JP3299369B2 - 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 applicable to an endoscope, a catheter used for injecting a drug into an affected part, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of endoscope, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-73125 is known. Hereinafter, the contents of this publication will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. As shown in FIG.
And a long and flexible insertion portion 2 extending from the operation main body 1, a bending portion 3 provided at the tip of the insertion portion 2, and a tip configuration portion 4 provided at the tip of the bending portion 3.
The bending portion 3 is bent via an internal bending mechanism 10 (FIG. 4) by operating the operation dial 5 of the operation main body 1.

[0003] As shown in FIG. 4, an observation window 6 is formed in the distal end component 4. The observation window 6 and the eyepiece 7 provided on the operation main body 1 are connected to the bending portion 3, the insertion portion 2, and the operation main body 1.
Are connected by an image transmission optical system including a bundle of optical fibers passing through the optical fiber. Further, an illumination window 8 is also formed in the distal end component 4. The illumination window 8 is connected to a light source via another optical fiber bundle, and illumination light is emitted from the illumination window 8. Note that a forceps port (not shown) is also formed in the distal end component 4 as necessary, and this forceps port is connected to the forceps insertion port 9 of the operation main body 1 via a guide tube. The elongated forceps inserted from the forceps insertion port 9 extends from the forceps port.

Next, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the bending portion 3 will be described.
The bending mechanism 10 for bending is described in detail. This bending mechanism 10 includes a pair of coils 11, 1 having the same diameter.
2 and a pair of operation wires 13 and 14. The distal ends of the operation wires 13 and 14 are connected to the frame 15 of the distal end component 4, and the rear end is connected to the operation dial 5 of the operation main body 1. The distal ends of the coils 11 and 12 are connected to the frame 15 of the distal end component 4, and the rear ends are connected to the connecting cylinder 15. This connecting cylinder 16
It is used for connecting the insertion section 2 and the bending section 3.
The coils 11, 12 are engaged with each other. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the axes 11a and 12a are displaced radially from the center of the curved portion 3 and in opposite directions. Gaps 17 and 18 are formed between the outer periphery of the coil 11 and the inner periphery of the coil 12, and between the inner periphery of the coil 11 and the outer periphery of the coil 12, respectively. The operation wires 13 and 14 are inserted therein. The contents such as the above-described optical fiber bundle are accommodated in the internal space 21 surrounded by the inner peripheral portions of the coils 11 and 12. The insertion section 2 and the bending section 3 are covered with a flexible tube 23 (shown in FIG. 5).

[0005] In the bending mechanism 10 configured as described above, the operation dial 5 is operated to pull, for example, one operation wire 13 in the direction of the arrow and to operate the other operation wire 1.
4 is loosened, the contact points of the coils 11 and 12 (FIG. 5)
In the plane P).
The winding portions 1 and 12 rotate, and as a result, the bending portion 3 curves upward. When the other operation wire 14 is pulled, the bending portion 3 bends downward.

[0006]

In the endoscope constructed as described above, the pair of coils 11, 12
For example, the distal end portion 4 is fixed to the frame 15 by fixing means such as bonding, screwing, brazing, or the like. Therefore, the following problem has occurred. For example, in an ultrafine endoscope having a diameter of about 2 mm, the coils 11 and
12 has a diameter of about 0.1 mm,
When bonding to 5, the bonding margin cannot be sufficiently secured, and when a sufficient bonding margin is secured, the distal end portion 4 of the endoscope becomes long. .

[0007] The tip shapes of the coils 11 and 12 are not suitable for screwing. If the screwing is forcibly performed, the coils 11 and 12 and the frame 15 must be formed in a special shape, which increases the manufacturing cost. Further, when brazing the coils 11 and 12 to the frame 15, the wires of the coils 11 and 12 are extremely fine, so that the work requires a high level of skill and causes a decrease in productivity.

