JP3144050B2 - Endoscope flexible tube - 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 used for medical or industrial purposes, and more particularly to a flexible tube constituting an insertion portion inserted into a body cavity or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An insertion portion of an endoscope is composed of three portions, a flexible tube portion, a curved tube portion, and a rigid distal end portion. The rigid distal end portion has an illumination window, an observation window, forceps and other treatment tools. Is provided on the distal end surface or side surface thereof, and the curved tube portion is for directing the distal end hard portion in a desired direction, and has a node ring structure. An operation wire is inserted through the bending tube portion, and the operation wire can be pushed and pulled to bend by remote control. The flexible tube section
The distal end is connected to the bending tube portion, and the other end is connected to the main body operation portion, and occupies most of the length of the insertion portion.

Since the inside of a body cavity or the like into which the insertion portion is inserted is complicatedly bent, the bending tube constituting the flexible tube portion is a flexible tube that can be bent in an arbitrary direction along the bent insertion path. Is provided. However, light guides, image guides (in the case of an electronic endoscope, signal cables), treatment instrument insertion channels,
Passage members and the like for water supply are inserted, and in order to protect these members, etc., they must have sufficient shape retention and crush resistance, and when inserted into the body cavity etc. In order to exert the pushing thrust, it must have a structure that does not expand and contract in the axial direction.

Here, the flexible tube has a flexible tube main body formed of a spiral tube formed by spirally winding a metal strip having elasticity, and the flexible tube main body is formed by braiding a metal element wire. After covering the protective net, a coating layer of a urethane resin or the like is formed as an outermost layer with an adhesive interposed therebetween. Thus, when the flexible tube main body is formed of a single-layer helical tube, the outer diameter of the flexible tube changes when a torsional force acts on the flexible tube. A helical tube is used. The protective net and the covering layer are flexible in nature, and the above-mentioned properties required for the flexible tube are as follows.
The helical tube forming the flexible tube main body is held.

[0005]

When the flexible tube main body is formed by a two-layer spiral tube, flexibility, shape retention and crush resistance are good, and expansion and contraction in the axial direction is suppressed to some extent. However, there are the following drawbacks.

First, when a metal strip is wound spirally, a tensile force is applied, so that a difference in stress is generated between both sides and a center of the metal strip. Tend to deform outwardly. As a result, the outer diameter of the flexible tube portion becomes non-uniform, and irregularities occur in the axial direction, which is not only unfavorable in appearance but also poor in insertability into a body cavity or the like, and particularly, it passes through a narrow portion. At the time, there are problems such as giving a patient discomfort and pain.

Secondly, even if the spiral tube is formed as a two-layer spiral tube wound in opposite directions, when a force is applied in the axial direction, a torsional force and a compressive force are particularly exerted on the flexible tube. When a force in the direction is simultaneously applied, the flexible tube itself may expand and contract in the axial direction and the radial direction depending on the torsion direction, and as a result, peeling of the adhesive fixing the coating layer and the protective net may occur. There are inconveniences.

Third, in a colonoscope or the like, for example, it is preferable that the base portion is hard and the distal end is flexible, but the hardness is changed in the axial direction of the flexible tube. In such a case, the width and thickness of the metal strip must be changed, and such processing becomes extremely troublesome.

Furthermore, fourthly, both ends of the flexible tube must be connected to the main body operating portion and the curved tube portion, respectively. For this purpose, a connecting member such as a connecting ring is fixed. When the flexible tube main body is formed of a spiral tube, there is also a disadvantage that it is difficult to process an end portion for fixing the connecting member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a flexible tube having a simple structure and sufficiently exhibiting necessary characteristics. An object of the present invention is to provide a flexible tube of an endoscope having a main body.

