JP4772207B2 - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates a curved portion in the endoscope apparatus for the electric bending.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, endoscopes have been widely used. The endoscope can perform various therapeutic treatments by observing organs in the body cavity by inserting an elongated insertion portion into the body cavity or using a treatment tool inserted into the treatment tool channel as necessary. Also in the industrial field, endoscopes can observe and inspect internal scratches and corrosion of boilers, turbines, engines, chemical plants, etc. by inserting elongated insertion portions.
[0003]
In such an endoscope, a bendable bending portion is continuously provided on the proximal end side of the distal end portion of the elongated insertion portion. The endoscope is instructed to input a bending position of the bending portion as a bending amount by operating a bending input means such as a bending operation lever or a joystick provided in the operation portion. Then, the endoscope is bent by mechanically or electrically pulling and loosening the bending operation wire based on the amount of bending input by the instruction, and deforming the bending shape of the bending portion.
The electric bending endoscope that electrically bends the bending portion, as a bending drive control device, rotates and controls the built-in motor to pull and loosen the bending operation wire by the driving force of the motor. Yes.
[0004]
Such a bending drive control device for an electric bending endoscope is directly used without delaying the bending angle input from the bending input means such as the joystick as described in, for example, US Pat. No. 4,941,454. The thing which controls the motor as a bending angle is proposed.
When the difference between the bending angle input from the bending input unit and the bending angle of the actual bending portion increases, the bending drive control device for the electric bending endoscope controls the motor so that the difference decreases. The bending angle is controlled by controlling the rotation.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the bending drive control device for the electric bending endoscope described in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,454 can control the bending angle input from the bending input unit directly as the target bending angle. There is a problem in that the operability of the bending angle is deteriorated because it cannot be stopped at the target bending angle even with respect to fluctuations.
Further, the bending drive control device for the electric bending endoscope described in the above-mentioned US Pat. No. 4,941,454 is such that the difference between the bending angle input from the bending input means and the bending angle of the actual bending portion becomes small. Since the bending angle is controlled, the driving force of the motor becomes excessive, and a large burden may be imposed on the bending operation wire.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and realizes an endoscope apparatus capable of improving the bending operability and reducing the burden on the bending operation wire.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The endoscope apparatus of the present invention includes a curved portion provided in the insertion portion of the endoscope, a curved input means for inputting the amount of curvature of the curved portion, and a driving means for curving driving the curving portion, the drive Control means for controlling the means at a predetermined time interval to bend the bending portion at a constant speed, and the control means determines a bending amount input by the bending input means at a predetermined amount at a predetermined time interval. Each time it outputs repeatedly to the said drive means, the said bending part is bent at a fixed speed, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
1 to 3 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an electric bending endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an electric bending of FIG. It is a schematic explanatory drawing which shows the insertion part front end side of an endoscope, FIG. 2 (a) is a schematic explanatory drawing which shows the insertion part front end side of the electric bending endoscope at the time of insertion, FIG.2 (b) is the same figure ( FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view showing the distal end side of the insertion portion of the electric bending endoscope when the bending portion is operated to bend from the state of a), and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control flow of the control portion of FIG.
[0009]
As shown in FIG. 1, the electric bending endoscope 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes an elongated insertion portion 2. The insertion portion 2 is connected in series from the distal end side to a rigid distal end portion 3 incorporating an illumination optical system, an objective optical system, an imaging device, and the like, and a proximal end side of the distal end portion 3. A bending portion 4 which can be bent in a desired direction and a flexible tube portion 5 which is elongated and has flexibility are connected to each other.
[0010]
The insertion portion 2 is inserted with a bending operation wire 6 for bending the bending portion 4 in the vertical and horizontal directions of the observation visual field. The bending operation wire 6 includes an UP bending operation wire 6a for bending the bending portion 4 above the observation field, a DOWN bending operation wire 6b for bending the bending portion 4 below the observation field, and the bending. A RIGHT bending wire 6c for bending the portion 4 to the right of the observation field and a LEFT bending operation wire 6d for bending the bending portion 4 to the left of the observation field.
