JP3122673B2 - Endoscope - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope capable of variably adjusting the flexibility in the middle of an insertion portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, by inserting an elongated insertion portion into a body cavity, it is possible to observe a portion to be examined in the body cavity without making an incision, or to perform a therapeutic treatment using a treatment tool if necessary. Endoscopes have become widely used.

The insertion portion of the endoscope is flexible so that it can be inserted into a bent insertion path. However, as shown in FIG. In the case of a long object, the distal end portion 1a of the insertion portion 1 is connected to the large intestine 2
To be pushed along the intestinal wall while appropriately bending the curved portion 1b, leading the distal end portion 1a to the S-shaped colon 2a,
Even if you try to push further, the movement on the hand side is
Due to the flexibility, the flexible portion 1c is only buckled and is not effectively transmitted to the tip portion 1a side, and it may be difficult to push the insertion portion 1 further.

For example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Hei 2-51501 discloses that a low-flexible rod-like member is inserted into a treatment tool insertion channel provided in an endoscope insertion portion to straighten a buckled portion of a soft portion. A stylet is disclosed in which the movement on the hand side is transmitted to the distal end portion.

In Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 3-43802, for example, a coil pipe in which a flexible adjustment wire is inserted is fixed to a flexible portion of an endoscope insertion portion, and the flexible adjustment wire is pulled by the flexible adjustment wire. There is disclosed a technique for compressing a coil pipe to linearize the entire flexible portion to improve insertability.

[0006]

However, in the case of using a stylet, when the stylet is inserted into the insertion portion, other built-in components (image guide, light guide, air / water tube, etc.) may be damaged. It is easy, and in some cases, there is a possibility that the bending tube itself constituting the bending portion may be damaged. In the worst case, there is also a possibility that the bending tube may be broken through and the body cavity may be punctured.

On the other hand, in the case where the entire flexible portion is hardened by a flexible adjusting wire, for example, even if the insertion portion 1 is pushed in the direction of arrow A in the state of FIG. Is not transmitted in the distal end direction C only by pushing the distal end portion 1a.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to provide an endoscope that can smoothly push the inside of a bent insertion path even with a relatively long insertion section. And

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an endoscope, comprising: an insertion portion having a flexible portion ; a curved portion formed on a distal end side of the insertion portion; An endoscope having an operation section formed at the rear end of the section,
The front end of the flexible member is fixed to the rear end of the curved portion, the flexible member is inserted into the flexible portion, and one of the flexible adjusting members is inserted into the flexible member via a separator. part fixes the by extending toward the flexible adjustment member on the operation portion of the rear end side along with the flexible member on the rear end side from the separation member and the flexible variable member, this the hardness variable operation unit for variably setting the rear end portion of the hardness of the flexible variable member of the variable Shiwasei variable member is characterized in that consecutively provided. The endoscope according to claim 2 is the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the separating body is
It is characterized in that it is provided so as to be exposed inside the flexible part. The endoscope according to claim 3, wherein the endoscope includes an insertion portion having a flexible portion and an operation portion formed at a rear end of the insertion portion, and a part of the hard portion on the distal end side of the flexible portion. A tip of the flexible member is fixed to the flexible member, and the flexible member is inserted into the flexible portion, and a part of the flexible adjusting member is inserted from the middle of the flexible portion to the flexible member via a separator. And the flexible adjustment member is extended toward the rear end side to be combined with the flexible member on the rear end side from the separator to form a flexible variable member. Extending from the operating unit, a variable hardness operating unit for variably setting the hardness of the flexible variable member is connected to the rear end of the flexible variable member,
The variable hardness operation section is provided with holding means for maintaining a predetermined hardness. 5. The endoscope according to claim 4, wherein in the endoscope having an insertion portion having a flexible portion and an operation portion formed at a rear end of the insertion portion, a part of the hard portion on the distal end side of the flexible portion. 6. The distal end of the wire is inserted through the tubular member toward the rear end side via the separator, and the rear end of the wire is inserted into the flexible member by fixing the distal end of the compressible tubular member to the rear end side. A flexible member comprising the tubular member on the side is provided, and the flexible member is extended from the operation section, and the hardness of the flexible member is set at the rear end of the flexible member. A variable hardness operation section is provided in series, and an operation mechanism for moving the wire forward and backward by a rotation operation is provided in the variable hardness operation section.

[0010]

In the above construction, the endoscope insertion section is inserted into the bent insertion channel and pushed forward. When it becomes difficult to insert the insertion section, the hardness variable operation section is operated to operate the hardness variable operation section. The hardness of the flexible variable member connected to the portion is variably set.

