JP3183820U - Endoscope insertion part - Google Patents

Abstract

An endoscope insertion portion that can facilitate assembly work and has a high component reuse rate after disassembly work is provided.
A bending piece 20B and a connecting pipe 57A are joined using a joining bush 61 and an insertion pin 62. The bending piece 20B has a through-hole for connection. The connecting pipe 57A has a connecting through hole. The outer peripheral surface of the bending piece 20B is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the connecting pipe 57A, and the joining bush 61 passes through the connecting through hole. When the insertion pin 62 is inserted into the joining bush 61 penetrating the connecting through hole, the engaging claw of the joining bush 61 is engaged with the inner peripheral surface side peripheral edge of the first connecting through hole. Stop.
[Selection] Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope insertion portion.

  Conventionally, examination using an endoscope has been widely used in the medical field. The endoscope includes an insertion portion that is inserted into a patient's body and an operation portion that is operated by an operator. The insertion portion is located at the distal end, and includes a distal end portion incorporating an image pickup device such as a CCD or CMOS image sensor, a bending portion connected to the proximal end of the distal end portion, and a proximal end of the bending portion. A flexible portion having flexibility, and the distal end portion is directed to the observation object by bending the bending portion.

  The bending part is a structure in which a plurality of metal ring-shaped bending pieces (also called node rings) are connected, and the outer peripheral surface of the bending piece is covered with a net braided with a metal wire called a blade, The outer periphery of the blade is covered with a cylindrical rubber (called angle rubber) which is a resin outer shell. The distal end portion has a distal end portion main body to which an imaging element or the like is attached. When the distal end portion and the bending portion are connected, the bending piece on the most distal end side of the bending portion and the distal end portion main body are joined.

  The flexible part is made of a metal spiral tube made of stainless steel or the like, and a metal blade is covered on the outer peripheral surface of the spiral tube in the same manner as the curved part. Cylindrical connection tubes are formed at the tip and the base end of the spiral tube. The outer periphery of the blade is covered with a resin outer skin by an extrusion molding method. When connecting the bending portion and the flexible portion, the bending piece closest to the proximal end of the bending portion and the connecting tube on the distal end side of the flexible portion are joined.

  In the field of endoscopes, it is desired to reduce the diameter of the insertion portion, and there are no peripheral parts around the joint portion of the cylindrical parts constituting the endoscope insertion portion such as the distal end body, the bending piece, and the connecting pipe. Except for some models, there is no space for screwing. Therefore, various endoscope insertion portions that eliminate the use of mounting screws have been proposed. In the joint structure for an endoscope insertion tube described in Patent Document 1, the outer peripheral surface of the other cylindrical part is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of one cylindrical part, and the gap in the fitting part is filled with solder. It is made to join.

  In Patent Documents 2 to 4, through holes are formed in the base end portion of the bending portion and the distal end portion of the flexible portion, these through holes are communicated, and a connecting pin is inserted to join the bending portion and the flexible portion. An endoscope is described. Patent Document 5 describes an endoscope having a caulking portion at a rear end portion of a bending piece and having a circumferential groove formed in a connection member (connection pipe) of a soft portion, and the bending piece is fitted into the connection member. The caulking part is inserted into the circumferential groove by caulking, and the caulking part is joined.

  On the other hand, in the endoscope, when the flexibility to be inserted into the patient's body is reduced, or when durability is reduced due to repeated washing and disinfection, etc., after being disassembled into the tip part, curved part, flexible part, It is essential to perform repairs and maintenance. Since each part of the endoscope insertion portion is expensive, it is required to reuse each part that has been repaired and maintained.

JP 2009-11442 A JP 2002-10972 A JP 2010-269014 A JP 2009-153713 A JP-A-5-277590

  However, in the endoscope insertion part using the soldering described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to remove the solder during the disassembling work, and the tip body, the bending piece, the connecting pipe, and the like are damaged. There is a problem that cannot be reused. In order to disassemble the endoscopes described in Patent Documents 2 to 4, when the connection pin is pulled out from the bending piece, the connection tube, or the like, the through hole and the periphery thereof are damaged. In the endoscope described in Patent Document 5, the caulking pieces and the connecting pipes that have been caulked are plastically deformed, and these parts once plastically deformed and have reduced rigidity and dimensional accuracy cannot be reused.

  In addition, in the endoscope insertion portion described in Patent Document 1, the assembly work is extremely difficult, such as scraping off the solder that protrudes after joining in order to further reduce the diameter, and the work of an expert is required. It becomes.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope insertion section that can facilitate assembly work and has a high component reuse rate after disassembly work. .

  In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope insertion portion according to the present invention includes a first cylindrical part having a plurality of first connecting through holes, and an inner peripheral surface in a cylindrical direction with respect to an outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical part. A second cylindrical part having a plurality of second connection through holes arranged in positions where the first connection through holes are inserted in and fitted to each other, and in the fitted state, In a state where the second connecting through hole is in communication, a fitting portion that is inserted from the second connecting through hole and fits into the second connecting through hole, and an inner peripheral surface side peripheral edge of the first connecting through hole A joining bush having a catching claw to be engaged, and the joining bush inserted into the inner peripheral surface of the joining bush in a state where the joining bush is passed through the first and second connecting through holes. And an insertion pin for restricting the release of the engagement with the peripheral edge of the surface side.

  The joining bush is formed such that the maximum diameter on the side of the locking claw is smaller than the inner diameter of the first connecting through hole, and the inner peripheral surface is tapered so that the inner diameter gradually decreases from the fitting portion toward the locking claw. It is preferable that the locking claw is displaced radially outward by insertion of the insertion pin, and the maximum diameter on the locking claw side is made larger than the inner diameter of the first connecting through hole. Moreover, it is preferable that the joining bush has a notch for locking claw displacement that is notched in the cylinder center direction from the locking claw side toward the fitting portion.

