JP2018134355A - Operation button device for electronic endoscope and electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operation button device for an electronic endoscope and an electronic endoscope in which removal of an operation button (a press operation button) and operation defect caused by the removal can be prevented.SOLUTION: The operation button device for an electronic endoscope which is provided in a shell region of an electronic endoscope is provided that includes: a press operation button capable of applying vertical, horizontal and diagonal press operation forces to the shell region; a conjunction pushing member which pushes an electric switch in conjunction with the press operation force applied to the press operation button; and a stopper member positioned at a periphery of the conjunction pushing member. When the press operation force is applied to the press operation button, and the press operation button and the conjunction pushing member are displaced, the press operation button abuts on the stopper member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation button device for an electronic endoscope and an electronic endoscope.

  The present applicant has applied for a patent for a remote operation button device of an electronic endoscope that can operate even when the operation button is pushed in an oblique direction, and has obtained a patent right (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  As a specific configuration, a guide shaft portion connected to the operation button is movably disposed in the guide cylinder, and when the operation button is pushed in, the guide shaft portion pushes in the electric switch. Yes. A rounded convex portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the guide shaft portion, and a conical hole portion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube. When the operation button is pushed in an oblique direction, the round convex portion Is in contact with the conical hole.

JP 2010-142255 A Japanese Patent No. 5430137

  However, according to the inventor's diligent research, the remote operation button device of the electronic endoscope described above has the operation button detached from the guide shaft portion when the operation button is pushed in (especially obliquely or laterally pressed). As a result of the malfunction, there is a risk that a burden is placed on the operation subject and the inspection subject, and there is room for improvement in this respect.

  The present invention has been completed on the basis of the above problem awareness, and an operation button device for an electronic endoscope and an electronic device capable of preventing detachment of an operation button (pressing operation button) and malfunction due to this operation. It is an object to provide an endoscope.

  An operation button device for an electronic endoscope according to an aspect of the present invention is an operation button device provided on an outer shell portion of the electronic endoscope, and is configured to perform pressing operations in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the oblique direction with respect to the outer shell portion. A pressing operation button capable of applying a force, an interlocking pressing member that presses an electrical switch in conjunction with the pressing operation force applied to the pressing operation button, and a stopper member that is positioned in the outer periphery of the interlocking pressing member When the pressing operation force is applied to the pressing operation button and the pressing operation button and the interlocking pressing member are displaced, the pressing operation button comes into contact with the stopper member. .

  The pressing operation button includes a pressing operation portion to which the pressing operation force is applied, a fitting shaft portion that extends toward the electric switch and is fitted in a fitting hole portion formed in the interlocking pushing member, An inclined taper portion connecting the pressing operation portion and the fitting shaft portion, and the stopper member accommodates a rounded convex surface portion formed on an outer peripheral surface of the interlocking pressing member and toward the pressing operation portion. A tapered conical hole portion, and when the pressing operation force is applied to the pressing operation portion and the pressing operation button and the interlocking pressing member are displaced, the inclined taper portion of the pressing operation button is the stopper member It can contact | abut to the front-end | tip part of the said conical hole part.

  The outer shell portion further includes a cover member that covers the pressing operation button, the covering member includes a fitting shaft portion that extends toward the pressing operation button, and the pressing operation button includes the cover member. A fitting hole portion into which the fitting shaft portion is fitted can be provided.

  The fitting hole of the pressing operation button may be a bottomed fitting hole.

  An electronic endoscope according to an aspect of the present invention is an electronic endoscope in which an operation button device is provided in an outer shell portion, and the operation button device includes a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, and an oblique direction with respect to the outer shell portion. A pressing operation button capable of applying a pressing operation force, an interlocking pressing member that presses an electric switch in conjunction with the pressing operation force applied to the pressing operation button, and an outer periphery of the interlocking pressing member A stopper member, and when the pressing operation force is applied to the pressing operation button and the pressing operation button and the interlocking pressing member are displaced, the pressing operation button comes into contact with the stopper member. It is a feature.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the operation button apparatus and electronic endoscope of an electronic endoscope which can prevent the separation | separation of the operation button (press operation button) and the malfunctioning resulting from this can be provided.