Further, even if the above-mentioned fixing means such as bonding, screwing, brazing, etc. are employed, the frame 15
When the fixing strength of the coils 11 and 12 with respect to the frame 15 is weak, the frame 15 may fall off.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and does not use fixing means such as bonding, screwing, brazing, etc., and secures the fixing strength between the frame and the coil by a novel fixing means. An object of the present invention is to provide a bending device capable of improving workability of a fixing operation.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bending device having a tubular portion having a coil and a distal end portion provided at a distal end of the curved portion. And a bending device having a distal end fixed to the distal end portion through the bending portion, and an operation wire for bending the bending portion by its tensile force, wherein the frame of the distal end portion is
It is characterized by comprising a molded body in which the coil tip of the bending portion is integrally embedded. In the bending device according to the second aspect, the distal end portion of the operation wire is also integrally embedded in the frame of the distal end portion. In the bending device according to claim 3, the frame of the distal end portion has a cylindrical shape, and a pipe assembly including a plurality of short pipes is housed and fixed to the frame, and each short pipe extends through the bending section. The tip of the object is accommodated and fixed, and the space between the short tubes and the space between the short tubes and the frame are sealed by a seal material.

[0011]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the frame of the distal end portion is formed integrally with the coil distal end of the bending portion, sufficient fixing strength can be obtained even if the bending device has a small diameter. Workability for fixing work can be improved.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the distal end of the operation wire is also embedded in the frame, there is no need to fix both of them.
In addition, sufficient fixing strength between them can be obtained. According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the plurality of short tubes are housed and fixed in the frame in an assembled state, the operation of housing and fixing the short tubes can be simplified.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Various embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In these examples, FIGS.
Components corresponding to those of the conventional bending device shown in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment, the frame 31 of the distal end portion 30 is formed of a molded body such as a resin or a low-melting point metal. The tip of 14 is also integrally embedded. Specifically, the coil 1 is placed in a molding die.
In a state where the five ends of the end portions of the operation wires 1 and 12 and the end portions of the operation wires 13 and 14 are housed, a resin or the like is injected into the mold, and
The frame 31 is molded. As a result, the coils 11 and 12 of the bending portion 3 and the operation wires 13 and 14 are connected to the distal end portion 30.
Firmly fixed to the frame 31. The fixing strength between the operation wires 13 and 14 and the frame 31 can be improved by bending the distal ends of the operation wires 13 and 14 into the hook portions 13a and 14a during molding.

The frame 31 has through holes 32 and 33 formed therein. In the through hole 32, a short tube 36 accommodating and fixing the objective lens 34 of the image transmission optical system and the tip of the optical fiber bundle 35 is inserted and fixed by means such as adhesion. The opening at the end of the through hole 32 becomes the observation window 6. In the through hole 33, a short tube 38 accommodating the distal end of the optical fiber bundle 37 for transmitting the illumination light is inserted and fixed. The opening at the tip of the through hole 33 is the illumination window 8. The through holes 32, 33
May be formed by punching when molding, and
After the frame 31 is solidified, it may be formed by punching.

In the bending device having the above-described structure, the distal end portion 30
Frame 31 is integrally formed with the distal ends of the coils 11, 12 and the operation wires 13, 14, and the frame 31 is firmly fixed to the distal ends of the coils 11, 12 and the operation wires 13, 14. In addition, the distal end component 30 does not fall off the curved portion 3, thereby improving the reliability of the medical operation. The operation wire 1
The parts 3 and 14 may not be incorporated when the frame 31 is molded, but may be fixed by bonding, brazing, or the like after the frame 31 is molded.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. The bending device of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the bending mechanism 41 in the bending portion 40. This bending mechanism 41 is known, and is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a) and (b), one coil 42
And an elastically deformable thin plate 43. A large number of concave portions 44 are formed on both side edges of the elastic thin plate 43,
Each winding portion of the coil 42 is engaged with a pair of concave portions 44 on both side edges. The distal end of the coil 42 and the operation wires 13 and 14 are integrated with the frame 31 when the frame 31 is molded, as in the first embodiment. FIG. 2B shows a pair of illumination windows 8. Also,
A short tube 39 is fixedly penetrated through the frame 31, and a distal end opening of the short tube 39 serves as a forceps port 39 a.

In the bending mechanism 41 having the above structure, for example, one operation wire 13 is pulled and the other operation wire 1 is pulled.
4 is loosened, each winding portion of the coil 42 is
3 around the concave portion 44, and as a result, the bending portion 3 is bent upward.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. The structure of the bending device of this embodiment differs from that of the second embodiment in the structure of the distal end portion 50. The frame 51 of the distal end component 50 has a cylindrical shape. As in the second embodiment, the frame 51 is formed by integrally embedding the distal ends of the coils 42 of the bending portion 40 and the distal ends of the operation wires 13 and 14. In this embodiment, the four short tubes 56, 5
A pipe assembly 55 is prepared by previously integrating 7, 58, 59 with a means such as brazing. The distal end of the objective lens 34 and the optical fiber bundle 35 shown in FIG. A tube for forceps guide is housed and fixed in the short tube 57. The distal end portions of the fiber bundle 37 (FIG. 1) for transmitting the illumination light are fixed to the short tubes 58 and 59, respectively. This tube assembly 55
The above-mentioned contents are accommodated in the frame 51 while being accommodated and fixed, and are fixed by an adhesive or a brazing material 52 (sealant). The gap between the pipe assembly 55 and the frame 51 and the gap between the short pipes 56, 57, 58, 59 are sealed with these adhesives and brazing material 52.