As a result, the space between the middle of the flexible portion of the insertion portion provided with the flexible member and the operation portion is hardened, and the movement of the hand can be transmitted to the distal end without buckling. And can be inserted smoothly.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the endoscope, FIG. 2 is an overall schematic view of the endoscope apparatus, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an insertion state of the endoscope.

As shown in FIG. 2, an endoscope apparatus 11 includes an endoscope 12, a light source unit for supplying illumination light to the endoscope 12, and a signal for processing an image signal transmitted from the endoscope 12. The control device 13 includes a processing unit and a monitor 14 that displays a video signal output from the control device 13 on a screen.

The endoscope 2 includes an elongated insertion portion 15, a large-diameter operation portion 16 connected to the rear end of the insertion portion 15,
A universal cable 17 extending from the side of the operation unit 16.

At the distal end side of the insertion portion 15, a rigid distal end portion 18 is provided, and at the rear side adjacent to the distal end portion 18, a bendable bending portion 19 is provided. Further, a relatively long flexible member 20 having flexibility is continuously provided behind the curved portion 19. The bending section 19 can be bent in up / down / left / right directions by operating a bending operation knob 21 provided on the operation section 16.

At the rear end of the universal cable 17, a connector 22 is provided.
It can be connected to.

The control device 13 is connected to the monitor 14 by a signal cable 23.

As shown in FIG. 1, the distal end portion 18 is formed of a hard material into a substantially cylindrical shape, and a plurality of substantially annular joint pieces 24 are rotated within the curved portion 19 with respect to each other. It is freely arranged in the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion 15.

The outermost joint piece 24 of the joint pieces 24 is externally fitted and fixed to the rear end of the distal end portion 18. The rearmost joint piece 24 of the joint pieces 24... Is fitted inside an annular connecting pipe 25 provided at the distal end of the flexible portion 20. Further, the outer periphery of the curved portion 19 is covered with a soft jacket 10 .

A coil pipe 26 is inserted through the distal end side of the flexible portion 20 of the insertion portion 15.
6 is fixed to the connection pipe 25. further,
A soft hard separator 27 is fitted and fixed to the base end of the coil pipe 26 extending in the middle of the soft part 20.

The distal end of a coil pipe 28a constituting the flexible member 28 and a flexible adjustment wire 28b inserted through the coil pipe 28a are connected to the soft and hard separator 27. The proximal ends of the coil pipe 28a and the flexibility adjusting wire 28b are connected to the operating unit 1 of the endoscope 12.
6 and is extended to the outside, and a hardness variable operation section 29 is connected to the extended end.

The variable hardness operation section 29 includes a union 30 connected to the base end of the coil pipe 28a and an adjustment rod 31 connected to the base end of the flexible adjustment wire 28b.
And a union nut 32 continuously connecting the union 30 and the adjustment rod 31.

The union 30 is connected to the union nut 3
2 and the flange 3 of the adjusting rod 31
1a is rotatably hung on the step 32a of the union nut 32 as described above.

When the rotation of one of the union 30 and the union nut 32 is restricted and the other is rotated , the relative position between the union 30 and the union nut 32 is variably set.

Reference numeral 2 in FIG. 3 denotes a large intestine.

(Operation) Next, the operation of the embodiment having the above configuration will be described.

When the insertion section 15 of the endoscope 12 is inserted into the S-shaped colon 2a of the large intestine 2 while operating the bending operation knob 21, and the insertion section 15 is further inserted, the insertion section 15 is indicated by a dashed line in FIG. As shown in the figure, when buckling or the like occurs in the flexible portion 20 and further insertion becomes difficult, first, the union 30 of the hardness variable operation portion 29 is pressed so as not to rotate, and the union nut 32 is removed from the union 30. Rotate in the direction of separation (the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1).

Then, the step 3 of the union nut 32
The adjustment rod 31 for hooking the flange 31a to 2a moves in the same direction as the union nut 32, and pulls the flexibility adjustment wire 28b of the flexible member 28 connected to the adjustment rod 31.

[0030] As a result, the coil pipe 28a for connecting to the union 30 is relatively pressed, the interval of the coil is gradually narrowed, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, the soft hard separating body 27 of the flexible portion 20 The space up to the base side connected to the operation unit 16 becomes hard, and the distal end side of the soft part 20 from the soft hard separator 27 remains in a soft state.

Accordingly, when the insertion portion 20 is pushed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3 while the distal end side of the flexible portion 20 is inclined in the direction of the S-shaped colon 2a by making an angle to the proximal side of the flexible portion 20, Since the movement on the hand side is transmitted to the distal end side of the flexible portion 20 without buckling, insertion becomes easy. The hardness of the flexible portion 20 can be appropriately set according to the relative screwing amount between the union 30 and the union nut 32.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a variable hardness operation unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the operability of the variable hardness operation section 33 is improved.