  The joining bush is formed with a maximum diameter on the side of the locking claw larger than the inner diameter of the first connecting through-hole, and has a separation notch that is separated in the circumferential direction, and the first and second connecting through-holes When inserted from the second connecting through hole in a state where the is connected, the maximum diameter on the side of the locking claw is reduced by the notch for separation, and the locking claw passes through the second and first through holes. Is preferred.

  It is preferable that the joining bush is formed of any one of stainless steel, brass, and aluminum. Alternatively, the joining bush is made of resin. In addition, it is preferable that a plurality of the joining bushes and the insertion pins are arranged apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the first and second cylindrical parts.

  One of the first and second cylindrical parts is a bending piece located on the most proximal side of the bending portion connecting a plurality of bending pieces, and the other of the first and second cylindrical parts is flexible. It is preferable that the connecting pipe is attached to the distal end side of the soft part.

  One of the first and second cylindrical parts is a tip body that is incorporated in the tip part, and the other of the first and second cylindrical parts is located on the most tip side of the bending part that connects a plurality of bending pieces. It is preferable that it is a bending piece.

  According to the present invention, assembly work can be facilitated, and the component reuse rate after disassembly can be increased.

It is a side view which shows the external appearance of the endoscope of this invention. It is a front view of the front-end | tip part of the insertion part of this invention. It is sectional drawing of a front-end | tip part and a curved part. It is sectional drawing of a curved part and a soft part. It is a perspective view of a curved part and a soft part. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of the junction part of a curved part and a soft part. It is a base end side perspective view of the bending piece located in the most base end side of a bending part. It is a perspective view of the connecting pipe provided in the front end side of the soft part. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the bush for joining and an insertion pin. It is sectional drawing orthogonal to the axial direction in the junction part of a curved part and a soft part. A step (A) of inserting a joining bush into the first and second connecting through holes, a step (B) of inserting an insertion pin into the joining bush, and an insertion pin inserted into the joining bush. It is explanatory drawing explaining the (C) process made into the state which latches the 1st connection through-hole. It is explanatory drawing explaining the process (A) which inserts a jig | tool in the bush for joining, and the process (B) which removes the bush for joining. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the bush for joining of 2nd Embodiment, and an insertion pin. Before using the joining bush and the insertion pin of the second embodiment to insert the joining bush into the first and second connecting through holes (A) and reducing the outer diameter of the joining bush during the insertion. It is explanatory drawing explaining these. Using the joining bush and the insertion pin of the second embodiment, the insertion pin is inserted into the joining bush from the state (A) in which the joining bush passes through the first and second connecting through holes, and the engaging claw FIG. 6 is an explanatory view for explaining a step (B) in which the first connecting through hole is locked. It is a perspective view which shows the junction part of the front-end | tip part and curved part of 3rd Embodiment. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of the junction part of the front-end | tip part and curved part of 3rd Embodiment. It is a base end side perspective view of the tip part main part of a 3rd embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
In FIG. 1, an endoscope 2 includes an insertion portion 10 that is inserted into a body, an operation portion 11 that is connected to a proximal end portion of the insertion portion 10, and a universal cord 12 that is connected to the operation portion 11. Prepare. The universal code 12 includes an endoscope 2, a processor device (not shown) that processes an image signal captured by the endoscope 2, and a light source device that emits illumination light guided to the endoscope 2 (see FIG. A signal cable 38 (see FIG. 3) for transmitting image signals and control signals, a light guide for guiding illumination light, and the like are provided.

  The insertion portion 10 includes a distal end portion 13, a bendable bending portion 14 provided continuously with the proximal end of the distal end portion 13, and a flexible flexible portion 15 provided continuously with the proximal end of the bending portion 14. Have. The flexible portion 15 has a length of several meters in order to allow the distal end portion 13 to reach a target position in the body.

  The bending portion 14 is formed by connecting a plurality of (for example, 16) bending pieces 20 in series. The leading bending piece 20 is fixed to the distal end portion 13, and the trailing bending piece 20 is attached to the flexible portion 15. It is fixed. An operation wire 45 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) that extends from the operation unit 11 to the bending unit 14 through the flexible unit 15 is connected to the bending piece 20.

  Two sets of the operation wires 45 are provided for the upper and lower sides and the left and right sides, and the base end side of each operation wire 45 is interlocked with the operation of the upper and lower angle knobs 21 and the left and right angle knobs 22 provided in the operation unit 11. It is wrapped around a rotating pulley. When the vertical angle knob 21 is rotated, the vertical operation wire 45 is pushed and pulled to cause the bending portion 14 to bend in the vertical direction. When the left and right angle knob 22 is rotated, the operation wire 45 is pushed and pulled. Thus, the bending portion 14 bends in the left-right direction. Thereby, the front-end | tip part 13 can be orient | assigned to the desired direction in a body.

  The operation portion 11 is provided with a forceps inlet 23. A treatment instrument such as a forceps or a snare used for treatment of the affected part is inserted into the forceps inlet 23. The forceps inlet 23 is connected to a forceps channel 24 disposed in the insertion portion 10, and the forceps channel 24 is connected to a forceps outlet 33 (see FIG. 2) provided in the distal end portion 13.

