JP2799185B2 - Endoscope - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope that branches a built-in component, for example, a light guide fiber, an image guide fiber, and a channel tube inserted into an insertion portion at a branch portion.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when observing the inside of a blood vessel or a heart filled with an opaque liquid such as blood, a light guide fiber for transmitting illumination light, an image guide fiber for image transmission, and an observation area in an insertion portion formed of a flexible tube. 2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope having a channel tube for guiding physiological saline for temporarily removing blood to form a transparent region to the observation region is used.

In such an endoscope, as shown in JP-A-59-195216, a light guide fiber, an image guide fiber, and a channel tube are branched at a branch portion connected to a base end of an insertion portion. The light guide fiber and the image guide fiber are guided to a light source device and an image receiving device through a universal cord, and the channel tube is guided to a channel inlet provided at a branch portion. As shown in FIG. 6 of the publication, the conventional branch structure is such that the branch portion is divided in half in the vertical direction, and the light guide fiber, the image guide fiber and the light guide fiber are provided in the grooves provided in these divided pieces. After fitting the base end of the insertion section into which the channel tube was inserted, further branching the light guide fiber and the image guide fiber from the insertion section and fitting them into another groove, each divided piece was formed using an adhesive and a screw. The branch part was assembled by fitting.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional structure, since the divided pieces of the branch portion are fixed with an adhesive, the adhesive adheres to the light guide fiber, the image guide fiber, and the channel tube during the assembling work of the branch portion, There is a problem that these built-in components are damaged or their functions are reduced. Further, in order to assemble the branch part firmly, each divided piece has to be fixed with an adhesive and a screw, and the assembling has been troublesome. Further, in the structure in which each divided piece is fixed with an adhesive and a screw, water tightness between the divided pieces cannot be completely and surely secured, and during use of the endoscope, blood or sewage may be removed from each divided piece. There is also a problem that the light guide fiber and the image guide fiber inside the joint are deteriorated and become unusable.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, the assembly of the branch portion is easy, damage to the built-in components due to the adhesion of the adhesive,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope capable of eliminating deterioration of functions and deterioration of built-in components due to liquid penetration.

[Means and actions for solving the problem]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an endoscope in which a plurality of built-in objects penetrating through an elongated insertion portion are branched at a branch portion provided on a base end side of the insertion portion. And is formed in a box shape that is divided into two pieces by a dividing line along the long axis direction of the insertion part, and when these two pieces are combined, the base of the insertion part is formed. After inserting the end portion and the plurality of built-in components, the protection member connects the insertion portion and the branch portion and inserts the plurality of built-in components, and after combining the two divided pieces, And a resin exterior member which is integrally formed by covering the entire member and forms an exterior of the branch portion. This eliminates the need for an adhesive when assembling the branch, and secures the branch.
It can be assembled firmly, and the inside of the branch can be completely waterproof.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is an overall view of the endoscope, which is a long insertion portion 1 made of a flexible tube, a substantially Y-shaped branch portion 2 connected to the base end of the insertion portion 1, and Universal cord 3 connected to the base end of branch 2, first connector 4 provided at the extension end of universal cord 3, light guide cable 5 connected to first connector 4, and this light It comprises a second connector 6 provided at the extension end of the guide cable 5.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the insertion portion 1, an observation optical system 7 and a channel tube 8 as built-in components are provided.
And an illumination optical system 9 is inserted to cover them.
An observation section 10, a channel outlet 11, and an illumination section 12 are formed on the distal end surface of the insertion section 1. The observation optical system 7 is a lens frame
A plurality of objective lenses 14 and the distal ends of image guide fibers 15 are inserted and fixed in 13, and the image guide fibers 15 are guided into the first connector 4 through the insertion section 1, the branch section 2 and the universal cord 3. The first connector 4 is connected to a camera control unit (not shown). In addition, the illumination optical system 9 has a light guide fiber 17 disposed behind the illumination lens 16. The light guide fiber 17 includes the insertion section 1, the branch section 2, the universal cord 3, the first connector 4, and the light guide fiber 17. The light is guided into the second connector 6 through the cable 5, and is connected to a light source device (not shown) via the second connector 6. Further, the channel tube 8 is guided to the inside of the branch portion 2 through the insertion portion 1, branches into the light guide fiber 17 and the image guide fiber 15 at the branch portion 2, and forms a channel inlet provided at the base end of the branch portion 2. Communicates with 18.

As shown in FIG. 1, the branch portion 2 includes a box-shaped protection member 19.
And a resin exterior member 20 that is molded to cover the protection member 19 to form a double structure.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the protective member 19 is divided into two parts by a liquid crystal polymer, polypropylene, polyethylene, or the like, as shown in FIG. A plurality of fitting recesses 21 are provided on the inner wall of one of the divided pieces 19a, and the fitting recess 21 is fitted on the inner wall of the other divided piece 19b as shown in FIG. A plurality of mating projections 22 are provided.
In addition, a plurality of semicircular grooves 23 are provided on the front wall and the rear wall of these divided pieces 19a and 19b so as to face each other.
When the fittings 19a and 19b are fitted, the grooves 23 are aligned with each other to form a circular mounting hole.

On the other hand, a first connection base 24 is attached to the base end of the insertion portion 1, and a second connection base 25 is attached to the base end of the universal cord 3. Then, for example, the first connection base 24 of the insertion portion 1 is inserted into the groove 23 of the front wall of one of the divided pieces 19a.
And the second connection base 25 of the universal cord 3 is fitted into one of the grooves 23 on the rear wall, and the channel tube 8 extending from the first connection base 24 is connected to the light guide fiber 17 and the image guide fiber 15. Then, after straightly fitting into the other of the grooves 23 of the rear wall as it is, one of the split pieces 19a is inserted into the fitting recess 21 with the fitting projection 22 of the other split piece 19b and fitted. , Each split piece 19
a, 19b are temporarily fixed, and the insertion portion 1, the universal cord 3 and the channel tube 8 are sandwiched and connected between them.

