JP2010142254A - Coupling structure between insertion section and operation section of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coupling structure between an insertion section and an operation section of an endoscope, dispensing with the repetition of adjustment work in the direction around the axial direction when coupling the insertion section with the operation section, preventing the extension of a proximal-side hard section of a flexible tube to a bendable area of a break-prevention tubular body, and consequently capable of securing superior durability of the break-prevention tubular section against the bending operation. <P>SOLUTION: A substantially tubular intermediate coupling ring 5 as a whole is insertedly disposed between a flexible-tube proximal mouthpiece 21 and the operation section 3, the flexible-tube proximal mouthpiece 21 is pushed inside the intermediate coupling ring 5 and pressedly fixed to the intermediate coupling ring 5 from the distal side towards the proximal side by a fixing nut 6 threadedly engaged with the side of the intermediate coupling ring 5, the periphery of the intermediate coupling ring 5 is formed with a V-shaped groove 51 in the circumferential direction, and the intermediate coupling ring 5 is fixed to the operation section 3 adjustably in the direction around the axial direction by a screw 7 with truncated cone point which is threaded in a screw hole on the side of the operation section 3 for engaging its tip in the V groove 51. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connection structure between an insertion portion and an operation portion of an endoscope.

  In an endoscope, generally, a flexible tube base end cap attached to a proximal end of a flexible tube that sheathes an insertion portion is connected to an operation portion, and can be inserted into a connection hole formed on the operation portion side. The flexible tube base end cap is inserted, and the flexible tube base end cap is pressed and fixed to the operation portion side from the distal end side toward the proximal end side with a fixing nut screwed to the connecting hole side (for example, Patent Document 1).

  Due to structural and manufacturing reasons for the insertion portion of the endoscope, the relationship in the direction around the axis between the member disposed on the distal end side of the insertion portion and the flexible tube base end cap varies considerably depending on the individual. There is. Therefore, when connecting the insertion part and the operation part, it is necessary to adjust the relationship of the direction.

  However, in the structure in which the flexible tube base end cap is pressed and fixed to the operating portion side with a fixing nut, the flexible tube base end cap is likely to rotate together when the fixing nut is tightened tightly at the end. Then, the direction of the member on the distal end side of the insertion portion, such as an observation window, for example, is out of alignment with the operation portion. Therefore, it is necessary to redo the connection operation between the insertion portion and the operation portion, and the process becomes very complicated.

Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 5, a V-shaped groove 92 is formed in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the flexible tube base end cap 91 attached to the proximal end of the flexible tube 90, and the operation unit 95 side The tip of the pointed tip screw 93 screwed into the screw hole is engaged with the V-shaped groove 92, and the direction of the flexible tube base end cap 91 around the axis is arbitrarily adjusted. Some are fixed (for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2002-28127 A JP2003-310538

  If the configuration of the invention described in Patent Document 2 is adopted, it is necessary to repeat the adjustment operation of the direction around the axis line in the connection work between the insertion portion and the operation portion as in the invention described in Patent Document 1. Disappear.

  However, in the configuration of the invention described in Patent Document 2, as shown in FIG. 5, the axis of the flexible tube base end cap 91 is formed by the amount of the V-shaped groove 92 (and the bank-like portion adjacent thereto). The direction length becomes long.

  Therefore, the proximal end side hard portion H that is connected and fixed to the flexible tube base end cap 91 by soldering or the like in the most proximal end region of the flexible tube 90 is difficult to bend. It must be extended to the inside of the flexible part of the rubber folding cylinder 96 covered in the end region. Therefore, the proximal end side hard portion H may be bent and damaged by the bending operation of the folding preventing cylinder body 96.

  The present invention eliminates the need to repeat the adjustment operation in the direction around the axis during the connection operation between the insertion portion and the operation portion, and the flexible end portion of the flexible tube has a bendable region of the cylindrical body. An object of the present invention is to provide a connection structure between an insertion portion and an operation portion of an endoscope that does not extend to the inside, and as a result, can ensure excellent durability with respect to the bending operation of the folding tube portion. To do.

