JP2828298B2 - Endoscope operation handle mounting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an operation handle mounting mechanism provided in an operation section of an endoscope for performing a so-called bending operation, forceps raising operation, and the like.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 shows an example of a conventional endoscope operating handle mounting mechanism. Reference numeral 51 denotes an operation shaft rotatably provided on the operation unit of the endoscope, for example, for pulling and driving a bending operation wire. 52 is a lever-shaped operation handle for rotating the operation shaft 51. The operating shaft 51 has a parallel groove 53 formed therein.
Is fitted and fixed by the fixing screw 54.

The side walls 61, 62 on both sides of the groove 53 are parallel, and the side walls 71, 72 of the operation handle 52 abut thereon. Therefore, if the operation handle 52 is rotated as shown in FIG. 5, the rotation is transmitted to the operation shaft 51, and the bending operation wire (not shown) is pulled.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As described above, the operation handle 52 is fitted into the groove 53 formed on the operation shaft 51. However, as shown in FIG. 5, the width B of the groove 53 is slightly wider than the width A of the operation handle 52.

Therefore, there is a slight play in the rotation direction between the operation handle 52 and the operation shaft 51, and the operation handle 52 has play in the rotation direction according to the size of the play. Therefore, every time the operation handle 52 is rotated, the operation handle
A relative rotation occurs between 52 and the operation shaft 51. Therefore, the fixing screw 54 may be loosened during repeated use, and the operation handle 52 may rattle and become inoperable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope operation handle mounting mechanism for an endoscope in which such a conventional drawback is eliminated and the operation handle can be mounted on the operation shaft without play, and the loosening does not occur.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, an operation handle mounting mechanism for an endoscope according to the present invention is provided on an operation shaft rotatably provided on an operation section of the endoscope, and an operation handle for rotating the operation shaft. A mounting device, wherein a groove is formed in one of the operation shaft and the operation handle, and the other is fitted in the groove, and the rotational operation of the operation handle is transmitted to the operation shaft. The cross-sectional shape is formed in a tapered shape gradually expanding to the mouth side, and the cross-sectional shape of the member to be fitted in the groove is formed in the same tapered shape as the groove, and the tapered surfaces are brought into close contact with each other, so that the operation handle is formed. It is characterized by being fixed to the operation shaft.

[Action]

The operating shaft and the operating handle have a tapered surface to which the rotational motion is transmitted, and the tapered surfaces are fitted to each other so as to be in close contact with each other.

〔Example〕

 Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows the overall configuration of the endoscope. 1 is an operation unit. Reference numeral 2 denotes an insertion portion which is covered with a flexible tube. Reference numeral 3 denotes a bending portion which is formed at the distal end of the insertion portion 2 so as to be freely bent and bends by remote control. Reference numeral 4 denotes a distal end main body in which an objective optical system and the like are built.

Reference numeral 10 denotes an operation shaft rotatably protruded from the operation unit 1. By rotating the operation shaft 10, a bending operation device (not shown) provided in the operation unit 1 is operated to bend. The operation wire 5 is pulled to bend the bending portion 3. A lever-shaped operation handle 20 for rotating the operation shaft 10 is attached to a protruding end of the operation shaft 10.

1 and 2 show an attachment mechanism for attaching the operation handle 20 to the operation shaft 10. FIG.

The operation handle 20 is a metal operation handle frame 21.
Outside, a plastic operation handle cover 22 is covered. The operation handle cover 22 entirely covers the operation handle frame 21, and only the operation handle cover 22 appears on the operation handle 20 in FIG.

A tapered groove 13 whose cross-sectional shape gradually expands toward the mouth is formed on the protruding end surface of the operation shaft 10. That is, the opposing side walls 13a and 13b of the groove 13 are formed as tapered surfaces that gradually widen toward the mouth. And the bottom of the groove 13 has 2
One screw hole 14 is formed.

The end of the operation handle frame 21 is formed in the same tapered cross-sectional shape as the groove 13 so as to be just fitted into the groove 13, and the end of the operation handle frame 21 that contacts the side wall surfaces 13 a and 13 b of the groove 13. The wall surfaces 21a and 21b are formed in a tapered surface corresponding to the groove 13 side. However, in the present embodiment, the convex taper angle of the operation handle frame 21 is
An angle slightly larger than the concave taper angle of the groove 13 (for example,
30 minutes).

23 is a guide hole 24 formed in the operation handle cover 22.
Is a pressing member that is inserted into the inside and presses the operation handle cover 22 and the operation handle frame 21 simultaneously. The pressing member 23 and the operation handle frame 21 are provided with two screw insertion holes 25 and 26, respectively, in alignment with the screw holes 14 of the operation shaft 10. Then, with the two fixing screws 27,
The operation handle frame 21, the operation handle cover 22, and the pressing member 23 are pressed and fixed to the operation shaft 10. 28 is the fixing screw
This is a decorative cover that is attached from above after tightening 27.

As described above, by tightening the fixing screw 27, the surface on which the rotational operation is transmitted, that is, the groove formed on the operation shaft 10 is formed.
The 13 tapered surfaces (sidewall surfaces 13a, 13b) and the tapered surfaces (sidewall surfaces 21a, 21b) of the operation handle frame 21 are fitted and fixed in close contact with each other. In this way, the operating axis
The operation handle frame 21 is connected to the operation handle frame 21 without any play, and when the operation handle frame 21 is rotated, no play occurs on the operation shaft 10.

In the present embodiment, the operation handle frame 21
The taper angle on the side is slightly larger than the taper angle on the groove 13 side. As shown by the arrow in FIG. Reaction force occurs. As a result, a force for pushing up the fixing screw 27 is generated, and the frictional force of the screwing portion between the fixing screw 27 and the operation shaft 10 increases, and the fixing screw 27
Is very difficult to loosen.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the operation handle may have a knob shape or any other shape other than the lever shape, and a groove may be formed on the operation handle frame side to protrude the operation shaft side. May be formed in a tapered shape. Also,
What is driven by the operation may be a forceps raising operation wire or the like other than the bending operation wire.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the operation handle mounting mechanism of the endoscope of the present invention, since the operation shaft and the operation handle are connected so that there is no backlash in the rotation direction, the connection portion does not loosen even by repeated use, There is an excellent effect that the possibility of failure can be remarkably reduced and the assembling work becomes very easy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an embodiment, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment, FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of an endoscope of the embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a plan view of a conventional example. 1 ... operation part, 10 ... operation shaft, 13 ... groove, 13a, 13b ...
Side wall surface, 20: Operation handle, 21: Operation handle frame, 21a, 21b: Side wall surface, 27: Fixing screw.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An operation handle mounting device mounted on an operation shaft rotatably provided on an operation unit of an endoscope, for rotating the operation shaft, wherein a groove is provided on one of the operation shaft and the operation handle. And the other is fitted into the groove to transmit the rotational movement of the operating handle to the operating shaft. The groove is formed in a tapered shape that gradually widens toward the mouth, and An operation handle for an endoscope, wherein a cross-sectional shape of a member to be fitted into the groove is formed in the same tapered shape as the groove, and the operation handle is fixed to the operation shaft by bringing the tapered surfaces into close contact with each other. Mounting mechanism.