[0011]
The distal ends of the bending operation wires 6 (6a to 6d) are fixedly held at positions corresponding to the vertical and horizontal directions of the bending portion 4, respectively. For this reason, the bending operation wires 6 (6a to 6d) corresponding to the respective directions are pulled and loosened, whereby the bending portion 4 is bent in a desired direction, and the distal end portion 3 is directed in the desired direction. It is like that. These bending operation wires 6 (6a to 6d) are pulled and relaxed by the bending drive control device 10 to bend the bending portion 4 electrically.
[0012]
Next, a detailed configuration of the bending drive control device 10 will be described.
The other ends of these bending operation wires 6 (6a to 6d) are connected to a motor 11 as driving means for pulling and loosening these wires through a direction changing portion 12 at a substantially right angle. The motor 11 is coaxially connected to a potentiometer 13 as detection means for detecting the rotation amount of the motor.
[0013]
More specifically, the other ends of the UP bending operation wire 6a and the DOWN bending operation wire 6b are connected to the U / D motor 11a through the direction changing unit 12 at a substantially right angle. The U / D motor 11a is coaxially connected to the U / D potentiometer 13a. On the other hand, the other ends of the RIGHT bending operation wire 6c and the LEFT bending operation wire 6d are connected to the L / R motor 11b through the direction changing unit 12 at a substantially right angle. The L / R motor 11b is coaxially connected to the L / R potentiometer 13b. In addition, you may comprise the said direction conversion part 12 so that the extending direction of the said bending operation wire 6 may be ensured about 90 degree | times or more.
[0014]
The L / R motor 11b and the U / D motor 11a are controlled and driven by an electric bending control unit 14. The electric bending control unit 14 is configured to transmit a signal from a joystick 16 provided in the operation unit 15 as a bending input means via a communication line 17.
The operation unit 15 is provided with a function switch 15 b having other functions in addition to the joystick 16. The operation unit 15 may be provided integrally with the electric bending endoscope 1 or may be, for example, an operation remote controller provided separately from the electric bending endoscope 1.
[0015]
The joystick 16 is operated in the up / down / left / right directions, so that a bending position corresponding to the inclination angle of the joystick 16 is input as a bending amount. Although not shown, the joystick 16 includes a variable resistor whose resistance value changes in accordance with the tilt angle in the vertical and horizontal directions in the operation unit 15. This variable resistor outputs a signal corresponding to the tilt angle of the joystick 16 in the vertical and horizontal directions. Note that the bending input means may not be the joystick 16 as long as it can input a bending position as a bending amount, such as a bending operation lever.
[0016]
The electric bending control unit 14 captures the rotation amount of the motor 11 (11a, 11b) detected by the motor drive circuit 21 for driving and controlling the motor 11 (11a, 11b) and the potentiometer 13 (13a, 13b). The A / D converter 22 that performs A / D conversion as the bending amount of the bending portion 4, the communication circuit 23 that communicates with the operation portion 15, the bending amount that the joystick 16 inputs and the potentiometer 13 (13a) , 13b), and a control circuit 24 for controlling the motor drive circuit 21 based on the difference from the bending amount from 13b).
[0017]
The control circuit 24 includes a timer 24a for measuring the time when the joystick 16 is operated, motor control processing software for controlling the motor driving circuit 21 according to a flowchart described later, and the motor control processing software. And a memory 24b as a temporary storage means for various calculations and setting conditions.
[0018]
Next, operation | movement of the bending drive control apparatus 10 of the electric bending endoscope 1 comprised in this way is demonstrated.
The operator holds the insertion portion 2 and inserts the distal end portion 3 of the insertion portion 2 into the observation target portion as shown in FIG. Then, in order to observe the inside of the observation target portion without any trouble, the operator places a joystick 16 provided on the operation portion 15 so that the distal end portion 3 is directed in the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT directions as shown in FIG. To operate.
[0019]
An operation signal of the joystick 16 is input to the communication circuit 23 of the electric bending control unit 14 via the communication line 17. The control circuit 24 controls the motor 11 (11a, 11b) by controlling the motor drive circuit 21 based on the amount of bending input by the joystick 16 via the communication circuit 23. The motors 11 (11a, 11b) are respectively driven to rotate, and the bending operation wires 6 (6a to 6d) are pulled and loosened to cause the bending portion 4 to bend.
