JP2010122371A - Endoscope system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope system whose insertion part can easily be inserted regardless of the inside diameter of a through-hole formed in a test object, while satisfactorily maintaining a forward field of view. <P>SOLUTION: The endoscope system 1 used by its being inserted in the test object A1 with a through-hole A2 formed therein includes: an endoscope with a flexible and long insertion part 2; a cylindrical tube body 4 that can be inserted into the through-hole, receives the insertion part therein, and is connected to the insertion part at the base end; a fluid supply section that can supply a fluid F; a first sealing section 6A that is substantially cylindrical, wherein the first sealing section has: a first connecting part 61A provided at one end and air-tightly attached to one opening A3 of the through-hole; a first insertion part 63A provided at the other end and having a first air-tight opening 62A through which the tube body is moved forward or backward while keeping it airtight; and a first fluid supply hole 66A communicating with the fluid supply part at the first end and open at the second end on the lumen side between the first connecting part and the first insertion part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus for observing a subject.

Conventionally, in various fields such as the medical field and the industrial field, for example, in order to make it possible to observe a through hole that is formed on a subject such as a complicatedly bent pipe line and cannot be directly observed by an observer, 2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope that has an insertable insertion portion and incorporates a CCD camera or the like at a distal end provided on the distal end side of the insertion portion is used.
In such an endoscope apparatus, in order to improve the insertability of the insertion portion, a buttock projecting radially from the distal end side of the insertion portion of the endoscope and the proximal end side to the distal end side of the endoscope A device provided with fluid ejecting means for ejecting fluid is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). According to this endoscope apparatus, the fluid is ejected from the fluid ejecting means in a state where the insertion portion is inserted into the through hole, so that the insertion portion is driven forward by the fluid that has hit the buttocks through the through hole. It is said that force is applied and the insertion portion can be easily inserted into the through hole.

In addition, a rod protruding forward from the distal end of the insertion portion, a hood formed of a transparent member provided at the distal end of the rod and projecting in the radial direction, and fluid from the proximal end side to the distal end side of the endoscope Some have fluid ejecting means for ejecting (see, for example, Patent Document 2). According to the endoscope apparatus configured as described above, similarly to the above-described Patent Document 1, the fluid is ejected from the fluid ejecting unit in a state where the insertion portion is inserted into the through hole, thereby passing through the through hole. The fluid that hits the hood gives a forward driving force to the insertion portion, and the insertion portion can be easily inserted into the through hole.
JP 2008-58681 A JP 2008-188207 A

However, in recent years, there has been an increasing demand for observing through-holes having various inner diameters from when the inner diameter of the through-hole is large to when it is small. In this situation, in the endoscope apparatus described in Patent Document 1 above, since the collar portion projects in the radial direction in order to obtain a forward driving force, the insertion portion is inserted when the inner diameter of the through hole is small. There is a problem that it becomes difficult to insert.
Further, in the endoscope apparatus described in Patent Document 2, since the hood is disposed in front of the insertion portion, the front field of view may be deteriorated even if the hood is formed of a transparent member. is there.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and can easily insert the insertion portion regardless of the inner diameter of the through-hole formed in the subject while ensuring a good front field of view. An endoscope apparatus is provided.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means.
An endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is an endoscope apparatus that is used by being inserted through a subject in which a through hole is formed, and has an insertion portion that is flexible and has a long shape. A mirror, a tubular tube body that can be inserted into the through-hole, and in which the insertion portion is inserted and a proximal end side is connected to the insertion portion, a fluid supply portion that can supply fluid, and a substantially cylindrical shape A first connecting portion that is provided at one end portion and is airtightly attached to one opening of the through hole, and a first airtightness that is provided at the other end portion and is capable of advancing and retreating the tube body while maintaining airtightness. A first insertion part having a mouth, a first end communicated with the fluid supply part, and a second end opened to the lumen side between the first connection part and the first insertion part And a first sealing part having a first fluid supply hole.

  According to this invention, the first connecting portion provided at one end of the first sealing portion is airtightly attached to the one opening of the through hole, and the tube body into which the insertion portion is inserted is first sealed. The insertion portion is disposed in the through hole while maintaining airtightness from the first airtight port formed at the other end of the stop portion. In this state, by supplying the fluid from the first end of the first fluid supply hole communicated with the fluid supply part, the second end of the first fluid supply hole, the lumen of the first sealing part The fluid is supplied to the tip side through the side and further between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole and the tube body.

Here, since the tube body is disposed between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole and the insertion portion, the through hole is larger than the interval between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole and the insertion portion when the tube body is not provided. The space between the inner peripheral surface of the tube and the tube body becomes narrow. For this reason, the flow velocity of the fluid flowing between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole and the tube body is faster than the flow velocity of the fluid flowing between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole and the insertion portion when the tube body is not provided. can do.
As the flow rate of the fluid toward the tip increases, a stronger force toward the tip acts on the tube body due to the viscosity of the fluid. Therefore, it is possible to easily insert the tube body that is inserted in the first hermetic port while keeping hermeticity into the through hole of the subject attached to the first connection portion of the first sealing portion on the distal end side, The insertion portion to which the proximal end side of the tube body is connected can be easily inserted into the through hole.
Further, by adjusting the outer diameter of the tube body in accordance with the inner diameter of the through hole, it becomes possible to improve the insertability of the insertion portion regardless of the inner diameter of the through hole.
Moreover, since it is not necessary to provide a hood in front of the insertion portion in order to improve the insertability of the insertion portion, it is possible to ensure a good visibility in front of the insertion portion.

  In the endoscope apparatus described above, a second connection portion that is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, is provided at one end portion and is airtightly attached to the proximal end portion of the tube body, and an airtightness provided at the other end portion. A second insertion part formed with a second hermetic port capable of moving the insertion part of the endoscope forward and backward, and a first end communicated with the fluid supply part, and a second end is the first A second sealing portion having a second fluid supply hole that opens to a lumen between the two connection portions and the second insertion portion, and the fluid supply portion includes the first fluid supply hole and the second fluid supply hole. It is more preferable that the fluid can be supplied independently to the second fluid supply hole.

