JP2011045521A - Flexible tube of endoscope and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flexible tube of an endoscope using a flexible tube skeletal body in which a large number of articulation rings are coupled in series instead of a spiral pipe and which is excellent in durability so that the content hardly becomes a wavy state even though being repeatedly bent, and to provide a method for manufacturing the flexible tube. <P>SOLUTION: In the whole length of the flexible tube 1, an outer skin member P does not protrude to a center side from the inner peripheral face (11a) of the flexible tube skeletal body 10 in areas not overlapping with connecting parts 12 when being viewed from an axial direction of the flexible tube skeletal body 10, and the outer skin member P randomly protrudes to the center side from the inner peripheral face (11a) of the flexible tube skeletal body 10 in areas overlapping with the connecting parts 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope flexible tube and a method of manufacturing the same.

  In general, a flexible tube of an endoscope has a configuration in which a mesh tube is covered with a double or triple spiral tube inside and outside, and a flexible skin is covered with a mesh tube. However, a flexible tube using such a spiral tube may be damaged or deteriorated while being bent repeatedly with a small radius of curvature.

  In view of this, there is a structure that uses a flexible flexible tube frame constructed by connecting a large number of articulated rings in series instead of a helical tube. In such a flexible tube frame used for a flexible tube of an endoscope, adjacent articulation rings are connected to each other so as to be rotatable while being alternately turned by 90 ° at a connecting portion (for example, patents). References 1, 2).

JP-A-9-24020 JP2007-252560

  FIG. 9 shows the flexible tubular skeleton 10 as described above, wherein 11 is a joint ring, and 12 is a connecting part that rotatably connects adjacent joint rings 11. The connecting portion 12 is provided at a 180 ° symmetrical position around the axis of the flexible tube frame 10 by alternately changing the direction by 90 °.

  Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame 10 is circular as shown in FIG. 10A at the position where the connecting portion 12 is not provided, and the position where the connecting portion 12 is provided. Then, the case where the connecting portion 12 protrudes inward from the left and right as shown in FIG. 10 (B) and the case where the connecting portion 12 protrudes inward from the upper and lower sides as shown in FIG. 10 (C) are alternated. appear.

  For this reason, when assembled as an endoscope, there are so-called built-in objects such as optical fiber bundles, signal cables, flexible tubes, etc. that are inserted into the flexible tube (that is, the flexible tube frame 10). In the inner circumference of the flexible tube frame 10, it tends to be in a wavy state so as to avoid the connecting portions 12 alternately projecting inwardly every 90 °, and the flexible tube is repeatedly bent in the endoscopic examination. Then, the built-in objects become more wavy and easily damaged.

  The present invention provides a flexible tube of an endoscope using a flexible tube frame in which a large number of articulation rings are connected in series instead of a helical tube, so that a built-in object undulates even if it is bent repeatedly. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope flexible tube that is difficult to be formed and has excellent durability, and a method for manufacturing the same.

  In order to achieve the above object, the flexible tube of the endoscope of the present invention has a mesh tube that covers a flexible flexible tube frame constructed by connecting a number of short cylindrical joint rings in series. An endoscope flexible tube having a structure in which a flexible outer skin is covered with a mesh tube, and the flexible tube frame is configured so that adjacent articulation rings are alternately connected by 90 ° at a connecting portion. The outer skin is formed by applying the outer skin member in a molten state and then curing the outer skin member in the entire length of the flexible tube. The outer skin member does not protrude to the center side from the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame in the region where it does not overlap with the connecting portion, and the outer shell member is the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame in the region overlapping with the connecting portion. It protrudes more randomly to the center side.

  Note that the outer skin member may be formed so as not to protrude from the inner edge of the connecting portion to the center side of the flexible tube frame in the region overlapping the arrangement position of the connecting portion when viewed from the axial direction of the flexible tube frame. Good.