It is a figure which shows the basic composition of the electronic endoscope by this embodiment. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows the operation button apparatus in the free state where the pressing operation force is not applied. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows the operation button apparatus in the state in which the pressing operation force of the horizontal direction or the diagonal direction was applied. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows the separation prevention structure of a press operation button and an interlocking pushing member. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows the fitting part (press-fit part) of the fitting shaft part of a cover member, and the bottomed fitting hole part of a press operation button.

≪Basic structure of electronic endoscope≫
With reference to FIG. 1, a basic configuration of an electronic endoscope equipped with the operation button device according to the present embodiment will be described. Although the appearance of the operation button device is different between FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2 to 5 described later, this is only for the convenience of drawing. FIG. 1 is a conceptual view for showing a basic configuration of an electronic endoscope. Characteristic portions of the operation button device according to the present embodiment are expressed in FIGS.

  The electronic endoscope 1 includes a flexible insertion portion 2 and a grip operation portion 3 connected to the base portion of the insertion portion 2. Although not shown, an objective lens, an image sensor (CCD or CMOS), a treatment instrument channel outlet, a light distribution lens for illumination, a cleaning nozzle for the objective lens, and the like are arranged at the distal end of the insertion portion 2. Has been. An image in the body cavity by the objective lens is converted into an image signal by the imaging device, and provided separately from the electronic endoscope 1 by a signal transmission cable extending from the insertion section 2 to the universal tube 4 through the grip operation section 3. Sent to an image processing apparatus (for example, a processor not shown). The image processing apparatus performs image processing on the image signal sent from the electronic endoscope 1 to form an electronic image, displays the electronic image on a monitor, and records it on a recording medium. The light distribution lens includes a light guide that extends from the insertion portion 2 through the grip operation portion 3 to the universal tube 4 and a light source device (for example, a processor that is not shown) connected to the distal end portion of the light guide. Is given. The grasping operation section 3 is provided with a treatment instrument channel inlet section 5 that leads to a treatment instrument channel outlet section at the distal end of the insertion section 2. A partial region in the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion 2 is a bending portion that changes the bending state according to the turning operation of the bending operation levers 6 and 7 provided in the grip operation portion 3. The gripping operation unit 3 supplies air to the suction button 8 for sucking fluid such as body fluid from the treatment instrument channel outlet at the distal end of the insertion unit 2 and the objective lens cleaning nozzle at the distal end of the insertion unit 2. An air supply / water supply button 9 for supplying water is provided.

  Operation button devices (remote operation button devices) 10X, 10Y, and 10Z are provided on the outer shell portion 3A of the grip operation unit 3. The operation button devices 10X and 10Y are provided adjacent to the suction button 8, and the operation button device 10Z is provided on the surface opposite to the operation button devices 10X and 10Y. The operation button devices 10X to 10Z are control buttons for image processing, for example, and remotely operate the above-described image processing device by pressing the operation buttons. The remote operation performed by the operation button devices 10X to 10Z includes, for example, an operation for freezing the screen on the monitor, a switching operation of a photometric pattern (average photometry or peak photometry), a recording medium such as a video or a magneto-optical disk, etc. This is an operation for recording a still image or a moving image. The operation button devices 10X to 10Z are arranged at positions that can be pressed with an index finger and a thumb when the grip operation unit 3 is gripped by hand.