The hardness variable operation section 33 comprises an outer cylinder 34 and an adjusting rod 35 inserted through the outer cylinder 34 , and the outer cylinder 34 is formed of the same flexible variable member 28 as in the first embodiment.
Of the adjusting rod 35
Are connected to the flexibility adjusting wire 28b.

The insertion section 20 of the endoscope 1 is inserted into the large intestine 2 shown in FIG.
When it is difficult to pass through the S-shaped colon 2a when the S-shaped colon 2a is inserted, the handle 34a of the outer cylinder 34 is gripped so as not to rotate, and the adjustment rod 35 is gripped by the handle 35a, and the watch shown in FIG. Rotate around.

Then, the boss 35b protruding from the adjusting rod 35 moves along the spiral groove 34b formed in the outer cylinder 34 in the direction of the arrow in FIG.
pull.

As a result, the coil pipe 28a is relatively compressed, the flexible portion 20 becomes hard as in the first embodiment, the movement of the hand side is transmitted toward the distal end, and the insertion becomes easy.

The hardness of the flexible portion 20 is such that the boss 35b provided on the adjusting rod 35 is selectively engaged with a plurality of engaging portions 34c formed in the spiral groove 34b of the outer cylinder 34. Can be set as appropriate.

The coil pipe 2 in the first embodiment
6 may be a wire. In addition, the soft hard separator 27
May be directly fixed to the inner wall of the flexible part 20 or a component to be installed without using the coil pipe 26.

FIG. 6 shows a state in which the same distal end portion 18 and first joint piece 24 as in the first embodiment are secured with an adhesive and a retaining pin 41 in place of the conventionally used screws. It is.

Since the distal end portion 18 and the first joint piece 24 are fixed with an adhesive and a retaining pin 41, the amount of biting into the distal end portion 18 is reduced as compared with conventional screwing. The degree of freedom in the layout of the light guide, the forceps channel, and the like with respect to the distal end portion 18 is increased, and the diameter of the distal end portion 18 can be relatively reduced.

When the first joint piece 24 and the second joint piece 24a are connected to each other with a split pin 42 so as to be relatively bendable, and the tip 18 is to be removed, the head of the split pin 42 is cut off. Then, the first joint piece 24 and the second joint piece 24a are separated. Then, at the time of assembly, the first joint piece 24 and the second joint piece 24a are connected by a new split pin 42.

Further, as shown in FIG.
Instead of 2, the joint piece fixing bolt 46 and the joint piece fixing nut 47 may be screw-fixed so as to be relatively bendable.

The joint piece fixing bolt 46 and the joint piece fixing nut 47 can be removed without breaking, so that they can be reused and are economical.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, an imaging unit 51 is provided at the endoscope end portion 18 and a solid-state imaging device 52 such as a CCD constituting the imaging unit 51 is provided. A plurality of lead terminals 52a extend from the back surface, and each lead terminal 52a is
3 is soldered to a land formed on the side surface.

On the surface of the multilayer ceramic substrate 53 (on the side of the solid-state imaging device 52), there are provided capacitors 54, IC 55, and the like.
Electronic components are mounted. Further, a core wire 56 is connected to a land formed on the side surface of the multilayer ceramic substrate 53 by a conductive adhesive.
A cable 58 surrounding the cable extends through the insertion portion 15 in the direction of the universal cable 17 (see FIG. 2).

Further, a metal shielding cable holder 59 is bonded and fixed to the surface of the multilayer ceramic substrate 53 on the cable 58 side.

The cable holder 59 is formed in a substantially L-shape, the adhesive surface 59a for the multilayer ceramic substrate 53 is formed flat, and the connection surface 59b of the cable 17 with the shield net 57 is formed in this manner. The shield net 57 is formed in an arc shape along the curvature of the shield net 57 and is electrically connected.

The solid-state imaging device 5 of the multilayer ceramic substrate 53
The electronic component is mounted on the surface on the second side, and the lead terminals 52
a and the core wire 56 of the cable 58 are connected to each other, and the shielded cable holder 59 is provided on the back surface. Therefore, the size of the imaging unit 51 can be reduced by effectively using each surface of the multilayer ceramic substrate 53. As a result, the tip 18
Has a shorter hard length and the insertability is better.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a state in which the nozzle 61 is assembled to the endoscope distal end portion 18. As shown in FIG. 11, one side of the body 61a of the nozzle 61 has a predetermined depth. An engagement hole 61b is formed, while a pin guide hole 18a is formed on a side surface of the distal end portion 18 at a position corresponding to the engagement hole 61b.

