JP2018175454A - Endoscope tip part - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope tip part, whose insertion part has a fine diameter and whose hard part may be shortened.SOLUTION: A tip end part 6 comprises a tip curve piece 23 which comprises a wire fixation part 23b fixed with a tip end part of a pulling wire 30 for making a curve part 7 comprising a curve piece pair 7a having a configuration to curve in two directions, a cylindrical tip pipe 22 which is arranged at the peripheral surface side of the tip curve piece 23 and seals a communication hole 23t formed for providing the wire fixation part 23b, a cylindrical curve rubber 24 which is arranged with a gap from a proximal surface of the tip pipe 22 whose tip surface seals the communication hole 23t and constructs a curve part 7 while surrounding the curve piece pair 7a, a string member 26 binding a section from tip side of a peripheral surface of the curve rubber 24 to a predetermined position in proximal direction so as to fasten the curve rubber 24 onto the tip curve piece 23, and adhesive agent 27 applied to a circumferential gap between the proximal surface of the tip pipe 22 and the curve rubber 24 and a peripheral part of the string member 26.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope tip portion provided on the tip side of an endoscope bending portion in an endoscope insertion portion.

  In recent years, endoscopes are used in the medical field, the industrial field, and the like. Endoscopes used in the medical field can perform observation or various treatments by inserting an elongated insertion portion into the body.

  The insertion portion of the endoscope is provided with a bendable bending portion. According to this endoscope, by appropriately operating the bending portion, it is possible to smoothly insert the insertion portion into the deep portion of the inside of the body and to change and observe the viewing direction.

  The curved portion is mainly configured by the curved tube portion and the elastic member. The bending tube portion is a bending piece set in which a plurality of pieces are rotatably connected to be bendable, or a bending pipe in which a plurality of slits are formed in a rigid metal pipe to be bendable. The elastic member is a curved rubber or the like surrounding the outer peripheral surface side of the curved tube portion.

  As shown in FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1, the distal end portion of the endoscope includes a distal end rigid portion incorporating an imaging unit, a distal end cover, a distal annular member, a bending piece, and a bending rubber. Have. The piece positioned at the tip is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip annular member, and the curved rubber is disposed at the tip cover disposed at the tip side of the tip annular member, the tip circular tube member, and the tip annular member A plurality of bending pieces configured to be bendable including a piece are covered. The curved rubber is secured by securing a water tightness by means of a thread wound bonding portion configured by winding a thread around the tip side outer periphery of the curved rubber and applying and curing an adhesive.

JP 2008-275786 A

  However, in the endoscope, in order to improve the insertion performance or the observation performance or to reduce the burden on the patient, it is required to further reduce the diameter of the insertion portion or further shorten the length of the hard portion. ing.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope tip portion capable of shortening the length of the hard portion while reducing the diameter of the insertion portion.

  The endoscope tip portion according to one aspect of the present invention is a wire to which a tip portion of a pull wire for bending an endoscope bending portion provided with a bending tube portion configured to be bent in at least two directions is fixed. A tubular curved tube portion tip provided with a fixing portion; and an outward formed on the curved tube portion tip so as to be disposed on the outer peripheral surface side of the curved tube portion tip to provide the wire fixing portion A tubular distal end exterior member closing a through hole communicating with the inside of the inner hole, and a distal end surface are provided separately from the proximal end surface of the distal end exterior member closing the through hole, surrounding the curved tube portion A tubular elastic member constituting an endoscope bending portion and a predetermined position in the proximal direction from the tip end side of the outer peripheral surface of the elastic member are fastened to fix the elastic member to the bending portion A thread-like member, a base end face of the distal end exterior member, and a tip of the elastic member And a, and adhesive applied to the outer peripheral portion of the circumferential space and the thread-like members between.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize an endoscope tip portion capable of shortening the length of the hard portion while reducing the diameter of the insertion portion.

The figure which explains the endoscope A diagram for explaining the tip of an endoscope A diagram for explaining a distal end hard portion, a distal end pipe, and a distal end bending piece which constitute an endoscope distal end portion The figure which demonstrates the state which has arrange | positioned the front end side of the front end bending piece on the 2nd circumferential step surface of the front end hard part. The figure which demonstrates the state which has arrange | positioned the front-end | tip part side of the front-end | tip pipe in the 1st circumferential step surface of the rigid tip of the front-end | tip curve piece fixed The figure which illustrates the state which made the tip surface of curved rubber separate from the end face of a tip pipe, and was arranged at a tip curve piece. The figure which illustrates the state which tied up the tip part of curve rubber with the thread member, The figure which demonstrates the state which apply | coated the adhesive agent to circumferential space and a threadlike member in the state which tied up the tip part of curved rubber with a threadlike member.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described.
In the following description, the drawings based on the respective embodiments are schematic, and the relationship between the thickness and the width of each portion, the ratio of the thickness of each portion, and the like are different from the actual ones. It should be noted that there may be parts where the relationships and proportions of dimensions differ from one another among the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an electronic endoscope (hereinafter abbreviated as an endoscope) 1 of the present embodiment has an elongated tubular endoscope insertion portion (hereinafter abbreviated as an insertion portion) 2 and an operation portion 3 And a universal cord 4 which is an endoscope cable, and an endoscope connector 5 or the like. The operation unit 3 is continuously provided on the proximal end side of the insertion unit 2. The universal cord 4 is extended from the side of the operation unit 3. The endoscope connector 5 is provided at the extension end of the universal cord 4.

