JP2008220463A - Structure of attaching/detaching endoscope and portable light source device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a structure of attaching/detaching an endoscope and a portable light source device surely attaching/detaching the portable light source device to/from the endoscope and making it possible to easily recognize whether or not it is surely mounted though in a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: On the portable light source device 30 having a light emitting insertion part 43 which can be inserted and removed to/from a recessed part 16 for light source connection formed on the endoscope 10, a locking member 46 is energized in a projecting direction and provided so as to appear and disappear. On the inner peripheral surface of the recessed part for the light source connection of the endoscope 10, a recessed part 19 for holding and a groove 21 for disengagement formed adjacently to the recessed part for holding in a circumferential direction, both of which the locking member 16 can be engaged and disengaged to/from, are formed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an attachment / detachment structure for an endoscope and a portable light source device.

As a conventional example of a portable endoscope in which a portable light source device can be attached and detached, there is one described in Patent Document 1, for example.
A male screw portion 3c is provided on the side surface of the operation portion 3 of the endoscope 1, and the portable light source device (battery type light source) 5 includes a mounting screw 24 that can be screwed into the male screw portion 3c.
Therefore, the portable light source device 5 can be attached to the endoscope 1 by screwing the screw portion (inner peripheral surface) of the mounting screw 24 of the portable light source device 5 into the male screw portion 3 c of the endoscope 1. .
Japanese Patent No. 3708387

However, as in Patent Document 1, the operation of screwing the mounting screw 24 of the portable light source device 5 into the male screw portion 3c of the endoscope 1 and the operation of releasing the screwing are not easy. When the endoscope 1 is operated alone without taking the above into account, it is difficult to reliably perform screwing and releasing.
Further, when the mounting screw 24 of the portable light source device 5 and the male screw portion 3 c of the endoscope 1 are screwed together, the male screw portion 3 c and the screw portion (inner peripheral surface) of the mounting screw 24 are hidden by the outer peripheral portion of the mounting screw 24. Therefore, the operator cannot see the screwed state at all.

  The present invention provides an attachment / detachment structure between an endoscope and a portable light source device that can be easily attached / detached to / from an endoscope and that can be easily grasped whether or not the portable light source device is securely attached even though it has a simple structure. The purpose is to provide.

  The endoscope / portable light source device attachment / detachment structure according to the present invention includes a light source connecting recess formed in an endoscope, and a light source insertion portion that can be inserted into and removed from the light source connecting recess and is rotatable relative to the light source. A concave member at a position distant from the opening end of the inner peripheral surface of the light source connecting recess, the locking member provided so as to be able to project and retract in the radial direction from the surface of the light emitting insertion portion and biased in the protruding direction. A holding recess for holding the portable light source device by engaging the protruding locking member provided, and an inner peripheral surface of the light source connecting recess so as to be adjacent to the holding recess in the circumferential direction. And an engagement release groove that extends in the axial direction of the light source connection recess and that is open at one end of the opening and that can be engaged with the locking member in the protruding state. Yes.

  It is preferable to form a guide inclined portion at the circumferential end of the holding concave portion that reduces the amount of depression with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the light source connecting concave portion toward the engagement releasing groove side.

  A plurality of the locking members are provided in the light emitting insertion portion at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction, and the same number of holding recesses and engagement release grooves as the locking members are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the light source connecting recess. Are preferably provided at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction.

  The light emitting insertion portion has a restricting portion for restricting the moving end of the engaging member biased in the protruding direction in the protruding direction, and the engaging member is restricted from moving in the protruding direction by the restricting portion. In this state, it is preferable to engage with the holding recess.

  It is preferable that the disengagement groove has a shape that increases the amount of recess with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the light source connecting recess as it goes toward the opening end.

  The locking member is preferably a sphere.

According to the present invention, the light emitting insertion portion of the portable light source device is inserted into the light source connecting recess formed in the endoscope, and the holding member provided on the light emitting insertion portion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the light source connecting recess. When engaged with the recess, the locking member is fixed by the holding recess. Therefore, the portable light source device can be easily attached to the endoscope.
Further, when the locking member is engaged with the holding recess, the light emitting insertion portion is rotated around its own axis, and the locking member is engaged with the disengagement groove. The light emitting insertion portion can be easily pulled out from the light source connecting recess by simply moving in the pulling direction along the groove.
In addition, since the relative position of the portable light source device with respect to the light source connecting recess can be visually confirmed, and when the locking member is engaged with the holding recess, a click feeling can be felt. The connection state between the light source device and the endoscope can be easily grasped.
Furthermore, since the mounting structure of the present invention is simple, it can be realized at low cost.

  According to the second aspect, the locking member can be smoothly moved from the holding recess to the engagement release groove.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since there are a plurality of locking members and holding recesses, the light emitting insertion portion can be reliably held by the light source connecting recesses.
In addition, since the circumferential intervals of the locking members are the same as the circumferential intervals of the holding recesses and the engagement releasing grooves, the locking members are simultaneously and smoothly engaged with the engagement releasing grooves when the light emitting insertion portion is rotated. Can be moved to.

  According to the fourth aspect, since the position of the locking member is stabilized when the locking member is engaged with the holding recess, the holding of the locking member by the holding recess is further stabilized.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when the light emitting insertion portion is moved in the pulling direction in a state where the locking member is engaged with the engagement releasing groove, the locking member is disengaged from the engagement releasing groove. Easier to escape. Therefore, the escape operation from the light source connecting concave portion of the light emitting insertion portion can be performed more smoothly.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the locking member is a sphere, the light emitting insertion portion is engaged with the light source connection recess, the light source connection recess is moved to the engagement release groove, and the engagement release groove. Escape from can be performed more smoothly.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope 10 according to the present embodiment is a medical portable endoscope, and includes an operation unit 11 that is held by an operator and a flexibility that extends forward from the operation unit 11. And an eyepiece 13 that is continuous with the rear end of the operation unit 11. An illumination lens and an objective lens (not shown) are provided on the distal end surface of the insertion portion 12, and a light guide fiber 14 whose distal end is connected to the illumination lens inside the operation portion 11 and the insertion portion 12, An image guide fiber (not shown) having a distal end connected to the objective lens and a rear end connected to the eyepiece 13 is provided. When light is supplied to the light guide fiber 14 from a lamp 36 which will be described later, this light is irradiated to the outside from the distal end surface of the insertion portion 12 via the light guide fiber 14 and the illumination lens. Further, when an object (such as an affected part of a patient) is observed with the objective lens, the object image is transmitted to the eyepiece 13 through the objective lens and the image guide fiber, so that the operator looks into the eyepiece 13 to view the object image. Can be observed.

As shown in the drawing, a cylindrical light source connecting cylindrical portion 15 having an open end projects from the side surface of the operation portion 11. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the light source connection cylindrical portion 15 is concentric with each other and has a circular section with a large diameter space portion (light source connection recess) 16 and a small diameter space portion (light source connection recess). ) 17 is formed coaxially, and a condensing lens L <b> 1 connected to the end of the light guide fiber 14 is provided at the bottom of the small-diameter space portion 17.
As shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 6, in the circumferential direction in the position away from the opening end of the light source connection cylindrical portion 15 to the operation portion 11 side on the inner peripheral surface of the small diameter space portion 17 of the light source connection cylindrical portion 15. Four holding recesses 19 extending in the direction are provided at intervals of 90 °. Both end portions in the circumferential direction of the holding recesses 19 are guide inclined portions 20 in which the amount of recesses gradually decreases toward the end portions (see FIGS. 5 and 6. Guide inclination of the holding recesses 19. The amount of dents in the portion excluding the portion 20 is constant).
Further, an engagement release groove 21 extending in the axial direction of the light source connecting cylindrical portion 15 (vertical direction in FIG. 3) is provided between the adjacent holding recesses 19. As shown in the figure, one end of each engagement release groove 21 is open at the opening end of the light source connecting tubular portion 15, and the other end of each engagement release groove 21 is adjacent to the guide inclined portion 20. Matching. As is apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3, the amount of recess in each engagement release groove 21 gradually increases toward the opening end side of the light source connection cylindrical portion 15.

  The portable light source device 30 attached to and detached from the light source connecting cylindrical portion 15 is a hollow cylindrical body as shown in FIGS. The portable light source device 30 includes a base portion 31 and a lid portion 32 that can be attached to and detached from the opening end of the base portion 31 as large components. A battery storage space 33 for storing the dry battery B is formed inside the base 31, and an anode-side electrical contact piece 35 that contacts the anode of the dry battery B is provided at one end of the battery storage space 33. is there. A condensing lens L2 composed of three lenses is provided at the end of the base portion 31 on the light source connecting cylindrical portion 15 side. Furthermore, a lamp 36 is provided in the internal space of the base 31 between the condenser lens L2 and the anode-side electrical contact piece 35. The anode of the lamp 36 is electrically connected to the anode side electrical contact piece 35.

  Inside the lid portion 32, a cathode-side electrical contact piece 37 that comes into contact with the cathode of the dry battery B when the lid portion 32 is attached to the base portion 31 is provided. Further, an internal switch 39 for connecting to the cathode side electrical contact piece 37 and the cathode of the lamp 36 is provided inside the lid portion 32. The internal switch 39 is in an ON state that allows the flow of electricity between the cathode of the lamp 36 and the cathode side electrical contact piece 37 each time the button 40 is pressed, and the cathode 36 and cathode side electrical connection of the lamp 36. It switches to the OFF state which interrupts | blocks the electric flow between the pieces 37. FIG. A slide switch 42 that can slide in the axial direction of the lid 32 with respect to the lid 32 is provided at the end of the lid 32. The slide switch 42 is always urged in the protruding direction by the coil compression spring S1. When the slide switch 42 is pushed against the urging force of the coil compression spring S1, the button 40 is pushed by the slide switch 42. Therefore, each time the slide switch 42 is pushed, the internal switch 39 switches between the ON state and the OFF state. .

The insertion portion (light emitting insertion portion) 43, which is the vicinity of the end portion of the base portion 31 on the light source connection cylindrical portion 15 side, has an outer peripheral surface slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the large-diameter space portion 16, and has a circular cross-sectional shape. . Further, the portion of the base portion 31 on the tip side from the insertion portion 43 has a smaller diameter than the small-diameter space portion 17 of the light source connecting cylindrical portion 15.
On the outer peripheral surface of the insertion portion 43, four concave portions 44 are provided radially inwardly at intervals of 90 ° in the circumferential direction, and an annular inner flange (regulator portion) is provided at the opening end of each concave portion 44. 45 protrudes.
Inside each recess 44, a metal ball 46 having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the recess 44 and larger than the inner diameter of the inner flange 45 is movably disposed. Further, between the bottom surface of the recess 44 and the metal ball 46, a compression coil spring (biasing means) S2 that urges each metal ball 46 to move radially outward is contracted.