  The operation unit 11 is provided with an air / water supply button 25 and a suction button 26. The air supply / water supply button 25 is a jet nozzle 34 (see FIG. 2) provided at the distal end portion 13 through an air / water supply channel (not shown) provided in the insertion portion 10. ) To be used for injection. The suction button 26 is operated when sucking an object to be sucked such as a body fluid or a living tissue through the forceps channel 24.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a resin-made tip cap 13a is attached to the tip of the tip portion 13. The tip cap 13a has an observation window 31, an illumination window 32, a forceps outlet 33, and a jet nozzle. 34 etc. are provided. In the back of the observation window 31, an objective optical system 35 for taking in image light of a site to be observed in the body cavity is arranged. The objective optical system 35 includes an objective lens and a prism 35a, and the optical axis of the objective optical system 35 is bent by 90 ° by the prism 35a. The image sensor 36 is disposed horizontally (the image pickup surface is parallel to the axial direction) so that the exit surface from which the image light is emitted from the prism and the image pickup surface face each other. The circuit board 37 mounts the image sensor 36 and also a drive circuit that drives the image sensor 36. A signal cable 38 made of a multi-core cable is connected to the circuit board 37. The signal cable 38 extends from the insertion portion 10 to the universal cord 12 and is connected to the processor device.

  The illumination windows 32 are provided on both sides of the observation window 31 and irradiate illumination light toward the observation site. A light guide (not shown) is disposed behind the illumination window 32. The light guide extends from the insertion portion 10 to the universal cord 12, and is connected to the light source device.

  The distal end portion 13 includes a cylindrical metal distal end portion body 41 to which an objective optical system 35, an image pickup element 36, a circuit board 37, a light guide, the vicinity of the distal end portion of the forceps channel 24, and the like are attached. A tip cap 13 a is fitted to the tip of the tip portion main body 41. A connecting portion 41 a for connecting to the leading bending piece 20 is provided at the rear end of the tip portion main body 41.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bending piece 20 is made of a metal such as stainless steel, and the plurality of bending pieces 20 are connected by a connection pin 43 that serves as a rotation center of each bending piece 20. In the following, for convenience of explanation, among the plurality of bending pieces 20, the bending piece 20 located closest to the distal end side is referred to as a bending piece 20A, and the bending piece 14 located closest to the proximal end is referred to as a bending piece 20B. . The bending piece 20B is coupled to the connecting pipe 57A of the flexible portion 15. Each bending piece 20 is provided with a pair of tongue pieces 44 through which the connecting pin 43 is inserted, respectively, on the front end side and the rear end side except for the bending piece 20A and the bending piece 20B. When the tongue piece 44 is provided vertically on the front end side, it is provided alternately on the top and bottom and left and right so that it is provided on the left and right sides on the rear end side. In the adjacent bending pieces 20, the upper and lower or left and right tongue pieces 44 are connected to each other via a connecting pin 43.

  Further, on the inner peripheral surface of the bending piece 20, a wire guide 46 for guiding two sets of operation wires 45 for up and down and left and right within the bending portion 14 is formed. A coil pipe 47 that guides the operation wire 45 is provided in the soft portion 15. 3 and 4, only one set of operation wires 45, a wire guide 46 for guiding them, and a coil pipe 47 are shown in order to prevent the drawing from becoming complicated. As shown in FIG. 9 showing an orthogonal cross section, another set of operation wires 45, a wire guide 46 for guiding them, and a coil pipe 47 are arranged at positions shifted by about 90 ° in the circumferential direction with respect to the set of operation wires 45. Is provided.

  Two sets of operation wires 45 are slidably inserted into the wire guide 46. The distal end of the operation wire 45 is fixed to the bending piece 20A on the distal end side by brazing or the like, and the proximal end side is extended to the operation portion 11 and attached to the pulley. When the vertical angle knob 21 is rotated, a pair of vertical operation wires 45 are pushed and pulled, and each bending piece 20 rotates around a connecting pin 43 attached to the left and right tongue pieces 44. The bending portion 14 is bent in the vertical direction. When the left and right angle knobs 22 are rotated, a pair of left and right operation wires 45 are pushed and pulled, and each bending piece 20 rotates around a connecting pin 43 attached to the upper and lower tongue pieces 44, The bending portion 14 is bent in the left-right direction.

  A signal cable 38, a light guide, a forceps channel 24, and an air / water supply channel are inserted into the bending piece 20. The outer periphery of the bending piece 20 is covered with a blade 51. A metal ring 52 is fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the blade 51. 3 and 4, the metal ring 52 is provided only at the base end portion of the blade 51, but may be provided at the distal end portion of the blade 51. The outer periphery of the blade 51 is covered with an angle rubber 53 that is a rubber outer skin formed in a cylindrical shape. The blade 51 is a net-like body formed by braiding a plurality of metal wires. The blade 51 covers the plurality of connected bending pieces 20 to stabilize the posture of each bending piece 20. Further, the angle rubber 53 has its inner peripheral surface in contact with the blade 51 so that the adhesion is improved. 5 and 6, the blade 51 and the angle rubber 53 are omitted in order to prevent the drawing from becoming complicated.

  The distal end side of the angle rubber 53 also covers the distal end portion body 41 of the distal end portion 13. The tip of the angle rubber 53 is fixed to the tip portion 13 by winding a thread 54. The portion around which the yarn 54 is wound is applied with a sealing material and hardened. Further, the base end side of the angle rubber 53 covers the tip end side of the soft portion 15.