According to the present invention, the second connecting portion provided at one end of the second sealing portion is airtightly attached to the proximal end portion of the tube body, and the insertion portion of the endoscope is the second sealing portion. The second airtight port formed at the other end is inserted in an airtight manner. In this state, by supplying the fluid from the first end of the second fluid supply hole communicated with the fluid supply part, the second end of the second fluid supply hole and the lumen of the second sealing part The fluid is supplied to the distal end side through the side and further between the tube body and the insertion portion.
The force generated by the fluid flow to the distal end side and the viscosity of the fluid allows the insertion portion of the endoscope to be easily inserted into the tube body attached to the second connection portion of the second sealing portion. The insertion part can be moved in front of the body.

In the endoscope apparatus described above, it is more preferable that the endoscope apparatus further includes a tubular auxiliary tube body having an outer diameter different from that of the tube body and disposed so as to overlap the tube body in the radial direction.
According to the present invention, even when the insertion portion of the endoscope is inserted into the through holes having various inner diameters, the tube body disposed adjacent to the inner peripheral surface of the through hole and the inside of the through hole or By adjusting the distance to the auxiliary tube body and increasing the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the distance, the insertion portion can be easily inserted into the through hole.
Moreover, even if the inner diameter of the through hole is large, the tube body and the auxiliary body having a relatively thin wall thickness, not a single thick tube body, between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole and the insertion portion. By arranging the tube bodies so as to overlap each other in the radial direction, it is possible to suppress the increase in bending rigidity when the insertion portion is bent and maintain the insertability of the insertion portion.

  In the endoscope apparatus described above, a third connection portion that is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, is provided at one end portion and is airtightly attached to the other opening of the through hole, and a first end portion is the fluid. A third sealing portion having a third fluid supply hole communicated with the supply portion and having a second end portion opened toward the lumen; the first connection member having a first end portion; The fluid supply unit is connected to the fluid supply unit via an inlet-side switching unit capable of switching between a state in which the fluid supply unit is communicated with and a state in which the first end is disconnected from the fluid supply unit. The third connecting member is connected, and the first end portion thereof is in communication with the fluid supply portion, and the first end portion is disconnected from the fluid supply portion. And is preferably connected to the fluid supply unit via an outlet-side switching means capable of switching between

According to this invention, the first connection portion provided at one end of the first sealing portion is airtightly attached to one opening of the through hole, and the third sealing portion is attached to the other opening of the through hole. A third connecting portion provided at one end is attached in an airtight manner.
Then, the first end portion of the first fluid supply hole is communicated with the fluid supply portion by the inlet side switching means, and the first end portion of the third fluid supply hole is fluidized by the outlet side switching means. The communication with the supply unit is released. In this state, by supplying the fluid from the first end of the first fluid supply hole communicated with the fluid supply part via the inlet side switching means, the fluid flows to the tip side of the through hole, and in the through hole The insertion portion of the endoscope can be easily moved to the distal end side.

  In addition, the first end of the first fluid supply hole is released from the communication with the fluid supply unit by the inlet side switching means, and the first end of the third fluid supply hole is set by the outlet side switching means. The part is in communication with the fluid supply part. In this state, by supplying the fluid from the first end of the third fluid supply hole communicated with the fluid supply part via the outlet side switching means, the fluid flows to the proximal end side of the through hole, Thus, the insertion portion of the endoscope can be easily moved to the proximal end side.

Further, in the endoscope apparatus described above, based on a detection unit that detects a length by which the insertion portion of the endoscope is inserted into the through-hole of the subject, and a detection result by the detection unit, More preferably, it further comprises control means for controlling the inlet side switching means and the outlet side switching means, respectively.
According to this invention, based on the result of the detection means detecting the length of the insertion portion inserted into the through hole, the control portion automatically inserts the insertion portion of the endoscope into the distal end side and the proximal end within the through hole. Therefore, the length of the insertion portion of the endoscope inserted through the through hole can be automatically adjusted.

  According to the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to easily insert the insertion portion regardless of the inner diameter of the through hole formed in the subject while ensuring a good front field of view.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of an endoscope apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
The endoscope apparatus 1 is an apparatus that is particularly effective when used for observing the inside of the pipe A1 by inserting the insertion portion 2 through, for example, a through-hole A2 formed in the pipe (subject) A1. In the present embodiment, the pipe A1 is described as an example of the subject. However, the pipe is not limited to this shape, and the pipe having a complicated shape is more effective. Further, the subject is not limited to the pipe shape such as the pipe A1, and may have a complicated shape such as an engine or a generator device having a through hole.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an endoscope apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is inserted through an endoscope 3 having a flexible and long insertion portion 2 and a through hole A2. A tubular tube body 4 in which the insertion portion 2 is inserted and the proximal end side is connected to the insertion portion 2; an air compressor (fluid supply portion) 5 capable of supplying compressed air (fluid) F; 1st sealing part 6A which is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and attached airtightly to one opening A3 of through-hole A2.
In the present embodiment, the endoscope apparatus 1 further includes a second sealing portion 6B that is airtightly attached to the proximal end portion 4a of the tube body 4. Further, the second sealing portion 6B has the same configuration as the first sealing portion 6A, and is different only in the radial dimension of each element. For this reason, the numerical part of a code | symbol is made common about each element which differs only in the dimension of radial direction, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted by aligning an English character part with A, B, C, etc. for every sealing part.
In the present embodiment, the compressed air F is described as an example of the fluid. However, the fluid is not limited to the compressed air F, and depends on the shape of the through hole A2 of the pipe A1, the shape and weight of the insertion portion 2, and the like. Alternatively, a gas such as nitrogen or helium, or a liquid such as water or oil may be selected as appropriate.

In the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3, a distal end portion is provided with a hard distal end portion 12 in which an LED 10 for illuminating the through hole A2 of the pipe A1 and a CCD camera 11 for observing the front are incorporated. ing. In a predetermined range on the proximal end side of the distal end portion 12, a bending portion 13 that can adjust the direction of the distal end portion 12 by being bent is provided.
The LED 10 and the CCD camera 11 are respectively disposed so as to be exposed at the distal end surface of the distal end portion 12. The insertion portion 2 is covered with a covering tube 2a made of a material such as polytetrafluoroethylene synthetic resin that has flexibility and has reduced surface friction.