Next, how to attach and detach the endoscope 10 and the portable light source device 30 and how to use the portable light source device 30 at the time of wearing will be described.
First, a procedure for attaching the portable light source device 30 to the endoscope 10 will be described.
First, the dry battery B is stored in the battery storage space 33 of the base 31 with the cover 32 removed from the base 31, and then the cover 32 is connected to the base 31. At this time, the four metal balls (locking members) 46 of the portable light source device 30 abut against the corresponding inner flange 45 by being urged outward in the radial direction by the compression coil spring S2, and have a diameter larger than that. Movement outward in the direction is restricted.
Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the portable light source device 30 is brought close to the light source connecting cylindrical portion 15 of the endoscope 10, and the base portion 31 is made while matching the circumferential position of each metal ball 46 and each holding recess 19. The insertion portion 43 is inserted into the large-diameter space portion 16 of the light source connection cylindrical portion 15, and the distal end side portion of the base portion 31 is inserted into the small-diameter space portion 17 of the light source connection cylindrical portion 15. Then, each metal ball 46 is pushed radially inward against the urging force of the compression coil spring S2 by the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter space portion 16, and when each metal ball 46 reaches the corresponding holding recess 19, Each metal ball 46 is pushed again radially outward by the urging force of the compression coil spring S2 and engages with the corresponding holding recess 19 respectively. Thus, the connection state of the portable light source device 30 and the light source connecting cylindrical portion 15 is maintained by engaging each metal ball 46 with the corresponding holding recess 19.
Further, when each metal ball 46 engages with the corresponding holding recess 19 in this manner, each metal ball 46 again comes into contact with the corresponding inner flange 45 by the biasing force of the compression coil spring S2, so that each metal ball 46 The relative position with respect to each recess 44 is stable. Therefore, unless the portable light source device 30 is moved to the right side of FIG. 2 with a considerably strong force, each metal ball 46 retracts against the biasing force of the compression coil spring S2 and comes out of the holding recess 19 corresponding to retraction. There is nothing.
If the slide switch 42 of the portable light source device 30 is pushed once against the coil compression spring S1 in a state where the portable light source device 30 is connected to the light source connecting cylindrical portion 15 in this way, the internal switch 39 is turned off. Since it is switched to the ON state, the lamp 36 is turned on. The light generated by the lamp 36 is transmitted to the light guide fiber 14 through the condenser lens L2 and the condenser lens L1, and is irradiated to the outside from the illumination lens provided at the distal end of the insertion portion 12 of the endoscope 10.

Next, how to remove the portable light source device 30 from the endoscope 10 will be described.
When each portable light source device 30 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise around its own axis from the state in which each metal ball 46 is held by the corresponding holding recess 19, each metal ball 46 is It is once pushed inward in the radial direction by the guiding inclined portion 20 constituting the end of the holding recess 19. When the same circumferential position as the disengagement groove 21 is reached, each metal ball 46 is pressed radially outward by the biasing force of the compression coil spring S2, and the outer peripheral surface of each metal ball 46 is for disengagement. Elastically abuts on both side edges of the groove 21 (see FIG. 6). At this time, each metal ball 46 does not abut against the corresponding inner flange 45.
Since one end of each disengagement groove 21 is open at the opening end of the light source connecting cylindrical portion 15, in this state, when the portable light source device 30 is linearly moved to the right side in FIG. Since the sphere 46 slides in each disengagement groove 21 and then escapes from the opening end of the disengagement groove 21 to the outside of the light source connection tubular portion 15, the portable light source device 30 is connected to the light source connection tubular portion. 15 can be easily removed.
Furthermore, each of the engagement release grooves 21 has a shape in which the dent amount gradually increases toward the opening end side, so that each metal ball 46 moves to the opening end side of each engagement release groove 21. The urging force of the compression coil spring S2 that urges the metal ball 46 gradually decreases (the compression coil spring S2 gradually expands). Therefore, as each metal ball 46 moves to the opening end side of each disengagement groove 21, the contact resistance between the metal ball 46 and the disengagement groove 21 gradually decreases (the metal ball 46 is used for disengagement). Immediately before escape from the groove 21, the metal ball 46 abuts against the inner flange 45 and does not contact the disengagement groove 21). Therefore, the escape of each metal ball 46 from each disengagement groove 21 is performed smoothly.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the portable light source device 30 can be easily attached to and detached from the light source connecting cylindrical portion 15, so that the surgeon performs a diagnosis alone without an assistant. Even if it exists, the surgeon can attach and detach the portable light source device 30 to the endoscope 10 easily and smoothly.
In addition, the operator can feel a click feeling by engaging the metal ball 46 with the holding recess 19, and can grasp the connection state between the portable light source device 30 and the endoscope 10 by this click feeling. . Further, by visually observing the relative position of the portable light source device 30 with respect to the light source connecting cylindrical portion 15, it is possible to grasp that the metal ball 46 is engaged with the holding concave portion 19, so that the operator can also carry it visually. The connection state between the light source device 30 for use and the endoscope 10 can be grasped. Thus, the surgeon can more easily grasp that the portable light source device 30 and the endoscope 10 are connected as compared with the prior art.
Furthermore, since the attachment structure of the endoscope 10 and the portable light source device 30 of the present invention is a simple structure, it can be realized at low cost.