  The flexible portion 15 is a spiral tube 55 formed by spirally winding a metallic strip such as stainless steel, and a net-like shape formed by braiding metal strands such as stainless steel into a net shape, covering the outer periphery of the spiral tube 55. A blade 56 which is a body, connection pipes 57A and 57B which are made of metal such as stainless steel and are fixed to the outer peripheral surfaces of both ends of the blade 56, and a resin outer skin 58 which is coated on the outer periphery of the blade 56 by extrusion molding Have The connecting pipe 57A is located on the distal end side of the soft part 15, and the connecting pipe 57B is located on the proximal end side of the soft part 15. The connecting tube 57A is connected to the bending portion 14, and the connecting tube 57B is connected to the operation portion 11. The connecting pipes 57 </ b> A and 57 </ b> B are fitted on the outer periphery of the blade 56, and a part thereof is covered with the outer skin together with the blade 56. In addition, as a structure of the soft part 15, the braid | blade 56 may be eliminated and the outer skin 58 may be coat | covered directly on the outer peripheral surface of the helical tube 55. FIG.

  Next, referring to FIGS. 6 to 10, the bending piece 20B (first cylindrical part) and the connecting pipe 57A (second cylindrical part), which are cylindrical parts, are joined to each other and the bending part 14 is soft. The structure for connecting the part 15 and the joining method will be described. The cylindrical part includes a substantially cylindrical part. In the present embodiment, the bending piece 20 </ b> A and the connecting pipe 57 </ b> A are joined using the joining bush 61 and the insertion pin 62. The joining bush 61 and the insertion pin 62 are preferably formed from stainless steel.

  The bending piece 20B has four first connecting through holes 63 formed therein. The first connecting through holes 63 are arranged at the same position in the axial direction of the bending piece 20 and at different positions in the circumferential direction, and in this embodiment, are arranged at equal intervals of 90 ° in the circumferential direction. The first connecting through hole 63 is a circular through hole penetrating from the outer peripheral surface 64a of the bending piece 20B to the inner peripheral surface 64b. Further, as described above, the bending piece 20B is formed with the connecting tongue piece 44 on the distal end side.

  The connecting pipe 57A is disposed on the inner peripheral surface 67b at the position where the outer peripheral surface 64a of the bending piece 20B is inserted from the cylinder center direction and is connected to the first connecting through hole 63 in this fitted state. A second connecting through hole 68 is formed. The second connecting through holes 68 are arranged at the same position in the axial direction of the connecting pipe 57A and at different positions in the circumferential direction, and in this embodiment, 90 ° in the circumferential direction as in the first connecting through hole 63. Are arranged at equal intervals. The second connecting through-hole 68 penetrates from the outer peripheral surface 67a of the connecting pipe 57A to the inner peripheral surface 67b, and has an inner diameter R2 (both see FIG. 11A) larger than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through-hole 63. It is a circular through hole.

  Further, the connecting pipe 57A is formed with a stepped portion 67c on the proximal end side of the second connecting through hole 68 in which the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface 67b is reduced. The outer peripheral surface 67b of the connecting pipe 57A is covered with the outer skin 58 as described above, but in the space where the joining bush 61 and the insertion pin 62 are attached to the first and second connecting through holes 63 and 68. The outer skin 58 is formed so as not to be covered.

  When the outer peripheral surface 64a of the bending piece 20B is fitted to the inner peripheral surface 67b of the connecting pipe 57A and the base end portion 64c of the bending piece 20B comes into contact with the stepped portion 67c, the first and second connecting through holes are provided. The positions of the holes 63 and 68 coincide with the cylinder center direction.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the joining bush 61 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a short tube center direction, and an insertion pin 62 is inserted into the inner peripheral surface 61a. In addition, the cylindrical shape here includes a substantially cylindrical shape. The joining bush 61 includes a penetrating portion 71 that penetrates the first connecting through hole 63, a locking claw 72 that locks the peripheral edge of the first connecting through hole 63 on the inner peripheral surface 64 b side, and a second connecting penetrating hole. A fitting portion 73 that fits into the hole 68 is formed, and has elasticity that allows elastic deformation in the radial direction. When attached to the communicating first and second connecting through holes 63 and 68, the joining bush 61 is inserted from the tip side where the locking claw 72 is formed.

  In the joining bush 61, before the insertion pin 62 is inserted, the maximum diameter DA1 of the locking claw 72 is formed to be smaller than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through hole 63, and the inner peripheral surface 61a is a fitting portion. The taper is formed such that the inner diameter gradually decreases from the inner diameter r2 on the 73 side toward the inner diameter r1 on the locking claw 72 side.

  The locking claw 72 has a tapered surface 72a whose outer diameter gradually decreases toward the distal end in the insertion direction. The joining bush 61 has a pair of locking claw displacement cutouts 74 cut out in the cylindrical direction from the locking claw 72 side toward the fitting portion 73 side. The locking claw displacement notch 74 is arranged from the distal end of the locking claw 72 to the vicinity of the proximal end of the through portion 71, and is not formed in the fitting portion 73. By forming the notch 74 for locking claw displacement, when the insertion pin 62 is inserted, the distal end side of the joining bush 61 is easily enlarged in the radial direction.

  The fitting portion 73 has a maximum diameter DA2 larger than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through hole 63, and is formed to match the inner diameter R2 of the second connecting through hole 68, and has a second length in the cylinder center direction. It is equal to the connecting through hole 68. Accordingly, the fitting portion 73 is fitted into the second connection through hole 68 and penetrates through the second connection through hole 68. The fitting portion 73 is formed so that the maximum diameter DA1 does not change both before and after the insertion pin 62 is inserted. The through portion 71 is formed to have an outer diameter that is equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through hole 63.