[0020]
For example, the operator operates the joystick 16 in the UP direction when the tip 3 is directed above the observation field. Then, the control circuit 24 controls the motor driving circuit 21 to control and drive the U / D motor 11a. The U / D motor 11a pulls the UP bending operation wire 6a and loosens the DOWN bending operation wire 6b, thereby bending the bending portion 4 in the UP direction and directing the distal end portion 3 above the observation visual field. Can do.
[0021]
Similarly, the operator operates the joystick 16 in the RIGHT direction when the tip 3 is directed to the right of the observation visual field. Then, the control circuit 24 controls the motor driving circuit 21 to control and drive the L / R motor 11b. The L / R motor 11b pulls the RIGHT bending operation wire 6c and loosens the LEFT bending operation wire 6d, thereby bending the bending portion 4 in the RIGHT direction, thereby bending the bending portion 4 in the UP direction. Thus, the tip 3 can be directed to the right of the observation field.
[0022]
At this time, the control circuit 24 detects the digitized bending amount of the bending portion 4 from the potentiometer 13 (13a, 13b) via the A / D converter 22. Therefore, the control circuit 24 can control the motor drive circuit 21 by feeding back the pulling / relaxation amount of the bending operation wire 6 (6a to 6d), and can control the motor 11 (11a, 11b). Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, the control circuit 24 can accurately point the distal end portion 3 to a position within the observation target portion.
[0023]
For example, the control circuit 24 calculates the difference between the value in the U / D direction of the joystick 16 and the value in the U / D direction of the U / D potentiometer 13a, and gives the calculated value to the motor drive circuit 21.
[0024]
Here, if the difference between the U / D direction value of the joystick 16 and the U / D direction value of the U / D potentiometer 13a is large, the value given from the control circuit 24 to the motor drive circuit 21 becomes large. Accordingly, the drive voltage applied from the motor drive circuit 21 to the U / D motor 11a increases, and the U / D motor 11a rotates at high speed.
[0025]
On the contrary, if the difference between the value in the U / D direction of the joystick 16 and the value in the U / D direction of the U / D potentiometer 13a becomes small and finally equal, it is given from the control circuit 24 to the motor drive circuit 21. The value decreases and eventually becomes zero. Therefore, the drive voltage applied from the motor drive circuit 21 to the U / D motor 11a becomes small, and the U / D motor 11a finally stops. As a result, the bending portion 4 moves quickly when the tip 3 is located away from the target site in the U / D direction, and moves slightly when the tip 3 is near the target site. Can be improved.
[0026]
However, if the joystick 16 is quickly moved, the bending drive control device 10 cannot keep up with the joystick 16 in time. For this reason, the difference between the value in the U / D direction of the joystick 16 and the value in the U / D direction of the U / D potentiometer 13a increases, and the value given from the control circuit 24 to the motor drive circuit 21 becomes extremely large. Accordingly, the drive voltage applied from the motor drive circuit 21 to the U / D motor 11a becomes extremely large. When the U / D motor 11a is driven with this extremely large drive voltage, the UP bending operation wire 6a and the DOWN bending operation wire 6b. Is a heavy burden.
[0027]
Further, when the joystick 16 is operated, the joystick 16 may be slightly shaken (fluttered). For this reason, the value input by the joystick 16 may change slightly. The same applies to the bending control in the L / R direction.
[0028]
In the present embodiment, when the joystick 16 is being operated, the value input by the joystick 16 is fetched at predetermined time intervals, the value input by the joystick 16 that is input and the A / D converter 22 are Based on the difference from the digitized value from the potentiometer 13 (13a, 13b), the driving force of the motor 11 (11a, 11b) is controlled at predetermined time intervals, and the bending amount of the bending portion 4 is temporally adjusted. Control to change.
[0029]
That is, when the joystick 16 is operated, the control circuit 24 takes in the value input by the joystick 16 at a predetermined time, for example, at an interval of 10 ms, and the motor shown in FIG. 3 until the operator finishes operating the joystick 16. Control is performed so that the flowchart of the control process is repeated.
Further, the control circuit 24 does not directly use the value input by the joystick 16 for the calculation of the driving voltage of the motor 11 (11a, 11b), but corrects and updates according to the magnitude of the value input by the joystick 16. Control to perform such control. The flowchart of the motor control process shown in FIG. 3 shows the control flow of the control circuit 24 when the joystick 16 is operated in the U / D direction.
