JP3924414B2 - Endoscope forceps mouth bifurcation structure - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a structure of a forceps port branching portion having a forceps insertion port for inserting a forceps in an endoscope used for medical purposes.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 3 shows the configuration of an endoscope used for medical purposes. The endoscope is roughly classified into an insertion portion 1 to be inserted into a body cavity, a main body operation portion 3 to which a proximal end portion of the insertion portion 1 is connected, and a main body operation portion 3 to be pulled out, and a light source and a power source. And a cord portion 6 connected to the. The distal end of the insertion portion 1 is provided with a distal end portion 10 in which an observation optical system for observing the inside of the body is disposed, and a position adjacent to the distal end portion 10 is bent at a predetermined angle in two or four directions. A configured angle portion 20 is provided. A forceps channel (not shown) that is a conduit through which forceps are inserted is provided inside the insertion portion 1, and is opened at the distal end portion 10.
[0003]
The main body operation unit 3 includes a forceps port branching unit 30, a gripping unit 40 for gripping the main body operation unit 3, and an operation unit 50 as main components. A forceps insertion port 38 is provided on the side surface of the forceps port branching portion 30, and a forceps port branching channel (not shown) having the forceps insertion port 38 as an opening is provided inside. The forceps opening branch channel is a conduit for inserting forceps, and is connected to the forceps channel inside the insertion portion 1.
[0004]
The forceps insertion port 38 is an opening for inserting forceps, from which a treatment tool such as forceps is inserted, is inserted through the forceps port branch channel and the forceps channel, is taken out from the opening of the distal end portion 10, and is inserted into the body. Take measures such as collecting tissue. The forceps channel is also used as a conduit for sucking dirt.
[0005]
The operation unit 50 is provided with an angle knob 52 and an operation button 54. The angle knob 52 is for remotely controlling the bending of the angle portion 20, and by turning the angle knob 52, the angle portion 20 can be bent by a desired amount in a predetermined direction. As a result, the insertion portion can be inserted into the body cavity while changing the direction of the distal end portion in accordance with the curvature of the curved lumen in the body. The operation button 54 is for performing operations such as suction and water supply.
[0006]
When using an endoscope, it is common to hold the grip portion 40 with one hand, operate the angle knob 52 with the gripped hand, and insert forceps with the other hand that is not gripped. Whether the hand is held by the left or right hand depends on the user, but in the case of a right-handed person, it is often held with the left hand and the forceps inserted with the right hand. There is also an endoscope in which the angle knob 52 is shaped like a lever so that the angle knob 52 can be operated without a sense of incongruity with the thumb of the gripped hand regardless of whether the hand is gripped with either the left or right hand.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in many endoscopes having a forceps port branching portion, when viewed from the user side during use, the forceps insertion port 38 is configured from the center toward the right side as shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a view of the endoscope viewed from the main body operation unit in the direction of the insertion unit when the left hand 9 is used to hold the holding unit and the operation button 54 and the angle knob 52 are operated. At this time, the forceps insertion opening 38 faces obliquely upward to the right. This is designed mainly for right-handed users. When inserting a forceps with the right hand, it is easier to insert the forceps when the forceps insertion port 38 is configured to face right. . However, when inserting forceps with the left hand, such a configuration is not easy to operate. This is because, in an endoscope in which the forceps insertion port 38 is configured to face right, when trying to insert forceps with the left hand, the left hand extends to the right side from the center of the body and intersects with the right hand holding the endoscope. , Forceps must be inserted from right to left. This posture is extremely unnatural, and it is difficult to move the left hand in this way. Although delicate operations are required for handling forceps and treatment tools in the body cavity, such a posture makes it difficult to respond to the request and increases fatigue of the user.
[0008]
When the forceps are inserted with the left hand and when the forceps are inserted with the right hand, the operability is greatly different, which imposes restrictions and burdens on the user. In the case where the angle knob 52 has a lever shape, the angle knob 52 can be operated with the thumb of the gripped hand without feeling uncomfortable regardless of whether the hand is gripped with either the left or right hand. As described above, when the forceps insertion port 38 is directed to the right side, it cannot be said that the endoscope can be operated in the same manner regardless of whether the forceps insertion port 38 is held by either the left or right hand. Therefore, not only the angle knob 52 but also the forceps opening branching portion 30 has been desired to have a structure capable of obtaining good operability without distinction between right and left.