  The insertion pin 62 includes a cylindrical shaft portion 76 and a head portion 77 formed on the proximal end side in the insertion direction of the shaft portion 76 and having an outer diameter larger than that of the shaft portion 76. The outer diameter RP of the shaft portion 76 is formed to be equal to or slightly larger than the inner diameter r2 of the joining bush 61 on the fitting portion 73 side.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the penetration portion 71 is penetrated through the first connection through-hole 63 and the fitting portion 73 is fitted into the second connection through-hole 68 to connect the joining bush 61 to the first and first coupling holes. It is set as the state penetrated to the through-holes 63 and 68 for 2 connection. In this penetration state, the shaft portion 76 of the insertion pin 62 is inserted into the inner peripheral surface 61a from the proximal end side of the joining bush 61, the locking claw 72 is displaced radially outward, and the maximum diameter is the first coupling penetration. It becomes larger than the inner diameter R1 of the hole 63. Therefore, the insertion pin 62 can maintain a state in which the locking release between the locking claw 72 and the peripheral edge on the inner peripheral surface 64b side of the first connecting through-hole 63 is restricted, and the joining bush 61 and the insertion pin 62 are It is attached to the bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A. 10 is a cross-section along the locking claw displacement notch 74 of the joining bush 61, the locking claw 72 is not shown, but in this state, as described above, the locking claw 72 is not shown. Locks the peripheral edge of the first connecting through-hole 63 on the inner peripheral surface 64b side (the state shown in FIG. 11C). Although omitted in FIG. 10, the signal cable 38, the light guide, the forceps channel 24, the air / water supply channel, and the like are inserted into the bending piece 20B as described above.

  An assembly process for joining the bending portion 14 and the flexible portion 15 by joining the bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A using the joining bush 61 and the insertion pin 62 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 11A, the outer peripheral surface 64a of the bending piece 20B is fitted to the inner peripheral surface 67b of the connecting pipe 57A, and the base end portion 64c of the bending piece 20B is connected to the stepped portion 67c of the connecting pipe 57A. Push it to the abutting position. At this time, the positions of the first connecting through hole 63 and the second connecting through hole 68 are matched. At this time, the operation wire 45, the coil pipe 47, and the like are inserted into the bending portion 14 and the flexible portion 15.

  Then, the step of inserting the joining bush 61 into the first and second connecting through holes 63 and 68 communicating from the outer peripheral surface 67a side is performed. At this time, since the maximum diameter DA1 of the locking claw 72 is smaller than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through-hole 63, it can be easily passed, and the joining bush 61 is used for the first and second connecting It will be in the state which penetrated the through-holes 63 and 68, and the fitting part 73 was fitted to the 2nd through-hole 63 for connection.

  As shown in FIG. 11 (B), with the joining bush 61 passing through the first and second connecting through holes 63 and 68, the shaft portion 76 of the insertion pin 62 is moved from the proximal end side of the inner peripheral surface 61a. insert. As described above, the locking claw 72 of the joining bush 61 is displaced radially outward, and the maximum diameter of the locking claw 72 becomes larger than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through hole 63.

  As shown in FIG. 11C, when the head 77 of the insertion pin 62 is inserted to a position where it abuts against the proximal end of the joining bush 61, the insertion pin 62 is inserted into the locking claw 72 and the first coupling penetration. It is possible to maintain a state in which the release of the engagement with the peripheral edge on the inner peripheral surface 64b side of the hole 63 is restricted. At this time, the insertion pin 62 is fitted and fixed to the inner peripheral surface 61a. As described above, the four sets of the joining bush 61 and the insertion pin 62 are attached to the bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A, and both are joined.

  As described above, with the easy assembling work of inserting the insertion pin 62 into the inner peripheral surface 61a of the joining bush 61 with the joining bush 61 penetrating the first and second connecting through holes 63, 68. The bending portion 14 and the flexible portion 15 can be connected. Further, when the joining bush 61 and the insertion pin 62 are attached to the bending piece 20B and the connection pipe 57A, the head 77 of the insertion pin 62 protrudes on the outer peripheral surface 67a side of the connection pipe 57A, and the inner peripheral surface of the bending piece 20B. The locking claw 72 protrudes toward the 64b side, but by suppressing the dimensions of the locking claw 72 and the head 77, the mounting space around the joining bush 61 and the insertion pin 62 is reduced, and the insertion portion 10 is inserted. The diameter can be further reduced.

  On the other hand, when disassembling the bending portion 14 and the flexible portion 15 for maintenance or repair, first, the position of the angle rubber 53 is shifted so that the joining bush 61 and the insertion pin 62 are exposed. Then, the head 77 is gripped using a tool or the like, the insertion pin 62 is pulled out, and then the joining bush 61 is removed. Note that a jig 78 as shown in FIG. 12 is preferably used for removing the joining bush 61. The jig 78 is formed such that the outer diameter of the distal end portion 78a is matched to the inner diameter r2 on the fitting portion 73 side of the joining bush 61, and the joining bush is disposed on the proximal end side of the distal end portion 78a. A tapered surface 78b formed together with the tapered surface 72a formed at the tip of 61 is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 12A, with the joining bush 61 penetrating the first and second connecting through holes 63 and 68, the distal end portion 78a of the jig 78 is moved from the proximal end side of the inner peripheral surface 61a. insert. Since the joining bush 61 has elasticity, the distal end portion 78 a of the jig 78 is inserted to the distal end side of the joining bush 61 through the inner peripheral surface 61 a. As shown in FIG. 12B, when the tapered surface 78b of the tip end portion 78a is aligned with the tapered surface 72a of the joining bush 61, the outer diameter of the locking claw 72 is maintained and the joining bush 61 is It can be easily removed from the first and second connecting through holes 63 and 68.