[0011]

Means for Solving the Problems] To achieve the above object, the present invention is the thin-walled metal pipe, in order to be able to bend in any direction, its numerous holes
A flexible tube main body perforated over substantially the entire area except for both ends of each of the above, and each of the through holes is formed by a long hole having one direction being elongated.
The longitudinal direction of each of these through holes is the axis of the flexible tube main body.
Each at a predetermined angle to the direction perpendicular to the line
Are arranged side by side so that their positions are different in the circumferential direction.
Each through-hole is inclined in one direction and the other is
It is characterized in that it is configured to include a tilted one .

[0012]

When a through hole is formed in a thin metal pipe, when a bending force is applied to the pipe, the edge portion of the through hole located inside in the bending direction is close to the edge portion of the through hole located outside. Are separated from each other, the opening area of both through holes changes, and the bending becomes possible. That is, flexibility can be provided in a direction orthogonal to the axis. However, since there are parts where no through holes are formed,
The strength in the expansion and contraction direction and the strength in the torsion direction are considerably improved as compared with the spiral tube. Therefore, it is possible to have the necessary properties as a variable Shiwakan body. Moreover, this flexible tube
The through hole provided in the main body is located at a position
It consists of long holes inclined at a fixed angle, and these through holes are unidirectional.
One that is inclined and one that is opposite to this one direction
Compression force in the direction perpendicular to the axis
Resistance increases when crushing is added, improving crush resistance.
You.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In describing the embodiments of the present invention,
First, the basic configuration that is the premise of the present invention will be described.
A configuration which is a feature of the invention of the application will be described. First, FIG. 1 shows the entire configuration of an endoscope. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body operation unit, 2 denotes an insertion unit, and 3 denotes a light guide flexible unit. Insertion part 2
The flexible tube portion 20 has a length that is almost the same as the length of the flexible tube portion 20 from the side connected to the main body operation portion 1, and a bending tube portion 21 is provided at a distal end portion of the flexible tube portion 20. Are connected to each other at the tip end.

As is well known, the distal end hard portion 22 is provided with an illumination window on which an illumination lens is mounted, an observation window on which an imaging lens is mounted, a treatment tool lead-out portion for leading out a forceps and other treatment tools, and the like. . The illumination window has an insertion section 2 from a light guide flexible section 3 connected to the light source device via the main body operation section 1.
The exit end of the light guide extends inside. In the case of an optical endoscope, the entrance end of the image guide is. In the case of an electronic endoscope, a CCD or other solid-state imaging device is used. The element faces an imaging position of the imaging lens mounted on the observation window. The curved tube portion 21 is for directing the distal end hard portion 20 in a desired direction, and has a node ring structure. The distal end of the operation wire is fixedly provided at the foremost node ring or the distal end hard portion 22 of the curved tube portion 21, and the other end of the operation wire passes through the flexible tube portion 20 to operate the main body. It extends to the part 1 and is connected to an angle operating mechanism having an angle knob 10. Therefore, by turning the angle knob 10 and pushing and pulling the operation wire, the distal end hard portion 22 can be directed in a desired direction.

The flexible tube section 20 has a flexible tube 20a through which members such as a light guide, an image guide (a signal cable in the case of an electronic endoscope), and a treatment tool insertion channel are inserted. The flexible tube 20a does not use a spiral tube.
Alternatively, it can be configured as shown in FIG. That is,
The flexible tube 20a includes a flexible tube main body 40,
It has a three-layer structure including a protection net 41 and a coating layer 42 made of urethane resin or the like. The flexible tube main body 40 is formed by forming a large number of through holes 44 in a metal thin pipe 43, and the protection net 41 is formed by braiding metal fibers with a predetermined number of holdings and a predetermined number of hits. The protective net 41 is coated with an adhesive, and the protective net 4
1 and you fixed between the flexible tube body 40 and the covering layer 42.

