JP2017217250A - Curved envelope fixing structure and endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a curved envelope fixing structure that can readily fix an envelope for a curved part of an endoscope and shorten a manufacturing time.SOLUTION: A curved envelope fixing structure includes: a hard frame 21 provided in an insertion part 2 of an endoscope 1; a curved envelope 31 disposed so as to cover an outer peripheral part of the hard frame 21 together with a curved part 7 provided in the insertion part 2; and a fixing member 25 for holding a part covering the hard frame 21 of the curved envelope 31 so as to press in an inner radial direction in a watertight manner and having a welding part 26 to press and fix the part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a curved outer skin fixing structure that fixes an outer skin of a bending portion, and an endoscope having the curved outer skin fixing structure.

  In recent years, medical devices that are inserted into a subject, such as endoscopes, have been widely used in the medical field and the industrial field.

  In particular, an endoscope used in the medical field observes an organ in a body cavity by inserting a long and thin insertion portion into a body cavity as a subject, and a treatment tool provided in the endoscope as necessary. Various treatments can be performed using the treatment tool inserted into the insertion channel.

  It is well known that the insertion portion of such a conventional endoscope is provided with a bending portion that can be bent in order to improve the insertion property into the subject.

  The curved part contains a plurality of pieces, a part formed with a plurality of slits in a cylindrical body such as Ni-Ti, and the like, and a curved rubber that forms a curved outer skin such as a rubber tube so as to cover the outer periphery of the part Is provided.

  And, as described in Patent Document 1, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, the curved rubber covering this curved portion has been conventionally coated with an adhesive by winding a thread as a method of securing water tightness and preventing it from shifting. A pinned adhesive part is used.

JP 2009-56121 A

  However, as in the prior art, the formation of the pincushion bonding portion that fixes the curved rubber, which is a curved outer skin, is difficult and requires skill, so that the number of assembly workers is limited.

  Furthermore, there is a problem that it takes time until the adhesive at the pincushion bonding portion is completely cured, which affects the lead time in the manufacture of the endoscope and hinders shortening of the product completion time.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a curved outer skin fixing structure and an endoscope that can easily fix the outer skin of the curved portion and can reduce the manufacturing time. To do.

  The curved outer skin fixing structure according to one aspect of the present invention is disposed so as to cover the outer peripheral portion of the rigid frame together with the rigid frame provided in the insertion portion of the endoscope and the curved portion provided in the insertion portion. A curved outer skin, and a fixing member that is watertightly held so as to press the portion of the curved outer skin that covers the rigid frame in the inner diameter direction and that has a welded portion and is fixed by pressure bonding.

  An endoscope according to one aspect of the present invention includes a rigid frame provided in an insertion portion, a curved outer skin disposed to cover an outer peripheral portion of the rigid frame together with a curved portion provided in the insertion portion, The curved outer skin fixing structure includes: a fixing member that holds a portion of the curved outer skin that covers the rigid frame in a watertight manner so as to press in the inner diameter direction, and has a welding portion and is crimped and fixed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a curved outer skin fixing structure and an endoscope that can easily fix the outer skin of the curved portion and reduce the manufacturing time.

The perspective view which shows the structure of the endoscope of 1 aspect of this invention. The perspective view which shows the front-end | tip part of an insertion part similarly The exploded perspective view showing the curved outer skin fixing structure The exploded perspective view showing the curved outer skin fixing structure in a state where the curved rubber is attached to the tip portion. The exploded perspective view which shows the curved outer skin fixing structure of a state with which a pair of half pipe was mounted | worn to the front-end | tip part similarly The top view of the front-end | tip part of the insertion part which shows the curved outer skin fixing structure of the state as which a pair of half pipe was welded The bottom view of the front-end | tip part of the insertion part which shows the curved outer skin fixing structure of the state to which the pair of half pipes were welded same The top view of the front-end | tip part of the insertion part which shows the curved outer skin fixing structure of the state to which the pair of half pipe of the 1st modification was welded similarly The bottom view of the front-end | tip part of the insertion part which shows the curved outer skin fixing structure of the state to which the pair of half pipe of the 1st modification was welded same as the above The perspective view which shows the partial cross section of the front-end | tip part of the insertion part of a 2nd modification same as the above Sectional drawing which shows the front-end | tip part of the insertion part of a 2nd modification same as the above The perspective view which shows the insertion part of a 3rd modification same as the above Sectional drawing which shows the front-end | tip part of the insertion part of a 3rd modification same as the above The perspective view which shows the insertion part for demonstrating the other form of a welding part concerning FIG. The perspective view which shows the insertion part for demonstrating the other form of a welding part with FIG. 12 and FIG. The exploded perspective view showing the outer skin fixing jacket and the curved outer skin fixing structure in the state where the curved rubber is attached to the tip portion according to the fourth modification. The perspective view which shows the front-end | tip part of the insertion part of a 4th deformation | transformation similarly.