  In this manner, the joining bush 61 and the insertion pin 62 can be removed to release the joining of the bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A and separate them. Since the insertion pin 62 is not in direct contact with the bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A, the bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A are not damaged during the pulling-out operation. Further, the joining bush 61 can be detached from the bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A in a state where the outer diameter of the locking claw 72 is reduced. For this reason, it is possible to prevent parts from being damaged and to easily perform disassembly work. And after the maintenance or repair of each component, most of the curved portion 14 and the flexible portion 15 can be reused.

[Second Embodiment]
In the said 1st Embodiment, although the example which uses the bush 61 for joining formed in which the largest diameter DA1 of the latching claw 72 was smaller than the internal diameter R1 of the 1st through-hole 63 for a connection was raised, in 2nd Embodiment The first connecting through-hole 63 has an outer diameter locking claw formed larger than the inner diameter R 1, and can be inserted into the first and second connecting through-holes 63, 68 by being reduced in the radial direction. A joining bush and an insertion pin inserted into the joining bush are used. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and redundant description is omitted.

  Referring to FIGS. 13 to 15, a structure for joining the bending portion 14 and the flexible portion 15 by joining the bending piece 20 </ b> B and the connecting pipe 57 </ b> A using the joining bush 81 and the insertion pin 82, and joining A method will be described. The bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A have the same configuration as in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the joining bush 81 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a short tube center direction, and an insertion pin 82 is inserted into the inner peripheral surface 81a. In addition, the cylindrical shape here includes a substantially cylindrical shape. The joining bush 81 includes a penetrating portion 83 that penetrates the first connecting through hole 63, a locking claw 84 that locks the inner peripheral surface 64 b side periphery of the first connecting through hole 63, and a second connecting penetrating hole. A fitting portion 85 that fits into the hole 68 is formed, and has elasticity that allows elastic deformation in the radial direction. When attached to the communicating first and second connecting through holes 63 and 68, the joining bush 81 is inserted from the tip side where the locking claw 84 is formed.

  In the joining bush 81, the maximum diameter DB1 of the locking claw 84 is formed larger than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through hole 63, and a separation notch 86 that is separated in the circumferential direction from the distal end to the proximal end is formed. Is formed. Further, the inner peripheral surface 81a of the joining bush 81 has a constant inner diameter r from the distal end to the proximal end. Since the separation notch 86 is narrowed in the circumferential direction by the elasticity of the joining bush 81, the joining bush 81 can be reduced in the radial direction. Accordingly, when the joining bush 81 is inserted from the second connection through hole 68 in a state where the first and second connection through holes 63 and 68 are in communication, the locking claw 84 is engaged by the separation notch 86. Is smaller than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through hole 63, and the locking claw 84 passes through the first and second connecting through holes 63, 68. Further, the locking claw 84 has a tapered surface 84a whose outer diameter gradually decreases toward the distal end in the insertion direction.

  Further, the joining bush 81 has a notch 87 that is notched in the cylinder center direction from the tip at a position symmetrical to the separation notch 86. The notch 87 is disposed from the tip of the locking claw 84 to the middle of the through portion 83 and is not formed in the fitting portion 85. By forming this notch 87, when it attaches to the 1st and 2nd connection through-holes 63 and 68, it becomes easy to deform | transform in the direction which the largest diameter of the latching claw 84 reduces.

  The fitting portion 85 has a maximum diameter DB2 that is larger than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through hole 63 and is formed in accordance with the inner diameter R2 of the second connecting through hole 68, and has a second length in the cylinder center direction. It is equal to the connecting through hole 68. Accordingly, the fitting portion 85 is fitted into the second connection through hole 68 and penetrates through the second connection through hole 68. The through portion 83 is formed to have an outer diameter that is equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through hole 63.

  The insertion pin 82 includes a cylindrical shaft portion 88 and a head portion 89 formed on the proximal end side in the insertion direction of the shaft portion 88 and having a larger outer diameter than the shaft portion 88. The outer diameter RP of the shaft portion 88 is formed to be equal to or slightly larger than the inner diameter r of the inner peripheral surface 81 a of the joining bush 81.

  The penetrating portion 83 is passed through the first connecting through hole 63 and the fitting portion 85 is fitted into the second connecting through hole 68 so that the joining bush 81 is connected to the first and second connecting through holes 63, 68. In this penetrating state, the shaft portion 88 of the insertion pin 82 is inserted into the inner peripheral surface 81a from the proximal end side of the joining bush 81, and the elastic deformation that narrows the separation notch 86 in the circumferential direction cannot be performed. 81 does not shrink in the radial direction. Therefore, the insertion pin 82 can maintain a state in which the release of the engagement between the engagement claw 84 and the peripheral edge on the inner peripheral surface 64b side of the first connecting through-hole 63 is restricted, and the joining bush 81 and the insertion pin 82 are It is attached to the bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A.

  An assembly process for joining the bending portion 14 and the flexible portion 15 by joining the bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A using the joining bush 81 and the insertion pin 82 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 14A, the outer peripheral surface 64a of the bending piece 20B is fitted to the inner peripheral surface 67b of the connecting pipe 57A, and the first connecting through hole 63, the second connecting through hole 68, and the like. Adjust the position of each.

  Then, a step of inserting the joining bush 81 from the outer peripheral surface 67a side into the first and second connecting through holes 63 and 68 communicating with each other is performed. At this time, since the maximum diameter DB1 of the locking claw 84 is larger than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through hole 63, the tapered surface 84a of the locking claw 84 comes into contact with the peripheral edge of the first connecting through hole 63. As shown in FIG. 14B, when the joining bush 81 is further pushed in, the joining bush 81 is elastically deformed by receiving the pressure from the peripheral edge of the first connecting through-hole 63. Since the separation notch 86 is narrowed in the circumferential direction, the maximum diameter of the locking claw 84 is smaller than the inner diameter R1 of the first connecting through hole 63, and it is moved over the periphery of the first connecting through hole 63 to be locked. The claw 84 can pass through the first and second connecting through holes 63 and 68.

