JP3676511B2 - End of the endoscope - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a distal end portion of an endoscope in which a distal end cap formed of a resilient member is detachably provided to a distal end portion main body.
[0002]
[Prior art]
At the distal end of an endoscope provided with a distal end cap that is detachable from the distal end main body, the distal end cap is generally the maximum outer diameter of the distal end main body so that the distal end of the insertion portion does not become thick. Is formed in a cylindrical shape having substantially the same outer diameter as that of the tip cap, and the convex portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tip cap engages with the circumferential groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion main body to prevent the tip cap from coming off. It is configured as follows.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when the circumferential groove is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion body, the outer diameter of the portion is considerably reduced.For example, a hole such as a treatment instrument passage hole formed in the distal end portion body in parallel with the axis is provided. It must be formed thin so as not to interfere with the circumferential groove, which has been a cause of lowering the basic performance of the endoscope.
[0004]
Therefore, the present invention provides an endoscope in which a convex portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tip cap engages with a circumferential groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion main body. It is an object of the present invention to provide a distal end portion of an endoscope in which a hole drilled in parallel with the endoscope can be formed sufficiently thick and high basic performance as an endoscope can be secured.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the distal end portion of the endoscope of the present invention has a distal end cap that is detachably attached to the distal end portion main body provided at the distal end of the insertion portion, and an elastic member that is used to It is formed in a cylindrical shape with the same outer diameter as the maximum outer diameter, and the convex portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tip cap engages with the circumferential groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion main body and comes out. In the distal end portion of the endoscope that is stopped, in the circumferential groove of the distal end portion main body, a build-up portion with a height that protrudes from the bottom surface of the circumferential groove and does not protrude from the surface of the circumferential groove is formed. The convex part of the said tip cap was formed so that it might not interfere with the build-up part formed in the said circumferential groove.
[0006]
In addition, it is good for the said build-up part to be formed in the position where the hole drilled in the said front-end | tip part main body in parallel with the axis line, and the bottom face of the said circumferential groove adjoin.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
3 is a perspective view of the distal end portion of the endoscope, FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view, and FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II. However, the lower half of FIG. 1 shows a cross section in an oblique direction passing through the center of the treatment instrument passage hole 25.
[0008]
Reference numeral 1 denotes a bending portion which is provided at a distal end of an insertion portion formed by an elongated flexible tube so as to be bent by remote operation, and a distal end portion body 2 is connected to the distal end portion. Reference numeral 3 denotes an outer rubber tube that covers the bending portion 1.
[0009]
The endoscope according to this embodiment is a so-called forward-viewing endoscope in which the front of the tube axis is observed. As shown in FIG. 3, an observation window 5 is formed on the distal end surface of the distal end main body 2. The distal end cap 10 is provided with an air supply / water supply nozzle 8 that is disposed toward the observation window 5 while the illumination window 6 and the treatment instrument protrusion 7 are disposed.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 1, an objective optical system 11 is fixed inside a lens frame 12 inside the observation window 5. Reference numeral 13 denotes a spacer between the objective lenses, and an insulating cylinder 14 made of an electrically insulating plastic is fitted between the front half of the lens frame 12 and the tip body 2.
[0011]
A metal shield pipe 16 is fitted and bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the rear end side of the lens frame 12. In the shield pipe 16, for example, a solid-state imaging device 17 made of a charge coupled device (CCD) is fixed with the image receiving surface facing forward, and the observation image is bound to the image receiving surface of the solid-state imaging device 17 by the objective optical system 11. Image. 18 is a cover glass, and 19 is a low-pass filter.
[0012]
In the shield pipe 16, an electronic component 21 for processing a signal input / output to / from the solid-state image sensor 17 is disposed on a wiring board 22, and a signal cable 23 is routed rearward therefrom.
[0013]
Insulating tape 24 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the parts arranged in the shield pipe 16 and the outer peripheral surface of the shield pipe 16 to electrically insulate the shield pipe 16 from inside and outside.
[0014]
The distal end body 2 is provided with a treatment instrument passage hole 25 that communicates straightly with the treatment instrument protrusion port 7, and the front end portion of the treatment instrument insertion channel 26 that is inserted through the entire length of the insertion section passes through the treatment instrument. The hole 25 is fitted into and joined to the latter half portion.
[0015]
Note that the present invention may be applied to an endoscope using optical image transmission means such as an image guide fiber bundle instead of the electronic image transmission means using the solid-state image pickup device 17 as described above. It may be applied to a mirror.
[0016]
The exit end of the light guide fiber bundle 27 shown in FIG. 2 is arranged inside the illumination window 6 shown in FIG. The air supply passage hole 28 and the water supply passage hole 29 are connected to the air supply / water supply nozzle 8 in communication.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 2, since the shield pipe 16 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical cross section, relief holes are formed at the four corners of the hole 31 drilled in the tip body 2 to allow the shield pipe 16 to pass. 32 is drilled.
[0018]
The escape hole 32, the treatment instrument passage hole 25, the air / water supply passage holes 28 and 29, and the hole through which the light guide fiber bundle 27 passes are all drilled in the distal end portion body 2 in parallel with the axis of the distal end portion body 2. Has been.
[0019]
The tip cap 10 is formed of an electrically insulating and elastic material such as polyurethane rubber, and is detachably attached to the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion body 2 from the tip side of the tip portion body 2. It has been. In addition, all the ridgelines of the tip cap 10 are smoothly rounded and formed so as not to damage the patient's internal mucosa.
[0020]