  The insertion portion 2 includes, in order from the distal end side, an endoscope distal end (hereinafter abbreviated as a distal end) 6, an endoscope bending portion (hereinafter abbreviated as a bending portion) 7, an endoscope flexible tube ( Hereinafter, a flexible tube portion (abbreviated as “a flexible tube portion”) 8 is arranged in a row.

  The operation unit 3 is provided on the proximal end side of the flexible tube 8. The code | symbol 9 is a fold preventing part, and the code | symbol 10 is a holding part. The grip unit 10 is gripped by the user's hand when using the endoscope 1. The code | symbol 11 is a treatment tool insertion part. The treatment tool insertion part 11 is equipped with the treatment tool insertion port which inserts various treatment tools (not shown). A forceps plug 12 is disposed at the treatment instrument insertion port.

  The operation unit 3 is provided with a bending lever 13 and various switches 14 as bending operation means. The switch 14 is, for example, a suction switch, an imaging switch that outputs a switching signal to an imaging device, or an illumination switch that outputs an illumination light switching signal to a light source unit. Reference numeral 15 is a suction valve.

  The distal end portion 6 incorporates an imaging device provided with an imaging element. Further, the distal end portion 6 is provided with illumination means (not shown), an opening of a treatment instrument channel (not shown), and the like. The endoscope is not limited to the electronic endoscope, and may be a fiberscope in which an image guide fiber is disposed in the insertion portion.

The bending portion 7 pulls and relaxes the pull wire (symbol 30 in FIG. 2) by rotating the bending lever 13 provided in the operation portion 3 to actively bend in the upper and lower two directions. There is.
The flexible tube portion 8 is a tubular member formed to be flexible so as to be passively flexible.

  In addition, the bending part 7 is not limited to the structure which curves in upper and lower two directions, It may be a structure which curves in four directions of upper and lower, right and left. Further, the bending operation means is not limited to the bending lever 13, and may be a bending knob, an operation element or the like which is erected on the operation unit 3 and tilted.

The configuration of the distal end portion 6 and the configuration of the main portion will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 2, the distal end portion 6 of the insertion portion 2 mainly includes a distal end hard portion 21, a tubular distal end pipe 22 which is a distal end exterior member, and a tubular distal end bending piece 23 which is a curved tube portion distal end. And a curved rubber 24 which is a tubular elastic member.

  The bending portion 7 described above includes a bending piece set 7a which is a bending tube portion, and a bending rubber 24 surrounding the bending piece set 7a. The bending piece set 7a includes a distal end bending piece 23, a plurality of intermediate bending pieces 23m (only one is shown in FIG. 2) 23m, and a proximal end bending piece (not shown) rotatably connected. Be done.

  In the present embodiment, the tip end side portion of the bending rubber 24 is integrally fixed to the tip bending piece 23 by providing the thread winding bonding portion 25. The thread-wound bonding portion 25 includes a thread-like member 26 wound around the outer peripheral surface of the tip end of the curved rubber 24 and an adhesive 27 applied to the wound thread-like member or the like.

  The distal end hard portion 21 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is made of metal or hard resin, and has a substantially cylindrical shape and is set to a predetermined length. The distal end hard portion 21 has an imaging device hole 21 h, an illumination hole (not shown), a treatment instrument channel hole (not shown), etc., which are formed in a predetermined shape along the longitudinal axis a21. .

  An imaging unit 28 including an imaging element 28 a is disposed in the imaging device hole 21 h. The imaging unit 28 is disposed in the imaging device hole 21 h and integrally fixed to the distal end hard portion 21 by the sealing resin 29.

  The distal end hard portion 21 includes two circumferential step surfaces 21a and 21b on the outer peripheral surface. The first circumferential step surface 21a is a tip pipe attachment portion, and the second circumferential step surface 21b is a tip bending piece attachment portion.