  In addition, in the endoscope flexible tube manufacturing method of the present invention, a flexible tube structure having a bendable structure formed by connecting a number of short cylindrical joint rings in series is covered with a mesh tube, A method for manufacturing a flexible tube of an endoscope having a configuration in which a flexible outer skin is covered with a mesh tube, wherein the flexible tube frame is formed by alternately connecting adjacent joint rings by 90 ° at a connecting portion. The outer skin is formed by rotating the outer shell member in a molten state with the core metal being passed through the flexible tube frame, and then curing the outer shell member. Of the cross-sectional shape of the cored bar, only the part that interferes with the connecting part is along the inner edge of the connecting part as long as it is in the shape of the inner peripheral surface of the flexible pipe frame as viewed from the axial direction of the flexible tube frame. The other part is formed along the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame. As a result, in the entire length of the flexible tube, in the region where it does not overlap with the connecting portion when viewed from the axial direction of the flexible tube frame, the outer skin member is on the center side from the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame. In the region that does not protrude in the region and overlaps with the connecting portion, the outer skin member protrudes randomly from the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame toward the center.

  According to the present invention, in the entire length of the flexible tube, in a region that does not overlap the connecting portion when viewed from the axial direction of the flexible tube frame, the outer skin member protrudes toward the center side from the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame. In the region that overlaps with the connecting part, the outer skin member protrudes randomly from the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame toward the center, so that the shape of the space through which the built-in object is inserted is close to the axial direction. Since the built-in object is inserted and arranged straight there, even if the flexible tube of the endoscope is repeatedly bent, the built-in object is unlikely to wave, and excellent durability can be obtained. .

It is a side surface fragmentary sectional view of the flexible tube of the endoscope which concerns on the Example of this invention. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a single-piece | unit perspective view of the articular ring which comprises the flexible tube | skeleton structure of the endoscope which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a see-through | perspective schematic diagram of the axial direction of the flexible-tube frame which comprises the flexible tube of the endoscope which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram of a VV section in Drawing 1 of a flexible tube of an endoscope concerning an example of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of a VI-VI section in Drawing 1 of a flexible tube of an endoscope concerning an example of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the state in the manufacturing process of the flexible tube of the endoscope which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is sectional drawing of a cross section perpendicular | vertical to the axis line of the state in the manufacturing process of the flexible tube of the endoscope which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a perspective view of the flexible tube frame which constitutes the flexible tube of an endoscope. It is three schematic sectional drawings for demonstrating the cross-sectional shape of a cross section perpendicular | vertical to the axis line of a flexible tube frame.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows the entire configuration of the endoscope. The insertion portion to be inserted into the body is connected to the distal end of a flexible tube 1 that is bent, and a bending portion 2 that is bent by remote operation, so that an observation window or the like is provided. The disposed distal end body 3 is connected to the distal end of the bending portion 2.

  The operation unit 4 connected to the base end of the flexible tube 1 is provided with a bending operation knob 5 and the like for remotely operating the bending unit 2. By appropriately rotating the bending operation knob 5, The bending portion 2 can be bent at an arbitrary angle in an arbitrary direction.

FIG. 1 shows the structure of the flexible tube 1.
The inner layer of the flexible tube 1 is composed of a flexible tube frame 10 that can be bent as shown in FIG. That is, the flexible tube frame 10 is obtained by connecting a large number of (for example, about 100 to 300) short cylindrical joint rings 11 in series so as to be rotatable at each connecting portion 12.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of such a joint ring 11, and a pair of tongue pieces forming a connecting portion 12 for connecting to the adjacent joint ring 11 is 180 ° symmetrical on one end side of the joint ring 11. The connecting pin 13 is formed to protrude from the inner surface of each tongue piece.

  On the other end side of the joint ring 11, a pair of tongues that form the connecting portion 12 by changing the position of the connecting pin 13 and the 90 ° direction (that is, changing the 90 ° direction in the direction around the axis of the joint ring 11). The piece is formed so as to protrude at a 180 ° symmetrical position. Each tongue piece is formed with a connection hole 14 into which the connection pin 13 is rotatably fitted.

