JP2815203B2 - Endoscope - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an endoscope provided with a rotation treatment member at a distal end.

[Prior Art] In recent years, (industrial) endoscope devices having an insertion portion that can be inserted into a boiler smoke tube, a piping of a chemical plant, and an engine such as a turbine or an engine have been widely used.

For example, in the case of a jet engine, when a defect occurs in the compressor blade, if the defect is left as it is, stress will concentrate and the defect will increase, and eventually the entire blade may need to be replaced. Regular inspections using endoscopes are performed. When a defect is found, the engine is disassembled, and when it is not necessary to replace the engine, measures are taken to prevent stress concentration by grinding the defective part.

However, such a means requires disassembly of the device even for treatment of a minute part, which requires a long time for repair and troublesome disassembly and assembly.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-162924 discloses a technology in which a bendable rotational force transmitting member is protruded from a distal end portion, and a rotation treatment member such as a grindstone is provided at the protruding portion. The proximal end of the rotational force transmitting member is extended from an operating portion connected to the proximal end of the insertion portion, and the extended end is connected to the rotation driving device. When the rotation drive device is operated, the rotational force is transmitted through the rotational force transmitting means, and the rotational treatment member is rotated.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when observing and treating the inside of the engine with the endoscope apparatus having such a configuration, the position of the operator with respect to the apparatus to be observed is various, and Depending on the position, the insertion portion especially near the operation portion is often curved with a small radius of curvature. When this portion is bent, the rotational force transmitting member may come into contact with the protective tube covering the rotational force transmitting member, and the rotational force may decrease, or the protective tube may be damaged. Further, there is a possibility that the built-in components such as an image guide and a light guide which are arranged close to the protective tube may be damaged by the vibration accompanying the rotation of the rotational force transmitting member.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and even if the vicinity of the operation portion of the insertion portion is curved with a small radius of curvature, the treatment efficiency of the rotation treatment member is high, and an endoscope with good durability is provided. The purpose is to provide.

[Means for Solving the Problems] To achieve the above object, an endoscope according to the present invention includes an insertion section having a rotation treatment member at a distal end thereof, and an operation section connected to a rear end of the insertion section. And a rotation drive unit provided in the insertion unit for driving the rotation treatment member to rotate, and a flexible unit forming the insertion unit provided between the operation unit and the rotation drive unit.

[Operation] In the endoscope configured as described above, the insertion section is inserted into the treatment site, and the rotary treatment member is rotated by the rotation drive section. The flexible part is provided between the rotary drive part and the operation part, and can be bent even with a small radius of curvature.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an overall explanatory view of an endoscope apparatus, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an endoscope distal end, and FIG. It is sectional drawing of a part.

In FIG. 1, an endoscope apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes an endoscope 2.
And the light source and the control device 3.

The endoscope 2 includes an insertion section 4, and an operation section 6 is connected to a rear end of the insertion section 4. An eyepiece 7 is provided at the rear end of the operation unit 6, and a universal cable 8 extends to the side. A connector 9 detachably connected to the light source and the control device 3 is provided at the rear end of the universal cable 8.

The insertion section 4 has a tip section 11, a bending section 12, an insertion tube section 13, a rotation driving section 14, and a flexible section 15 connected in this order from the tip section, and the operating section 6 is provided at the rear end section of the flexible section 15. Is provided. The bending section 12 can be bent vertically and horizontally by a bending operation knob 17 provided on the operation section 6.

The insertion pipe 13 is provided with an attachment jig 49 fixed by bolts or the like to an access port 48 provided in a turbine or the like.
It is inserted inside. The mounting jig 49 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and a flange portion 49a is formed at one end, and the flange portion 49a is fixed to the access port 48 by a bolt or the like. A screw 51 is screwed in a radial direction substantially at the center of the mounting jig 49, and the screw 51 presses and fixes the outside of the insertion tube 13 inserted through the mounting jig 49. It has become.

The tip portion 11 has a tip component 18 as shown in FIG. A through hole 19 for observation is provided on the distal end surface of the distal component 18.
And a through hole 21 for illumination and a through hole 22 for a rotating shaft.
The observation through hole 19 is provided with an objective lens system 23, and an incident end face of the image guide fiber 24 is provided so as to be in contact with the rear end face of the objective lens system 23. A subject image captured from the objective lens system 23 is formed on the incident end face. The image guide fiber 24 reaches the eyepiece section 7 via the insertion section 4 and the operation section 6, so that the subject image can be observed with the naked eye from the eyepiece section 7.

The illumination through-hole 21 is provided with an illumination lens system 26, and an emission end face of a ride guide fiber 27 for transmitting illumination light is provided behind the illumination lens system 26. The light guide fiber 27 reaches the connector 9 via the insertion section 4, the operation section 6, and the universal cable 8.