  The distal end bending piece 23 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is set to a predetermined length and includes an inner hole 23 h. The distal end side inner circumferential surface 23 a of the distal end bending piece 23 is disposed on the second circumferential step surface 21 b of the distal end hard portion 21.

  A wire fixing portion 23 b is provided at a predetermined position of the distal end bending piece 23. The distal end portion of the pulling wire 30 is disposed at the wire fixing portion 23 b. The pull wire 30 is integrally joined and fixed to the wire fixing portion 23 b by, for example, a solder 31.

  The wire fixing portion 23b is shaped in a pressing process. Further, in the vicinity of the wire fixing portion 23b, a communication hole 23t which is a through hole communicating the outside with the inside of the piece inner hole 23h is provided.

  The tip pipe 22 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is set to a predetermined length and includes an inner hole 22 h. The inner peripheral surface 22a of the tip pipe 22 is disposed on the side of the outer peripheral surface 23f of the distal end bending piece 23, and closes the opening of the communication hole 23t. Further, the inner circumferential surface 22 a of the tip pipe 22 is disposed on the first circumferential step surface 21 a of the tip rigid portion 21.

  That is, the tip pipe 22 blocks the communication hole 23t provided in the tip bending piece 23 disposed on the second circumferential step surface 21b in a state where the tip pipe 22 is disposed on the first circumferential step surface 21a. So its length is set. In other words, the tip end side of the tip pipe 22 is provided so as to project from the tip surface of the tip bending piece 23.

  Reference numeral 22f denotes a pipe outer peripheral surface of the distal end pipe 22. The outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion 6 is configured together with the hard portion outer peripheral surface 21f of the distal end hard portion 21. Therefore, the depth from the hard portion outer peripheral surface 21 f of the distal end hard portion 21 to the first circumferential step surface 21 a is d 1, which is substantially equal to the thickness of the distal end pipe 22. On the other hand, the depth from the first circumferential step surface 21a to the second circumferential step surface 21b is d2, which is substantially equal to the thickness of the distal end bending piece 23.

  The assembly will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4A-4E. 4A to 4E, illustration of the imaging unit 28 and the pulling wire 30 is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the distal end side of the distal end bending piece 23 constituting the bending piece set 7a is disposed on the second circumferential step surface 21b of the distal end hard portion 21. Then, the distal end side inner circumferential surface 23a of the distal end bending piece 23 and the second circumferential step surface 21b are integrally fixed, for example, by adhesion. In this fixed state, the wire fixing portion 23 b is disposed in the vicinity of the base end face 21 e of the distal end hard portion 21.

  In the fixed state described above, as shown in FIG. 4B, the inner peripheral surface 22a on the tip end side of the tip pipe 22 is disposed on the first circumferential step surface 21a of the tip hard portion 21. As a result, the distal end pipe 22 is fitted and disposed on the distal end side of the distal end bending piece 23.

  In this fitting arrangement state, the tip pipe 22 closes the communication hole 23 t provided in the tip bending piece 23. That is, in the fitting arrangement state, the proximal end surface 22e of the distal end pipe 22 is positioned further on the proximal side than the proximal side of the communication hole 23t.

  In this arrangement state, the inner peripheral surface 22a, the first circumferential step surface 21a and the piece outer peripheral surface 23f in the fitting arrangement state are integrally fixed and fixed by adhesion.

In the fixed state described above, the bending rubber 24 is surrounded from the base end side to the tip end side of the bending piece set 7a. Then, as shown in FIG. 4C, the distal end surface 24s of the curved rubber 24 is disposed at a position away from the proximal end surface 22e of the distal end pipe 22 by a desired distance L.
As a result, a circumferential space S constituted by the distal end surface 24s of the bending rubber 24, the outer peripheral surface 23f of the distal end bending piece 23, and the base end surface 22e of the distal end pipe 22 appears. The reference numeral 24 f is an outer peripheral surface of the curved rubber 24.

  Here, the thread-like member 26 is tightened while being wound from the distal end side of the outer peripheral surface 24 f of the curved rubber 24 in the proximal direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4D, the outer diameter of the tip end portion bound by the thread-like member 26 of the curved rubber 24 can be made substantially the same as the outer diameter of the exterior surface of the tip end portion 6. Then, the tip end portion of the bending rubber 24 bound by the thread member 26 is firmly fixed to the proximal end side of the tip end bending piece 23.

  In this binding and fixing state, as shown in FIG. 4E, the adhesive 27 is applied in the circumferential space S and applied to the outer peripheral portion of the thread-like member 26. By providing the circumferential space S, the amount of application of the adhesive 27 is increased. As a result, after the adhesive 27 is cured, the endoscope tip portion 6 shown in FIG. 2 which realizes reliable water tightness is configured.