≪Operation button device configuration and effects≫
The configuration of the operation button devices 10X to 10Z will be described with reference to FIGS. Since the operation button devices 10X to 10Z have the same configuration, the following description will be given with a typical reference numeral 10 attached thereto. In the following description, the direction perpendicular to the outer shell 3A is defined as the vertical direction (vertical direction) with the outer shell 3A of the gripping operation unit 3 as a reference, and the direction parallel to the outer shell 3A is defined as the left-right direction. (Horizontal direction) is defined, and other directions are defined as diagonal directions.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the outer shell portion 3 </ b> A of the grip operation portion 3 is formed with a through hole 3 </ b> B that communicates the inside and the outside. A step portion 3C is formed in the middle of the through-hole 3B, and the opening diameter on the outer surface side of the gripping operation portion 3 is large and the opening diameter on the inner surface side of the gripping operation portion 3 is small across the step portion 3C. ing. A guide cylinder 20 is mounted in the through hole 3B. The guide cylinder 20 has an outer flange 22 to which the O-ring 21 is attached. When the guide cylinder 20 is inserted from the outer surface side to the inner surface side of the through hole 3B, the outer flange 22 is formed in the step of the through hole 3B. The insertion is restricted by contacting the part 3C. In this insertion-restricted state, a male screw (not shown) formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lower end portion of the guide cylinder 20 protrudes into the grip operation unit 3 and a female screw (not shown) formed on a fixed ring (not shown) with respect to this male screw. When (not shown) is screwed together, the guide cylinder 20 is fixed to the grip operation unit 3.

  A switch housing member 30 is supported on the inner peripheral side of the guide cylinder 20. The switch storage member 30 has a bottomed cylindrical part 33 including a bottom part 31 and a cylindrical part 32 rising from the peripheral part, and the electric switch 40 is stored in the bottomed cylindrical part 33. The electrical switch 40 includes a switch main body 41 and a switch head (switch movable portion) 42 provided on the upper portion of the switch main body 41. The switch head 42 is moved and biased upward by a biasing member (not shown) provided in the switch body 41. The electrical switch 40 is turned on when the switch head 42 is pushed downward and moves a certain amount or more against the moving biasing force of the biasing member (not shown), and the biasing member (not shown) is moved. When the switch head 42 is in the normal position due to the force, the switch head 42 is turned off.

  Although not shown, a lead wire electrically connected to the electrical switch 40 extends below the bottom 31 of the switch housing member 30 (on the side opposite to the electrical switch 40). Is connected to a switch signal input circuit in the grip operation unit 3.

  Above the electrical switch 40 (switch head 42), a combined body of the pressing operation button 50 and the interlocking pressing member 60 is supported. The pressing operation button 50 and the interlocking pressing member 60 can be an integrally molded product made of a resin material such as POM, for example. The pressing operation button 50 and the interlocking pressing member 60 may be made of the same material or different materials.

  The pressing operation button 50 has a pressing operation portion 51 to which a pressing operation force by an operator (for example, a doctor) is applied on the upper side. The pressing operation force applied to the pressing operation unit 51 includes a vertical direction (vertical direction) with respect to the outer shell part 3A, a lateral direction with respect to the outer shell part 3A (horizontal direction), and an oblique direction with respect to the outer shell part 3A (for example, from the upper left). Lower right or lower left to upper right). A bottomed fitting hole portion (fitting hole portion) 52 including a bottom portion 52A and a cylindrical portion 52B is formed on the upper end surface of the pressing operation portion 51.

  The pressing operation button 50 has a fitting shaft portion 53 that extends toward the electric switch 40 (switch head 42) on the lower side. The fitting shaft portion 53 has a smaller diameter than the pressing operation portion 51, and the fitting shaft portion 53 and the pressing operation portion 51 are connected by an inclined taper portion 54 that decreases in diameter from the upper side toward the lower side. . A contact step portion 55 extending in the lateral direction (left-right direction) is formed between the fitting shaft portion 53 and the inclined taper portion 54.