  Note that the tongue piece forming the connecting portion 12 on the side where the connecting hole 14 is formed overlaps the tongue piece on the side where the connecting pin 13 is formed in the radial direction of the joint ring 11. It is formed to be recessed by the thickness.

  In this way, a number of articulation rings 11 are pivotally connected while adjacent articulation rings 11 are alternately rotated by 90 ° at the connecting portion 12 (that is, the turning direction). A flexible tube frame 10 that can be bent in the direction is configured.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the outer surface of a flexible tube frame 10 formed by connecting a large number of articulation rings 11 is covered with a mesh tube 20 braided with a fine metal wire, so that the flexible tube 1 An intermediate layer is formed, and the outer surface of the mesh tube 20 is covered with a flexible outer skin 30 to form an outer layer of the flexible tube 1.

  The outer skin 30 is formed by applying an outer shell member made of a thermoplastic resin such as a polyurethane resin, a polyethylene resin, or a fluororesin in a molten state and then curing it, and can be formed by extrusion molding. . However, it may be formed by dipping or the like.

  In the flexible tube 1 manufactured as described above, when the outer skin member that forms the outer skin 30 is in a molten state, the outer skin member passes through the gap between the mesh ring 11 of the mesh tube 20 and the joint ring 11 on the inside thereof. It can project from the inner peripheral surface of the ring 11 (that is, the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame 10) toward the center side of the articulated ring 11 (see JP-A-11-262468, etc.). P is a skin member that protrudes to the inner surface side of the joint ring 11 in this way, and is cured together with the skin 30 in that state.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the present invention, the outer skin member P can be used in the region where the flexible tube 1 does not overlap the connecting portion 12 when viewed from the axial direction of the flexible tube frame 10 in the entire length of the flexible tube 1. In a region that does not protrude toward the center side from the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube skeleton 10 (that is, the inner peripheral surface 11 a of the joint ring 11) and overlaps the connecting portion 12, the outer skin member P is the inner periphery of the flexible tube skeleton 10. Projects randomly from the surface toward the center. However, the outer skin member P does not protrude toward the center side of the flexible tubular frame body 10 from the inner edge of the connecting portion 12.

  That is, the cross-sectional shape of the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame 10 (that is, the inner peripheral surface 11a of the joint ring 11) is such that the connecting portion 12 is as shown in FIG. 5 illustrating the cross-section VV in FIG. The state of protruding to the left and right positions and the state of the connecting portion 12 protruding to the up and down positions as shown in FIG. 6 illustrating the cross section VI-VI are alternately repeated, but as shown in FIGS. The outer skin member P protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame 10 toward the center only in the direction perpendicular to the connecting portion 12.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, in the internal space of the flexible tube frame 10 (that is, the internal space of the flexible tube 1), the connecting portion 12 is viewed from the axial direction of the flexible tube frame 10. In the region in the four directions, the connecting portion 12 or the outer skin member P protrudes from the inner peripheral surface 11a toward the center side in the entire length, and neither the connecting portion 12 nor the outer skin member P protrudes in the other directions.

  As a result, the space shape in which the various built-in objects 40 indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4 are inserted and arranged is almost straight in the axial direction, and the built-in object 40 is inserted and arranged straight there. Even if the flexible tube 1 of the mirror is repeatedly bent, the built-in object 40 is unlikely to be in a wavy state, and excellent durability can be obtained.

  FIG. 7 shows a state in which the core metal 100 is passed through the flexible tube frame 10 when the outer shell 30 is extruded to produce the flexible tube 1 in which the outer shell member P projects to the inner surface in the above-described state. Shows the state. The outer surface of the flexible tube frame 10 is covered with a mesh tube 20 over its entire length.