[0009]
An endoscope in which a forceps insertion tube forming tube that can be bent is formed so that the forceps can be inserted from either the left or right direction and this is rotatably attached to the opening of the forceps channel is a utility model publication No. 2-35282. Proposed in In the endoscope proposed in the utility model publication No. 2-35282, forceps can be inserted in the same way from either the left or right direction. However, the endoscope proposed in the utility model publication No. 2-35282 has a configuration in which the base portion of the forceps insertion port forming tube bent in a substantially square shape is attached to the main body operation portion so as to be rotatable. Yes. Inserting forceps into the tip of such a protruding and curved tube is less in the position of the forceps insertion port than in the case where the forceps insertion port 38 is provided at the tip of the branch portion integrally formed as shown in FIG. It is stable and difficult to insert. In addition, the distance for inserting the forceps is increased by the amount of the forceps insertion opening forming tube, and the amount of work increases. Furthermore, a forceps insertion port forming tube and mounting parts are required, and the number of parts is increased and the production cost is increased as compared with the one integrally formed as shown in FIG.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to branch the forceps port of an endoscope with good operability capable of easily inserting forceps from either the left or right direction. It is to provide the structure of the part.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention comprises a forceps port for inserting a forceps, forming a part of a main body operation assembly connected to an insertion portion of an endoscope. and a forceps opening branch channel, and a connecting portion for connecting the forceps channel and a suction channel extending in the operation unit side of stretching the forceps opening the branch channel and said insertion portion, the structure of the forceps opening bifurcation provided with a The connecting portion is disposed between the forceps channel and the suction conduit, and at least the central axis of the forceps channel and the suction conduit is substantially coincident at least in the connecting portion. , together with the forceps port bifurcation, which provides a structure of the forceps port branching portion of the endoscope, characterized in that with respect to the forceps channel and said suction conduit around the central axis is turnably. Since the center axis of the forceps channel and the suction pipe line substantially coincide with each other at the connection portion, the distance from the forceps insertion port to the connection portion can be shortened, and the amount of work can be minimized. And by making the forceps port branching portion rotatable, the forceps insertion port provided in the forceps port branching portion can be directed in either the left or right direction, and the forceps can be easily inserted from either the left or right. it can. In this case, as described in claim 2, the forceps port branching portion is configured to be rotatable relative to the insertion portion operation portion provided with a mechanism for operating the bending operation of the insertion portion. Is desirable. If this configuration is applied to an endoscope having the above-described angle knob as a lever shape, good operability can be obtained without distinction between left and right, which is very effective.
[0012]
Further, as described in claim 3, it is desirable that the forceps port branching portion is configured to be able to be stopped and fixed at an arbitrary rotation position within a predetermined range. Thereby, each rotation position of the forceps opening branching portion which is the optimum direction of the forceps insertion opening for each user can be determined and fixed. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, it is desirable that the forceps port branching portion is configured to be able to stop and be fixed at at least one predetermined rotation position. If the position where rotation can be stopped and fixed can be set in advance so as to engage with the optimum direction of the forceps insertion opening, the forceps opening branching portion can be easily fixed at the optimal position. Moreover, since it can be reproduced every time, there is no need to search for an optimum position. As a means for fixing, a stopper mechanism or a click mechanism as described in claim 5 can be used.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description and the accompanying drawings, components having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a forceps port branching portion and its peripheral portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. The outermost portion of the forceps port branching section 300 is constituted by a branch case 302 having a branch structure. A base end portion 301 of the branch case 302 is connected to the gripping case 202 via an O-ring 304, and a distal end portion 303 of the branch case 302 is formed. Is connected to the cylinder 102 via an O-ring 304, and the surface of the cylinder 102 is covered with a cover rubber 104.
[0014]
A forceps port branch channel 306 that is a conduit for inserting forceps is provided inside the branch portion of the forceps port branch portion 300. The forceps port branch channel 306 opens at the tip of the branch portion, and the opening portion is a forceps. An insertion port 308 is configured. The forceps port branch channel 306 inside the branch portion is connected to the forceps channel 106 provided in the insertion portion 100 and the suction conduit 406 provided from the operation portion to the forceps port branch portion 300. The connection portion 330 is located substantially on the central axis of the proximal end portion 101 of the insertion portion 100. With such an arrangement, the distance from the forceps insertion port 308 to the connection portion 330 can be shortened, and the amount of work when inserting the forceps is reduced. The support 310, which is a member constituting the connection portion 330, and the members constituting the forceps opening branch channel 306 inside the branch portion are formed of a hard member, and the forceps channel 106 and the suction tube of the insertion portion 100 from the connection portion 330 are formed. The pipe line to the path 406 is formed of a tube.