[0030]
As shown in FIG. 3, the control circuit 24 substitutes the value used in the previous calculation for the value U / Djoy in the U / D direction used in the program (step S1). Next, the control circuit 24 substitutes the value (actual U / D value) of the joystick 16 captured at predetermined time intervals into the value Obj_U / Djoy of the joystick 16 in the U / D direction (step S2).
[0031]
The control circuit 24 adds a predetermined amount to U / Djoy in steps S3 and S4 and updates the value until the value of U / Djoy becomes equal to the value of Obj_U / Djoy. As a result, the value (U / Djoy) actually used for control changes with a delay from the value of the joystick 16 (Obj_U / Djoy), and an extremely large motor drive voltage is not generated.
[0032]
Thereafter, the control circuit 24 calculates a difference Vmot between the updated U / Djoy value and the digitized value U / Dpot from the U / D potentiometer 13a via the A / D converter 22 (step S5). ).
[0033]
The control circuit 24 multiplies the calculated difference Vmot by a coefficient such as 1 / k (position difference), for example, to convert the position data into voltage data, and sets the motor drive voltage for every predetermined time (step S6). Then, the control circuit 24 outputs this drive voltage to the motor drive circuit 21.
[0034]
The motor drive circuit 21 controls the drive of the U / D motor 11a every predetermined time based on the motor drive voltage from the control circuit 24. Then, the motor drive circuit 21 bends the bending portion 4 at every predetermined time, and the motor control process ends (step S7).
[0035]
The control circuit 24 repeatedly performs the motor control process at predetermined time intervals until the operation of the joystick 16 is completed at predetermined time intervals. The control of the control circuit 24 when the joystick 16 is operated in the L / R direction is the same as the control of the control circuit 24 when the joystick 16 is operated in the U / D direction.
[0036]
Thus, in the present embodiment, when the joystick 16 is being operated, the bending portion 4 is bent at predetermined time intervals until the operation of the joystick 16 is completed, and thus an extremely large motor driving voltage is generated. Disappears.
[0037]
Moreover, in this Embodiment, since the moving speed of the bending part 4 can be changed using the difference of the actual position of the bending part 4, and a target position, the stop in a target position can be performed easily.
Further, in the present embodiment, when the difference between the actual position of the bending portion 4 and the target position is obtained, the target position can be temporally changed, so that the driving force during movement of the bending portion 4 is extremely reduced. The bending operation wire 6 (6a to 6d) can be protected without increasing.
Further, in the present embodiment, when the difference between the actual position of the bending portion 4 and the target position is obtained, the target position can be temporally changed. Therefore, even if the target position fluctuates slightly because the joystick 16 fluctuates. The actual position of the bending portion 4 does not change and visibility is improved.
Thereby, in this Embodiment, while being able to improve bending operativity, it is possible to reduce the burden concerning bending operation wire 6 (6a-6d).
[0038]
The motor control process can be similarly controlled even if the potentiometer 13 (13a, 13b) is used as an encoder and adjusted and input to the control circuit 24 without the A / D converter 22.
Further, although not shown, the bending drive control device 10 may be configured to notify the operator of the actual amount of bending by providing notification means for notifying the operator of the value of the potentiometer 13 (13a, 13b). .
Further, the bending drive control device 10 is provided with a notifying means capable of displaying a caution when the bending portion 4 does not reach the value input by the joystick 16 within a predetermined time, so that the bending operation can be performed in advance. You may comprise so that notification that the overload is added to the wire 6 (6a-6d) is possible.
[0039]
In the present embodiment, the bending drive control device 10 is configured to bend the bending portion 4 at predetermined time intervals by the motor control processing software stored in the memory 24b of the control circuit 24. However, the bending drive control device 10 may be configured by hardware such as a circuit capable of performing the same operation as the motor control processing software.
[0040]
(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an electric bending endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
In the first embodiment, the present invention is applied to the bending drive control device 10 of the electric bending endoscope 1 having a feedback mechanism such as a potentiometer 13 (13a, 13b) and an encoder. In the second embodiment, the present invention is applied to a bending drive control device for an electric bending endoscope using a pulse motor that does not have a feedback mechanism. Since other configurations are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted, and the same components will be described with the same reference numerals.