  As described above, the distal end bending piece 23 is provided on the inner peripheral surface side of the distal end pipe 22 which is fixed to the distal end hard portion 21 and which constitutes the exterior surface of the distal end portion 6. As a result, it is possible to eliminate the fact that the outer diameter of the distal end portion 6 becomes larger than the outer diameter of the distal end hard portion 21 and to realize the reduction in diameter of the insertion portion.

  In addition, by adopting a configuration in which the wire fixing portion 23b provided on the distal end bending piece 23 is disposed in the vicinity of the proximal end face 21e of the distal end hard portion 21, the length of the rigid portion can be shortened.

  Further, while the base end face 22e of the tip pipe 22 fixed to the tip hard portion 21 and constituting the exterior surface of the tip portion 6 is provided on the piece outer peripheral surface 23f of the tip bending piece 23, the curve surrounding the bending piece set 7a The end surface 24s of the rubber 24 is provided on the outer peripheral surface 23f of the end surface 22f at a distance L from the base end surface 22e of the end pipe 22. By this, it is possible to realize the diameter reduction of the insertion portion.

  Further, the tip end surface 24s of the bending rubber 24 is provided on the piece outer peripheral surface 23f by separating the tip end surface 24s of the bending rubber 24 from the base end surface 22e of the tip end pipe 22. A circumferential space S is obtained which is composed of the base end face 22e of the end pipe 22 and the end face 22e. As a result, the adhesive 27 can be filled in the circumferential space S to obtain reliable water tightness.

  In addition, the code | symbol 23g of FIG. 3 is a circumferential recessed part, by providing the circumferential recessed part 23g in the predetermined position of the tip bending piece 23, the position of the front end surface 24s of the curved rubber 24 is regulated and misaligned. The thread-like member 26 can be wound while being fixed to prevent binding.

  Further, in the embodiment described above, the tip end of the bending tube portion is used as the tip bending piece 23. However, the distal end portion of the bending tube portion is not limited to the distal end bending piece 23, and may be a bending pipe formed by forming a plurality of slits in a rigid metal pipe so as to be bendable. In this case, a notch or a hole for disposing a fixing member for fixing the tip end portion of the pull wire to the tip end portion of the curved pipe is disposed so as to be closed by the tip end pipe 22. By this, the same operation and effect as the embodiment described above can be obtained.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and applications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope 2 ... Insertion part 3 ... Operation part 4 ... Universal code 5 ... Endoscope connector 6 ... Tip part 7 ... Curved part 7a ... Curved piece set 8 ... Flexible tube part 10 ... Grip part 21 ... Hard tip Portion 21a: first circumferential step surface 21b: second circumferential step surface 21f: hard portion outer circumferential surface 21h: imaging device hole 22: tip pipe 22a: inner circumferential surface 23: tip bending piece 23a: tip inner circumferential surface 23b Wire fixing portion 23f Piece outer peripheral surface 23t Communication hole 24 Curved rubber 24s Tip surface 25 Thread wound adhesive portion 26 Thread member 27 Adhesive 28 Imaging unit 30 Traction wire

Claims (4)

A tubular curved tube tip provided with a wire fixing part to which a distal end of a pull wire is fixed for bending an endoscope bending part provided with a bending tube part configured to bend in at least two directions; ,
A tubular tip disposed on the outer peripheral surface side of the distal end of the curved tube portion and closing a through hole communicating the inside of the bore with the outer formed at the distal end portion of the curved tube portion for providing the wire fixing portion Exterior members,
A tubular elastic member which is provided apart from the proximal end surface of the distal end exterior member closing the through hole, and which surrounds the curved tube portion to constitute the endoscope curved portion;
A thread-like member for binding from the tip side of the outer peripheral surface of the elastic member to a predetermined position in the proximal direction to fix the elastic member to the distal end of the curved tube portion;
An adhesive applied to a circumferential space between a proximal end surface of the distal end exterior member and a distal end surface of the elastic member and an outer peripheral portion of the thread member;
A distal end portion of the endoscope. The distal end side of the distal end exterior member is provided so as to protrude from the distal end surface of the distal end portion of the curved tube portion,
The endoscope distal end portion according to claim 1, wherein the distal end exterior member is disposed on a circumferential step surface formed on an outer peripheral surface of a distal end hard portion incorporating the imaging unit. The bending tube portion is a bending piece set formed by rotatably connecting a plurality of piece members,
The endoscope tip portion according to claim 1, wherein the bending tube portion tip portion is a tip bending piece.   The endoscope tip portion according to claim 1, wherein the curved tube portion tip portion includes a circumferential recess which defines the position of the tip surface of the elastic member on the outer peripheral surface of the curved tube portion tip portion. .

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