  The present invention will be described below. In the following description, the drawings based on each embodiment are schematic, and the relationship between the thickness and width of each part, the thickness ratio of each part, and the like are different from the actual ones. It should be noted that the drawings may include portions having different dimensional relationships and ratios between the drawings.

First, an endoscope according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an endoscope according to one aspect of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a distal end portion of an insertion portion, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a curved outer skin fixing structure, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the curved outer skin fixing structure with the rubber attached to the tip, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the curved outer skin fixing structure with the pair of half pipes attached to the distal end, and FIG. The top view of the front-end | tip part of the insertion part which shows the curved outer skin fixing structure of the state to which the half pipe was welded, FIG. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an electronic endoscope (hereinafter simply referred to as an endoscope) 1 according to this embodiment is connected to an insertion portion 2 formed in an elongated tubular shape and a proximal end of the insertion portion 2. The operation unit 3, the universal cord 4 that is an endoscope cable extending from the operation unit 3, the endoscope connector 5 disposed at the distal end of the universal cord 4, and the like are mainly configured. .

  The insertion portion 2 is a tubular member that is formed by connecting a distal end portion 6, a bending portion 7 as an endoscope bending portion of the present embodiment, and a flexible tube portion 8 in order from the distal end side. It is. Among these, the distal end portion 6 accommodates and arranges an imaging unit which is an imaging apparatus (not shown) provided with imaging means inside, an illumination means (not shown), and the like.

  The endoscope 1 is not limited to an electronic endoscope, and may be a fiberscope in which an image guide fiber that does not include an imaging unit is disposed in the insertion portion 2.

  The bending portion 7 is a mechanism portion configured to be able to actively bend in two upward and downward directions (UP-DOWN) by a turning operation of a bending lever 13 described later among the operation members of the operation portion 3.

  Note that the bending portion 7 is not limited to this type, and is not limited to the vertical direction, but includes four directions including the left and right directions (up and down, left and right operations, the entire circumferential direction around the axis, UP-DOWN / RIGHT). -LEFT) may be of a type that can be bent.

  The flexible tube portion 8 is a tubular member formed with flexibility so as to be passively flexible. In addition to a treatment instrument insertion channel to be described later, the flexible tube portion 8 extends from an imaging unit built in the distal end portion 6 and further extends from the operation portion 3 to the inside of the universal cord 4. A light guide (to be described later) for guiding the illumination light from the various signal lines and the light source device and emitting it from the distal end portion 6 is inserted (not shown).

  The operation unit 3 is provided on the distal end side, covers the base end of the flexible tube unit 8 and is connected to the flexible tube unit 8, and the operation unit 3 is connected to the folding unit 9 and is internally viewed by the user. Consists of a gripping part 10 that is gripped by hand when using the mirror 1, operating means for operating various endoscope functions provided on the outer surface of the gripping part 10, a treatment instrument insertion part 11, a suction valve 15, and the like Is done.

  As the operation means provided in the operation unit 3, for example, a plurality of operations for performing respective corresponding operations such as a bending lever 13 for performing a bending operation of the bending unit 7, an air / water supply operation or a suction operation, an imaging unit, an illumination unit, and the like. There is a member 14 or the like.

  The treatment instrument insertion portion 11 includes a treatment instrument insertion port for inserting various treatment instruments (not shown), and is a component that communicates with the treatment instrument insertion channel through the branch member inside the operation section 3.

  The treatment instrument insertion portion 11 is provided with a forceps plug 12 that is a lid member for opening and closing the treatment instrument insertion port and is configured to be detachable (replaceable) with respect to the treatment instrument insertion portion 11. ing.