When the insertion pieces 1 and the universal cord 3 are connected by temporarily fixing the divided pieces 19a and 19b of the protection member 19 in this manner, the protection member 19 is connected to the upper mold 26a as shown in FIG.
And a lower mold 26b, which is installed in a concave portion 27 that forms the external shape of the exterior member 20, and a resin such as polyurethane, polyethylene, or polyester is poured from a gate 28 to protect the protective member.
The exterior member 20 is integrally formed so as to cover the 19. Here, the protective member 19 is provided so that the resin material of the exterior member 20 entirely covered with the protective member 19 does not come into direct contact with the built-in components such as the light guide fiber 17, the image guide fiber 15, and the channel tube 8. Protecting things. Note that the protective member 19 is formed of a resin (described above) having a higher melting temperature than the exterior member 20, and does not undergo thermal deformation or melting during molding of the exterior member 20.

According to such a structure, the divided pieces 19a, 1
9b Temporarily fix the first connection base 24 of the insertion section 1 and the second connection base 25 of the universal cord 3 into which the light guide fiber 17 and the image guide fiber 15 are inserted.
After connecting to 19, the branch member 2 is formed by molding the exterior member 20 covering the protection member 19, so that no adhesive is required to assemble the branch member 2 and the assembly is performed. During the operation, the adhesive can be prevented from adhering to the light guide fiber 17, the image guide fiber 15, and the channel tube 8 exposed in the protection member 19,
These built-in components can be prevented from being damaged and their functions reduced. Further, since the exterior member 20 is molded and formed by covering the temporarily fixed protection member 19, the branch portion 2 can be securely and firmly assembled. And the branch portion 2 can be easily assembled. Further, since the exterior member 20 is integrally formed by covering the protective member 19 divided into two by the respective divided pieces 19a and 19b, the watertightness of the entire branch portion 2 can be completely and reliably ensured. During use of the endoscope, it is possible to prevent blood and sewage from penetrating into the branch portion 2, and to prevent deterioration of the light guide fiber 17 and the image guide fiber 15 due to liquid penetration. in addition,
There is no seam of the members on the appearance of the branch portion 2, and even if blood or dirty water adheres to the branch portion 2, it can be easily washed away.

 8 to 10 show a second embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment uses a CCD3 instead of the image guide fiber 15.
1 is disposed on the rear end face of the lens frame 13 inserted and fixed to the distal end of the insertion section 1. Then, an image of the observation area is formed on the CCD 31 by the objective lens 14, converted into an electric signal by the CCD 31, and the electric signal is converted from the CCD 31 through the insertion unit 1, the branch unit 2 and the universal cord 3 to the first connector 4. The signal is transmitted to the camera control unit via a signal line 32 guided to the inside. The other basic configuration, operation, and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

 FIG. 11 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that an adapter 35 is detachably attached to a first connector 4 provided at the extending end of the universal cord 3. Thus, by attaching the adapter 35 to the first connector 4,
In addition to visual observation via this adapter 35, the adapter 35
By installing shooting devices such as TV cameras and cine cameras,
TV observation and cine shooting are possible.

 FIG. 12 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, an eyepiece 41 is attached to the first connector 4. Even in this case, in addition to the naked eye observation through the eyepiece 41, the TV observation and the cine imaging can be performed by attaching a photographing device such as a TV camera or a cine camera to the eyepiece 41.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a resin exterior member is formed by covering a protection member for inserting a built-in component,
Since the branch portion is formed, no adhesive is required to assemble the branch portion, and during the assembling work, the adhesive can be prevented from adhering to the internal components exposed in the protective member. Damage and deterioration of function can be eliminated. In addition, since the exterior member is formed by covering the protective member, the branch portion can be securely and firmly assembled. Therefore, the branch portion can be assembled more securely than the conventional case using an adhesive and screws. Can be easily assembled. Further, since the exterior member is formed by covering the protective member, the watertightness of the entire branch portion can be completely and reliably ensured. Therefore, during use of the endoscope, blood or wastewater permeates into the branch portion. That is, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the built-in components due to the permeation of the liquid.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a branch portion showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the entire endoscope, FIG. 3 is a front view of the same insertion portion, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the same protective member, FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged sectional view of the same protective member, FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a molding die, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the tip of the insertion portion, FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same branch portion, and FIG. 11 is a third sectional view of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a side view of the entire endoscope showing an embodiment, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the entire endoscope showing the example of FIG. 1 ... insertion part, 2 ... branch part, 8 ... channel tube, 15 ... image guide fiber, 17 ... light guide fiber, 19 ... box-shaped protective member, 20 ... resin exterior member.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An endoscope in which a plurality of built-in objects penetrating through an elongated insertion portion is branched at a branch portion provided at a base end side of the insertion portion. Is formed into a box shape that is divided into two by a dividing line along the longitudinal direction of the part, and when combining these two divided pieces, the base end of the insertion portion and the plurality of built-in parts By inserting an object, a protective member that connects the insertion portion and the branch portion and inserts the plurality of built-in objects, and after combining the two divided pieces, covers the entirety of the protective member. An endoscope comprising: a resin exterior member formed integrally and forming an exterior of the branch portion.