JP3222199B2 - Endoscope bending device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bending device for an endoscope which performs bending driving in response to a signal from a bending operation means.

[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 internal organs in the body cavity and to perform various treatments using a treatment tool inserted into a treatment tool channel as necessary. Optical or electronic endoscopes are widely used. In addition to being used for medical purposes, it is also used for observing and inspecting an object in a pipe of a boiler, a machine, a chemical plant, or the like, or in a machine, for industrial use.

[0003] In many of these endoscopes, in order to direct the distal end of the insertion portion toward an observation site, a bending portion including a plurality of bending rings is provided in a part of the insertion portion. Normally, in order to bend the bending portion, an angle knob provided on the operation portion on the side of the endoscope is rotated to index-relax the bending wire locked on the bending ring.

Recently, in order to improve operability,
An electric bending device has been developed in which the bending section is driven to bend by a driving means such as a motor by turning on and off a bending operation switch.
No. 25 discloses a technique of performing a bending operation in four directions of up, down, left, and right by operating a bending operation switch formed of a joystick.

However, a bending operation switch composed of a joystick or the like is structurally difficult to waterproof and miniaturize. In addition, it is difficult to bend the bending portion of the endoscope and guide the distal end of the insertion portion to a desired portion in the viewing direction. There are cases where it is desired to greatly change the viewing direction and cases where it is desired to make fine adjustments. In the former case, it is better that the bending speed is faster, and in the latter case,
A lower bending speed is better. That is, when the bending portion is driven to bend by the electric bending device, it is desirable that the bending speed can be freely changed by the operator.

For this reason, Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-2527 discloses a technique for changing a bending speed by using a switch for changing a bending speed in addition to a bending operation switch for indicating a vertical direction. There is disclosed a technology that includes a possible lever and a bending operation switch configured by a plurality of piezoelectric rubbers, inclines the lever to sequentially press the piezoelectric rubber, and changes a bending speed.

[0007]

However, if an operation switch for indicating the bending direction and an operation switch for changing the bending speed are separately provided, the operation for specifying the bending direction is interrupted each time the operation switch for changing the bending speed is operated. There is a disadvantage that it is done.

Further, the above-mentioned bending operation switch composed of a lever that can be tilted in two directions and a plurality of piezoelectric rubbers requires two levers corresponding to the front-back and left-right bending directions, and the occupied area of the bending operation switch. In addition, the internal volume increases due to the necessity of arranging a plurality of piezoelectric rubbers in accordance with the tilt of the lever, making it difficult to reduce the size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can perform an operation of instructing a bending direction and an operation of instructing a bending speed without interrupting one of the operations, and can be easily waterproofed and miniaturized. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope bending device provided with a simple bending operation means.

[0010]

Bending device of the endoscope according to the present invention SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION comprises a bending mechanism for curved curved portion provided in the insertion portion of the endoscope, drive means for driving the bending mechanism And an operation unit connected to the insertion unit,
It can be pressed in multiple stages in the inward and outward directions of the side surface of the part,
Multiple multi-stage switches arranged for each bending direction of the bending section
And control means for controlling the driving means by a signal from the multi-stage switch to control the bending speed of the bending portion .

[0011]

In the bending device for an endoscope according to the present invention, when the bending operation means is operated to turn on / off a multi-stage switch in a desired bending direction at a stage corresponding to a desired bending speed, a signal from the multi-stage switch is controlled. Input to the means. Then, in accordance with a signal instructing the bending direction and the bending speed from the bending operation unit, the driving unit is controlled by the control unit to drive the bending mechanism, and the bending of the insertion portion of the endoscope is performed in a desired bending direction and bending speed. The part is curved.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Is a cross-sectional view of a bending operation switch, FIG. 2 is an external view of a two-stage on / off switch, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line II in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a connection diagram showing a circuit configuration of the two-stage on / off switch, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a bending mechanism, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit configuration of a bending operation control system.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 denotes an endoscope device. The endoscope device 1 includes an endoscope 2 in which a solid-state image pickup device such as a CCD is provided, and illumination light is applied to the endoscope 2. A light source device 3 for supplying, a video control device 4 for driving the solid-state imaging device and converting an imaging signal from the solid-state imaging device into a video signal, and a monitor 5 for displaying the video signal from the video control device 4; The bending motor control device 6 controls the bending of the bending portion 10 of the endoscope 2.