The endoscope 3 includes an operation unit 14 that is connected to the proximal end side of the insertion unit 2 and is provided with a joystick 14 a that performs a bending operation on the bending unit 13, and a main body unit 15 that is connected to the operation unit 14. .
The main body 15 includes a power supply unit 15a connected to the LED 10 via an LED cable (not shown), and a display unit 15b connected to the CCD camera 11 via an imaging cable (not shown). The main body 15 is further provided with an operation button 15c, and the operation of the operation button 15c enables ON / OFF of the LED 10, adjustment of brightness, and the like.
The tube body 4 is formed of the same material as that of the coated tube 2a, and a cylindrical tip part 4c is attached to the tip side of the tip part 4b. The tip part 12 of the insertion part 2 is placed in the lumen of the tip part 4c. Has been placed.

The endoscope 3 is configured as described above, and the power supply unit 15a supplies power to the LED 10 via the LED cable to illuminate the front of the distal end portion 12, and an image obtained by capturing the reflected light with the observation unit 11 is captured by the imaging cable. It can display on the display part 15b of the main-body part 15, and can observe through-hole A2 of piping A1.
It should be noted that screw grooves are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the distal end base 4c and the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion 12 of the insertion portion 2, and the distal end portion 12 is inserted into the distal end portion 12 of the insertion portion 2 by screwing these screw grooves together. The distal end portion 4b of the tube body 4 may be attached via the base 4c, and the distal end side of the insertion portion 2 and the tube body 4 may be fixed integrally.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first sealing portion 6A of the present embodiment includes a first connecting portion 61A provided at one end portion and hermetically attached to one opening A3 of the through hole A2, and the other A first insertion portion 63A in which a first airtight port 62A is formed, which is provided at an end portion of the tube body 4 so that the tube body 4 can be advanced and retracted while maintaining airtightness, and a first end portion communicates with the air compressor 5 and a second end portion. Has a first fluid supply hole 66A that opens on the lumen side between the first connection portion 61A and the first insertion portion 63A.
More specifically, the first connection portion 61A includes a connection-side seal member 70A, a connection-side buffer member 71A, and a connection-side pressing member 72A, and the first insertion portion 63A includes an insertion-side seal member 73A and an insertion-side buffer member 74A. The insertion-side pressing member 75A is configured. The first sealing portion 6A includes a base body 69A in which the first fluid supply hole 66A is formed and to which the first connection portion 61A and the first insertion portion 63A can be attached.

The base body 69A has a cylindrical portion 78A formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and a cylinder that protrudes in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 78A from the radially outer portion of the surface on the distal end side and the proximal end side of the cylindrical portion 78A. A connection-side protrusion 79A and an insertion-side protrusion 80A. Then, thread grooves 81A and 82A are formed on the inner peripheral surfaces of the connection side protrusion 79A and the insertion side protrusion 80A, respectively.
The first fluid supply hole 66A is formed in the cylindrical portion 78A of the base body 69A. In the first fluid supply hole 66A, the aforementioned first end portion is a portion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 78A of the base body 69A, and the aforementioned second end portion is the base body 69A. This is a portion opened to the lumen side of the cylindrical portion 78A.
The connection-side seal member 70A and the insertion-side seal member 73A are seal members such as an O-ring, for example, and the first airtight port 62A described above is a lumen of the insertion-side seal member 73A. The connection-side buffer member 71A and the insertion-side buffer member 74A are, for example, washers.

  The connection-side pressing member 72A includes a cylindrical portion 83A that is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a flange portion 84A that protrudes radially outward from the distal end side of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 83A. A thread groove 85A is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 83A. Similarly, the insertion-side pressing member 75A includes a cylindrical portion 86A that is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a flange portion 87A that protrudes radially outward from the base end side of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 86A. A thread groove 88A is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 86A.

As described above, it is preferable that the second sealing portion 6B has the same configuration as the first sealing portion 6A and is smaller than the first sealing portion 6A only in the radial dimension. However, if the inner diameters of the connection-side seal member 70B and the insertion-side seal member 73B can be made into shapes suitable for attaching the pipe A1 and the tube body 4, the connection-side seal member 70B and the insertion side of the second sealing portion 6B. Parts other than the sealing member 73B may be the same size as the corresponding parts of the first sealing portion 6A.
In the second sealing portion 6B, the second connection portion 61B is provided at one end portion and is airtightly attached to the proximal end portion 4a of the tube body 4. The second insertion portion 63B is provided at the other end of the second sealing portion 6B, and is formed with a second airtight port 62B that can advance and retract the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 while maintaining airtightness. In the second fluid supply hole 66B, the first end is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the base body 69B and communicates with the air compressor 5, and the second end 65B is opened to the inner cavity side of the base body 69B. is doing.
The air compressor 5 is configured to be able to supply the compressed air F independently to the first fluid supply hole 66A and the second fluid supply hole 66B.

Next, a procedure for observing a desired observation point of the through hole A2 with the endoscope apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described.
First, as shown in FIG. 3, the connection-side seal member 70B is brought into contact with the side surface on the distal end side of the tubular portion 78B in the lumen of the connection-side protrusion 79B of the base body 69B of the second sealing portion 6B. Further, the connection side buffer member 71B is arranged in the inner cavity of the connection side protrusion 79B adjacent to the distal end side of the connection side seal member 70B. In this state, the connection side pressing member 72B is rotated in a predetermined direction around the axis of the base body 69B with respect to the base body 69B, and the screw groove 85B of the connection side pressing member 72B is connected to the screw groove 81B of the base body 69B. The member 70B is screwed so as not to be pressed.

And the base end part 4a of the tube body 4 is inserted from the front end side of the connection side pressing member 72B, and the base end part 4a of the tube body 4 is connected to the connection side pressing member 72B, the connection side buffer member 71B, and the connection side sealing member 70B. These are disposed in the lumen of the cylindrical portion 78B of the base body 69B through the respective lumens. Here, the connection-side pressing member 72b is further rotated in a predetermined direction around the axis of the base body 69B, and the connection-side pressing member 72B presses the connection-side sealing member 70B from the distal end side via the connection-side buffer member 71B. The connection-side sealing member 70B is deformed radially inward, and the connection-side sealing member 70B presses the outer peripheral surface of the tube body 4, and the connection-side pressing member 72B is screwed to the base body 69B.
Thereby, the tube body 4 is attached to the second connection portion 61B of the second sealing portion 6B while maintaining airtightness.

