving and locking a spherical locking member 24 fixed to the rear end of each wire W. Fixedly attached to the rear end of the At this time, a spring 25 (tensioning means) for urging the slide member 23 toward the rear end of the operation handle 7 is attached to each wire W. When the slide member 23 is in a free state in which the slide member 23 is slidable, the spring 25 functions to eliminate the slack of the wire W and to tighten the wire W.
[0029]
The slide member 23 has an engagement step 23b (first engagement step) extending in a direction orthogonal to the slide groove 21b. Each slide member 23 is accommodated and arranged in the corresponding slide groove 21b such that the engaging step 23b faces inward.
[0030]
On the rear end side of the frame member 21, a circular recess 21c for rotatably receiving a fixed shaft 26 (fixed member) that simultaneously acts on the four slide members 23 is formed. The recess 21c is provided inside the four slide grooves 21b and communicates with each slide groove 21b.
[0031]
The fixed shaft 26 acts on the engagement step 23b of the slide member 23 along the rotation direction to fix the slide member 23 at an arbitrary slide position (second engagement step 26a). ), And a non-acting portion 26b on the outer periphery of the non-acting portion 26b that allows the slide member 23 to slide without acting on the engaging step portion 23b of the slide member 23. ing. The engaging step 26a is provided over the entire movable range of the slide member 23, and the slide member 23 can be fixed at an arbitrary slide position.
[0032]
That is, the fixed shaft 26 is inserted and arranged in the recess 21c of the frame member 21, and the engaging step of each operating part 26a is rotated (first state) in a state where the operating part 26a is rotated to a position opposed to each slide groove 21b. The portion 26a is engaged with the engagement step 23b of each slide member 23, and the four slide members 23 are simultaneously fixed at the slide positions at that time. Further, in a state in which the four non-acting portions 26b are rotated to positions opposed to the four slide grooves 21b (second state), each slide member 23 is in a free state, and the slide member 23 can slide along the slide groove 21b. It becomes.
[0033]
The rotation position of the fixed shaft 26 is defined at 45 ° intervals by a ball plunger 27 provided near the tip of the fixed shaft 26, and each time the fixed shaft 26 is rotated 45 °, four operating portions 26a and four non-operating portions are provided. The portions 26b alternately face the four slide grooves 21b, that is, the engaging step portions 23b of the four slide members 23.
[0034]
A substantially circular plate-like member 28 for holding the rear end of the fixed shaft 26 received in the recess 21c is attached to the rear end of the frame member 21 with a screw 29. The plate member 28 also closes the rear end of the slide groove 21b of the frame member 21. The plate member 28 has a hole 28a for partially exposing the rear end of the fixed shaft 26. At the exposed rear end of the fixed shaft 26, a rectangular plate-like projection 26c is provided to protrude.
[0035]
A substantially cylindrical grip 31 is attached to the outside of the frame member 21. The grip 31 covers the outside of the four slide grooves 21 b by surrounding the outside of the frame member 21. The grip 31 is fixed to the frame member 21 by the screws 22a and 22b described above.
[0036]
A knob 32 (switching means) having a groove 32a that engages with the projection 26c of the fixed shaft 26 is provided inside the grip 31 near the rear end. The knob 32 has a grip portion 32b exposed on the rear end side of the grip 31. The fixed shaft 26 can be rotated by an operator gripping and rotating the grip portion 32b from the rear end side of the grip 31.
[0037]
A signal processing device (not shown) is connected to a base end of a camera cable (not shown) extending through the pipe guide 2, and a base end of an optical fiber cable extending through the pipe guide 2 is not shown. There is no light source for illumination.
[0038]
Hereinafter, an operation method of the operation device 1 having the above structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which each slide member 23 is fixed at the neutral position N in a state where the operating device 1 is straightened, and FIG. 5 shows each slide member 23 in a free state. A state of the clamp mechanism 20 when the operating device 1 is bent to the state shown in FIG. 1 later is shown in a sectional view.
[0039]
When using the operating device 1, the worker first turns the knob 32 so that the four non-operating portions 26 b of the fixed shaft 26 face the four slide grooves 21 b of the frame member 21, and the four slide members 23 Make it free. In this state, the four slide members 23 are slidable along the corresponding slide grooves 21b.