The endoscope 2 includes an elongated insertion portion 7 that can be inserted into a subject, and a large-diameter operation portion 8 connected to the rear end of the insertion portion 7. , The insertion portion 7
A flexible flexible portion 9 and a plurality of bending pieces are connected in order from the operation portion 8 side, and a bending portion 10 that can be bent in four directions, up, down, left, and right, and a hard tip configuration portion 11 are connected. It is configured.

The distal end portion 11 is provided with an objective optical system, an illumination optical system, and the like (not shown). A solid-state imager that photoelectrically converts a subject image and outputs it as an image pickup signal at an image forming position of the objective optical system. The photoelectric conversion surface of the imaging device is provided, and the emission end of a light guide formed of a fiber bundle for transmitting illumination light is provided in the illumination optical system.

A universal cord 12 is connected to a side portion of the operating portion 8 and bifurcates on the way. Each end of the universal cord 12 is connected to the bending motor control device. 6, and a light guide connector 14 detachably connected to the light source device 3, and a motor control device connector 13 detachably connected to the light source device 3.
Each is provided.

A video control cord 15 extends from a side portion of the light guide connector 14, and a video control device connector 16 detachably connected to the video control device 4 is provided at an end thereof. Have been.

A signal cable connected to the solid-state image pickup device is inserted through the insertion section 7, the operation section 8, and the universal cord 12, and the video control signal from the light guide connector 14 side. Code 15
And extends to the video controller connector 16.

Similarly, the ride guide is inserted through the insertion portion 7, the operation portion 8, and the universal cord 12, extends to the light guide connector 14, and has an incident end connected to the light source device. 3 are exposed.

The light source device 3 is provided with a light source (not shown). Illumination light emitted from the light source is incident on a light guide incident end of the light guide connector 14 and is transmitted from an illumination optical system to a subject or the like. It is designed to be irradiated.

When the endoscope 2 is an electronic endoscope of a single-plate RGB plane sequential type, the light source apparatus 3 is a light source apparatus that outputs red, green and blue plane sequential lights. When the endoscope 2 is an electronic endoscope of the single-chip color chip simultaneous type, it is a light source device that outputs white light.

The video controller 4 is provided with a video signal processing circuit (not shown). This video signal processing circuit has an input terminal connected to the video controller connector 1.
6 is connected to the monitor 5 and the output end is connected to the monitor 5. The solid-state imaging device of the endoscope 2 is driven, and an imaging signal from the solid-state imaging device is converted into a video signal. Output to monitor 5. As a result, an observation image of the subject is displayed on the monitor 5.

On the other hand, the operation unit 8 of the endoscope 2 includes an air / water supply button 17 for cleaning an observation window of an objective optical system (not shown) and a suction button 18 for aspirating body fluid and the like. Is provided. By operating the air / water button 17, air or water is supplied, and by operating the suction button 18, a suction channel (treatment tool channel) (not shown) provided in the endoscope 2. Suction of bodily fluids and the like is performed.

Further, the operating section 8 includes the bending section 1.
There is provided a cross-shaped bending operation switch 19 as a bending operation means for performing a bending operation on 0, a bending operation switch 19, a bending mechanism provided inside the operation unit 8, which will be described later, and this bending mechanism. A bending device is configured by a driving motor 20 described below as a driving unit for driving, and the bending motor control device 6 as a control unit for controlling the driving motor 20, and in each of up, down, left, and right bending directions,
The bending section 10 can be bent at the specified bending speed.

The bending operation switch 19 can be tilted in each direction of a cross so that the bending portion 10 can be bent in four directions, up, down, left and right, and is inserted through the universal cord 12. The motor control device connector 13 is connected to the bending motor control device 6 via a signal cable (not shown).

The operating section 8 includes the bending section 1.
A bending mechanism for bending 0 is built in. As shown in FIG. 6, the bending mechanism includes a sprocket 22 fixed to a drive shaft 21 of a drive motor 20 composed of a DC motor;
A chain 23 meshing with the sprocket 22 and a bending operation wire 25 connected to the end of the chain 23 via a connecting member 24 and the like are provided for bending in the vertical direction and bending in the horizontal direction, respectively. Two sets of similar mechanisms are provided, and their driving is controlled by the bending motor control device 6.