Next, in the same manner as described above, the insertion-side seal member 73B is disposed in the inner cavity of the insertion-side protruding portion 80B of the base body 69B so as to contact the side surface on the proximal end side of the cylindrical portion 78B. The insertion side buffer member 74B is disposed in the inner cavity of the insertion side protrusion 80B adjacent to the proximal end side of the seal member 73B. In this state, the insertion side pressing member 75B is rotated in a predetermined direction around the axis of the base body 69B with respect to the base body 69B, and the thread groove 88B of the insertion side pressing member 75B is inserted into the thread groove 82B of the base body 69B. The member 73B is screwed so as not to be pressed.
And the tube body 4 is arrange | positioned linearly, The insertion part 2 of the endoscope 3 is inserted from the base end side of the insertion side press member 75B, The insertion side press member 75B, the insertion side buffer member 74B, and the insertion side The tube body 4 fixed to the second connection portion 61B is inserted through the respective lumens of the seal member 73B and the base body 69B.

Here, the insertion-side pressing member 75B is further rotated in a predetermined direction around the axis of the base body 69B, and the insertion-side pressing member 75B presses the insertion-side seal member 73B from the base end side via the insertion-side buffer member 74B. The insertion-side seal member 73B is deformed radially inward, and the insertion-side seal member 73B presses the outer peripheral surface of the insertion portion 2 to such an extent that the insertion portion 2 can move forward and backward with respect to the insertion-side seal member 73B. The insertion side pressing member 75B is screwed to the body 69B.
Thereby, the insertion part 2 can be moved forward and backward with respect to the second insertion part 63B of the second sealing part 6B, and the insertion part 2 is attached while keeping the airtightness of the second insertion part 63B.
Here, in order to set the tube body 4 outside the insertion portion 2, the insertion portion 2 is fed forward while supplying the compressed air F to the second fluid supply hole 66 </ b> B by the air compressor 5. The propulsive force is generated, and the insertion portion 2 advances through the tube body 4. The tube body 4 and the insertion portion 2 are inserted until the tip positions are substantially the same, and the installation is completed.

Next, the through hole A2 is formed in the first connection portion 61A of the first sealing portion 6A by a process similar to that of attaching the tube body 4 to the second connection portion 61B of the second sealing portion 6B while maintaining airtightness. One opening A3 is attached in an airtight manner.
Next, the first insertion portion 2 can be moved forward and backward with respect to the second insertion portion 63B of the second sealing portion 6B, and the first insertion portion 2 is attached with the second insertion portion 63B kept airtight. The tube body 4 can be moved forward and backward in the first insertion portion 63A of the sealing portion 6A, and the tube body 4 is attached while keeping the air tightness of the first insertion portion 63A. At this time, the tube body 4 is protruded by a certain length into the through hole A2 fixed to the first connecting portion 61A.

  Next, the operation button 15 c of the main body 15 of the endoscope 3 is operated to turn on the LED 10 and adjust the brightness of the LED 10 to illuminate the front of the insertion unit 2. Then, the light reflected by the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A2 is imaged by the CCD camera 11, and the image obtained by imaging is displayed on the display unit 15b of the main body unit 15 through the imaging cable to observe the shape of the through hole A2. To do.

Next, the compressed air F is supplied from the first end of the first fluid supply hole 66A by the air compressor 5, so that the second end of the first fluid supply hole 66A and the lumen side of the base body 69A are provided. Further, the compressed air F is supplied to the distal end side through the space between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A2 and the tube body 4. Then, a force toward the distal end acts on the tube body 4 due to the flow of the compressed air F toward the distal end and the viscosity of the compressed air F.
Since the pipe A1 is attached to the first connection portion 61A of the first sealing portion 6A, and the tube body 4 is inserted through the first airtight port 62A of the first insertion portion 63A, as shown in FIG. The insertion portion 2 to which the proximal end portion 4a of the tube body 4 is attached via the sealing portion 6B is inserted together with the tube body 4 into the distal end side of the through hole A2.
And the image of through-hole A2 displayed on the display part 15b is observed, and an inspection is advanced. Here, when the tube body 4 and the insertion portion 2 are inserted into the pipe A1, the compressed air F flows in accordance with the shape of the pipe, so that the bending portion is not particularly required and the insertion portion 2 proceeds in accordance with the curved shape. However, when a complicated pipe, such as a pipe bent suddenly by an elbow, is provided on the way, it is easy to insert the insertion part 2 by directing the distal end part 11 of the insertion part 2 in the insertion direction. Become. The bending portion 13 can be slightly bent even when it is placed in the tube body 4, but when a little more bending is desired, the bending portion 13 protrudes from the tube body 4 to the distal end side and is easily bent. And use it.

Next, when the display unit 15b confirms that the distal end portion 12 of the endoscope 3 has reached the vicinity of the observation point, the supply of the compressed air F to the first fluid supply hole 66A by the air compressor 5 is stopped, The compressed air F is supplied from the first end of the second fluid supply hole 66B by the air compressor 5. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the second end of the second fluid supply hole 66B, the lumen side of the base body 69B, and further between the tube body 4 and the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 toward the distal end side. Compressed air F is supplied. Then, the force toward the distal end acts on the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 due to the flow of the compressed air F toward the distal end and the viscosity of the compressed air F.
The base end portion 4a of the tube body 4 is attached to the second connection portion 61B of the second sealing portion 6B, and the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 can be advanced and retracted to the second airtight port 62B of the second insertion portion 63B. Therefore, the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 protrudes toward the distal end side with respect to the tube body 4.

  Next, by operating the joystick 14a and the air compressor 5, the distal end portion 12 of the insertion portion 2 is opposed to the observation point. Then, the image of the observation point imaged by the CCD camera 11 is displayed on the display unit 15b and observed.

  Thus, according to the endoscope apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the first connecting portion 61A provided at one end of the first sealing portion 6A is airtightly attached to the one opening A3 of the through hole A2. The tube body 4 in which the insertion portion 2 is inserted is inserted from the first airtight port 62A formed at the other end of the first sealing portion 6A while maintaining airtightness, and the insertion portion 2 is inserted into the through hole A2. Arrange. In this state, by supplying compressed air F from the first end of the first fluid supply hole 66A communicated with the air compressor 5, the second end of the first fluid supply hole 66A, the base body 69A The compressed air F is supplied to the distal end side through the lumen side and between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A2 and the tube body 4.