A rear portion of the rotary shaft 28 is rotatably inserted into the rotary shaft through hole 22, and a front end portion of a rotational force transmitting member 30 for transmitting a rotational force is connected to a rear end portion thereof. A flange portion 28a is formed in a substantially circular shape at a substantially central portion of a portion protruding from the through hole 22 of the rotary shaft 28, and a male screw portion 28b is screwed at a distal end portion. The front portion of the rotating shaft 28 is inserted into a hole 29a penetrating the center of rotation of a grindstone 29 as a columnar rotating treatment member, and is pinched by a nut 31 screwed into the flange portion 28a and the male screw portion 28b. It is fixed so that it can be exchanged.

The rotational force transmitting member 30 is covered with a protective tube 32, and a distal end portion of the protective tube 32 is externally fitted to a connection pipe 33 inserted into the through hole 22 for a rotating shaft.

The rotational force transmitting member 30 is inserted into the insertion tube portion 13 and reaches the rotational drive portion 14. The rotation drive unit 14 has a case 36 having a substantially cylindrical shape and both ends formed with a small diameter,
Male screw portions 36a, 36a are screwed into both ends of the case 36. Of the male screw portions 36a, 36a, a front fixing ring 38 provided at a rear end portion of a skin 37 covering the outer periphery of the insertion tube portion 13 is screwed into the male screw portion 36a on the distal end side, and a male screw portion on the rear end side. A rear fixing ring 39 provided at the front end of an outer cover 37 covering the outer periphery of the flexible portion 15 is screwed to 36a. A motor 42 is provided in the case 36 and supported by a motor fixing base 41. The rear end of the torque transmitting member 30 is connected to the drive shaft 42a of the motor 42 so as to transmit the torque generated by the motor 42. One end of a conducting wire 43 is connected to the motor 42, and the other end is connected to the light source and control device 3 via the flexible portion 15, the operating portion 6, the universal cable 8 and the connector 9.
And is connected to a light source and a motor control circuit (not shown) provided in the control device 3. A signal is inputted to the motor control circuit from a light source and a foot switch 44 connected to the control device 3.

In the case 36, angle pipes 46, 46,... Are arranged around the motor 42 from the operation unit 6 side toward the tip end 11 side. In this angle pipe 46, a bending wire (not shown) fixed to the frontmost bending piece of a plurality of bending pieces (not shown) provided in the tip portion 11 or the bending portion 12 at the distal end is inserted. And guide the curved wire. The other end of the bending wire reaches the bending operation knob 17, and bends the bending portion 12 up, down, left, and right.

Further, in the gap between the motor 42 and the wall surface of the case 36 in the case 36, the image guide fiber 24 and the light guide fiber 27 are inserted.

The light source and the control device 3 are provided with a lamp 47 for outputting illumination light in addition to the motor control circuit (not shown). The illumination light output from the lamp 47 is supplied to the light guide fiber 27 provided on the connector 9. The light is incident on the incident end face.

 The operation of the endoscope configured as described above will be described.

From the illumination lens system 26, a lamp 47 of the light source and the control device 3
The illumination light emitted from the light guide fiber 27 and transmitted through the light guide fiber 27 is emitted toward the subject. The reflected light from the object forms an image on the incident end face of the image guide fiber 24 by the objective lens system 23, and this image is
The image is transmitted to the eyepiece 7 from 24 and the subject image is visually observed. Foot switch when a defect is found in the subject
Step on 44 to input the signal to the motor control circuit. The motor control circuit supplies electric power to the motor 42 via the lead wire 43 to drive the motor 42 to rotate. The torque generated by the motor 42 is transmitted to the torque transmitting member 30, and the torque transmitting member 30 further
To transmit rotational force. As a result, the grindstone 29 rotates and grinds the defective portion to perform treatment.

When bending the bending section 12 to change the polishing position, the bending operation knob 17 of the operation section 6 is operated. Thereby, the bending wire (not shown) is pulled and relaxed, and the bending portion 12 is bent.

By the way, during the polishing operation, the operator must change the observation position and bend the insertion portion 4 with a small radius of curvature as shown in FIG. 1 depending on the position of the access port 48, the situation around the work place, and the like. May come out. In this case, a flexible section provided between the operation section 6 and the rotation drive section 14
15 is curved with a small radius of curvature. Further, since the rotational force transmitting member 30 is not inserted into the flexible portion 15, the image guide fiber 24 or the light guide fiber inserted through the flexible portion 15 by the rotational force transmitting member 15 being curved with a small radius of curvature. There is no damage to the 27, the angle pipe 46, the conducting wire 43 and the like.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the operation unit 6 and the rotation drive unit
The flexible portion in which the rotational force transmitting member 30 is not inserted between
Since the 15 is provided, the flexible portion 15 can be curved with a small radius of curvature corresponding to the observation position of the operator.