  In order to achieve the above object, the connection structure between the insertion portion and the operation portion of the endoscope according to the present invention includes a flexible tube base end cap and an operation portion attached to the proximal end of the flexible tube that covers the insertion portion An intermediate insertion ring formed between the flexible tube base end cap and the operation portion as a whole in a substantially cylindrical shape. The flexible tube base end cap is inserted and inserted into the intermediate connection ring, and is pressed and fixed to the intermediate connection ring from the front end side to the base end side by a fixing nut screwed to the intermediate connection ring side. The intermediate coupling ring is inserted into the coupling hole on the operation unit side so as to be rotatable in the direction around the axis, and a V groove is formed in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate coupling ring, and the tip engages with the V groove. The intermediate connection ring is fixed to the operation part by the pointed screw screwed into the screw hole on the operation part side. , In which bend preventing cylinder for preventing the flexible tube bends sharply in the vicinity of the connecting portion between the operation portion is covered by the proximal region of the flexible tube.

  According to the present invention, the flexible tube base end cap is pressed and fixed to the intermediate connection ring from the distal end side toward the proximal end side by the fixing nut screwed to the intermediate connection ring side. It is possible to prevent the proximal end side hard portion from extending into the bendable region of the stopper cylinder. As a result, it is possible to ensure excellent durability with respect to the bending operation of the folding cylinder portion. Further, a V groove is formed in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate connection ring that is rotatably inserted in the connection hole on the operation unit side in the direction around the axis, and the tip engages with the V groove. The intermediate coupling ring is fixed to the operation portion by a pointed screw screwed into the screw hole on the operation portion side. Thereby, it is not necessary to repeat the adjustment operation of the direction around the axis when the insertion portion and the operation portion are connected, and the connection can be made quickly and accurately.

  A connection structure between an insertion portion and an operation portion of an endoscope for connecting a flexible tube base end cap attached to a proximal end of a flexible tube that covers an insertion portion and the operation portion, An intermediate connection ring formed in a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole is interposed between the tube base end cap and the operation portion, and the flexible tube base end cap is inserted into the intermediate connection ring, and the intermediate connection ring A fixing nut that is screwed to the side is pressed and fixed to the intermediate coupling ring from the distal end side to the proximal end side, and the intermediate coupling ring is inserted into the coupling hole on the operation unit side so as to be rotatable around the axis, A V-groove is formed in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the ring, and the intermediate coupling ring is fixed to the operating portion by a pointed tip screw screwed into the screw hole on the operating portion side so that the tip engages with the V-groove. , Folding prevention to prevent the flexible tube from bending suddenly in the vicinity of the connecting part with the operation part The cylindrical body is covered with the proximal region of the flexible tube.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of the endoscope. The flexible insertion portion 1 is covered with a flexible tube 2, and the proximal end of the flexible tube 2 is connected to the lower end portion of the operation portion 3. Reference numeral 4 denotes an anti-bending cylinder for preventing the flexible tube 2 from bending suddenly in the vicinity of the connecting portion with the operation unit 3, and is attached to the base end region of the flexible tube 2. ing.

  FIG. 1 shows an enlarged view of the connecting portion between the proximal end of the flexible tube 2 and the operation portion 3. Reference numeral 31 denotes an operation unit frame, 32 denotes an operation unit housing, 33 denotes a fixing nut for pressing and fixing the operation unit housing 32 to the operation unit frame 31, and 34 denotes an operation unit for hiding the fixing nut 33 and the like so as not to be seen from the outside. The bottom covers 35 and 36 are sealing O-rings. In addition, each O-ring 35, 36 is shown in a state before being crushed by surrounding members (the same applies to other O-rings).

  A substantially cylindrical flexible tube base end cap 21 made of metal is attached to the base end of the flexible tube 2 by soldering or the like. Then, in order to connect the flexible tube base end cap 21 and the operation unit frame 31, a metal intermediate formed between the flexible tube base end cap 21 and the operation unit frame 31 as a whole in a substantially cylindrical shape. A connection ring 5 is interposed. Reference numeral 22 denotes an O-ring for sealing.

  The flexible tube base end cap 21 is inserted into the intermediate coupling ring 5 from the distal end side of the intermediate coupling ring 5 and is fixed from the distal end side by a fixing nut 6 that is screwed with a female screw portion formed on the intermediate coupling ring 5 side. It is pressed and fixed to the intermediate connecting ring 5 toward the end side (from the bottom to the top in the figure).

  FIG. 3 shows a state before the flexible tube base 21 is inserted into the intermediate connecting ring 5. As shown in FIG. 3, a square hole 5 a is formed in the rear end face (that is, the base end face) portion of the intermediate coupling ring 5, and the square hole is formed in the rear end face portion of the flexible tube base end cap 21. A cut-out surface 21a that fits into 5a without a gap is formed.