  The interlocking pushing member 60 has a bottomed cylindrical part 63 composed of a bottom part 61 and a cylindrical part 62 rising from the peripheral part thereof, and a fitting hole (on the inner peripheral surface of the bottomed cylindrical part 63 ( A bottomed fitting hole portion) 64 is formed. The contact step portion 55 of the pressing operation button 50 is brought into contact with the upper end surface of the tubular portion 62 of the interlocking pressing member 60, and the fitting shaft portion 53 of the pressing operation button 50 is engaged with the fitting hole portion of the interlocking pressing member 60. By fitting (preferably press-fitting) to 64, the pressing operation button 50 and the interlocking pressing member 60 are coupled. The interlocking pushing member 60 has an outer flange 65 in which the bottom portion 61 of the bottomed tubular portion 63 is expanded outward. Further, the interlocking pushing member 60 has a rounded convex surface portion 66 projecting on the outer peripheral surface in the vicinity of the upper end portion of the tubular portion 62 of the bottomed tubular portion 63.

  A cylindrical stopper member 70 is located outside the interlocking pushing member 60. An inward flange 71 is formed at an intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the stopper member 70. Between the outer flange 65 of the interlocking pressing member 60 and the inner flange 71 of the stopper member 70 (between the outer peripheral surface of the interlocking pressing member 60 and the inner peripheral surface of the stopper member 70), an O made of an elastic material is used. The ring 80 is always arranged in a state of being pinched (clamped). The fitting shaft portion 53 of the pressing operation button 50 extends to the position reaching the inner peripheral side of the O-ring 80 inside the fitting hole portion 64 of the interlocking pushing member 60.

  A conical hole portion 72 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the stopper member 70 above the inner flange 71. The conical hole portion 72 accommodates the rounded convex surface portion 66 of the interlocking pushing member 60 and has a shape that narrows upward toward the pressing operation portion 51 of the pressing operation button 50. The outer diameter of the rounded convex surface portion 66 of the interlocking pushing member 60 is formed to be slightly larger than the minimum inner diameter of the conical hole portion 72 of the stopper member 70. For this reason, even if the combined body of the push operation button 50 and the interlocking push member 60 is straight with respect to the stopper member 70 or is inclined obliquely, the radius of the interlock push member 60 is increased. The convex surface portion 66 always comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the conical hole portion 72 of the stopper member 70. As a result, the combined body of the pressing operation button 50 and the interlocking pressing member 60 is not detached from the stopper member 70.

  The pressing operation button 50 is covered with a cover member 90 in the outer shell portion 3A. The cover member 90 can be made of, for example, a non-conductive and non-water-permeable elastic material such as silicon rubber or fluorine rubber. The base portion of the cover member 90 is fixed to the guide cylinder 20 with a lining. As a result, the operation button device 10 is totally sealed by the cover member 90 so that water does not enter from the outside.

  A fitting shaft portion 91 extending toward the bottomed fitting hole portion 52 of the pressing operation button 50 is formed on the inner surface of the top portion of the cover member 90. By fitting (preferably press-fitting) the fitting shaft portion 91 of the cover member 90 into the bottomed fitting hole portion 52 of the pressing operation button 50, the pressing operation button 50 moves together with the top of the cover member 90. It has become.

  In the operation button device 10 of the electronic endoscope 1 configured as described above, when the operator (for example, a doctor) does not apply the pressing operation force to the pressing operation button 50 via the cover member 90, the urging member ( The switch head 42 is in the normal position by the movement biasing force (not shown), and the electric switch 40 is turned off (see FIG. 2).

  On the other hand, when an operator (for example, a doctor) applies a pressing operation force to the pressing operation button 50 via the cover member 90, the interlocking pressing member 60 sinks downward in conjunction with the pressing operation force (the pressing operation button). 50 and the interlocking pushing member 60 are integrally displaced downward). As a result, the bottom 61 of the interlocking pushing member 60 pushes the switch head 42 downward against the moving biasing force of a biasing member (not shown) to move the switch head 42 by a certain amount or more, thereby causing the electric switch 40 to move. Is turned on (see FIG. 3).

  Here, as described above, the pressing operation force applied to the pressing operation portion 51 of the pressing operation button 50 can be in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the diagonal direction with respect to the outer shell portion 3A.