Further, since the rotational force transmitting member 30 is not inserted into the flexible portion 15, even if the flexible portion 15 is curved with a small radius of curvature, it is possible to prevent the image guide fiber 24, the light guide fiber 27 and the like from being damaged.

4 and 5 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an overall explanatory view of an endoscope apparatus, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a distal end portion of the endoscope.

In this embodiment, a motor 42 for rotating and driving the grindstone 29 is built in the distal end portion 11 of the endoscope 2. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

The insertion portion 4 of the endoscope 2 according to the present embodiment is
1, the bending portion 12, the flexible portion 15 are provided in this order, the flexible portion 1
An operation unit 6 extends from the rear end of the unit 5. Note that the insertion tube section 13 described in the first embodiment is not provided. The mounting jig 49 supports the flexible portion 15.

The distal end portion 11 is provided with a motor storage chamber 53,
A motor 42 is provided in the storage chamber 53 so that the drive shaft 42a projects forward from the distal end portion 11. In addition,
The motor 42 forms the rotation drive unit 14. The grindstone 29 described in the first embodiment is detachably fixed to the tip of the drive shaft 42a. One end of a conductive wire 43 is connected to the motor 42, and the other end is connected to the insertion section 4, the operation section 6, the universal cable 8 and the connector 9, and is connected to a light source and a motor control circuit (not shown) of the control device 3. ing.

 Other configurations and operations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the grindstone 29 is directly and detachably fixed to the drive shaft 42a of the motor 42, so that the rotating part and its surroundings are not damaged as compared with the first embodiment, and the treatment efficiency can be improved. it can. Other effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

6 and 7 relate to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an overall explanatory view of an endoscope apparatus, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a distal end portion of the endoscope.

In this embodiment, the endoscope 2 of the first embodiment is an electronic endoscope.

The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

A solid-state imaging device 56 is provided at the distal end portion 11 of the endoscope 2 of the present embodiment behind the objective lens system 23.
The imaging plane 56 is located at the image forming position of the objective lens 23. The solid-state imaging device 56 converts the formed subject image into an electric signal. One end of the signal line 57 is connected to the solid-state imaging device 56, and the electric signal is output from the signal line 57. The other end of the signal line 57 reaches the connector 9 via the insertion section 4 and the operation section 6 via the universal cable 8, and is connected to the light source and the control device 3. In addition, the insertion portion 13 connected to the rear portion of the bending portion 12 is formed of a rigid member.

The light source and the control device 3 are connected to a camera control unit 59 by a signal cable 58, and the camera control unit 59 is connected to a monitor 62 by a signal cable 61. Camera control unit 59
Is provided with a video signal processing circuit (not shown), which is electrically connected to the signal line 57, performs signal processing on an electric signal output from the solid-state imaging device 56, generates a standard video signal, and performs monitoring. Output to 62.

 Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment.

In the present embodiment, the subject image illuminated with the illumination light is formed on the imaging surface of the solid-state imaging device 56 by the objective lens system 23. This image is converted into an electric signal and output to a video signal processing circuit (not shown) of the camera control unit 59 via a signal line 57 to generate a standard video signal. The video signal is output to the monitor 62 to display a subject image on the screen.

 Other operations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the flexible portion 15 is bent so that the insertion portion 4 can be inserted even when the obstacle 63 is on the axis of the access port 48.
Can be inserted into the access port 48 for observation. Other effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, even if the vicinity of the operation portion of the insertion portion is curved with a small radius of curvature by providing the flexible portion between the operation portion and the rotation driving portion, The treatment efficiency of the treatment member can be increased, and the durability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 3 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an overall explanatory view of the endoscope apparatus, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a distal end portion of the endoscope, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a rotation drive section, and FIGS. 4 is an overall explanatory view of the endoscope apparatus, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an endoscope end portion, and FIGS. 6 and 7 relate to a third embodiment of the present invention. Is an overall explanatory view of the endoscope apparatus, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a distal end portion of the endoscope. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope apparatus, 2 ... Endoscope 4 ... Insert part, 6 ... Operation part 13 ... Insertion tube part, 14 ... Rotation drive part 15 ... Soft part, 29 ... Grindstone 30 ... ... Rotating force transmission member

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An insertion section having a rotation treatment member at a distal end thereof, an operation section connected to a rear end of the insertion section, and an insertion section provided for rotating the rotation treatment member. An endoscope comprising: a rotation drive section; and a flexible section provided between the operation section and the rotation drive section, the flexible section forming the insertion section.