[0040]
Next, the worker inserts the camera head 4 into a curved elongated tube (not shown) to be inspected, curves the pipe guide 2 along the tube, and places the camera head 4 at a desired inspection position. I do. Here, for ease of explanation, it is assumed that the pipe guide 2 is curved as shown in FIG. 1 with the camera head 4 inserted and set to a desired inspection position.
[0041]
When the pipe guide 2 bends as shown in FIG. 1, the wire W on the outside of the curve is pulled and the wire W on the inside of the curve is relaxed, and the four slide members 23 at the neutral position N shown in FIG. Move to the slide position shown. That is, the slide member 23 fixed to the wire W inside the curve moves to the rear end side so as to eliminate the slack of the wire W, and the slide member 23 fixed to the wire W outside the curve changes the tension of the wire W. Move to the distal end side to eliminate.
[0042]
In particular, the slide member 23 fixed to the wire W inside the curve is urged to the rear end side by the spring 25, and the wire W is tensioned. Further, the slide member 23 fixed to the wire W on the outside of the curve is moved toward the distal end side against the urging force of the spring 25. For this reason, it is desirable that the spring 25 generate a necessary minimum urging force capable of tensioning the wire W in the slack state, and has a degree that does not affect the operation. Alternatively, the spring 25 may be omitted, and the wire W may be tensioned by the restoring force of the wire W itself.
[0043]
After each slide member 23 moves to the position shown in FIG. 5 and all the wires W are tensioned, the operator turns the knob 32 to move the four working portions 26a of the fixed shaft 26 to the four slides of the frame member 21. It faces the groove 21b. As a result, the engagement step portions 23b of the respective slide members 23 are respectively engaged with the engagement step portions 26a of the fixed shaft 26, and all the slide members 23 are fixed at the respective slide positions.
[0044]
Thereafter, the operator operates the operation handle 7 of the operation unit 10 to bend the bending portion 6 and direct the camera head 4 in a desired direction.
[0045]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the slide member 23 fixed to each wire W is set in a free state, the pipe guide 2 is bent, and the camera head 4 is arranged at a desired inspection position. Each slide member 23 was fixed to an initial state, and thereafter, the operation unit 10 was operated to direct the camera head 4 in a desired direction. Thereby, all four wires W can be operated in a tensioned state, the camera head 4 can be instantaneously directed in a desired direction, and operability can be improved.
[0046]
Further, according to the operating device 1 of the present embodiment, since the clamp mechanism 20 that fixes and releases the wire W on the rear end side of the bending portion 6 of the operating portion 10 is provided, the wire W may be in any state. You can always stay nervous. For example, even if the wire W is elongated due to a change over time or a change in environmental temperature, the extension of the wire W can be corrected by the clamp mechanism 20.
[0047]
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements in an implementation stage without departing from the spirit of the invention. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the above-described embodiment.
[0048]
For example, instead of the clamp mechanism 20 of the above-described embodiment, a clamp mechanism 40 as shown in FIG. 6 may be employed. The clamp mechanism 40 functions to fix and release each slide member 23 by button operation.
[0049]
The clamp mechanism 40 has four action blocks 41 each having an engagement step 41a that engages with the engagement step 23b of each slide member 23. Each of the action blocks 41 has a substantially fan-shaped cross section, and four of them are combined to form a substantially cylindrical shape. The engaging step 41a of each operation block 41 is provided over substantially the entire slidable range of the slide member 23. The four operation blocks 41 are urged toward the center by urging means (not shown).
[0050]
Inside the four action blocks 41, a fixed rod 42 having two bumps 42a and 42b separated in the axial direction is slidably provided. The fixing rod 42 can be fixed to a position shown in FIG. 6A and a position shown in FIG. 6B by a known mechanism. On the other hand, two concave portions 41 b capable of receiving the two bumps 42 a and 42 b of the fixed rod 42 are formed on the inner surface of each operation block 41. As shown in FIG. 6A, the four operation blocks 41 and the fixing rod 42 are combined and inserted into the recess 21c of the frame member 21 described above.
[0051]
When the four slide members 23 are fixed by using the clamp mechanism 40, the operation button (not shown) exposed at the rear end of the operation handle 7 is pressed, and the fixing rod 42 is pushed in the direction of the arrow P in the drawing, and the two knobs are pressed. 42a and 42b climb over the concave portion 41b, and the four action blocks 41 are spread outward as indicated by arrows in FIG. 6B against the urging force of the urging means (not shown). Thereby, the engaging step 41a of each operation block 41 is engaged with the engaging step 23b of the slide member 23, and the slide member 23 is pinched and fixed between the inner wall of the recess 21c and the operation block 41 and fixed. Is done.
