JP3406345B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic device in body cavity - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a body cavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of ultrasonic scanning type.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the diameter of ultrasonic endoscopes has been reduced, and in particular, a rotary drive source (hereinafter referred to as a motor) outside a body cavity is rotated through a rotation transmission shaft (hereinafter referred to as a shaft). In the method of rotating and scanning the ultrasonic transducer, the structure of the tip portion of the ultrasonic endoscope is relatively simple, and the ultrasonic endoscope can be made thin. In such an ultrasonic transducer rotary scanning intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, by a slip ring or the like, between the rotating signal line of the ultrasonic endoscope and the contact point of the non-rotating portion of the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving unit, Signals are transmitted and received, the structure of connecting the motor and the shaft is complicated, and it is common to integrate the motor and the endoscope (JP-A-63-122435). There is also a method of scanning by providing a rotating reflection plate near the fixed ultrasonic transducer, but in the case of this reflection plate rotation scanning method, since the signal line of the ultrasonic endoscope does not rotate, the shaft and motor The structure of connection is simple and the separation is easy (JP-A-55-94230 and JP-A-55-4231). However, as compared with the ultrasonic transducer rotation method, the structure of the ultrasonic endoscope distal end portion becomes complicated, and it is difficult to reduce the diameter of the ultrasonic endoscope. Further, there is a problem that the ultrasonic echo sensitivity is reduced due to the reflection on the rotating plate.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

In order to reduce the diameter of the ultrasonic endoscope, the ultrasonic transducer rotary scanning method is more advantageous than the reflector rotary scanning method. However, when the motor and the endoscope are integrated, as shown in FIG. As shown in the configuration diagram of FIG. 1, the structure becomes complicated because it is necessary to provide the motor 4 as a rotation drive source outside the body cavity (base end portion) of the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2 of the ultrasonic endoscope 1. The unit price of the endoscope becomes high to make it disposable, and the motor 4 is also made to be disposable, which becomes a factor of increasing waste. There is a problem that sterilization becomes difficult when the ultrasonic endoscope is not disposable. When the motor 4 and the shaft are separated and the motor is installed in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body or in an independent motor casing, as shown in FIG. 3, a signal is exchanged between the rotating signal line 6 and the non-rotating contact. The mechanism for performing this must be provided at the base end of the ultrasonic endoscopic probe 2. Therefore, the structure of the proximal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope becomes complicated, and the same problem as described above occurs.

The present invention has been made in order to improve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional ultrasonic endoscope, and is an ultrasonic wave in a body cavity provided with a catheter type ultrasonic probe which has a simple structure and is disposable. The purpose is to obtain a diagnostic device.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an ultrasonic wave from a rotary drive source provided outside a body cavity while rotating an ultrasonic transducer inside the body cavity via a rotation transmission shaft. An intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a probe for transmitting and receiving, wherein the rotation transmission shaft has a first signal line and a second signal line which are connected to the ultrasonic transducer and rotate together with the rotation transmission shaft. The probe and the rotary drive source are detachably connected to each other, and the first signal line and the second signal line send and receive a signal to and from the rotary drive source side by a contact respectively. The contact of the signal line is the contact of the second signal line
Concentric circles on the outer circumference of the convex shape for torque transmission
It is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in a body cavity, which is a locking part of the.

[0007] The intracavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is characterized in that a convex locking portion which is a contact point of the first signal line is fitted into a concave portion provided on the side of the rotary drive source.

[0008]

