JP4080601B2 - Endoscope insertion part - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an insertion portion of an endoscope that is inserted into a body cavity or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The insertion portion of a so-called flexible endoscope generally has a bending portion that is bent by remote operation connected to the distal end of a flexible tube, and a distal end portion body that incorporates an objective optical system or the like is connected to the distal end of the bending portion. .
[0003]
A tubular built-in object such as an air / water supply tube or a treatment instrument insertion channel formed by a flexible tube and having a distal end connected to the distal end main body is inserted and disposed throughout the entire length of the bending portion and the flexible tube. ing.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The tubular built-in as described above is generally formed of a tetrafluoroethylene resin tube. However, when the curved portion is bent with a small radius of curvature, the portion located inside the curved portion is not broken or crushed. It is necessary to have a considerable wall thickness, and further reinforcement such as winding a coil may be required. Therefore, the insertion part becomes thick and the pain given to the patient is increased.
[0005]
Further, when the bending portion is repeatedly bent, the tube may meander or get entangled in the inside thereof, and the optical fiber bundle inserted and arranged therewith may be damaged.
[0006]
Accordingly, the present invention provides an insertion portion of an endoscope that can improve the insertability by reducing the outer diameter and improve the durability of the tubular built-in object against repeated bending operations and the like. With the goal.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the insertion portion of the endoscope of the present invention has a bending portion that is bent by a remote operation connected to a distal end of a flexible tube, and a distal end portion body containing an objective optical system or the like is bent. At least in the insertion portion of the endoscope in which a flexible tubular built-in object connected to the distal end of the portion and connected to the distal end portion main body is inserted through the entire length of the bending portion and the flexible tube. A portion of one tubular built-in object located in the curved portion is formed by a superelastic alloy pipe.
[0008]
The at least one tubular built-in object may be formed by connecting the superelastic alloy pipe to a flexible tube at a position other than the inside of the bending portion.
When a plurality of tubular built-in objects connecting the superelastic alloy pipe and the flexible tube are provided, and the flexible tube portions are connected so as not to overlap each other in the flexible tube. Good.
[0009]
The at least one tubular built-in object may be an air supply tube or a liquid supply tube for allowing gas or liquid to pass therethrough, or may be a treatment instrument insertion channel for passing a treatment instrument.
[0010]
In addition, an electrically insulating coating may be applied to the inner peripheral surface of the superelastic alloy pipe.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an endoscope, and an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity or the like is remotely controlled from an operation portion 10 at a distal end of a soft portion (flexible tube portion 1) covered with a flexible tube. A bending portion 2 that is bent is connected, and a distal end portion body 3 that incorporates an objective optical system or the like is connected to the distal end of the bending portion 2.
[0012]
FIG. 3 shows the tip body 3 and a part of the curved portion 2 adjacent thereto.
The bending portion 2 is configured by rotatably connecting a large number of node rings 21 with rivets 22 and covering the outer surface with a mesh tube 23 and an elastic rubber tube 24, and operating the operation wire 25. By pulling from the part 10 side, it can be bent at any angle in any direction.
[0013]
The tip portion main body 3 connected to the tip of the bending portion 2 is made of plastic in this embodiment. An illumination window 31 is disposed on the distal end surface of the distal end main body 3, and the front subject is illuminated by illumination light emitted from the light guide fiber bundle 32 disposed in the back thereof.
[0014]
An observation window (not shown) is arranged alongside the illumination window 31, and the imaging surface of the solid-state imaging element is arranged at the imaging position of the subject by the objective optical system arranged in the back thereof. Both the objective optical system and the solid-state imaging device are built in and fixed to the tip body 3 but are not shown.
[0015]
An air supply nozzle 34 and a water supply nozzle 35 that project toward the surface of the observation window project from the distal end surface of the distal end main body 3. The air supply nozzle 34 and the water supply nozzle 35 are joined to the air supply holes 36 penetrating through the tip body 3 and the tip openings of the water supply holes 37.
[0016]
The air supply pipe 6 is connected to the rear end opening of the air supply hole 36, and the water supply pipe 7 is connected to the rear end opening of the water supply hole 37. However, reinforcing metal pipes 38 and 39 are interposed in the connecting portion so that the tip body 3 is not chipped by the force applied from the air supply pipe 6 and the water supply pipe 7.
[0017]
Returning to FIG. 1, the air supply pipe 6 and the water supply pipe 7 are both passed from the bending portion 2 into the flexible tube portion 1, and the other end side is connected to the air supply / water supply operation valve 11 in the operation portion 10. , A passage for sending air and water to the nozzles 34, 35.
[0018]
The hatched portions 6a and 7a of the air supply pipe 6 and the water supply tube 7 are formed by superelastic alloy pipes, and the hatched portions 6b and 7b are, for example, tetrafluoroethylene resin tubes or the like The flexible tube is formed.
[0019]
Further, along with the air supply pipe 6 and the water supply pipe 7, a jet injection water supply pipe 8 for ejecting cleaning water toward the subject in front of the tip body 3 is inserted and arranged. 12 is the water injection cap part.
[0020]
Also in this water jet pipe 8 for jet injection, the hatched portion 8a is formed of a superelastic alloy pipe, and the hatched portion 8b is an allowable portion such as a tetrafluoroethylene resin tube, for example. It is formed by a flexible tube.
[0021]
A superelastic alloy is, for example, an alloy obtained by heat-treating a Ti—Ni (titanium-nickel) alloy to give shape memory characteristics. As a metal, the elastic limit is very large and it can be easily bent with a small radius of curvature. And return to the original straight state without plastic deformation.
[0022]
In addition, it is very difficult to crush against the pressure from the side of the pipe. For example, when compared with a tetrafluoroethylene resin tube, the pipe of the same size (same diameter, same wall pressure) has a crush resistance of about 10 times. Has strength.
[0023]
Therefore, when a superelastic alloy pipe is used as the air supply pipe 6, the water supply pipe 7, or the jet injection water supply pipe 8, if the inner diameter is 1.2 mm and the wall thickness is about 0.05 mm, the curved portion Even if 2 is bent repeatedly, buckling or deformation does not occur, and the light guide fiber bundle 32 is not damaged due to disorder of the arrangement in the bending portion 2.
[0024]
However, since the metal pipe cannot absorb the expansion and contraction in the axial direction, the air supply pipe 6, the water supply pipe 7, and the jet injection water supply pipe 8 are all formed by a superelastic alloy pipe in the curved portion 2. Yes, by providing a flexible tube portion in other portions, the expansion and contraction in the axial direction is absorbed.
[0025]
However, the flexible tube portions 6b, 7b, and 8b are connected so that the positions in the flexible tube portion 1 do not overlap in the axial direction so that the outer diameter of the flexible tube portion 1 does not become thick. Has been.
[0026]
That is, the flexible tube portion 6b of the air supply tube 6 is disposed from the flexible tube portion 1 to the inside of the operation portion 10, and the flexible tube portion 7b of the water supply tube 7 is disposed in the intermediate portion of the flexible tube portion 1. The flexible tube portion 8 b of the water jet pipe 8 for jet injection is disposed only in the operation unit 10. Note that the ends of the air supply pipe 6 and the water supply pipe 7 connected to the air / water supply operation valve 11 are plated in advance so as to be soldered.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 2, the treatment instrument insertion channel 9 for inserting and guiding the treatment instrument has a distal end on the distal end main body 3 in the same manner as the air supply pipe 6, the water supply pipe 7 and the jet injection water supply pipe 8. Connected and fixed, and passes through the flexible tube 1 from the inside of the bending portion 2, and is connected to the treatment instrument insertion port portion 13 protruding from the lower portion of the operation portion 10.
[0028]
The treatment instrument insertion channel 9 is provided with a flexible tube portion 9b only in a portion located in the operation portion 10, and the inside of the bending portion 2 and the distal end portion main body 3 are all superelastic alloy portions 9a. Yes.
[0029]
In addition, the inner peripheral surface of the superelastic alloy portion 9a of the treatment instrument insertion channel 9 is coated with an electrically insulating fluororesin coating having a thickness of, for example, about 0.05 mm.
[0030]
4 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible tube portion 1 in a cross section including the axis, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axis, and the flexible tube has a double winding direction made of a metal strip. The spiral tube 15 is covered with a mesh tube 16, and the outer surface is covered with an outer skin 17 such as polyurethane resin. Reference numeral 30 shown in FIG. 5 denotes a signal cable for transmitting an imaging signal or the like imaged by the solid-state imaging device.
[0031]
As shown in FIG. 4, the superelastic alloy pipe portions 6a and 7a and the flexible tube portions 6b and 7b are such that the ends of the superelastic alloy pipe portions 6a and 7a are the ends of the flexible tube portions 6b and 7b. It is inserted into the part and bonded, and the part is tightly connected with a thread-like member and firmly connected.
[0032]
In addition, if a steel wire is used as the thread-like member, it is possible to prevent the connecting portion from becoming thick using a very thin wire diameter, and if the winding portion is hardened with solder or the like, a very strong connection is achieved. Strength can be obtained.
[0033]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, in the tubular built-in objects such as the air supply pipe 6, the water supply pipe 7, the jet injection water supply pipe 8, the treatment instrument insertion channel 9, and the like, What is necessary is just to form the part located in the curved part 2 of at least 1 tubular inclusion with the pipe made from a superelastic alloy.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the portion located in the curved portion of the at least one tubular built-in object is formed by the superelastic alloy pipe, thereby reducing the outer diameter of the insertion portion of the endoscope and improving the insertability. The pain given to the patient can be reduced, and the durability of the tubular built-in object against repeated bending operations can be greatly improved.
[0035]
Then, by connecting the superelastic alloy pipe and the flexible tube at a position other than the inside of the curved portion, the flexible tube portion can absorb the expansion and contraction in the axial direction to obtain a stable quality.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view in a cross section including the axis of the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in a cross section including the axis of the flexible tube portion of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view in a cross section perpendicular to the axis of the flexible tube portion of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Flexible pipe part 2 Bending part 3 Tip part main body 6 Air supply pipe 7 Water supply pipe 8 Jet injection water supply pipe 9 Treatment instrument insertion channel 6a, 7a, 8a, 9a Super elastic alloy pipe part 6b, 7b, 8b, 9b Flexible Sex tube part

Claims (4)

A bending portion that is bent by remote operation is connected to the distal end of the flexible tube, a distal end main body containing an objective optical system and the like is connected to the distal end of the bending portion, and a distal end is connected to the distal end portion main body. In an insertion portion of an endoscope in which a tubular built-in object having a property is inserted and arranged over the entire length in the bending portion and the flexible tube,
Each of the plurality of tubular built-in objects is formed of a superelastic alloy pipe at least at a portion located in the curved portion, and the superelastic alloy pipe and the flexible tube are disposed at a position other than the curved portion. An insertion portion of an endoscope, which is formed by connection, and is connected so that the flexible tube portions do not overlap in the flexible tube . One of said plurality of tubular internals is, the insertion portion of the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the air supply tube or feeding pipe for the passage of gas or liquid. The endoscope insertion portion according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein one of the plurality of tubular built-in objects is a treatment instrument insertion channel for allowing a treatment instrument to pass therethrough. The endoscope insertion portion according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein an electrically insulating coating is applied to an inner peripheral surface of the superelastic alloy pipe.

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