The bending operation wire 25 is connected to the flexible portion 9.
Through the bending portion 10 and connected to a bending piece (not shown) at the tip of the bending portion 10. When the bending operation wire 25 is pulled by the drive motor 20, the bending portion 10 is moved up and down. It is designed to bend in the right or left direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bending operation switch 19 is attached to a case 26 forming the exterior of the operation section 8, and the cross pad constituting section 2 as an operation section.
7, a switch presser 28 disposed below the cross pad component 27, four two-stage on / off switches 29 capable of two-stage operation, a switch board 30 to which the two-stage on / off switch 29 is mounted, and the cross It is composed of a round rubber sheet 31 or the like as a waterproofing member covering the pad component.

The cross pad forming section 27 is composed of a disk 34 on which a cross-shaped cross pad 32 and four pressing pins 33 for pressing the two-stage on / off switch 29 are equally fixed on the circumference. And a screw 3 having a substantially hemispherical head 35a
5 and a positioning pin 36, and the pressing pin 33
The cross pad 32 and the disk 34 are positioned by the positioning pins 36 and fastened at the center by the screws 35 so that the vertical and horizontal directions correspond to the bending directions of the cross pad 32.

Then, the circular plate 34 of the cross pad constituting portion 27 is formed in a round counterbore hole 37 provided in the case 26.
The cross pad 32 is protruded out of the case 26 through a cross-shaped through hole 38 which is slightly smaller than the counterbore hole 37, and the stem 29a as a pressing portion of the two-stage on / off switch 29 is Press pin 3
3 are arranged.

The switch holder 28 has a square counterbore 40 for accommodating the two-stage on / off switch 29 and a stem 29a of the two-stage on / off switch 29 which is slightly smaller than the square counterbore 40. A rectangular through hole 41 is provided, and the switch board 3 is held on the inner surface side of the case 26 while holding the switch presser 28 therebetween.
0 is fixed by a screw 39, and the two-stage on / off switch 29 is fixed to the square counterbore 40.

In this case, the head 35a of the screw 35 of the cross pad component 27 is movably supported on the switch presser 28, and each of the two-stage on / off switches 2
Pressing pins 33 are located on the stems 29a of the ninth 9 respectively. When the cross pad component 27 is tilted in any direction of up, down, left, and right, the corresponding one of the four two-stage on / off switches 29 is turned on. Is done.

Further, the rubber sheet 31 is fixed to the case 26 so as to cover the cross pad component 27, and the cross pad component 27 when the endoscope 2 is washed.
Water is prevented from entering between the cross-shaped through-holes 38, and the configuration is small and excellent in waterproofness.

It should be noted that the cross pad constituting section 27 is
Since 4 is larger than the cross-shaped through hole 38, it does not come off the case 26.

Here, the two-stage on / off switch 29
As shown in FIG. 2, the stem 29a protrudes from a case 29b which is a switch exterior, and four terminals 29 which are terminal portions of a switch are provided on the side of the case 29b.
c, 29d, 29e, and 29f are provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, inside the two-stage on / off switch 29, in order from below the stem 29a,
A first click plate 42 made of metal, and a second click plate 4 also made of metal and smaller than the first click plate 42.
3 and a conductor 44 are provided.

The first and second click plates 42 and 43
Are curved and their ends are supported by the case 29b, and along the substantially axial center of the stem 29a, the central convex portions of the curved shapes of the first and second click plates 42 and 43; , The conductor 44 is disposed.

The first click plate 42 and the terminal 29c, the second click plate 43 and the terminal 29d, the conductor 44 and the terminal 29e are connected to each other by wiring (not shown). Terminal 29f is a terminal dedicated to fixing the substrate,
Nowhere connected.

When the stem 29a of the two-stage on / off switch 29 is pressed once, the stem 29a deforms the first click plate 42 to contact the second click plate 43, The click plate 42 and the second click plate 43 conduct, and the terminal 29c and the terminal 29d conduct. When the stem 29a is further pressed in this state, the first click plate 42 and the second click plate 43
As a result, the first click plate 42, the second click plate 43, and the conductor 44 come into contact with each other and conduct. Thereby, the terminals 29c, 29d, 2
9e all conduct.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the two-stage on / off switch 29 is connected between the terminals 29d to 29c.
Two switches are configured between the terminals 29d to 29e.
9c constitutes a first-stage switch, and a terminal 29
A second-stage switch is configured between d and 29e.