The pipe 43 constituting the flexible tube main body 40 is
It is a structural member of the flexible tube 20a, and has a thickness capable of sufficiently exhibiting shape retention and crush resistance.
Further, the through hole 44 is for giving flexibility in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction so as to be easily bent when a force is applied in the bending direction, and compared with the width dimension B, It is a long hole whose length dimension L is considerably long . Here, the through hole 4
4 with a predetermined length on the base side (that is, the side connected to the main body operation unit 1) and the tip side (that is, the side connected to the bending tube part 21) so as to be elongated in the circumferential direction. amount corresponding to to have a hole non-bored region, many juxtaposed child over its entire length
Can be .

Now, when the flexible tube main body 40 is bent in a certain direction, as shown in FIG. 3, the edge portions of the through holes located inside (the through holes indicated by 44a in the figure) come close to each other. hand,
The opening area of the through hole 44a is reduced, and the edge portion of the through hole (the through hole 44b in the drawing) located outside is separated, so that the opening area of the through hole 44b is increased.
The flexible tube main body 40 is bent. Therefore, by forming a large number of through holes 44 in the pipe 43, the flexible tube main body 40 is formed.
Can have flexibility perpendicular to its axial direction. Various methods such as punching can be used to form the through hole 44 in the pipe 43. Also, as shown in FIG.
While rotating and moving the laser cutter 3 back and forth,
By operating, drilling can be performed very easily.

When the center position in the length direction of the through hole 44 is located inside and outside in the bending direction, it is most easily bent. When the position of the through hole 44 is shifted from the center to the end direction, the bending is more. If the resistance increases and the transition between the through holes 44 is located inside and outside in the bending direction, the corresponding portion does not bend. From the above points, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, four through-holes 44 are formed in one row, and the through-holes 44 in the adjacent rows are shifted by half a pitch by a predetermined interval between rows. Row in rows with
Can be . Accordingly, the degree of ease of bending becomes substantially constant when bending in any direction. Further, even if the thickness of the pipe 43 is the same, the width dimension B and the length dimension L of the through hole 44 are changed, or the through holes 44, 44 before and after each row are arranged.
If the length of the transition portion T between the gaps or the interval between the through-hole forming rows, that is, the row interval P is changed, the ease of bending changes. Furthermore, the flexible tube main body 4
0 axial strength against a force is changed to compress against, by changing the row spacing P, the shape retention of the flexible tube body 40 and you change耐潰properties.

The flexible tube main body 40 thus formed
Is covered with a protective net 41, an adhesive is applied and impregnated, and a coating layer 42 is further formed thereon. Since the flexible tube 20a formed in this manner uses the pipe 43 as the flexible tube main body 40, the outer shape thereof is smooth without any irregularities. Both ends of the flexible tube 20a are connected to the main body operation unit 1 and the bending tube unit 21, respectively. For this purpose, as shown in FIG.
At both ends of the hole 0, a non-perforated area is formed. A connecting ring 46 as a connecting member between the main body operating section 1 and the curved tube section 21 is inserted into the connecting section 45 and fixed by, for example, laser welding or the like. Since all the circumferences are completely overlapped,
It is convenient for performing spot welding or performing continuous welding over the entire circumference.

When the flexible tube section 20 is inserted into a patient's body or the like by using an endoscope constituted by the flexible tube 20a having the above-described structure, the flexible tube section 20 is bent due to resistance at the time of being pushed into the body. When a pulling force acting on the operation wire for performing the bending operation of the portion 21 acts on the flexible tube portion 20 or the like, a force for compressing the flexible tube portion 20 along the axial direction acts on the flexible tube portion 20. The flexible tube body 40 has a through hole 4.
Since there is a transition portion T between 4, 44 and a row interval P between the through-hole forming rows to improve the compression resistance,
Compressive deformation can be prevented, and sufficient pushing thrust can be exhibited. Although there are some bent portions in the insertion path into the body, it is flexible because it has flexibility in the direction orthogonal to the axial direction due to the action of the through-holes 44 formed in the flexible tube main body 40. The flexible tube section 20 smoothly bends following the bending of the insertion path. In addition, at the time of insertion,
The direction of the insertion may be adjusted while appropriately twisting the insertion portion 2. However, since the flexible tube portion 20 has good strength in the torsion direction, the torsion force can be reliably transmitted to the hard distal end portion. There is no possibility that the flexible tube portion 20 expands or contracts due to the torsional force. Furthermore, although there are strictures in the insertion path, if the outer surface of the insertion portion 2 has irregularities when passing through the stenosis, the pain to the patient increases. However, since the entire flexible tube portion 20 is substantially smooth, the flexible tube portion 20 can smoothly pass through the narrowed portion.