The distal end cap 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an outer diameter dimension substantially the same as the maximum outer diameter dimension of the distal end main body 2, and the rear end part is opened in a cylindrical shape. The front end side of the tip cap 10 covers the air / water outlet 34 (see FIG. 4) formed in the end surface of the tip body 2 from the front, and the positions of the air / water outlet 34 and the air / water nozzle 8 are also provided. It is formed so as to fit a little in the air / water supply port 34 so that the relationship does not shift.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 4 showing a state in which the tip cap 10 is removed from the tip portion main body 2, a circumferential groove 36 is formed in the middle portion of the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion main body 2. The bottom surface portion of the groove 36 is the minimum outer diameter portion of the tip end body 2.
[0022]
The portion immediately behind the circumferential groove 36 is the maximum outer diameter portion of the tip body 2, and the portion on the front side of the circumferential groove 36 has an outer diameter dimension of the tip cap 10 covering the tip portion body 2. The outer diameter is set to an intermediate dimension between the bottom of the circumferential groove 36 and the rear maximum outer diameter so as to be substantially the same as the maximum outer diameter.
[0023]
In the circumferential groove 36, the built-up portions 41, 42, and 43 that protrude from the bottom surface are formed at a height that does not protrude from the surface of the circumferential groove 36. In this embodiment, the built-up portions 41, 42, 43 are formed at the same height as the outer peripheral surface of the distal end main body 2 at a portion ahead of the circumferential groove 36.
[0024]
Among these, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the first build-up portion 41 is formed at a position where the treatment instrument passage hole 25 and the bottom surface of the circumferential groove 36 are closest to each other. The built-up portion 42 is formed at a position where the air supply passage hole 28 and the bottom surface of the circumferential groove 36 are closest to each other, and the third built-up portion 43 is the closest to the escape hole 32 and the bottom surface of the circumferential groove 36. It is formed in the position to do.
[0025]
Therefore, the treatment instrument passage hole 25, the air supply passage hole 28, and the escape hole 32 may be perforated by interference with the bottom surface of the circumferential groove 36 if the built-up portions 41, 42, 43 are not formed. Even when only a small thickness (for example, less than 0.3 mm) remains between the bottom surface of the circumferential groove 36 and it is difficult to mass-produce, the built-up portions 41, 42, 43 are formed in the circumferential groove 36. By projecting into the circumferential groove 36 from the bottom surface, a sufficient thickness can be ensured between each of the holes 25, 28, 32 and the circumferential groove 36.
[0026]
Therefore, by forming the built-up portions 41, 42, 43, the holes 25, 28, 32 can be formed sufficiently thick to ensure high basic performance as an endoscope. In the present invention, the built-up portions 41, 42, and 43 may be formed at least one place.
[0027]
On the inner peripheral surface of the tip cap 10, as shown in FIG. 1, a convex portion 46 having a size that fits in the circumferential groove 36 is projected inward. And the convex part 46 is formed low only those parts according to the build-up part 41,42,43 of the circumferential groove 36, and the convex part 46 is the bottom face of the circumferential groove 36, and the build-up part 41,42,43. It is designed to fit exactly on the surface.
[0028]
Accordingly, when the tip cap 10 is covered from the front while elastically deforming the tip cap 10 and set in the correct mounting state, the convex portion 46 is fitted into the circumferential groove 36 to prevent the axial direction from coming off. By following the ridge lines of the raised portions 41, 42, 43, positioning in the circumferential direction is also achieved.
[0029]
As positioning for stopping the rotation in the circumferential direction, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, an axial groove (axial groove) 45 deeper than the bottom surface of the circumferential groove 36 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip body 2. In addition, a protrusion (axial protrusion) 47 that fits in the axial groove 45 is provided on the inner peripheral surface side of the tip cap 10.
[0030]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a recess 48 is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the tip cap 10 so as to enter the axial projection 47 portion, which is formed with respect to the axial groove 45 of the tip body 2. By aligning, it can be easily mounted in the correct orientation.
[0031]
When the tip cap 10 is removed from the tip portion main body 2, it is only necessary to push the tip cap 10 toward the front side of the tip portion main body 2 while applying elastic force to the tip cap 10 to expand it. The tip cap 10 may be disposable.
[0032]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, in the circumferential groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip end body, a build-up portion having a height that protrudes from the bottom surface of the circumferential groove and does not protrude from the surface of the circumferential groove is formed. By forming the convex part formed on the tip cap so as to engage with the groove so as not to interfere with the build-up part, it is possible to form a sufficiently thick hole drilled parallel to the axis in the tip part body. Therefore, high basic performance as an endoscope can be ensured.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a distal end portion of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view taken along the II-II cross section of the distal end portion of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the distal end portion of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the distal end portion of the endoscope with the distal end cap of the embodiment of the present invention removed.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Tip body 10 Tip cap 36 Circumferential grooves 41, 42, 43 Overlay portion 46 Convex portion

Claims (1)

A tip cap detachably attached to the tip portion main body provided at the tip of the insertion portion is formed into a cylindrical shape having an outer diameter substantially the same as the maximum outer diameter of the tip portion main body by an elastic member, and the tip cap In the distal end portion of the endoscope, the convex portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the distal end portion is engaged with the circumferential groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion main body to prevent the projection,
In the circumferential groove of the tip body, each of the plurality of holes drilled in a direction parallel to the axis in the tip body and the bottom surface of the circumferential groove are located closest to each other. each form the built-up portion which projects from the bottom surface of the groove to the same height as the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion main body, the convex portion of the tip cap, each of the plurality of the deposition portion formed in the circumferential groove A distal end portion of an endoscope, characterized in that it is formed in a shape that closely follows the surface .

Images