As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using the said embodiment, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can implement, giving various changes.
For example, the holding recess 19, the engagement release groove 21, the metal ball 46, and the compression coil spring S 2 are four at 90 ° intervals in the circumferential direction, but this is four if the number is the same and the circumferential intervals are equal. Other than the above, it does not matter. Further, although the holding force is reduced, the holding recess 19, the engagement release groove 21, the metal ball 46, and the compression coil spring S <b> 2 may be implemented as only one.
Note that the endoscope 10 of the present embodiment is a medical endoscope, but can also be applied to endoscopes having different uses, such as industrial endoscopes.

1 is an overall view of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a cross-sectional top view of the state which is going to connect a portable light source device to a light source attaching part. It is a perspective view of a light source attachment part. It is a cross-sectional top view when a portable light source device is connected to the light source attachment part. It is sectional drawing which follows the VV arrow line of FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 when a metal ball engages with a disengagement groove.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Endoscope 11 Operation part 12 Insertion part 13 Eyepiece part 14 Light guide fiber 15 Light source connection part 16 Large diameter space part (concave part for light source connection)
17 Small diameter space (light source connection recess)
19 Holding recess 20 Guide slope 21 Disengagement groove 30 Portable light source device 31 Base 32 Lid 33 Battery storage space 35 Anode-side electrical contact 36 Lamp 37 Cathode-side electrical contact 39 Internal switch 40 Button 42 Slide Switch 43 insertion part (light emission insertion part)
44 Recess 45 Inner flange (Regulator)
46 Metal ball (locking member)
B Dry cell L1 Condensing lens L2 Condensing lens S1 S2 Compression coil spring (biasing means)

Claims (6)

A light source connecting recess formed in the endoscope;
A portable light source device having a light emitting insertion portion that can be inserted into and removed from the light source connection recess and is relatively rotatable;
A locking member provided so as to be able to project and retract in the radial direction from the surface of the light emitting insertion portion and biased in the protruding direction;
A holding recess that holds the portable light source device by engaging the protruding locking member, which is provided at a position away from the opening end of the inner peripheral surface of the light source connecting recess;
The projecting state of the light source connection recess, which is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the recess for light source connection so as to be adjacent to the holding recess, extends in the axial direction of the light source connection recess and has one end opening at the opening end. An attachment / detachment structure for an endoscope and a portable light source device, comprising: a disengagement groove with which a locking member can be engaged. In the attachment / detachment structure of the endoscope according to claim 1 and the portable light source device,
An endoscope and a portable light source in which an inclined portion for guiding is formed at the circumferential end of the holding concave portion so as to reduce the amount of depression with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the light source connecting concave portion toward the engagement releasing groove side. Device attachment / detachment structure. In the attachment structure of the endoscope and portable light source device according to claim 1 or 2,
A plurality of the locking members are provided at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction in the light emitting insertion portion,
Structure for attaching and detaching an endoscope and a portable light source device in which the same number of the holding concave portions and the engagement releasing grooves as the locking members are provided at equal angular intervals in the inner peripheral surface of the light source connecting concave portion . In the attachment or detachment structure of the endoscope and portable light source device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The light emitting insertion portion has a restricting portion for restricting a moving end in the protruding direction of the locking member biased in the protruding direction,
The locking member is an attachment / detachment structure for an endoscope and a portable light source device that engages with the holding recess in a state where movement in the protruding direction is restricted by the restriction portion. In the attachment or detachment structure of the endoscope and portable light source device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An attachment / detachment structure for an endoscope and a portable light source device, wherein the disengagement groove has a shape that increases a recess amount with respect to an inner peripheral surface of the light source connection recess as it goes toward the opening end. In the attachment or detachment structure of the endoscope and portable light source device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
An attachment / detachment structure for an endoscope in which the locking member is a sphere and a portable light source device.