  The universal cord 4 passes through the insertion portion 2 from the distal end portion 6 of the insertion portion 2 to the operation portion 3, and further passes various signal lines and the like extending from the operation portion 3 to the inside. This is a composite cable that passes through a light guide (not shown) and further passes an air / water supply tube extended from an air / water supply device (not shown).

  The endoscope connector 5 has an electrical connector portion 16 to which a signal cable for connection with a video processor (not shown) of an external device is connected on a side surface portion, and is connected to a light source device that is an external device. A light source connector portion 17 to which a light guide bundle and an electric cable (not shown) to be described later are connected and an air supply / water supply tube (not shown) from an air supply / water supply device (not shown) of an external device are connected. It has a water supply plug 18 and the like.

Next, the configuration of the distal end portion of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.
The distal end portion 6 of the insertion portion 2 has a distal end hard portion 21 that is a substantially cylindrical rigid frame formed of metal, hard resin, or the like. The distal end hard portion 21 is provided with an observation window 22, here two illumination windows 23 and an opening 24 of a treatment instrument channel, on the distal end surface.

  The distal end hard portion 21 is provided with a tubular outer skin fixing jacket 25 as a fixing member that presses and fixes the distal end portion of the curved rubber 31 that is a curved outer skin from the middle to the proximal end portion from the outer peripheral direction. . The curved outer skin may be other than a rubber material, for example, a tube formed of a flexible resin material.

  That is, the curved portion 7 is covered with the curved rubber 31 so as to cover the outer periphery. In the bending portion 7, a Ni—Ti tube in which a plurality of bending pieces (not shown) or a plurality of slits are formed is disposed. In addition to the Ni—Ti tube, a stainless steel tube having a curved element formed by a multi-lumen tube or a plurality of slits may be used.

  The distal ends of the plurality of bending pieces or Ni—Ti tubes are fitted with the proximal end of the distal end hard portion 21. Since the internal structure of such a bending part 7 is the same as that of the past, detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  Next, a curved outer skin fixing structure for fixing the distal end portion of the curved rubber 31 covering the curved portion 7 to the distal end hard portion 21 of the distal end portion 6 will be described.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the curved outer skin fixing structure of the present embodiment has an outer periphery of the curved rubber 31 in which a pair of half pipes 41 and 42 constituting the outer skin fixing jacket 25 are covered by the distal end hard portion 21. Is pressed and fixed by crimping by welding.

  The distal end hard portion 21 has a small-diameter portion 27 having a small outer diameter so that the base end portion has a step.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the narrow-diameter portion 27 is covered with the tip portion of the curved rubber 31. As shown in FIG. 5, a pair of half pipes 41 and 42 made of a metal having biocompatibility such as stainless steel are formed in a tubular shape at the distal end portion of the curved rubber 31 covering the small diameter portion 27. It is put on.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 are pressed from the outer diameter direction to the inner diameter direction (arrow F direction) by a jig (not shown), and each other along the longitudinal direction. The welded portions 26 along the longitudinal direction are formed and joined to the front and back two portions by laser welding at the edge portions where they abut against each other.

  In this manner, the outer shell fixing jacket 25 is formed at the distal end portion 6 by firmly joining the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 to each other. In addition, it is desirable that the outer diameter of the outer skin fixing jacket 25 substantially matches the outer diameter of the distal end portion 6 and the bending portion 7 without any step.

  The distal end portion of the curved rubber 31 is crimped so as to be in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion 27 of the distal end hard portion 21 and is pressed by the outer skin fixing jacket 25 constituted by the pair of half pipes 41 and 42. Fixed to.

  Thereby, in the endoscope 1, the distal end portion 6 to the curved portion 7 are kept watertight, and the distal end portion of the curved rubber 31 is fixed to the distal end portion 6.

  Here, the curved outer skin fixing structure in which the curved rubber 31 is fixed by crimping to the distal end portion 6 is illustrated, but the same structure is also applied to the fixing of the curved rubber 31 to the flexible tube portion 8.

  As described above, the endoscope 1 according to the present embodiment joins the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 by laser welding as compared with conventional pincushion bonding by the above-described curved outer skin fixing structure. The difficulty of the manufacturing operation can be reduced, and the curved rubber 31 that is the curved outer skin can be easily crimped and fixed.

  Further, by laser welding the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 placed on the distal end portion 6, the product completion time of the endoscope 1 can be shortened as compared with the conventional case.