The mechanism for transmitting and receiving signals between the motor and the rotating signal line and the non-rotating contact is provided not in the probe but in the main body of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus or in the independent motor casing. The structure of the part is simplified and becomes disposable. Further, in order to transmit the rotational force from the motor to the probe, a first locking portion provided on the motor rotation shaft and a second locking portion provided at the base end portion of the probe so as to fit the first locking portion. Since one is a contact point of the signal line, the number of contact points of the signal line can be reduced by one set, and the size can be reduced.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The intracavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 2 is an ultrasonic endoscope probe, 3 is a portion that is not inserted into a body cavity, and is a mechanism portion that transmits and receives signals between a rotating member and a non-rotating contact. Reference numeral 4 is a motor that is a rotational driving source, 6 is a signal line that is provided inside the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2, and is connected to an ultrasonic probe 5 that is provided at the tip of the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2. It is composed of at least two signal lines. Reference numeral 7 is a locking portion to which the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2 and the rotary drive source 3 are connected.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of the first embodiment of the present invention. A rotary shaft 112 is inserted in the inside 101 of the base end portion 2 a of the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2. Two signal lines (a first signal line 104 and a second signal line 105) are inserted inside the rotary shaft. The two signal lines are structured to rotate together with the rotating shaft. The first signal line 104 is connected to any or all of the plurality of convex locking portions 102 provided for transmitting the rotational force, and the second signal line 105 is connected to the contact point 103 of the signal line. It is connected. The first signal line 108 and the second signal line 109 are also inserted inside the rotary shaft 113 on the motor 111 side. The first signal line 108 is connected to a plurality of concave locking portions 106 that fit into the locking portions 102. Further, since the first signal line 108 and the second signal line 109 rotate together with the rotating shaft 113, the slip ring type contact 110 prevents the rotating first signal line 108 and the second signal line 109 from rotating. A signal is transmitted to the unit and connected to a transmission / reception board (not shown). As described above, the locking portion 102 and the locking portion 106 provided for transmitting the rotational force from the motor 111 to the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2 are used as contact points of the signal, and the base of the ultrasonic endoscope probe is used. The structure of the end 2a is simplified. In this case, the ultrasonic endoscopic probe 2
In order to fix the base end portion 2a of the ultrasonic endoscope in the direction of the rotation axis, the base end portion 2a of the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2 is engaged with the motor casing 116 by the engaging portions 114 and 115 as shown in FIG. It has been stopped.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show another embodiment 2 of the present invention.
The locking portion 202 of the base end portion 2a of the ultrasonic endoscopic probe 2 and the locking portion 206 that fits into the locking portion 202 are each made as a single concavo-convex structure and simple. FIG. 6 is a view showing a state in which the rotary drive source and the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2 are separated from each other, and FIG. 7 is a view showing a state in which the ultrasonic drive probe 2 is attached to the rotary drive source. Is. In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the rotary shaft 2 is provided inside the ultrasonic endoscope 201.
12 is inserted, and the first signal line 204 and the second signal line 205 are inserted inside the rotary shaft. The two signal lines (the first signal line 204 and the second signal line 2
05) has a structure that rotates together with the rotating shaft. The locking surface (side surface) 217 of the convex locking portion 202 provided for transmitting the rotational force serves as a contact point of the signal line, and the first signal line 204 is connected to this locking surface 217. Cage, second
The signal line 205 is connected to the contact 203 of the signal line. The first signal line 208 and the second signal line 209 are also inserted inside the rotary shaft 213 on the motor 211 side. The first signal line 208 is connected to a concave portion 206 that fits into the substantially rectangular convex portion 202, and the second signal line 209 is in contact with a contact point 207 that contacts a contact point 203 provided at the tip of the convex portion 202. It is connected to the. In addition, the transmission of signals from the rotating first signal line 208 and the second signal line 209 to the non-rotating portion is not limited to the slip ring type contact method.
It can also be transmitted by a mercury type rotary connector 210 or the like and connected to a transmission / reception board or the like. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2 is engaged with the rotation drive unit.

As described above, the convex portion 202 and the concave portion 206 provided for transmitting the rotational force from the motor 211 into the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2 are used as the contact points of the signal line, and the ultrasonic endoscope probe is used. The structure of the base end portion 2a of 2 is simplified. Further, fixing the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2 in the rotation axis direction is not limited to the method of fixing the ultrasonic endoscope probe 2 to the motor casing 116 as in the first embodiment, and the convex portion 202. It is also possible to adopt a structure in which the screw portions 214 and 215 are screwed together in order to prevent the screw from coming off from the concave portion 206.

In the first and second embodiments described above, the motor and the ultrasonic endoscopic probe can be easily attached and detached, and a mechanism for transmitting and receiving a signal between the motor and the rotating signal line and the non-rotating contact is provided. The motor rotation shaft is provided not in the base end part of the ultrasonic endoscopic probe but in the ultrasonic diagnostic equipment main body or in an independent motor casing and for transmitting the rotational force from the motor to the ultrasonic endoscopic probe. The base end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope probe is configured by using the lock portion provided on the base plate and the base portion of the ultrasonic endoscope probe that engages with the base plate as an electrical signal contact point. This is an example in which the structure is simple and downsized.

[0015]

According to the intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, a mechanism for transmitting and receiving a signal between a motor and a rotating signal line and a non-rotating contact is provided in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body or not in the probe. By installing in a separate motor casing, the structure of the base end of the probe is simplified,
It becomes disposable. Furthermore, in order to transmit the rotational force from the motor to the probe, the locking portion provided on the motor rotation shaft and the locking portion provided on the base end portion of the probe so as to be fitted to the locking portion are connected to one signal line. Since it is a contact, the contact of the signal line
It is possible to reduce the number of pairs by one, and it is possible to reduce the size.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a conventional intracavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a conventional intracavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

4 is a partially enlarged view of the intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of the intracavity ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Ultrasonic endoscope probe, 3 ... Mechanical part, 4 ... Motor,
5 ... Ultrasonic transducer, 102, 202 ... Ultrasonic endoscope probe-side locking portion, 104, 204 ... First signal line, 10
5, 205 ... Second signal line, 106, 206 ... Motor side locking portion, 111, 211 ... Motor, 112, 212 ... Probe side rotating shaft 113, 213 ... Motor side rotating shaft, 11
6,216 ... Motor casing

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An intracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising a probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves while rotating an ultrasonic transducer inside a body cavity through a rotation transmission shaft from a rotary drive source installed outside the body cavity. The rotation transmission shaft has a first signal line and a second signal line that are connected to the ultrasonic transducer and rotate together with the rotation transmission shaft, and the probe and the rotation drive source are detachably connected. The first signal line and the second signal line send and receive signals to and from the rotary drive source side by respective contacts, and the contacts of the first signal line are connected to those of the second signal line.
Concentric circles on the outer circumference of the contact for transmitting rotational force
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in a body cavity, which is a convex locking portion . 2. The body cavity according to claim 1, wherein a convex locking portion that is a contact point of the first signal line fits into a concave portion provided on the rotary drive source side. Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment.