JP2009233225A - Bending operation device of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To retain the excellent operability of a bending operation device if the frequency of bending is increased by inhibiting extension of wires without variation in the bending angle. <P>SOLUTION: The bending operation device of the endoscope is for the bending operation of a bending section 11B by driving wires. A wire 14a of the same diameter as of a conventional wire is inserted into the bending section 11B while a wire 14b of a larger diameter than that of the wire 14a is disposed from a soft portion 11C to the inside of a guide pipe 16 (a forceps port branch part G) of an operation section 11D. With this wire 14b of the larger diameter, the strength in the tension direction is increased and the friction resistance is increased as well. Accordingly, extension of the wire 14b inside the soft portion 11C and extension of the wire 14b caused by the friction at an end of the guide pipe 16 can be inhibited. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a bending operation device for an endoscope, and more particularly to a configuration of a bending operation device that performs bending operation on a bending portion by pulling and driving a wire passed from an operation portion to the bending portion from the operation portion side.

  4A and 4B show the configuration of the distal end side and the operation unit side of a conventional endoscope. The endoscope has a distal end portion on which an objective optical system, an image sensor, and the like are arranged. 1A, a bending portion (angle portion) 1B in which a large number of angle rings (node rings) 2 are connected to bend, a relatively long flexible portion 1C connected to the bending portion 1B, a bending operation knob, and various operation switches. The operation unit 1D and the like are arranged. As shown in FIG. 4A, in the bending portion 1B, a large number of angle rings 2 are connected alternately in the vertical and horizontal directions (two directions or four directions), and a wire guide provided on the angle ring 2 is provided. The wire 4 is passed through the three insertion holes, and the wire 4 is fixed to, for example, the most advanced angle ring 2.

The wire 4 is disposed from the bending portion 1B to the operation portion 1D through the soft portion 1C, and the wire 4 from the soft portion 1C to the middle of the operation portion 1D is provided with a close contact spring 5 on the outer periphery thereof. In the operation unit 1D, the wire 4 passes through the guide pipe 6 and is wound around the winding wheel 7. The rotating shaft of the winding wheel 7 is connected to the shaft of a bending operation knob disposed on the side surface of the operation unit 1D. By rotating the bending operation knob and pulling the wire 4, the bending operation knob 1 is bent. The part 1B can be driven to bend up and down or left and right (two directions or four directions).
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-22901 JP 2004-41319 A

  However, in the conventional bending operation device, the wire 4 to be pulled is gradually stretched (permanent elongation occurs) as the number of times of bending increases, and the bending angle of the bending portion 1B changes due to the elongation of the wire 4 to a predetermined amount. There is a problem that the desired bending angle cannot be obtained even if the rotation operation is performed, and the operability is lowered. The elongation of the wire 4 occurs not only in the bending portion 1B through which the wire 4 is passed through the wire guide 3 (insertion hole), but also in the flexible portion 1C and the operation portion 1D.

  That is, the contents (1B to 1D) of the endoscope are filled with contents such as light guides, electric lines (signal lines, power supply lines), treatment instrument insertion channels 8, and other various pipes. In the part 1C or the operation part 1D, the wire 4 is housed in the contact spring 5, but as a result of interference between the contact spring 5 and other contents, the wire 4 is rubbed in the contact spring 5. Elongation occurs. The flexible portion 1C has a length of about 1 cm to about 2 cm, while the curved portion 1B has a length of about 10 cm. Therefore, the wire 4 itself is also long, and the flexible portion 1C is bent depending on how the flexible portion 1C is bent. In some cases, the tensile force is concentrated on a part of the wire 4, and the elongation of the wire 4 is caused by repeating the concentration of the tensile force.

  In particular, the wire 4 used in the bending operation device of the endoscope is a stranded wire, and each stranded wire has a margin of elongation in the linear direction (tensile direction). The margin will increase.

  Further, in the operation portion 1D, as shown in FIG. 4B, the wire 4 is passed through the guide pipe 6 and is stretched by coming into contact with the end portion of the guide pipe 6. That is, the operation portion 1D is provided with a branch portion G for branching the forceps opening from the connection portion between the treatment instrument insertion channel 8 and the suction tube 9. Therefore, a guide pipe 6 for avoiding interference with the branch portion G is provided, and the wire 4 is passed through the guide pipe 6. However, as shown in FIG. 4C, the wire 4 is bent and rubbed at the end portion (cutting portion) 6E of the guide pipe 6 during the wire pulling drive, so that the wire 4 is stretched at this portion. End up.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to suppress the elongation of the wire and maintain good operability without changing the bending angle even when the number of times of bending increases. An object of the present invention is to provide a bending operation device for an endoscope.

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is an endoscope in which a wire is disposed from an operation portion to a bending portion via a flexible portion, and the bending portion is operated by driving the wire. In the bending operation device, at least the wire passed through the flexible portion is a wire having a diameter larger than that of the wire passed through the bending portion.
The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the large-diameter wire is arranged from the soft portion to an internal position of a guide pipe provided in the operation portion (forceps opening branch portion).

  Comparing the internal configuration of the bending part and the flexible part of the endoscope, in the bending part, in order to reduce interference between contents such as the light guide and electric wire during the large bending drive, Is covered with a softer protective tube that is thicker than that of the soft part.There is no room in the internal part of the curved part, whereas the soft part of the soft part can be made thinner in the soft part. Afford. Therefore, the present invention uses this margin to increase the diameter of the wire.

  According to such a configuration of the present invention, as compared with the wire of the curved portion, the strength in the tensile direction is increased and the resistance against rubbing is increased by increasing the diameter of the wire, and at least the elongation of the wire in the flexible portion is increased. The durability against is improved. Moreover, according to the structure of Claim 2, even when a wire is rubbed in the edge part of the guide pipe provided in a forceps opening | mouth branch part, the extension can be suppressed.

According to the bending operation device of the endoscope of the present invention, at least the elongation of the wire in the flexible portion can be suppressed, and even when the number of bending increases, a predetermined bending angle is obtained with respect to a predetermined rotation operation amount, There is an effect that good operability can be maintained.
Moreover, according to the structure of Claim 2, there exists an advantage that the elongation of the wire in an operation part can also be suppressed.

  1 to 3 show the configuration of an endoscope bending operation apparatus according to the embodiment, and the endoscope shown in FIG. 1 is the same as that shown in FIG. That is, the endoscope has a distal end portion 11A on which an objective optical system, an image pickup device, and the like are arranged, and a bending portion (angle portion) having a length of about 10 cm in which a large number of angle rings (node rings) 12 are connected to bend. 11B, connected to the bending portion 11B, are provided with a flexible portion 11C having a length of slightly less than 1 m to 2 m, an operation portion 1D on which a bending operation knob and various operation switches are arranged, and the bending portion 11B A large number of angle rings 12 are alternately connected in the vertical and horizontal directions (4 directions).

Then, the wire 14a having the same thickness (smaller diameter) as the conventional one is used for the curved portion 11B, but from the flexible portion 11C (position P ₁ ) to the middle of the operation portion 11D (position P ₂ ), A (thick) wire 14b having a larger diameter (overall outer diameter) than the wire 14a is disposed. That is, in the bending portion 11 </ b> B, the wire 14 a is fixed to the most advanced angle ring 12 and is passed through the through hole of the wire guide 13 of the angle ring 12.

A branch portion G for branching the forceps opening from the connection portion between the treatment instrument insertion channel 18 and the suction tube 19 is formed in the operation portion 11D, and a guide pipe 16 for avoiding interference with the branch portion G is formed. is provided, a large wire 14b of the diameter up to a position near P ₂ of the take-up drive-side end portion of the guide pipe 16 is arranged. A close contact spring 15 is provided on the outer periphery of the wire 14b having a large diameter from the distal end side end portion of the guide pipe 16 to the soft portion 11C (P ₁ ). Further, a winding wheel 17 connected to the rotating shaft of the bending operation knob is provided in the operation portion 11D, and the winding wheel 17 has the same thickness as the conventional one and a diameter larger than that of the wire 14b. A small (thin) wire 14c is wound up.

  FIG. 2 shows the external configuration of the wire of the above-described embodiment. In the embodiment, a plurality of wires including thin portions, transition portions where the wire diameter gradually increases, and thick portions are used. By twisting, one strand wire composed of a wire 14a having a small diameter, a transition portion 14F, and a wire 14b having a large diameter as shown in FIG. 4A is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 2 (B), the stranded wire 14a having a small diameter and the stranded wire 14b having a large diameter may be fixed and connected by caulking using the connection fitting 21, or the wire 14a. And the wire 14b may be fixed and connected by welding such as brazing.

In Figure 3, position P ₁ of the large wire 14b of diameter at flexible portion 1C is shown, in the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 (A), bending the bending portion 11B to the maximum when, it is necessary to position P ₁ of the large wire 14b of the diameter is set to a position that does not enter into the curved portion 11B (a position that does not pass through the insertion hole of the wire guide 13). That is, as shown in FIG. 3B, the length la is taken into consideration when the bending portion 11B is straight, taking into account the length (room) la that is drawn into the bending portion 11B during bending driving. min only is the position shifted to the flexible portion 11C side and the position P ₁ of the large wire 14b of diameter. Thereby, the favorable pulling operation | movement of wire 14a, 14b is ensured.

  According to the configuration of the above embodiment, since the diameter of the wire 14b of the flexible portion 11C is larger than that of the wire 14a of the curved portion 11B, the strength in the tensile direction is increased, and the strength is also strong against rubbing. The elongation of the wire 14b disposed in the flexible portion 11C having a length of about 1 m to about 2 m is favorably suppressed. Further, even in the operation portion 11D, even when the wire 14b is rubbed at the end of the guide pipe 16 provided in the forceps opening branch portion G, the elongation can be suppressed by the thick wire 14b having increased durability compared to the conventional case. become.

  In the embodiment, the soft protective tube that covers the contents such as the light guide and the electric wire in the flexible portion 11C is thinner than that of the curved portion 11B. Therefore, the diameter of the wire 14b is reduced in consideration of this. By increasing the thickness, the elongation of the wire 14b is suppressed, and the diameter of the flexible portion 11C does not become larger than the conventional one.

  Further, if the outer diameter of the wire 14b is 1.05 times or more the outer diameter of the wire 14a, the desired effect can be obtained. It is possible to satisfactorily suppress the elongation of the wire 14b without increasing the outer diameter of the wire 14 and without being affected by interference with the contents.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the bending operation apparatus of the endoscope which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the wire used for an Example. It is a figure in order to show the arrangement position of the thick wire in the soft part of an example. 1 shows a configuration of a conventional endoscope bending operation device, in which FIG. (A) is a view of an endoscope tip side, FIG. (B) is a view of an endoscope operation portion side, and FIG. (C) is a wire in an operation portion. It is a block diagram of the edge part of a guide pipe.

Explanation of symbols

1B, 11B ... curved part (angle part), 1C, 11C ... soft part,
1D, 11D ... operation part, 2, 12 ... angle ring,
3, 13 ... Wire guide, 4,14a ... Wire,
5, 15 ... contact spring, 14b ... wire with large diameter,
6, 16 ... guide pipes, 21 ... connection fittings.

Claims (2)

In an endoscope bending operation device that arranges a wire from an operation part to a bending part via a soft part and drives the wire to bend the bending part.
A bending operation device for an endoscope, characterized in that at least the wire passed through the soft part is a wire having a diameter larger than that of the wire passed through the bending part.   2. The bending operation apparatus for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the wire having a large diameter is disposed from the soft portion to an internal position of a guide pipe provided in the operation portion.

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