  As described above, the endoscope 1 according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which the bending rubber 31 that is the outer skin of the bending portion 7 can be easily fixed, and the manufacturing time can be shortened.

  Further, the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 constituting the outer skin fixing jacket 25 can be manufactured by press-molding a metal plate, which contributes to a reduction in manufacturing cost of the endoscope 1.

(First modification)
FIG. 8 is a top view of the distal end portion of the insertion portion showing the curved outer skin fixing structure in which the pair of half pipes of the first modification is welded, and FIG. 9 is the curved outer skin in a state where the pair of half pipes are welded. It is a bottom view of the front-end | tip part of the insertion part which shows a fixing structure.

  In the curved outer skin fixing structure of this modification, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the middle portion of the edge portion along the longitudinal direction of each of the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 constituting the outer skin fixing jacket 25, here, A substantially convex portion 43 and a concave portion 44 are formed in the vicinity of the approximate center, and the convex portion 43 and the concave portion 44 are configured to fit with each other.

  In the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 configured in this manner, when the curved rubber 31 covered on the distal end hard portion 21 is attached to the distal end portion, when pressed from the outer diameter direction toward the inner diameter direction, the circumferential direction is increased. The extended convex portion 43 is fitted into a concave portion 44 formed by cutting out in the circumferential direction.

  And the convex part 43 and the recessed part 44 each contact | abut, and the edge part of those contact parts forms the welding part 26 by laser welding, and is joined.

  As described above, in the curved outer skin fixing structure of this modification, the convex portions 43 and the concave portions 44 of the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 are fitted to each other, so that the end surfaces of the side portions of the convex portions 43 and the concave portions 44 are fitted to each other. Can be reliably abutted. That is, the circumferential direction of the outer skin fixing jacket 25 is in a state of being surely in contact.

  As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in strength due to a gap formed in a portion where the welded portion 26 that joins the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 is formed.

  In addition, although the structure which joins only the side part which the convex part 43 and the recessed part 44 contact here by laser welding is illustrated here, as well as the above-mentioned embodiment, further, a pair of half pipes 41 and 42 By forming the welded portion 26 by laser welding at the respective edge portions along the longitudinal direction, it is possible to further increase the bonding strength of the pair of half pipes 41 and 42.

(Second modification)
FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a partial cross section of the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the second modification, and FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the distal end portion of the insertion portion.

  In the curved outer skin fixing structure of this modification, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the curved rubber 31 is mounted so as not to cover the entire small diameter portion 27 of the distal end hard portion 21 but to cover the middle of the small diameter portion 27. ing.

  Then, a step with the tip of the curved rubber 31 is formed at the tip of the small-diameter portion 27, and the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 are welded after the adhesive 28 is applied to the step, thereby the outer skin fixing jacket 25. Is formed.

  That is, the curved outer skin fixing structure has a configuration in which a space is formed between the distal end portion of the small diameter portion 27 of the distal end hard portion 21 and the outer skin fixing jacket 25 and the adhesive 28 is applied in the space.

  Thereby, the endoscope 1 has a configuration in which the distal end portion of the insertion portion 2 is more securely held in a watertight manner. In addition, before the adhesive 28 is hardened, the adhesiveness between the outer skin fixing jacket 25 and the distal end hard portion 21 is improved by forming the welded portion 26 and joining the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 by laser welding. Can do.

(Third Modification)
12 is a perspective view showing an insertion portion of a third modification, FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a distal end portion of the insertion portion, and FIG. 14 is an insertion portion for explaining another form of the welding portion with FIG. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing an insertion portion for explaining another form of the welded portion, which is different from FIGS. 12 and 14.

  In the curved outer skin fixing structure of this modification, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the distal end hard portion 21 is formed of a metal such as stainless steel, and the outer diameter of the small diameter portion 27 decreases toward the base end side. A stepped portion is formed.

  That is, the small-diameter portion 27 is mounted so that the front-end-side jacket joint portion 27a that is covered and joined only by the outer skin fixing jacket 25 and the curved rubber 31 that is smaller in diameter than the jacket joint portion 27a are covered. And a curved rubber mounting portion 27b on the base end side.