  As shown in FIG. 15A, when the locking claw 84 gets over the peripheral edge of the first connecting through-hole 63, the joining bush 81 passes through the first and second connecting through-holes 63, 68, The fitting portion 85 is fitted into the second connecting through hole 63, and the locking claw 84 is locked to the inner peripheral surface 64b side periphery of the first connecting through hole 63.

  As shown in FIG. 15 (B), with the joining bush 81 penetrating the first and second connection through holes 63 and 68, the shaft portion 88 of the insertion pin 82 is moved from the proximal end side of the inner peripheral surface 81a. insert. When the insertion pin 82 is inserted to a position where the head 77 of the insertion pin 62 comes into contact with the proximal end of the joining bush 81, the insertion pin 82 and the peripheral edge of the first connection through-hole 63 on the inner peripheral surface 64b side. It is possible to maintain a state of restricting the release of the lock. At this time, the insertion pin 82 is fitted and fixed to the inner peripheral surface 81a. As described above, the four sets of the joining bush 81 and the insertion pin 82 are attached to the bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A, and both are joined.

  As described above, it is easy to assemble the insertion pin 82 into the inner peripheral surface 81a of the joining bush 81 with the joining bush 81 penetrating the first and second connecting through holes 63 and 68. The bending portion 14 and the flexible portion 15 can be connected. Further, similarly to the first embodiment, by suppressing the dimensions of the locking claws 84 and the head 89, the mounting space around the joining bush 81 and the insertion pin 82 is reduced, and the insertion portion 10 is further reduced in diameter. Can be achieved.

  On the other hand, when disassembling the bending portion 14 and the flexible portion 15 for maintenance or repair, first, the position of the angle rubber 53 is shifted so that the joining bush 81 and the insertion pin 82 are exposed. Then, the head 89 is gripped using a tool or the like, the insertion pin 82 is pulled out, and then the joining bush 81 is removed. In addition, it is preferable to use the jig | tool 78 similar to the said 1st Embodiment for the removal of the bushing 81 for joining. And the front-end | tip part 78a of the jig | tool 78 is inserted from the base end side of the internal peripheral surface 81a to the front end side. Similarly to the first embodiment, when the tapered surface 78b of the distal end portion 78a is matched with the tapered surface 84a of the joining bush 81, the outer diameter of the locking claw 84 is maintained, and the joining bush 84 is And it can remove from the 2nd through-holes 63 and 68 for 2nd connection easily. Similarly to the first embodiment, the joining bush 81 and the insertion pin 82 can be easily detached to release the joining between the bending piece 20B and the connecting pipe 57A, and thus the parts can be damaged. Preventing and easy disassembly work.

[Third Embodiment]
In the first and second embodiments described above, the endoscope insertion portion that joins the bending portion and the flexible portion by joining the bending piece and the connecting pipe with the joining bush and the insertion pin is taken as an example. In the embodiment, an endoscope insertion portion that connects the distal end portion and the bending portion by joining the distal end portion main body and the bending piece on the most distal end side will be described. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and redundant description is omitted.

  With reference to FIGS. 16 to 18, in an endoscope insertion portion 90 having a distal end portion 91 and a bending portion 92, a distal end portion main body 93 (first cylindrical component) and a bending piece 94 positioned on the most distal end side. A structure for joining the second cylindrical part and connecting the tip 91 and the bending portion 92 and a joining method will be described. In the present embodiment, the tip body 93 and the bending piece 94 are joined using the joining bush 96 and the insertion pin 97. 16 to 18, the blade 51, the angle rubber 53, the thread 54, and the like are omitted. The tip portion main body 93 and the bending piece 94 are made of metal as in the first embodiment.

  Two first connection through holes 98 are formed in the connection portion 93 a provided at the base end of the distal end portion body 93. The first connecting through holes 98 are disposed at the same position in the axial direction of the bending piece 20 and at different positions in the circumferential direction. The first connecting through hole 98 is a circular through hole penetrating from the outer peripheral surface 93b of the connecting portion 93a to the inner peripheral surface 93c.

  The bending piece 94 is fitted to the inner peripheral surface 94b so that the outer peripheral surface 93b of the distal end main body 93 is inserted from the cylinder center direction, and is arranged at a position where the bending piece 94 communicates with the first connecting through hole 98. Two second connecting through holes 100 are formed. The second connecting through holes 100 are arranged at the same position in the cylinder center direction of the bending piece 94 and at different positions in the circumferential direction. The first and second connecting through holes 98 and 100 are both arranged at equal intervals of 180 ° in the circumferential direction. The second connecting through hole 100 is a circular through hole that penetrates from the outer peripheral surface 94 a of the bending piece 94 to the inner peripheral surface 94 b and has a larger inner diameter than the first connecting through hole 98.

  As shown in FIG. 17, the joining bush 96 and the insertion pin 97 are formed in the same manner as the joining bush 81 and the insertion pin 82 of the second embodiment. The joining bush 96 includes a through portion 101 that penetrates the first coupling through hole 98, a locking claw 102 that latches the peripheral edge on the inner peripheral surface 93c side of the first coupling through hole 98, and a second coupling penetration. A fitting portion 103 that fits into the hole 100 is formed, and has elasticity that allows elastic deformation in the radial direction. Further, the joining bush 96 is formed such that the maximum diameter of the locking claw 102 is larger than the inner diameter of the first connecting through hole 98, and a separation notch 104 that is separated in the circumferential direction from the distal end to the proximal end. Is formed. Thus, as in the second embodiment, when the first and second connection through holes 98 and 100 are in communication with each other, when being inserted from the second connection through hole 100, the separation notch 104 The maximum diameter of the locking claw 102 becomes smaller than the inner diameter of the first connecting through hole 98, and the locking claw 102 can pass through the first and second connecting through holes 98, 100. The insertion pin 82 includes a cylindrical shaft portion 106 and a head portion 107 that is formed on the proximal end side in the insertion direction of the shaft portion 106 and has a larger outer diameter than the shaft portion 106.