Here, since the tube body 4 is disposed between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A2 and the insertion portion 2, the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A2 and the insertion portion 2 when the tube body 4 is not provided. The distance between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A2 and the tube body 4 is narrower than the distance. For this reason, it is between the inner peripheral surface of the through-hole A2 and the tube body 4 rather than the flow velocity of the compressed air F which flows between the inner peripheral surface of the through-hole A2 and the insertion part 2 when the tube body 4 is not provided. The flow rate of the compressed air F flowing through the can be increased.
As the flow velocity of the compressed air F toward the distal end increases, a stronger force acting toward the distal end acts on the tube body 4 due to the viscosity of the compressed air F. Furthermore, since the flow velocity toward which the compressed air F heads becomes faster, the force exerted by the compressed air F that attempts to separate the tube body 4 from the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A2 becomes stronger. For this reason, the tube body 4 comes to be more reliably separated from the entire circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A2, and the resistance due to friction between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A2 and the tube body 4 can be reduced. it can.

Therefore, the tube body 4 inserted in the first airtight port 62A so as to be able to move forward and backward is kept closer to the through hole A2 of the pipe A1 attached to the first connection portion 61A of the first sealing portion 6A. It can be easily inserted, and the insertion portion 2 to which the base end portion 4a of the tube body 4 is connected via the second sealing portion 6B can be easily inserted into the distal end side of the through hole A2.
Further, by adjusting the outer diameter of the tube body 4 according to the inner diameter of the through hole A2, the flow rate of the compressed air F between the through hole A2 and the tube body 4 is increased regardless of the inner diameter of the through hole A2. It becomes possible to improve the insertion property of the insertion part 2.
In addition, since it is not necessary to provide a hood in front of the insertion portion 2 in order to improve the insertability of the insertion portion A2, the front view of the insertion portion 2 by the CCD camera 11 can be ensured well.

In addition, the second connecting portion 61B provided at one end of the second sealing portion is airtightly attached to the proximal end portion 4a of the tube body 4, and the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 is the second sealing portion. A second airtight port 62B formed at the other end of 6B is inserted so as to be able to advance and retract while maintaining airtightness. In this state, by supplying compressed air F from the first end of the second fluid supply hole 66B communicated with the air compressor 5, the second end of the second fluid supply hole 66B, the base body 69B Compressed air F is supplied to the distal end side through the lumen side and further between the tube body 4 and the insertion portion 2.
The insertion of the endoscope 3 into the tube body 4 attached to the second connection portion 61B of the second sealing portion 6B by the force generated by the flow of the compressed air F toward the distal end side and the viscosity of the compressed air F. The part 2 can be easily inserted, and the insertion part 2 can be moved in front of the tube body 4.

  In the present embodiment, the insertion portion 2 in a state where the distal end portion 12 of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 protrudes toward the distal end side with respect to the distal end portion base 4c attached to the distal end portion 4b of the tube body 4. May be inserted into the through-hole A2. Compared to the case where the distal end side of the insertion portion 2 is inserted through the tube body 4, the distal end side of the insertion portion 2 can be made more flexible, and the insertability of the insertion portion 2 can be further enhanced.

Further, in the present embodiment, instead of the tube body 4, as shown in FIG. 5, a tube body 91 in which a concave groove 91a is formed in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface on the distal end side may be provided. It is preferable that the groove part 91a is formed so that the range from the front end side of the insertion part 2 to the bending part 13 may be covered.
By comprising in this way, the bending rigidity of the tube body 91 of the part in which the groove part 91a was formed can be reduced rather than the bending rigidity of the tube body 91 of the part in which the groove part 91a is not formed. For this reason, the distal end side of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 can be made more flexible, and the insertability of the insertion portion 2 can be further improved. When inserted into a pipe having a complicated bent shape, the tip can easily follow the shape of the pipe, and it is possible to prevent the tip from abutting on the way and preventing it from moving forward.
The concave groove portion may be formed in a spiral shape on the outer peripheral surface of the tube body 91.

Moreover, in this embodiment, it replaces with the tube body 4, and as shown to FIG.6 and FIG.7 (a), the recessed part 96a, 96b becomes alternately in an axial direction at the front-end | tip side at an outer peripheral surface and an internal peripheral surface, respectively. The bellows portion 96 is formed in such a manner that the front end portion and a portion spaced from the front end portion to the base end side are substantially spherical and larger than the outer diameter of the bellows portion 96. A tube body 98 having a spherical portion 97 having a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter may be provided.
In FIG. 7A, the right side shows the tube body 98 where the concave portions 96a and 96b are not formed, and the left side shows the bellows portion 96 where the concave portions 96a and 96b are formed. The bellows portion 96 can have a lower bending rigidity than the portion where the concave portions 96a and 96b are not formed by the amount of the concave portions 96a and 96b. Therefore, the distal end side of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 can be made more flexible, and the insertability of the insertion portion 2 can be further enhanced.

FIG. 7B shows the operation of the tube body 98 when the insertion portion 2 inserted through the tube body 98 configured as described above is inserted into the through hole A7 of the pipe A5 where the bent portion A6 is formed. .
In the drawing, a case where the insertion portion 2 is inserted through a tubular tube body 4 not provided with the spherical portion 97 is indicated by a two-dot chain line. In this case, it is also conceivable that the tube body 4 comes into contact with the corner portion A8 formed inside the bent portion A6 and it becomes difficult to insert the tube body 4 into the through hole A7. On the other hand, when the tube body 98 provided with the spherical portion 97 is used, the surface of the spherical portion 97 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A7, so that the bellows portion 96 comes into contact with the corner portion A8. Can be suppressed.
In the embodiment described above, the tube body 4 is inserted into the pipe A1 with the insertion portion 2 inserted into the tube body 4 and the position of the tip aligned, but only the tube body 4 is preliminarily provided. After insertion into the pipe A1, the insertion part 2 may be advanced into the tube body 4. In this case, after inserting all the insertion parts 2 in the tube body 4, it test | inspects while extracting, or inspects, inserting the insertion part 2 by making the tube body 4 transparent.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, instead of the distal end portion 12, a substantially cylindrical distal end portion 102 having an outer diameter larger than that of the bending portion 13 may be provided on the distal end side of the bending portion 13. The distal end portion 102 is disposed so as to protrude forward from the distal end portion 4 b of the tube body 4.
In this modification, the outer diameter of the distal end portion 102 and the outer diameter of the tube body 4 are substantially equal, or the distal end portion 102 is configured to be slightly thicker. On the distal end surface of the distal end portion 102, the CCD camera 11 is disposed at the center, and the plurality of LEDs 10 are disposed around the CCD camera 11.
As described above, since various components such as the CCD camera 11 and the LED 10 are incorporated in the distal end portion 102, the outer diameter of the distal end portion 102 is larger than the portion other than the distal end portion 102 of the insertion portion 2 such as the bending portion 13. There is a tendency to become thicker. By not arranging the tube body 4 on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion 102 as in this modification, the outer diameter of the insertion portion 2 including the tube body 4 can be kept small, and the insertion portion 2 and the tube body 4 By making the waist supple, even in a complicatedly shaped pipe, it is possible to reduce the resistance by pressing the pipe due to the elastic force of the insertion portion 2 and the tube body 4, thereby improving the insertability. In addition, the insertion property of the insertion portion is improved by making only the distal end side thicker and making the insertion portion flexible like the distal end portion 102, but the distal end of the insertion portion is usually made of metal and the pipe is also made of metal. In this case, the tip end portion 102 is easily scraped (raised easily). In order to prevent this, a tube with good slipperiness such as fluorine is preferably covered outside the tip portion 102.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described. The same parts as those of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, the description thereof will be omitted, and only different points will be described.
As shown in FIG. 9, the endoscope apparatus 111 of the present embodiment has a third fluid supply hole 66C in addition to the endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, and the other of the through holes A2 of the pipe A1. The inlet side switching valve (inlet side switching means) 112 and the outlet side switching valve (outlet side switching) that can switch the communication / release of communication with the third sealing portion 6C that is airtightly attached to the opening A4 of the air compressor 5. Means) 113, an insertion portion position detection sensor portion (detection means) 114a for detecting the length of insertion of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 and the tube body 4 through the through hole A2, and a tube body position detection sensor portion (detection). Means) 114b and a control device (control means) 115 for controlling the inlet side switching means 112 and the outlet side switching means 113 based on the detection results of the position detection sensor portions 114a and 114b, respectively. .