  As a result, the flexible tube base end cap 21 is inserted into the intermediate coupling ring 5 and the fixing nut 6 is screwed to the flexible tube base end cap 21 side as shown in FIG. When the 21 is pressed and fixed to the intermediate connecting ring 5, the flexible tube base end cap 21 is prevented from rotating in the direction around the axis with respect to the intermediate connecting ring 5. However, such a rotation stop structure may not be provided.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the intermediate connection ring 5 is fitted into a circular connection hole 31 a formed in the operation portion frame 31 so as to be rotatable in the direction around the axis, and is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate connection ring 5. Is formed with a V-shaped groove 51 having a V-shaped cross section in the circumferential direction.

  The intermediate connecting ring 5 is operated by arbitrarily adjusting the direction around the axis by a plurality of pointed screws 7 screwed into the screw holes on the operation unit frame 31 side so that the tip engages with the V groove 51. It is fixed to the part frame 31. 52 is a sealing O-ring. A plurality of pointed tip screws 7 are provided at substantially equal intervals, for example, four at 90 ° intervals or three at 120 ° intervals.

  The intermediate connection ring 5 is fixed to the operation unit frame 31 by tightening the pointed screw 7 and pressing it strongly against the inclined surface of the V groove 51. At this time, no rotational force acts on the intermediate connecting ring 5 from the pointed tip screw 7. Therefore, the intermediate connection ring 5 does not rotate in the direction around the axis during the tightening operation.

  Therefore, once the orientation of the flexible tube 2 in the direction around the axis line is adjusted at the time of connecting the insertion portion 1 and the operation portion 3, the adjustment work need not be repeated, and the connecting operation can be performed quickly and accurately. Can do.

  The elastic rubber folding prevention cylinder 4 is formed in a tapered tapered cylinder and is covered with the proximal end region of the flexible tube 2. A metal connection base 41 is integrally provided on the inner peripheral portion of the proximal end side of the folding preventing cylinder 4.

  The connection base 41 is attached so as to be screwed into a male screw portion formed at the end of the intermediate connection ring 5. The folding prevention cylinder 4 is lining-molded on the coupling base 41, and the folding prevention cylinder 4 is bent by an external force in a region not covered by the coupling base 41.

  The flexible tube base end cap 21 is pressed and fixed to the rear end wall portion of the intermediate connecting ring 5 from the distal end side by the fixing nut 6 as described above. As a result, the proximal end side hard portion H of the flexible tube 2 is located closer to the operation portion 3 than the connection structure between the insertion portion and the operation portion of the conventional endoscope shown in FIG. The proximal end side hard portion H can be accommodated in a region surrounded by the coupling base 41.

  Therefore, the proximal end side hard portion H of the flexible tube 2 does not extend into the bendable region of the folding tube 4 and as a result, the flexible tube 2 is damaged by the bending operation of the folding tube 4 portion. It is possible to ensure excellent durability.

It is side surface sectional drawing of the connection structure of the insertion part and operation part of the endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is an external view of the endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is a partial exploded perspective view of the connection structure of the insertion part and operation part of the endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the partial assembly state of the connection structure of the insertion part and operation part of the endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the connection structure of the insertion part and operation part of the conventional endoscope.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 2 Flexible tube 3 Operation part 4 Folding prevention cylinder 5 Intermediate | middle connection ring 6 Fixing nut 7 Pointed tip screw 21 Flexible pipe base end cap 31 Operation part frame 31a Connection hole 51 V groove H Base end side hard part

Claims (1)

A connection structure between the insertion portion of the endoscope and the operation portion for connecting the operation portion with the flexible tube base end cap attached to the proximal end of the flexible tube covering the insertion portion,
An intermediate coupling ring formed in a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole is interposed between the flexible tube base end cap and the operation portion,
The flexible tube base end cap is inserted into the intermediate connection ring and fixed to the intermediate connection ring from the distal end side toward the proximal end side by a fixing nut screwed to the intermediate connection ring side.
The intermediate connection ring is inserted into the connection hole on the operation portion side so as to be rotatable in the direction around the axis, and a V groove is formed in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate connection ring, and the tip is the V groove. The intermediate coupling ring is fixed to the operation portion by a pointed screw screwed into the screw hole on the operation portion side so as to be engaged with
An endoscope characterized in that the flexible tube is covered with a proximal end region of the flexible tube for preventing the flexible tube from bending suddenly in the vicinity of the connecting portion with the operation unit. Connecting structure between the insertion part and the operation part.

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