[0015]
The support 310 is connected to the branch case 302 via a member constituting the forceps opening branch channel 306 inside the branch portion, and is movable integrally with the branch case 302. The support 310 is mostly located inside the holding cylinder 312, but has a hook-shaped projecting structure with a cross-section as shown in the figure in one radial direction, and the hook-shaped umbrella portion 311 has a holding cylinder. It protrudes from a notch 313 provided on the upper surface of 312. The holding cylinder 312 is a tubular frame member, and is fixed to a main body support plate (not shown) fixed to a main body case (not shown). The umbrella portion 311 of the support 310 is slidably mounted on the outer surface of the holding cylinder 312, and thereby, members constituting the forceps opening branch channel 306 inside the support 310 and the branch portion are arranged. It fulfills the supporting function. The support 310 and the holding cylinder 312 are not fixed, and the notch 313 on the upper surface of the holding cylinder 312 is partially formed in the circumferential direction so that the support 310 can rotate as will be described later.
[0016]
The branch case 302 is connected to the gripping case 202 and the cylinder 102 via an O-ring 304. Since the support 310 is not fixed to the holding cylinder 312 and the saddle-shaped umbrella portion 311 of the support 310 is slidable with respect to the holding cylinder 312, the branch case 302 and the support 310 are arranged around the central axis. Can be integrally rotated. That is, the forceps port branching portion 300 is configured to be rotatable with respect to the gripping portion and the operation portion. It should be noted that the forceps port branching portion 300 is also connected to the tube serving as a path to the forceps channel 106 and the suction conduit 406 of the insertion portion 100 so that the tube is rotated by the rotation of the forceps port branching portion 300. It is configured so that there is no airtight leakage on the road. In the present embodiment, the rotatable range of the forceps port branching portion 300 is configured to be a predetermined range, for example, a range of +45 degrees to −45 degrees, with the forceps insertion port 308 as a reference in a vertically upward state. Yes.
[0017]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the main part in the SS cross section of FIG. The notch 313 of the holding cylinder 312 is formed so as to engage with the rotation range of the support 310 from +45 degrees to −45 degrees. Here, when the support 310 is rotated by 45 degrees, if the hook-shaped handle 315 of the support 310 is configured to contact the side surface of the notch 313 of the holding cylinder 312, the support 310 is 45 The notch portion 313 functions as a stopper.
[0018]
FIG. 2A shows a state where the branch portion having the forceps insertion opening 308 is vertically upward. FIG. 2B shows a state in which the forceps opening branching portion 300 is rotated +45 degrees and the branching portion is tilted to the left with respect to FIG. When the forceps port branching portion 300 is rotated, the direction of the forceps insertion port 308 changes accordingly, and in this embodiment, the direction of the forceps insertion port 308 is changed in the range of +45 degrees to −45 degrees around the central axis. be able to. Therefore, the forceps insertion port 308 can be tilted in either the left or right direction, and the forceps can be easily inserted from both the left and right directions.
[0019]
A click device 318 having a ball 314 and a spring 316 that presses the ball 314 protrudes from a lower portion of the outer surface of the holding cylinder 312. The ball 314 presses a groove 320 provided in the circumferential direction below the inner surface of the branch case 302 with a spring 316. The groove 320 of the branch case 302 is engaged so that the ball 314 moves in contact with the groove 320 and a later-described depression 322 when the branch case 302 rotates in the range of +45 degrees to −45 degrees. Configured. On the movement path of the ball 314 in the groove 320, three spherical recesses 322 that are engaged with the outer shape of the ball 314 are formed at intervals of 45 degrees so that the ball 314 fits into the recess 322. FIGS. 2A and 2B show a state where the ball 314 is fitted in the recess 322.
[0020]
Due to the elastic force of the spring 316, the ball 314 always receives a force in the radial direction, so that the ball 314 always presses the groove 320 or the recess 322. When the rotation of the branch case 302 is stopped, the branch case 302 can be kept stopped by the frictional force based on the pressing force, and the branch case 302 can be fixed. Therefore, when the forceps port branching portion 300 is rotated by a certain angle and the hand is released, the forceps port branching portion 300 is fixed while maintaining that state. Unless a force is newly applied, the forceps opening branch 300 does not rotate. In the present embodiment, the forceps port branching portion 300 can be fixed at an arbitrary rotational position in the range of +45 degrees to -45 degrees. In order to rotate the forceps port branching portion 300 again, the branch case 302 may be rotated by applying a force exceeding the static frictional force.