When no force is applied to the stem 29a, the first click plate 42 and the second click plate 43 return to their original shapes, and the first click plate 42
And the second click plate 43 and the conductor 44 are separated from each other.

Next, the bending motor control device 6 will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, the bending motor control device 6 includes a motor control unit 45 to which a bending operation switch 19 incorporating four two-stage on / off switches 29 is connected.
And a motor driver 46 for driving the drive motor 20 of the bending mechanism.

Here, assuming that the four two-stage on / off switches 29 corresponding to the up, down, left, and right bending directions of the bending operation switch 19 are switches U, D, R, and L, respectively, as described above, There are two switches inside. Hereinafter, the first and second switches in the switch U are referred to as switches U1 and U2, and the first and second switches in the switch D are referred to as switches D1 and D2 and a switch R.
The first and second internal switches are switches R1, R2,
The first and second switches inside the switch L are referred to as switches L1 and L2.

Each switch U1, U2, D1, D2, R1, R
2, L1 and L2 each have a terminal connected to the motor control unit 45 pulled up to a power supply V via a resistor 47 and the other terminal grounded. When the switch is pressed for the first time, the switch U1 is turned on. When the switch is further pressed, both the switch U1 and the switch U2 are turned on for the second time, and a low-level ON signal is output to the motor control unit 45.

The motor control unit 45 receives, for example, a signal from the switch U instructing upward bending, and when a low-level ON signal is input from only the switch U1 among the switches U1 and U2, When a small current flows from the motor driver 46 to the drive motor 20 in the endoscope 2 and a low-level ON signal is input from both the switches U1 and U2, a large current flows from the motor driver 46 to the drive motor 20. Circuit. The same applies to the switches D, R, and L in the other directions.

Next, the bending operation and the bending drive control for the bending portion 10 of the endoscope 2 will be described.

First, when bending the bending portion 10 of the endoscope 2, a portion corresponding to a desired bending direction of a bending operation switch 19 provided on the operation portion 8 is pressed.

For example, in FIG. 1, when the cross pad component 27 is pushed in the direction A, the bending portion 10 is bent upward, and when the cross pad component 27 is pushed one step in the A direction, the cross pad The portion 27 is tilted with the head 35 a of the screw 35 as a fulcrum, and the pressing pin 33 presses the stem 29 a of the two-stage on / off switch 29.

At this time, if the head 35a, which is a fulcrum, is restrained, the cross pad 32 of the cross pad component 27 on the pressed side (A side) and the cross-shaped The gap between the hole 35 and the through hole 38 becomes narrower, but the head 35a of the screw 35 is not fixed.
1, the gap on the side opposite to the side A is substantially uniform.

That is, in the conventional bending operation switch using the cross pad, since the cross pad is fixed so as not to move from the center of rotation, when the cross pad is pressed, a wide gap is generated on the opposite side, and there is a backlash. This resulted in impaired operability. In the bending operation switch 19 of the present embodiment, there is no play between the cross pad 32 and the case 26 of the operation unit 8 at the time of operation, and the operability can be improved.

Then, the first-stage switch U1 of the two-stage on / off switch 29 (upward switch U) is turned on, and only the switch U1 is connected to the upper control end of the motor control unit 45 in the bending motor control device 6. A level ON signal is sent. The motor control unit 45 controls the motor driver 46 to supply a small current to the drive motor 20 in the endoscope 2, and the drive motor 20 rotates at a low speed to rotate the bending unit 1.
0 curves upward slowly.

Further, when the cross pad component 27 of the bending operation switch 19 is pushed in the direction A to operate the second stage,
The switches U1 and U2 are both turned on, and a low level ON signal is sent from the switches U1 and U2 to the upper control end of the motor control unit 45. Then, the motor control unit 45 controls so that a large current flows from the motor driver 46 to the drive motor 20, and the drive motor 20 rotates at a high speed to increase the bending speed of the bending unit 10.