  As a result of earnest research, the inventor has a small possibility that the pressing operation button 50 is detached from the interlocking pressing member 60 if the pressing operation force is in the vertical direction. It has been found that the possibility that the pressing button 50 is detached from the interlocking pressing member 60 is increased. When the pressing operation button 50 is detached from the interlocking pressing member 60, a malfunction of the operation button device 10 is induced, and a burden is imposed on the operation subject and the inspection subject.

  Therefore, in the operation button device 10 according to the present embodiment, even when the pressing operation force applied to the pressing operation unit 51 of the pressing operation button 50 is the horizontal direction or the diagonal direction, the pressing operation button 50 is moved from the interlocking pressing member 60. In order to prevent separation, the following two characteristic structures are provided.

≪Press release button release prevention structure 1≫
When a pressing operation force is applied to the pressing operation portion 51 of the pressing operation button 50 and the pressing operation button 50 and the interlocking pressing member 60 are displaced, the pressing operation button 50 comes into contact with the stopper member 70 and the movement is restricted. More specifically, the inclined taper portion 54 of the pressing operation button 50 abuts on the tip end portion of the conical hole portion 72 of the stopper member 70 and the movement is restricted. Thereby, even if the pressing operation force applied to the pressing operation part 51 of the pressing operation button 50 is a lateral direction or an oblique direction, the pressing operation force is applied to the contact portion between the pressing operation button 50 and the stopper member 70. Since it is efficiently received (absorbed) by the (inclination taper portion 54 and the abutting portion of the conical hole portion 72), it is possible to prevent the pressing operation button 50 from being detached from the interlocking pressing member 60. .

≪Press release button detachment prevention structure 2≫
A fitting shaft portion 53 extending toward the electric switch 40 is formed in the pressing operation button 50, a fitting hole portion 64 is formed in the interlocking pushing member 60, and the fitting shaft portion 53 of the pressing operation button 50 is connected to the interlocking pushing member 60. Are fitted (press-fitted) into the fitting hole 64. Thus, even when the pressing operation force applied to the pressing operation portion 51 of the pressing operation button 50 is in the horizontal direction or the oblique direction, the pressing operation force is interlocked with the fitting shaft portion 53 of the pressing operation button 50. It is efficiently received (absorbed) by the fitting portion (press-fit portion) of the fitting hole portion 64 of the member 60. In other words, the pressing operation force works to promote (increase) the fitting force (pressure input) between the fitting shaft portion 53 of the pressing operation button 50 and the fitting hole portion 64 of the interlocking pushing member 60. As a result, it is possible to prevent the pressing operation button 50 from being detached from the interlocking pressing member 60. This effect is achieved by extending the fitting shaft portion 53 of the pressing operation button 50 to the position at least reaching the inner peripheral side of the O-ring 80 inside the fitting hole portion 64 of the interlocking pushing member 60. Remarkably can be obtained.

  The above << Push operation button detachment prevention structure 1 >> and << Push operation button detachment prevention structure 2 >> can solve the technical problem of the present invention (provided as an invention) only by providing either one. It is possible to solve the technical problem of the present invention more reliably by having both of these (organically coupled).

  In the above embodiment, the case where the fitting shaft portion 53 of the pressing operation button 50 is press-fitted into the fitting hole portion 64 of the interlocking pushing member 60 has been described as an example. Is possible.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the fitting hole portion 64 of the interlocking pushing member 60 is a bottomed hole has been described as an example, but an aspect in which the fitting hole portion 64 of the interlocking pushing member 60 is a through hole is also possible. is there.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the fitting shaft portion 53 of the pressing operation button 50 extends to the position reaching the inner peripheral side of the O-ring 80 inside the fitting hole portion 64 of the interlocking pushing member 60 is illustrated. Explained. However, the fitting shaft portion 53 of the pressing operation button 50 can be extended to the position just before reaching the inner peripheral side of the O-ring 80 inside the fitting hole portion 64 of the interlocking pushing member 60. A mode in which the O-ring 80 extends further downward (on the electric switch 40 side) than the inner peripheral side is also possible.