By the way, as the flexible tube portion 20 of the endoscope,
Is, as described above, easy to bend, compression resistant, torsional
Not only need to be strong to
Direction of strength when pressed in a direction perpendicular to the axis of 20
Must be supposed to be crush resistant
No. As shown in FIG. 5, all the through holes 44 are allowed.
When formed in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the flexible tube main body 40
In this case, the crush resistance is inferior. Soshi
In this configuration, to improve crush resistance,
The distance P must be widened. Then bend
It is not always preferable because the flexibility in the direction decreases.
There is no.

Therefore, in the present invention, the flexible tube main body is
Formed with metal pipes, this pipe has many through holes
Formed and composed of elongated holes elongated in one direction.
The entire longitudinal direction of the through hole consisting of the long hole is the axis of the flexible tube main body.
Instead of being arranged in orthogonal directions, as shown in FIG.
Pipe having through holes 60a, 60b inclined at a predetermined angle
61. Moreover, as is clear from the figure,
The inclination in the longitudinal direction of the hole 60a and the inclination in the through hole 60b
Are opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction. This
By configuring as follows, the through holes 60a and 60b
Direction perpendicular to the axis of pipe 61
Resistance to large pressure
And crush resistance is further improved. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the through hole 50 from a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pipe 51
Flip when formed is inclined at a predetermined angle in the direction that form a flexible tube body with a pipe inclination directions are different two layers of the through-hole 50.

[0023]

The present invention is configured as described above.
The structure and manufacture are extremely simple, and the outer surface can be formed smoothly. The flexible tube has the necessary properties, that is, flexibility in a direction perpendicular to its axis, while providing flexibility.
Shape retention and crush resistance without lowering
Can, moreover stretch resistant in the axial direction, it is possible to have the properties such as strength of the torsional direction but also fixation of the connection member for connecting the main body operation portion and the bending tube portion or the flexible tube body easily It produces effects such as

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an endoscope provided with a flexible tube portion.

FIG. 2 is a configuration explanatory view of a partially broken flexible tube showing a basic concept of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of the flexible tube main body of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing one method of forming a through hole.

FIG. 5 is a development view of the flexible tube main body of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a connecting portion of the flexible tube main body.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a flexible tube main body according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a developed view of a flexible tube main body according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body operation part 2 Insertion part 20 Flexible tube part 20a Flexible tube 21 Curved tube part 22 Tip hard part 40 Flexible tube main body 41 Protection net 42 Coating layer 43,51,61 Metal thin pipe 44,50,60a, 60b through hole 45 connecting part

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 1/00-1/32 G02B 23/24 F16L 9/00-11/18

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] To 1. A thin-walled metal pipe, in order to be able to bend in any direction, that a number of through holes
A flexible tube main body perforated over substantially the entire region except for both ends , wherein each of the through holes is formed by an elongated hole having one longitudinal direction, and the longitudinal direction of each of the through holes is the axis of the flexible tube main body; When
Circle each at a predetermined angle to the orthogonal direction
The holes are arranged side by side so that the positions are different in the circumferential direction.
A flexible tube for an endoscope, characterized in that the flexible tube includes a member which is inclined in the opposite direction . 2. The flexible tube main body is composed of a single pipe.
The flexible tube body has a through hole inclined in one direction,
2. A flexible tube for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said flexible tube has a through hole inclined in another direction . 3. The flexible tube body is formed from a double pipe.
And the inner and outer pipes
2. The flexible tube for an endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein the inclination direction of the through hole is changed .