The body 61a of the nozzle 61 is assembled into the distal end portion 18 of the endoscope, and the engaging hole 61b is aligned with the pin guide hole 18a of the distal end portion 18. And this pin guide hole 1
8a, the nozzle pin 62 is attached to the engagement hole 61b,
The nozzle 61 is connected to the tip 1 through the nozzle pin 62.
Fix to 8.

Thereafter, the pin guide hole 18a is filled with an adhesive 63 so that the nozzle pin 62 does not fall off.

Since the nozzle 61 is fixed to the distal end portion 18 by the nozzle pin 62, assembling becomes easier as compared with the conventional screw fixing, and the structure is simplified because the thread cutting or the like is not required, and the distal end portion 18 is further reduced. Can be reduced in thickness, so that the distal end portion 18 can be made smaller in diameter.
Further, since the fixing means has a simple pin structure, the cost is reduced.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12, a nozzle groove 61c is provided in the body 61a of the nozzle 61 so that
The tip surface 63a of the nozzle pin 63 inserted through the pin guide hole 18a (see FIG.
1c, and the front end surface 63a is connected to the nozzle groove 61c.
Adhesively fixed. A cylindrical groove having the same curvature as the nozzle groove 61c is formed in the tip end surface 63a of the nozzle pin 63, and can be adhered in a tight state. The pin guide hole 18a into which the nozzle pin 63 is inserted is filled with an adhesive.

It should be noted that the nozzle groove 61c is
A pair of ring-shaped stoppers 64 are attached to the body 61a of
It may be formed by fixing with an adhesive.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the soft portion is hardened in the middle, even in an endoscope having a relatively long insertion portion, it is possible to smoothly push the inside of the bent insertion path.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention.
Is a sectional view of the endoscope

FIG. 2 is an overall schematic diagram of an endoscope apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an insertion state of an endoscope.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a variable hardness operation unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which an endoscope insertion portion is inserted into the large intestine.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a continuous portion of the endoscope distal end portion and the bending portion.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a continuous portion of another endoscope distal end portion and a curved portion.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an endoscope distal end portion.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an endoscope distal end portion.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a nozzle.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another nozzle.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Endoscope 15 ... Insert part 16 ... Operation part 18 ... Tip part 19 ... Bending part 20 ... Soft part 21 ... Operation knob 28 ... Flexible variable member 29, 33 ... Hardness variable operation part

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A an insertion portion having a flexible portion, of the insertion portion
In an endoscope having a curved portion formed on a distal end side and an operating portion formed on a rear end of the insertion portion, the distal end of a flexible member is fixed to a rear end of the curved portion, and The flexible member is inserted into the flexible portion, a part of the flexible adjustment member is fixed to the flexible member via a separator, and the flexible adjustment member is extended toward the operation portion on the rear end side. together with the flexible member on the rear end side from the separation member and the flexible variable member to set, variably setting the hardness of the flexible variable member in the rear end portion of this variable Shiwasei variable member An endoscope comprising a variable hardness operation section connected in series. 2. The separation body is exposed inside the flexible part.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein
Endoscope. 3. An endoscope having an insertion portion having a flexible portion and an operating portion formed at a rear end of the insertion portion, wherein a flexible member is provided on a part of the hard portion on the distal end side of the flexible portion . Destination
Fix the end and insert the flexible member into the flexible part
Then, a part of the flexibility adjusting member is fixed to the flexible member from the middle of the flexible portion via a separator, and
Extend the adjustment member toward the rear end side, and
The flexible member is combined with the flexible member on the
The flexible variable member of
Wherein the rear end portion of the variable member, the rigidity varying operation unit for variably setting the hardness of the upper Symbol flexible variable member while continuously provided, further comprising a holding means for maintaining a predetermined hardness to the hardness variable operation unit Endoscope. 4. An endoscope having an insertion portion having a flexible portion and an operation portion formed at a rear end of the insertion portion, wherein the endoscope has a tubular shape which can be compressed into a part of a hard portion on the distal end side of the flexible portion.
Fix the distal end of the member and place the tubular member in the soft part
Insert, through the separator, the inside of the above tubular member toward the rear end side
And the tubular part on the rear end side from the separator
A flexible variable member made of a material is provided, and the flexible variable member extends from the operation unit, and a rear end of the flexible variable member is provided.
, The hardness variable operation unit for variably setting the hardness of the upper Symbol flexible variable member while continuously provided, characterized by comprising an operation mechanism for advancing and retracting the wire by rotating operation to said hardness varying operating unit Endoscope.