That is, since the two-stage on / off switch 29 is provided for each of the up, down, left, and right bending directions of the bending operation switch 19, the bending direction and the bending speed can be simultaneously specified, and the device is small and excellent in waterproofness. Therefore, handling operability is greatly improved. Furthermore, at the time of the bending operation, since the bending operation can be performed while grasping the change in the bending speed by the click feeling when the two-stage on / off switch 29 is pressed, the safety is further improved.

In this embodiment, the bending operation switch 19 is used.
Although the two-stage on / off switch 29 is used in the first embodiment, a multistage switch having three or more stages may be used to perform finer control of the bending speed.

8 to 10 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a bending operation switch, FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit configuration of a bending operation control system, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between an on / off state of a switch and a motor drive current.

In this embodiment, the bending operation switch 19 of the first embodiment is replaced with a bending operation switch 50 covered with a rubber sheet 51 with bellows, and the circuit configuration in the bending motor control device 6 is one. The part is changed so that the bending speed is constant at the time of low speed or high speed in the first embodiment and changes with time.

In the following description, the same members as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8, the bending operation switch 50
Is a rubber sheet 51 having a bellows portion 51a provided circumferentially.
The rubber sheet 51 includes a cross pad component 27
Is fixed to the case 26 so as to cover the case.

That is, when the cross pad component 27 of the bending operation switch 50 is pushed in the direction A, the head 35 of the screw 35 is pressed.
While the “a” is shifted in the B direction, the cross pad component 27 is inclined,
Although the side opposite to the pressed A side is lifted, in the present embodiment, since the bellows portion 51a is provided on the rubber sheet 51, a force such that the rubber is stretched only by straightening the folded bellows portion 51a is generated. No. For this reason, a better pressing feeling can be obtained when operating the bending operation switch 50 than in the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 9, the bending motor control device 6 includes a motor control unit 52 having an improved function of the motor control unit 45 of the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 10, for example, when an ON signal is input to the motor control unit 52 only from the switch U1, the motor driver 46 controls the motor driver 46 to supply a constant small current to the drive motor 20, and the switch U1 , U2, control is performed to increase the current flowing through the drive motor 20 to a medium to large value according to the time during which the switch is pressed.

That is, when the corresponding portion of the bending operation switch 50 is pressed one step to bend the bending portion 10 of the endoscope 2 upward, the switch U1 is turned on, and the motor in the bending motor control device 6 is turned on. A low-level ON signal is input to the upward control end of the control unit 52. Then, the motor control unit 52 controls so that a small current flows from the motor driver 46 to the drive motor 20 in the endoscope 2, whereby the drive motor 20 rotates at a low speed and the bending unit 10 bends slowly.

Further, when the cross pad component 27 of the bending operation switch 50 is pressed to operate the second stage, both the switches U1 and U2 are turned on, and the motor control unit 52 is turned on.
A low level ON signal is sent from the switches U1 and U2 to the upward control end of the switch.

Then, the motor control unit 52 applies a medium current from the motor driver 46 to the drive motor 20, and gradually increases the current according to the time during which the switch is pressed.
As a result, the drive motor 20 in the endoscope 2 rotates at a medium speed to a high speed, and the bending portion 10 also bends gradually from a medium speed.
The operation by the other switches D, R, L is also performed by the switch U.
Is the same as

In this embodiment, since the bending speed from low speed to high speed can be finely controlled, there is an advantage that a quicker and more precise bending operation can be performed. Other functions and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the bending operation switch 50
In the first stage operation of each bending direction, the current of the drive motor 20 is made constant at a small current, and in the second stage operation, the current of the drive motor 20 is made variable from medium to large current. The mode in which the operation becomes small to medium current variable and the second stage operation makes the large current constant, the mode in which the first stage operation makes small to medium current variable and the second stage operation makes the medium to large current variable To
You may make it change freely by input from the outside.

11 to 13 relate to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a bending operation switch, FIG. 12 is a view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 is a bending operation control system. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit configuration of FIG.

This embodiment employs a bending operation switch 60 which is a downsized version of the bending operation switch 19 of the first embodiment, and gives priority to the input from the bending operation switch 60.