  The material of the cored bar 100 is a round bar shape whose outer diameter is sized to be inserted into the inner diameter of the joint ring 11, but interferes with the connecting portion 12 if the round bar shape along the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame 10 is maintained. Only the portion 102 is cut out straight from the round bar in the direction parallel to the axis so as to follow the inner edge of the connecting portion 12, and the other portion (that is, the portion that does not interfere with the connecting portion 12) 101 is a flexible tube. It is formed over the entire length in a shape along the inner peripheral surface of the skeleton 10 (that is, a shape as a round bar).

  In such a state, the outer skin 30 is applied to the outer surface of the mesh tube 20 by an extrusion molding apparatus (not shown) as shown in FIG. Then, when viewed from the axial direction of the joint ring 11 (that is, the axial direction of the flexible tube frame 10), the core metal 100 is almost perfectly fitted to the inner peripheral surface 11a of the joint ring 11 over the entire length in a region where the connecting portion 12 is not provided. The outer skin member P does not protrude from the inner peripheral surface 11a of the joint ring 11 toward the center side.

  And in the four regions at intervals of 90 ° where the connecting portion 12 is located, the core metal 100 is cut out along the inner edge of the connecting portion 12 in a straight line and parallel to the axis, so that the outer skin member P It protrudes at random from the inner peripheral surface 11a of the joint ring 11 to the center side within a range overlapping with the connecting portion 12 when viewed from the axial direction of the ring 11.

  When the covering molding of the outer skin 30 is thus completed, the core metal 100 is pulled out from the flexible tube frame 10 in the axial direction, and a base or the like (not shown) is attached to both ends of the flexible tube 1 so as to be flexible. Tube 1 is completed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Flexible tube 10 Flexible tube frame 11 Articulated ring 11a Inner peripheral surface 12 Connection part 20 Reticulated tube 30 Outer skin 100 Core metal 101 Part which does not interfere with a connection part 102 Part which interferes with a connection part P Outer skin member

Claims (3)

An internal structure having a configuration in which a flexible tube structure is formed by connecting a large number of short cylindrical joint rings in series and a flexible tube is covered with a mesh tube, and a flexible skin is covered with the mesh tube. A flexible tube of an endoscope, wherein the flexible tube frame is configured by rotatably connecting adjacent articulation rings while alternately changing directions by 90 ° at a connecting portion. Is formed by applying the outer skin member in a molten state and then curing it,
In the entire length of the flexible tube, the outer skin member does not protrude toward the center side from the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame in a region that does not overlap with the connecting portion when viewed from the axial direction of the flexible tube frame. The flexible tube for an endoscope, wherein in the region overlapping with the connecting portion, the outer skin member protrudes randomly from the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame toward the center.   The outer skin member is formed so as not to protrude toward the center of the flexible tube frame from the inner edge of the connection unit in a region overlapping the arrangement position of the connection unit as viewed from the axial direction of the flexible tube frame. The flexible tube of an endoscope according to claim 1. An internal structure having a configuration in which a flexible tube structure is formed by connecting a large number of short cylindrical joint rings in series and a flexible tube is covered with a mesh tube, and a flexible skin is covered with the mesh tube. A method for manufacturing a flexible tube of an endoscope, wherein the flexible tube frame is configured such that adjacent articulation rings are rotatably connected to each other while being alternately rotated by 90 ° at a connecting portion. The outer skin is formed by curing after applying the outer skin member in a molten state with the core metal being passed through the flexible tube frame,
Of the cross-sectional shape of the cored bar, only the part that interferes with the connecting part remains in the shape along the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame as viewed from the axial direction of the flexible tube frame. The other part is formed in the shape along the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame over the entire length, being cut out along the inner edge of the flexible tube frame in a direction parallel to the axis.
As a result, in the entire length of the flexible tube, the outer skin member is located closer to the center than the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame in a region that does not overlap with the connecting portion when viewed from the axial direction of the flexible tube frame. The method for manufacturing a flexible tube for an endoscope, wherein the outer skin member randomly protrudes toward the center side from the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tube frame in a region that does not protrude and overlaps the connecting portion.

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