  The pair of half pipes 41 and 42 constituting the outer skin fixing jacket 25 are disposed so as to cover and contact the jacket joint portion 27a of the small diameter portion 27, and are welded to the jacket joint portion 27a by laser welding. A portion 26 is formed and secured.

  Here, the welded portion 26 has a configuration in which a pair of half pipes 41 and 42 are welded to the jacket joint portion 27 a in a predetermined range in the circumferential direction of the outer skin fixing jacket 25.

  Thus, by welding the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 directly to the distal end hard portion 21, the accuracy of the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 is poor, and the end surfaces along the longitudinal direction of the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 are formed. Even if the gap S is not generated, the fixing strength of the outer skin fixing jacket 25 can be secured and the distal end portion of the insertion portion 2 can be reliably watertight.

  The pair of half pipes 41 and 42 can be made to have a large manufacturing tolerance by setting the dimensions in advance so that a gap S is formed in the state of forming the outer skin fixing jacket 25.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 14, in order to raise intensity | strength, it is good also as the welding part 26 which carried out the laser welding of the whole circumferential direction of a pair of half pipes 41 and 42. As shown in FIG.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 15, when the end surfaces along the longitudinal direction of the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 come into contact with each other, a welded portion 26 that joins the abutting edge portion and the jacket joint portion 27a at the same time may be used.

(Fourth modification)
FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view showing the outer skin fixing jacket and the curved outer skin fixing structure in which the curved rubber is attached to the distal end portion according to the fourth modification, and FIG. 17 is the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the fourth deformation. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the outer skin fixing jacket 25 is attached as a pipe member having a C-shaped cross section so as to cover the distal end portion of the curved rubber 31, and then comes into contact with the end face notched in the longitudinal direction by caulking or the like. Then, as shown in FIG. 17, the welded portion 26 may be formed and fixed by laser welding.

  In the above-described embodiment and modification, the welded portion 26 in which the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 or the hard end portion 21 which is a metal part such as stainless steel is joined by laser welding is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Instead, the pair of half pipes 41 and 42 or the distal end hard portion 21 may be formed as a welded portion 26 that is joined by laser resin welding as a resin component of the same material. Furthermore, the formation of the welded portion 26 is not limited to laser welding, and various welding techniques such as ultrasonic welding may be employed.

  The invention described in the above embodiment is not limited to the embodiment and modifications, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Further, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements.

  For example, even if some constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, the described requirements can be deleted if the stated problem can be solved and the stated effect can be obtained. The configuration can be extracted as an invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope 2 ... Insertion part 3 ... Operation part 4 ... Universal cord 5 ... Endoscope connector 6 ... End part 7 ... Bending part 8 ... Flexible tube part 9 ... Anti-folding part 10 ... Grasping part 11 ... Treatment tool Insertion part 12 ... Forceps plug 13 ... Curve lever 14 ... Operation member 15 ... Suction valve 16 ... Electrical connector part 17 ... Light source connector part 18 ... Air / water supply plug 21 ... Hard tip 22 ... Observation window 23 ... Illumination window 24 ... Opening Portion 25 ... Outer skin fixing jacket 26 ... Welding portion 27 ... Small diameter portion 27a ... Jacket joint portion 27b ... Curved rubber mounting portion 28 ... Adhesive 31 ... Curved rubber 41, 42 ... Half pipe 43 ... Convex portion 44 ... Concave portion S ... Gap

Claims (6)

A rigid frame provided in the insertion portion of the endoscope;
A curved skin disposed so as to cover an outer peripheral portion of the rigid frame, together with a curved portion provided in the insertion portion,
A fixing member that holds the watertight so as to press the portion of the curved outer skin that covers the rigid frame in the inner diameter direction, and has a welded portion and is crimped and fixed,
A curved outer skin fixing structure comprising:   2. The curved outer skin fixing structure according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member includes a pair of half pipes and has the welded portion at a portion where the fixing members abut each other. The pair of half pipes has a convex portion extending in the circumferential direction and a concave portion formed by cutting out in the circumferential direction,
The curved outer skin fixing structure according to claim 2, wherein the convex portion is fitted into the concave portion, and the welded portion is provided at least in the fitted portion.   The curved skin fixing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an adhesive applied between the rigid frame and the fixing member.   The curved outer skin fixing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the welding portion fixes the rigid frame and the fixing member.   An endoscope comprising the curved outer skin fixing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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