As shown in FIG. 11, the bending operation switch 6
0 is the same as the bending operation switch 19 of the first embodiment, except that the disk 34 of the cross pad component 27 is a disk 61 smaller than the cross pad 32, and the exterior of the operation unit 8 of the endoscope 2 is In the case 26 to be formed, a round counterbore 63 and
A cross-shaped through hole 6 of approximately the same size as the counterbore hole 63
4 is provided to accommodate a cross pad forming part 62 provided with the disk 61.

As can be seen from the arrow II-II in FIG. 11 (partially omitted) shown in FIG. 12, the cross pad constituting portion 62 has four hooks, which are portions of the disk 61 that contact the case 26. The detachment is prevented by the portion 61a.

The bending operation switch 60 of this embodiment is the first operation switch.
By reducing the size of the disk 61 as compared with the embodiment, it is possible to reduce the size of the entire switch, and furthermore, the center of rotation of the cross pad 32 is not fixed, and the cross pad can be moved in the opposite direction of pressing. Since the gap between the cross pad 32 and the cross-shaped through hole 64 of the case 26 is as small as possible, no backlash occurs.

As shown in FIG. 13, in this embodiment, the bending motor control device 6 has an input priority determination function. That is, in contrast to the motor control unit 45 of the first embodiment, the motor control unit 65 of the present embodiment includes three circuits of a preceding input priority circuit 66, a subsequent input priority circuit 67, and a simultaneous input circuit 68. It is built in and any one circuit can be selected and used from outside.

Hereinafter, the functions of the three circuits of the motor control unit 65 will be described with reference to specific operation examples.

First, if the prior input priority circuit 66 is selected, and if the switch R is also pressed while the switch U is being pressed, the motor control unit 65 only outputs the signal from the switch U which has been input earlier. It is taken in as an input, and the signal from the switch R input later is ignored and not taken in as an input. Accordingly, the motor driver 46 is controlled so as to supply a current for driving the bending mechanism upward, and the bending portion 10 of the endoscope 2 is bent upward.

On the other hand, if the subsequent input priority circuit 67 is selected, and if the switch R is also pressed while the switch U is being pressed, similarly, the motor control unit 65 sets , And only the signal from the switch U, which was originally input, is ignored and not input. Therefore, the motor driver 46 is controlled so as to supply a current for driving the bending mechanism to the right, and the bending portion 10 is bent to the right.

Finally, if the switch R is also pressed while the switch U is being pressed when the simultaneous input circuit 68 is selected, the motor control section 65 outputs the signal from the switch U that was previously input. And the signal from the switch R input later are taken in as inputs. Therefore, the motor driver 46 is controlled so as to supply a current for driving the bending mechanism upward and to the right, and the bending portion 10 is bent upward and to the right.

In this embodiment, by setting the input priority function of the motor control unit 65 according to the operator's preference, a more flexible and prompt bending operation can be performed. Other functions and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0077]

As described above, according to the present invention, the bending operation means is constituted by arranging the multi-stage switches capable of operating at least two or more steps in each direction of the bending operation, so that the bending direction is designated. Operation and the operation of instructing the bending speed can be performed smoothly without interrupting one of the operations, and excellent effects such as easy waterproofing and miniaturization can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a bending operation switch according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the same two-stage on / off switch.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a connection diagram showing a circuit configuration of the same two-stage on / off switch.

FIG. 5 is an overall configuration diagram of the endoscope apparatus.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the bending mechanism.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit configuration of a bending operation control system.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a bending operation switch according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit configuration of a bending operation control system.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between an on / off state of a two-stage on / off switch and a motor drive current.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a bending operation switch according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a view taken on line II-II of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit configuration of a bending operation control system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 19 Bending operation switch 27 Cross pad component 29 Two-stage on / off switch

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 1/00-1/32 G02B 23/24 H01H 13/00-13/76 H01H 25/00-25 / 06

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A bending mechanism to 1. A endoscope is bay <br/> song a curved portion provided in the insertion portion, and a driving means for driving the bending mechanism, the operation section for connecting the insertion portion Provided on the side of the operation unit
A plurality of presses in the inward and outward directions of the surface;
Bend of an endoscope having a plurality of multi-stage switches disposed for each bending direction of the endoscope, and control means for controlling the driving means by a signal from the multi-stage switch to control the bending speed of the bending portion. apparatus.