  The operation button device of the present embodiment can be applied to endoscopes for various uses such as a digestive endoscope, a bronchial endoscope, and a urological endoscope. The operation button device of the present embodiment can also be applied to ultrasonic endoscopes, side-view endoscopes, perspective endoscopes, confocal endoscopes, fiberscopes, industrial endoscopes, and the like. is there.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electronic endoscope 2 Insertion part 3 Grasping operation part 3A Outer shell part 3B Through-hole 3C Step part 4 Universal tube 5 Treatment instrument channel inlet part 6 7 Bending operation lever 8 Suction button 9 Air supply / water supply button 10 (10X, 10Y, 10Z) Operation button device (remote operation button device)
20 Guide cylinder 21 O-ring 22 Outer flange 30 Switch housing member 31 Bottom portion 32 Tubular portion 33 Bottomed tubular portion 40 Electric switch 41 Switch body 42 Switch head (switch movable portion)
50 Press operation button 51 Press operation part 52 Bottomed fitting hole (fitting hole)
52A Bottom portion 52B Tubular portion 53 Fitting shaft portion 54 Inclined taper portion 55 Contacting step portion 60 Interlocking pushing member 61 Bottom portion 62 Tubular portion 63 Bottomed tubular portion 64 Fitting hole portion (bottomed fitting hole portion)
65 Outer flange 66 R convex portion 70 Stopper member 71 Inner flange 72 Conical hole portion 80 O-ring 90 Cover member 91 Fitting shaft portion

Claims (5)

An operation button device provided on the outer shell of the electronic endoscope,
A pressing operation button capable of applying a pressing operation force in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the diagonal direction with respect to the outer shell part,
An interlocking pushing member that pushes an electric switch in conjunction with the pushing operation force applied to the pushing operation button;
A stopper member located in the outer periphery of the interlocking pushing member;
Have
When the pressing operation force is applied to the pressing operation button and the pressing operation button and the interlocking pressing member are displaced, the pressing operation button contacts the stopper member.
An operation button device for an electronic endoscope. The pressing operation button includes a pressing operation portion to which the pressing operation force is applied, a fitting shaft portion that extends toward the electric switch and is fitted in a fitting hole portion formed in the interlocking pushing member, An inclined taper portion connecting the pressing operation portion and the fitting shaft portion,
The stopper member has a conical hole portion that tapers toward the pressing operation portion while accommodating a rounded convex surface portion formed on an outer peripheral surface of the interlocking pressing member,
When the pressing operation force is applied to the pressing operation portion and the pressing operation button and the interlocking pressing member are displaced, the inclined taper portion of the pressing operation button is at the tip of the conical hole portion of the stopper member. Abut,
The operation button device for an electronic endoscope according to claim 1. A cover member covering the pressing operation button in the outer shell portion;
The cover member has a fitting shaft portion extending toward the pressing operation button,
The pressing operation button has a fitting hole portion into which the fitting shaft portion of the cover member is fitted.
3. The operation button device for an electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the operation button device is an electronic endoscope. The fitting hole portion of the pressing operation button includes a bottomed fitting hole portion,
The operation button device for an electronic endoscope according to claim 3. An electronic endoscope provided with an operation button device on the outer shell,
The operation button device is
A pressing operation button capable of applying a pressing operation force in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the diagonal direction with respect to the outer shell part,
An interlocking pushing member that pushes an electric switch in conjunction with the pushing operation force applied to the pushing operation button;
A stopper member located in the outer periphery of the interlocking pushing member;
Have
When the pressing operation force is applied to the pressing operation button and the pressing operation button and the interlocking pressing member are displaced, the pressing operation button contacts the stopper member.
An electronic endoscope characterized by that.

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