  While penetrating the penetration part 101 through the first connection through hole 98 and fitting the fitting part 103 into the second connection through hole 100, the joining bush 96 is connected to the first and second connection through holes 98, 100 is made to penetrate. In this penetrating state, the shaft portion 106 of the insertion pin 97 is inserted into the inner peripheral surface from the proximal end side of the joining bush 96, and the elastic deformation that narrows the separation notch 104 in the circumferential direction cannot be performed. Does not shrink in the radial direction. Therefore, the insertion pin 97 can maintain a state in which the release of the engagement between the engagement claw 102 and the peripheral edge on the inner peripheral surface 93c side of the first connection through hole 98 is restricted. It is attached to the front-end | tip part main body 93 and the bending piece 94, and both can be joined.

  In the third embodiment, the tip body 93 and the bending piece 94 are formed using the joining bush 96 and the insertion pin 97 formed in the same manner as the joining bush 81 and the insertion pin 82 of the second embodiment. However, of course, the joining method of the first embodiment using the joining bush and the insertion pin formed in the same manner as the joining bush 61 and the insertion pin 62 of the first embodiment. Similarly, the tip end body 93 and the bending piece 94 may be joined.

  In the first and second embodiments, four joining bushes and four insertion pins are provided, and in the second embodiment, two joining bushes and two insertion pins are spaced apart at equal intervals. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first and second connecting through-holes are attached so that a plurality of joining bushes and insertion pins are attached at regular intervals. May be arranged as appropriate.

  In each of the above embodiments, the cylindrical part located on the distal end side is the first cylindrical part, and the cylindrical part located on the proximal end side is the second cylindrical part. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the cylindrical part located on the proximal end side may be the first cylindrical part, and the cylindrical part located on the distal end side may be the second cylindrical part. In this case, the outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical component located on the proximal end side is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the second cylindrical component located on the distal end side, and the joining bush and the insertion pin are the same as in the above embodiments. To join them together.

  In each of the above embodiments, the joining bush is made of stainless steel. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a metal other than stainless steel such as brass or aluminum may be used, or a resin material such as plastic may be used.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in combination with each other within a consistent range.

2 Endoscope 10, 90 Insertion part 13, 91 Tip part 14, 92 Bending part 15 Soft part 20B Bending piece (first cylindrical part)
41, 93 Tip body (first cylindrical part)
57A Connecting pipe (second cylindrical part)
61, 81, 96 Bushing for joining 62, 82, 97 Insertion pin 94 Bending piece (second cylindrical part)

Claims (9)

A first cylindrical part having a plurality of first connecting through holes;
An inner peripheral surface is inserted and fitted into the outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical part from the cylinder center direction, and in this fitted state, a plurality of positions arranged at positions communicating with the plurality of first connecting through holes. A second cylindrical part having a second connecting through hole;
A fitting portion that is inserted from the second connection through hole and fits into the second connection through hole in a state where the first and second connection through holes communicate with each other, and the first connection through hole A joining bushing having a locking claw for locking to the inner peripheral surface side periphery of
The joint bushing is inserted into the inner peripheral surface of the joint bush with the first and second connecting through-holes being penetrated, and the latching claw and the inner peripheral surface side peripheral edge are unlocked. An endoscope insertion portion provided with an insertion pin for restricting.   The joining bush has a maximum diameter on the side of the locking claw smaller than an inner diameter of the first connecting through hole, and an inner peripheral surface gradually decreases in inner diameter from the fitting portion toward the locking claw. The tapered claw is formed, and the locking claw is displaced radially outward by the insertion of the insertion pin, and the maximum diameter on the locking claw side is made larger than the inner diameter of the first connecting through hole. Endoscope insertion part.   The endoscope insertion portion according to claim 2, wherein the joining bush has a notch for locking claw displacement that is notched in a cylindrical direction from the locking claw side toward the fitting portion. The joining bush has a separation notch that is formed such that the maximum diameter on the side of the locking claw is larger than the inner diameter of the first connecting through-hole, and is separated in the circumferential direction,
When the first and second connecting through holes are in communication with each other, when inserted from the second connecting through hole, the separation notch reduces the maximum diameter on the side of the locking claw, and the engagement The endoscope insertion portion according to claim 1, wherein a pawl passes through the second and first through holes.   The endoscope insertion portion according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the joining bush is formed of any one of stainless steel, brass, and aluminum.   The endoscope insertion portion according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the joining bush is formed of a resin.   The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a plurality of the joining bushes and the insertion pins are arranged apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the first and second cylindrical parts.   One of the first and second cylindrical parts is the bending piece located on the most proximal side of a bending portion connecting a plurality of bending pieces, and the other of the first and second cylindrical parts is acceptable. The endoscope insertion portion according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the endoscope insertion portion is a connecting tube attached to a distal end side of a flexible portion having flexibility.   One of the first and second cylindrical parts is a tip part main body incorporated in the tip part, and the other of the first and second cylindrical parts is the most tip side of the bending part connecting a plurality of bending pieces. The endoscope insertion portion according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the bending piece is located at a position.

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