FIG. 3C shows a pipe assembly 6 used in place of the pipe assembly 55 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.
0 is shown. The pipe assembly 60 includes four short pipes 61, 62, 63, 64 and a positioning pipe 65 having a triangular cross section. The relatively large-diameter short pipe 61 is accommodated and fixed in the positioning pipe 65 by brazing or the like and positioned. Three relatively small diameter short tubes 62, 63, 64
Are positioned and fixed at the center of the outer surface of the three sides of the positioning tube 65. The short tube 61 houses and fixes the objective lens of the image transmission system and the distal end of the optical fiber bundle 35. The distal ends of the optical fiber bundle 37 for illumination are housed and fixed to the short tubes 62, 63, 64, respectively. As described above, when the positioning pipe 65 is used, the pipe assembly 60 is used.
Can be easily assembled. Also in this embodiment, the pipe assembly 60 is fixed to the frame 51 and sealed with an adhesive or a brazing material.

The present embodiment is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modes are possible. For example, the bending portion may include one coil and a pair of elongated holding members that maintain the pitch of the coil at a predetermined interval. The holding members are arranged so as to face each other in the radial direction of the coil. Also,
The image transmission is performed by using a CCD disposed in the observation window and the CCD.
This may be done with a signal transmission wire extending backwards from the CD through the bend. Further, the bending device shown in the first to third embodiments is applied to an endoscope, but may be applied to a medical device such as a catheter used for injecting a drug into an affected part.

[0021]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the frame of the distal end portion is formed integrally with the coil distal end portion of the curved portion, so that both are firmly fixed and the distal end portion is fixed. The component can be prevented from falling off from the curved portion. Further, since the fixing allowance can be shortened, the leading end component can be shortened. Further, workability for fixing can be improved. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the distal end portion of the operation wire is also integrated with the frame, so that both can be firmly fixed and workability for the fixing can be improved. According to the third aspect of the present invention, by using the pipe assembly, the work of fixing the plurality of short pipes for accommodating and fixing the distal end portion of the contents to the frame can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a bending portion and a distal end portion of an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a second embodiment of the present invention, in which (a)
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bending portion, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a bending portion and a distal end portion fixed to each other.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a third embodiment of the present invention, in which (a)
Is an exploded perspective view of the distal end constituent portion and the curved portion, (b) is a front view showing a state where the pipe assembly is housed and fixed to the frame,
(C) is a perspective view showing another mode of the pipe assembly.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a conventional endoscope.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view showing an entire conventional endoscope.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Bending part 11, 12 Coil 13, 14 Operation wire 30 Tip configuration part 31 Frame 35, 37 Contents (optical fiber bundle) 40 Bending part 42 Coil 50 Tip configuration part 51 Frame 52 Sealing material 55, 60 Tube assembly 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64 Short tube

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-73125 (JP, A) JP-A-2-185225 (JP, A) JP-A-1-160524 (JP, A) JP-A 64-64 22245 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model 63-10001 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 57-120001 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 5-20701 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 1/00-1/32

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A curved portion having a coil and having a cylindrical shape;
A bending device comprising: a distal end component provided at a distal end of the bending portion; and an operation wire that passes through the bending portion, is fixed to the distal end portion, and bends the bending portion by its tensile force. Wherein the frame comprises a molded body in which the coil tip of the bending section is integrally embedded. 2. The bending device according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of the operation wire is also integrally embedded in a frame of the distal end component. 3. A frame of the distal end portion has a cylindrical shape, and a pipe assembly including a plurality of short tubes is housed and fixed to the frame. Each short tube has a distal end of a content extending through a curved portion. The bending device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the portion is housed and fixed, and the space between the short tubes and the space between the short tubes and the frame are sealed by a sealing material.