The third sealing portion 6C is different from the first sealing portion 6A in that, in the first sealing portion 6A, the tube body 4 is inserted through the first airtight port 62A so as to be able to advance and retreat, but the third sealing portion 6C. Then, a substantially rod-shaped sealing member 89C is disposed in the third airtight port 62C, and the insertion-side sealing member 73C presses the outer peripheral surface of the sealing member 89C, so that the third insertion portion 63C of the third sealing portion 6C It is only a point that the sealing member 89C is fixed in an airtight manner.
The substantially rod-shaped sealing member 89C is detachable from the third sealing portion 6C. When the tube body 4 or the insertion portion 2 protrudes outside the through hole A2, the sealing member 89C is removed. When the tube body 4 can be moved back and forth while maintaining airtightness in the same manner as on the inlet side, and the tube body 4 and the insertion portion 2 are located inside the pipe, the compressed air F can be obtained by covering with a sealing member 89C. To prevent leakage.

The inlet side switching valve 112 is connected between the air compressor 5 and the first fluid supply hole 66A. Then, the first end of the first fluid supply hole 66A is in communication with the air compressor 5 (ON) by the inlet side switching valve 112, and the first end is in communication with the air compressor 5. It is possible to switch between the state of being released (OFF). Similarly, the outlet side switching valve 113 is connected between the air compressor 5 and the third fluid supply hole 66C. The third fluid supply hole 66C is connected to the air compressor 5 by the inlet side switching valve 113 (ON), and the first end communicates with the air compressor 5. It is possible to switch between the state of being released (OFF).
Further, the air compressor 5 is communicated with the second fluid supply hole 66B of the second sealing portion 6B through the insertion portion side switching valve 118 by the pipe 5a, and the supply of the compressed air F can be controlled.

Connected to the control device 115 are an operation unit 116 for giving various commands to the control device 115 and a power supply unit 117 for supplying necessary power to the control device 115.
In the present embodiment, the outer peripheral surface on the proximal end side of the coated tube 2a and the tube body 4 is provided with a plurality of scales 2b and 4d at equal intervals in the axial direction, and the insertion portion position detection sensor unit 114a and the tube The body position detection sensor unit 114b detects the number of scales 2b and 4d that have passed through an optical sensor (not shown) provided therein, for example, so that the length of the insertion unit 2 inserted through the through hole A2 is determined. It is configured so that it can be detected.
When the length of the insertion portion 2 inserted into the pipe A1 becomes longer based on the insertion portion position detection sensor portion 114a and the tube body position detection sensor portion 114b, the control device 115 detects the compressed air F supplied from the air compressor 5. The switching valves 112, 113, and 118 can be controlled to increase the flow rate. When the insertion portion 2 and the tube body 4 are extracted, the flow rate is reduced as the extraction proceeds.

Next, a procedure for adjusting the length of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 inserted through the through hole in the endoscope apparatus 111 configured as described above will be described.
In the following, it is already recognized by the control device 115 that the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 has been inserted to the position shown in FIG. 9, and from this state, the control device 115 moves the distal end of the endoscope 3. A procedure for adjusting the tip surface of the section 12 so as to be arranged at the target position P will be described as an example. The information on the target position P can be given to the control device 115 via the operation unit 116 by the operator of the endoscope device 111.

First, the control device 115 recognizes from the position information of the target position P that the target position P is located on the proximal side with respect to the position of the distal end surface of the distal end portion 12 of the endoscope 3.
Next, the control device 115 turns off the inlet side switching valve 112 and turns on the outlet side switching valve 113 so that the compressed air F is supplied from the first end of the third fluid supply hole 66C communicated with the air compressor 5. By supplying, the second end of the third fluid supply hole 66C, the inner cavity side of the base body 69C, and between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A2 and the tube body 4, the other opening A4 side of the through hole A2 is provided. Compressed air F is supplied to one opening A3 side. The supplied compressed air F is discharged from the inlet side switching valve 112 through the first end of the first fluid supply hole 66A.
Since the tube body 4 receives a force toward the proximal end side due to the flow of the compressed air F toward the proximal end side and the viscosity of the compressed air F, the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 is moved to the proximal end side in the through hole A2. Can be moved.

As described above, the control device 115 moves the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 to the proximal end side, and turns off the outlet side switching valve 113 when the distal end surface of the distal end portion 12 reaches the target position P. The movement of the insertion portion 2 toward the proximal end is stopped, and the length of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 inserted through the through hole A2 is adjusted so that the distal end surface of the distal end portion 12 is disposed at the target position P. can do.
When the distal end surface of the distal end portion 12 reaches the proximal end side from the target position P, the inlet side switching valve 112 is turned on and the outlet side switching valve 113 is turned off, so that the air compressor 5 is turned on. By supplying compressed air F to the distal end side from the first end portion of the first fluid supply hole 66A that is communicated, the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 is moved to the distal end side in the through hole A2, and the distal end portion 12 is moved. The position of the tip surface of the can be adjusted.