[0052]
As described above, the operability can be further improved by fixing and releasing the fixing of the slide member 23 by the button operation. Also, instead of fixing the fixing rod 42 at two positions by a well-known mechanism, the slide member 23 is released only when the fixing rod 42 is pressed, and the operation button is released. Alternatively, the state shown in FIG.
[0053]
Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where four operation wires W are used has been described. However, in order to realize a stable swing operation, it is desirable that the number of wires W be four.
[0054]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the rear ends of the four wires W are fixed and released by the clamp mechanism 20 is described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. You may do it.
[0055]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, since the swing operation device of the present invention has the above-described configuration and operation, operability can be improved as compared with the conventional device.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the appearance of a swing operation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an operation unit of the operation device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an operation unit of the operation device in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a view for explaining an operation of a clamp mechanism incorporated in the operation unit of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a view for explaining the operation of a clamp mechanism incorporated in the operation unit of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a main part of a clamp mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... swinging operation device,
2 ... Pipe guide,
3 ... flexible part,
4: Camera head,
5 ... holding part,
6 ... bending part,
7 ... Operation handle,
10. Operation unit,
13. Flexible shaft,
14 ... plate-like member,
15 ... elastic member,
20 ... clamp mechanism,
21 ... frame member,
21b: slide groove,
23 ... Slide member,
23b ... engaging step portion,
25 ... Spring,
26 ... fixed shaft,
26a: engaging step,
26b: non-acting portion,
32 ... knob,
40 ... Clamp mechanism,
W: Wire.

Claims (8)

A bendable elongated tubular guide member containing a plurality of operation wires,
A functional unit attached to the tip of the guide member, and fixing the tips of the plurality of wires at positions separated from the center axis of the guide member,
An operation unit having a bendable portion that is attached to a rear end of the guide member and that allows the plurality of wires to be inserted at a position separated from the central axis,
A clamp mechanism provided in the operation unit, for fixing and releasing the plurality of wires at a position separated from the center axis of the guide member and at a position separated from the guide member from the bent portion,
A swing operation device comprising: 2. The swing operation device according to claim 1, further comprising a tensioning means for applying tension so as to eliminate slack of each of the plurality of wires in a state where the plurality of wires are fixed and released by the clamp mechanism. The above clamping mechanism
A plurality of slide members fixed to each of the wires,
A slide groove accommodating each of the plurality of slide members so as to be slidable,
A fixing member set to a first state for fixing the plurality of slide members so as not to be slidable and a second state for releasing the fixation;
Switching means for switching the fixing member between the first state and the second state;
The swing operation device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: The plurality of slide members have a first engagement step extending in a direction orthogonal to the slide direction,
An operating portion having a second engaging step for engaging the first engaging step of the slide member over substantially the entire movable range of the slide member; A non-acting portion that does not interfere with the engaging step portion, having a fixed shaft having alternately on its outer circumference along the rotational direction,
4. The swing operation device according to claim 3, wherein the switching means has a knob for rotating the fixed shaft. The plurality of slide members have a first engagement step extending in a direction orthogonal to the slide direction,
The fixing member has a second engagement step that engages with the first engagement step of the slide member over substantially the entire movable range of the slide member,
The switching means includes: a first state in which the second engagement step is engaged with the first engagement step; and a switching of the second engagement step from the first engagement step. The swing operation device according to claim 3, further comprising an operation button for moving the fixed member between the second state and the second state to be separated. The operation button separates the second engagement step from the first engagement step in a pressed state, and separates the second engagement step from the first engagement step in a released state. The swing operation device according to claim 5, wherein the swing operation device functions so as to be engaged with the portion. The bent portion,
A bendable shaft member that connects the guide member and the operation unit so that they cannot rotate with each other;
A plurality of plate-shaped members provided outside the shaft member and having a plurality of holes through which the plurality of wires are slidably inserted, and spaced apart and arranged along the shaft member,
An elastic member filling the space between the plurality of plate members;
The swing operation device according to claim 1, comprising: 2. The swing operation device according to claim 1, further comprising a room that allows the plurality of wires to be loosened, between the guide member and the operation unit.

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