[0021]
When the branch case 302 is rotated by hand and the ball 314 comes to a position where it comes into contact with the spherical surface of the recess 322, the ball 314 slides along the spherical surface of the recess 322 and fits into the recess 322, and the branch case 302 is stopped. Can keep. Even in this state, the forceps opening branching portion 300 can be fixed as described above. Here, the click mechanism as described above is configured by providing a recess 322 that engages the outer shape of the ball 314, the spring 316, and the ball 314. In order to rotate the forceps port branching portion 300 again, the branch case 302 may be rotated by applying a force sufficient to push the ball 314 up from the recess 322 onto the groove 320. In the present embodiment, by providing the position of the recess 322 as described above, the forceps opening branch portion 300 can be fixed by the click mechanism at three predetermined positions of +45 degrees, 0 degrees, and −45 degrees.
[0022]
The position where the forceps opening branching portion 300 is fixed using the click mechanism is not limited to the above-described position, and is preferably provided according to the user's request. For example, when holding the main body operation part with the right hand and inserting the forceps with the left hand, or when the left and right are reversed, the depression 322 is engaged so as to engage with the direction of the forceps insertion port 308 that is most easily inserted. If provided and the click mechanism is configured, the forceps port branching portion 300 can be rotated to an optimal position and can be easily fixed. Moreover, since it can be reproduced every time, there is no need to search for an optimum position every time it is used.
[0023]
In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the support 310 is configured to be able to rotate 90 degrees. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is preferable to design the rotation range as appropriate. In order to fix the rotation, the example using the click mechanism has been described here, but another mechanism such as a stopper mechanism may be used.
[0024]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the forceps port branch portion 300 can be rotated in the range of +45 degrees to −45 degrees, so that the forceps insertion opening 308 can be tilted in either the left or right direction. Therefore, when inserting the forceps with either the left or right hand, the forceps insertion port 308 can be tilted in a desired direction on the left and right, and the operation of forceps insertion can be easily performed without distinction between the left and right. In addition, by configuring the ball 314 provided in the click device to always press the groove 320 or the recess 322 on the inner surface of the branch case 302, the forceps opening branch portion 300 can be fixed at an arbitrary rotational position. The rotational position of the forceps opening branching portion 300 that is the direction of the forceps insertion opening 308 that is optimal for the user can be determined and fixed. Furthermore, by providing a depression 322 at +45 degrees, 0 degrees, and −45 degrees of the groove 320 on the inner surface of the branch case 302 and configuring a click mechanism, the forceps port branch section 300 can be rotated and adjusted to the click position. The forceps port branching portion 300 can be fixed with the forceps insertion port 308 facing the left side, the center, and the right side, respectively. Therefore, the forceps opening branch 300 can always be fixed at a predetermined rotation position and can be easily reproduced.
[0025]
As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment concerning this invention was described referring an accompanying drawing, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention is not limited to this example. It is obvious for those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications can be conceived within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims. It is understood that it belongs to.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the endoscope is rotatable within a predetermined rotation range and can be inserted with forceps in the same manner from either the left or right direction. The structure of the forceps port branching portion can be provided. According to another aspect of the present invention, the forceps port branching portion that can be fixed at an arbitrary rotation position within a predetermined rotation range and can fix an optimal rotation position for each user. Structure can be provided. Furthermore, according to another viewpoint of this invention, the structure of the forceps opening | mouth branch part which can be fixed in a predetermined rotation position can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a forceps port branch portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view of the main part in the SS cross section of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram of a conventional endoscope.
FIG. 4 is a view showing the direction of a forceps insertion port of a conventional endoscope.
[Explanation of symbols]
300 Forceps port branch portion 302 Branch case 306 Forceps port branch channel 308 Forceps insertion port 310 Support body 312 Holding cylinder 314 Ball 316 Spring 318 Click device 320 Groove 322 Depression 330 Connection portion

Claims (5)

A forceps port branch channel that forms part of the main body operation assembly connected to the insertion portion of the endoscope and includes a forceps port for inserting forceps;
A connection portion for connecting the forceps port branch channel, a forceps channel extending in the insertion portion, and a suction conduit extending to the operation portion ;
A forceps bifurcation structure comprising:
The connecting portion is disposed between the forceps channel and the suction conduit, and at least the central axes of the forceps channel and the suction conduit substantially coincide with each other at the connection portion ,
The structure of the forceps port branch portion of the endoscope, wherein the connection portion is rotatable with respect to the forceps channel and the suction conduit around the central axis together with the forceps port branch portion. The forceps opening bifurcation forceps port of an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism for operating the bending operation of the insertion portion is rotatable relative to the operation portion arranged Bifurcation structure   The structure of the forceps port branching portion of the endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the forceps port branching portion can stop and be fixed at an arbitrary rotation position within a predetermined range.   4. The forceps port branch of an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the forceps port branching portion can stop and be fixed at at least one predetermined rotation position. Part structure.   The structure of the forceps port branching portion of the endoscope according to claim 4, wherein a click mechanism is used as the fixing means.

Images