In addition, when compressed air F is flowed to the base end side and the insertion part 2 is pulled out from the through-hole A2, the frictional force between the inner peripheral surface of the through-hole A2 and the tube body 4 decreases, so that the through-hole A2 There is a possibility that the insertion portion 2 may come off with force and the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 may be damaged. According to the endoscope apparatus 111 of the present embodiment, the speed at which the insertion unit 2 moves to the proximal end side by adjusting the ON time of the switching valves 112 and 113 (for example, controlling the pulse width by driving the pulse). It is possible to prevent the insertion portion 2 from being damaged.
The opening size of the tube connected to the outlet side switching valve 113 and the third fluid supply hole 66C is set larger than the opening size of the tube connected to the inlet side switching valve 112 and the first fluid supply hole 66A. ing. This is because the resistance to flow the compressed air F is larger when the tube body 4 and the insertion portion 2 are inserted than when the tube body 4 and the insertion portion 2 are removed.

  As described above, according to the endoscope device 111 of the present embodiment, the control device 115 causes the through hole to be inserted based on the result of the position detection sensor unit 114 detecting the length of the insertion portion 2 inserted through the through hole A2. Since the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 can be automatically moved to the distal end side and the proximal end side within A2, the length of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3 inserted through the through hole A2 is automatically set. It becomes possible to adjust to.

  Note that, in the endoscope apparatus 111 of the present embodiment, even if the position detection sensor unit 114, the control device 115, the operation unit 116, and the power supply unit 117 are not provided, the operator of the endoscope apparatus 111 can pass through the through hole A2. The length of the insertion portion 2 inserted into the insertion portion 2 is adjusted by switching ON / OFF of the inlet side switching valve 112 and the outlet side switching valve 113 while checking the scale 2b provided on the covering tube 2a of the insertion portion 2. Can do. For this reason, the position detection sensor unit 114, the control device 115, the operation unit 116, and the power supply unit 117 may not be provided.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment according to the present invention will be described. The same parts as those of the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, the description thereof will be omitted, and only different points will be described.
As shown in FIG. 10, the endoscope apparatus 121 of the present embodiment is used for insertion into a pipe A11 in which a through hole A12 having a larger inner diameter than the above-described through hole A2 is formed.
The endoscope apparatus 121 is provided with a greatly changed inner diameter of the first sealing portion 6A provided in the endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, and the tube body is disposed radially outward of the tube body 4. A tubular auxiliary tube body 124 having an outer diameter larger than 4 and arranged substantially coaxially so as to overlap with the tube body 4 at a certain distance in the radial direction, and is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and is airtightly attached to the auxiliary tube body 124. And a fourth sealing portion 6D.

The auxiliary tube body 124 is formed of the same material as the above-described covered tube 2a.
The fourth sealing portion 6D is preferably formed so that the dimension in the radial direction is a substantially intermediate size between the first sealing portion 6A and the second sealing portion 6B. However, if the inner diameters of the connection-side seal member 70D and the insertion-side seal member 73D can be made into shapes suitable for attaching the auxiliary tube body 124 and the tube body 4, the connection-side seal member 70D and the fourth sealing portion 6D and Components other than the insertion-side seal member 73D may be the same size as the corresponding components of the first sealing portion 6A.

In the first sealing portion 6A, the first connection portion 61A is airtightly attached to one opening A13 of the through hole A12, and the first airtight port 62A formed in the first insertion portion 63A has an auxiliary tube body. 124 is arranged to be able to advance and retreat with airtightness. Further, in the fourth sealing portion 6D, the fourth connection portion 61D is airtightly attached to the proximal end portion of the auxiliary tube body 124, and the tube body 4 is connected to the fourth airtight port 62D formed in the fourth insertion portion 63D. It is arranged to be able to advance and retreat with airtightness.
In the present embodiment, the distal end cap 4 c is not attached to the distal end portion 4 b of the tube body 4, and the distal end portion 12 of the insertion portion 2, the distal end portion 4 b of the tube body 4, and the distal end of the auxiliary tube body 124. The portion 124b is arranged so that the positions of the insertion portion 2 in the axial direction coincide with each other.

According to the endoscope apparatus 121 of the present embodiment configured as described above, the outer side in the radial direction of the tube body 4 even when the insertion part 2 of the endoscope 3 is inserted into the through hole A12 having a large inner diameter. By providing the auxiliary tube body 124 at a certain distance, the distance from the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A12 to the auxiliary tube body 124 is set to the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A12 when the auxiliary tube body 124 is not provided. To the tube body 4 can be made narrower. For this reason, the flow velocity of the compressed air F flowing between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A12 and the tube body 4 can be increased, and the insertion portion 2 can be easily inserted into the through hole A12.
Further, even when the inner diameter is large as in the through hole A12, the wall thickness is relatively thin rather than one thick tube body between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole A12 and the insertion portion 2. By arranging the tube body 4 and the auxiliary tube body 124 substantially coaxially so as to overlap with each other in the radial direction, it is possible to suppress the increase in bending rigidity when the insertion portion 2 is bent and to maintain the insertability of the insertion portion 2. It becomes possible.

In the endoscope apparatus 121 of the present embodiment, the compressed air F is supplied from the first end portion of the fourth fluid supply hole 66D by the air compressor 5, so that the auxiliary tube body 124 and the tube body 4 are connected. Compressed air F is supplied to the tip side through the gap. Then, the auxiliary tube body 124 is attached to the fourth connection portion 61D of the fourth sealing portion 6D, and the tube body 4 is inserted through the fourth airtight port 62D of the fourth insertion portion 63D so as to be able to advance and retract. As shown in FIG. 5, the tube body 4 and the insertion portion 2 protrude toward the distal end side with respect to the auxiliary tube body 124.
By operating the endoscope device 121 in this way, the outer diameters of the tube body 4 and the auxiliary tube body 124 attached to the insertion portion 2 are adjusted even when the through hole becomes thinner toward the tip. The insertion part 2 can be easily inserted into the through hole.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, although 4th Embodiment which concerns on this invention is described, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the site | part same as the said embodiment, the description is abbreviate | omitted, and only a different point is demonstrated.
As shown in FIG. 12, in the endoscope apparatus 131 of the present embodiment, the distal end side of the tube body 4 is formed to be shorter by a predetermined length in the endoscope apparatus 121 of the third embodiment. A substantially cylindrical tip part base 133 is attached to the tip side. A seal member 134 such as an O-ring is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the tip end cap 133 to allow the distal end portion 12 of the insertion portion 2 to advance and retreat in the axial direction of the insertion portion 2 and to seal the seal member 134 and the distal end portion 12. Airtight between.

According to the endoscope apparatus 131 of the present embodiment configured as described above, the compressed air F is supplied from the first end portion of the second fluid supply hole 66B by the air compressor 5 so that the tube body 4 is inserted. The compressed air F flows to the tip end side as shown by an arrow F1 drawn with a solid line through the portion 2. Thereby, the insertion part 2 can be moved to the front end side.
Further, the compressed air F is supplied from the first end portion of the fourth fluid supply hole 66D by the air compressor 5, so that an arrow F2 drawn by a two-dot chain line passes between the auxiliary tube body 124 and the tube body 4. Thus, the compressed air F flows to the tip side. Thereby, the insertion part 2 can be moved to the base end side.

Note that the inlet-side switching valve 112 and the outlet-side switching valve provided in the endoscope apparatus 111 of the above-described embodiment are provided in the fourth fluid supply hole 66D and the second fluid supply hole 66B of the endoscope apparatus 131 of the present embodiment. 113 may be connected to each other, and similarly to the endoscope apparatus 111, an insertion portion position detection sensor unit 114a, a tube body position detection sensor unit 114b, a control device 115, an operation unit 116, and a power supply unit 117 may be provided.
With this configuration, it is possible to automatically adjust the length of the distal end portion 12 that protrudes toward the distal end side of the distal end portion base 133.

The first to fourth embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and the configuration does not depart from the gist of the present invention. Changes are also included.
For example, in the first to fourth embodiments, the base end portion 4a of the tube body 4 may be connected to the insertion portion 2 by bonding or the like without providing the second sealing portion 6B.
In the third and fourth embodiments, the auxiliary tube body 124 is disposed on the radially outer side of the tube body 4. However, the auxiliary tube body 124 may be disposed on the radially inner side of the tube body 4. The auxiliary tube body 124 may be arranged on both the radially outer side and the radially inner side of the tube body 4.

1 is a perspective view of an endoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is principal part sectional drawing of the same endoscope apparatus. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the procedure which observes a through-hole with the same endoscope apparatus. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the procedure which observes a through-hole with the same endoscope apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the insertion part of the modification of the same endoscope apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the insertion part of the modification of the same endoscope apparatus. FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the tube body of the insertion portion of the modification of the endoscope apparatus, and FIG. 7B is a state in which the modification of the endoscope apparatus is inserted into the through hole. It is description which shows. It is explanatory drawing which shows the endoscope of the modification of the same endoscope apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the endoscope apparatus of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the structure of the endoscope apparatus of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows operation | movement of the same endoscope apparatus. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the structure of the endoscope apparatus of 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1, 111, 121, 131 Endoscope device 2 Insertion unit 3 Endoscope 4 Tube body 5 Air compressor (fluid supply unit)
6A 1st sealing part 6B 2nd sealing part 6C 3rd sealing part 61A 1st connection part 62A 1st airtight port 63A 1st insertion part 66A 1st fluid supply hole 61B 2nd connection part 62B 2nd airtight port 63B Second insertion portion 66B Second fluid supply hole 61C Third connection portion 66C Third fluid supply hole 112 Inlet side switching valve (inlet side switching means)
113 Outlet side switching valve (outlet side switching means)
114a Insertion part position detection sensor part (detection means)
114b Tube body position detection sensor (detection means)
115 Control device (control means)
124 Auxiliary tube body A1, A11 Piping (subject)
A2, A12 Through hole F Compressed air (fluid)

Claims (5)

An endoscope apparatus used by being inserted into a subject in which a through hole is formed,
An endoscope having a flexible and elongated insertion portion;
A tubular tube body that can be inserted into the through-hole, and in which the insertion portion is inserted and a proximal end side is connected to the insertion portion;
A fluid supply unit capable of supplying fluid;
A first connection part that is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and is provided at one end and is airtightly attached to one opening of the through-hole, and is provided at the other end and is capable of advancing and retreating the tube body while maintaining airtightness. A first insertion part in which a first airtight port is formed, a first end part communicating with the fluid supply part, and a second end part is a lumen between the first connection part and the first insertion part A first sealing portion having a first fluid supply hole that opens to the side;
An endoscope apparatus comprising: The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
A second connecting portion formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and provided at one end portion and airtightly attached to the proximal end portion of the tube body, and the insertion of the endoscope provided at the other end portion while keeping the airtightness A second insertion part formed with a second airtight port capable of advancing and retreating the part, a first end part communicating with the fluid supply part, and a second end part including the second connection part and the second insertion part. A second fluid supply hole that opens to the lumen side between the second sealing portion and
The endoscope apparatus, wherein the fluid supply unit is configured to be able to supply the fluid independently to the first fluid supply hole and the second fluid supply hole. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
An endoscope apparatus, further comprising a tubular auxiliary tube body having an outer diameter different from that of the tube body and disposed so as to overlap with the tube body in a radial direction. The endoscope apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A third connecting portion that is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and that is provided at one end portion and is airtightly attached to the other opening of the through hole; and a second end portion that communicates with the fluid supply portion. And a third sealing part having a third fluid supply hole that opens to the lumen side,
The first fluid supply hole has a state in which a first end portion thereof is communicated with the fluid supply portion and a state in which the first end portion is disconnected from the fluid supply portion. It is connected to the fluid supply unit via a switchable inlet side switching means,
The third fluid supply hole has a state in which a first end portion thereof is communicated with the fluid supply portion, and a state in which the first end portion is disconnected from the fluid supply portion. An endoscope apparatus, wherein the endoscope apparatus is connected to the fluid supply section via a switchable outlet side switching means. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
Detecting means for detecting a length of the insertion portion of the endoscope inserted through the through-hole of the subject;
Control means for controlling the inlet side switching means and the outlet side switching means, respectively, based on the detection result by the detection means;
An endoscope apparatus further comprising:

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