[0041]
That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the bending drive control device 40 of the electric bending endoscope 30 according to the second embodiment includes the motor 11 (11a, 11b) and the potentiometer 13 (13a) according to the first embodiment. , 13b) and a pulse motor 41 (U / D pulse motor 41a, L / R pulse motor 41b). The bending drive control device 40 includes an electric bending control unit 14b. The electric bending control unit 14b includes a pulse motor drive circuit 42 that controls the drive of the pulse motor 41 (41a, 41b) instead of the motor drive circuit 21 of the first embodiment.
[0042]
The pulse motor drive circuit 42 is provided with the number of pulses for controlling and driving the pulse motor 41 (41a, 41b) from the control circuit 24.
The control circuit 24 performs feedforward control according to the number of pulses applied to the pulse motor drive circuit 42. For this reason, the bending drive control device 40 does not require an A / D converter.
[0043]
The control circuit 24 uses the motor control processing software stored in the memory 24b to perform substantially the same control as the motor control processing described in the first embodiment when the joystick 16 is operated. Repeat with.
In the second embodiment, since feedforward control is used, the motor control process used is the same as the U / D pulse motor 41a or L / Dpot in step S5 of the motor control process described in FIG. Only the replacement with the number of pulses applied to the R pulse motor 41b is changed, and the other normal bending operations are controlled in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
[0044]
Thus, in the second embodiment, the present invention can be applied to the bending drive control device 40 of the electric bending endoscope 30 using the pulse motor 41 (41a, 41b) that does not have a feedback mechanism. The same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.
[0045]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
[0046]
[Appendix]
(Additional Item 1) Bending input means for inputting and instructing the bending position of the bending portion provided at the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the electric bending endoscope as a bending amount;
Driving means for driving the bending portion to bend;
Detecting means for detecting a bending position of the bending portion as a bending amount;
When the bending input means is operated, the amount of bending input by the bending input means is captured at predetermined time intervals, the amount of bending input by the bending input means acquired at the predetermined time intervals, and the detection Control means for controlling the drive means at predetermined time intervals based on the difference between the bending amount of the bending portion detected by the means and changing the bending amount of the bending portion with time.
A bending drive control device for an electric bending endoscope, comprising:
[0047]
(Additional remark 2) The said control means correct | amends the bending amount which the said bending input means taken in at the said predetermined time interval inputs, according to the magnitude | size of this bending amount, The additional remark 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. The bending drive control device for the electric bending endoscope.
[0048]
(Additional Item 3) The bending drive control device for an electric bending endoscope according to Additional Item 1, wherein the bending input unit is provided in an operation unit of the electric bending endoscope.
[0049]
(Additional Item 4) The control means includes a timer for measuring a time when the bending input means is operated and a storage means for storing control processing software for controlling the driving means. The bending drive control device for an electric bending endoscope according to Additional Item 1, wherein:
[0050]
(Additional Item 5) The bending of the electric bending endoscope according to Additional Item 1, wherein the control unit feeds back a bending amount of the bending portion detected by the detection unit to control the driving unit. Drive control device.
[0051]
(Additional Item 6) The electric bending endoscope according to Additional Item 1, wherein the control unit feeds forward a bending amount of the bending portion detected by the detection unit to control the driving unit. Bending drive control device.
[0052]
(Additional Item 7) The bending drive control device for an electric bending endoscope according to Additional Item 3, wherein the operation unit is provided integrally with the electric bending endoscope.
(Additional Item 8) The bending drive control device for an electric bending endoscope according to Additional Item 3, wherein the operation unit is provided separately from the electric bending endoscope.
(Additional Item 9) The bending drive control device for an electric bending endoscope according to Additional Item 8, wherein the operation unit provided in the separate body is an operation remote controller.
[0053]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize an endoscope apparatus capable of improving the bending operability and reducing the burden on the bending operation wire.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an electric bending endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing a distal end side of an insertion portion of the electric bending endoscope of FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control flow of the control unit in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an electric bending endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electric bending endoscope 2 ... Insertion part 3 ... Tip part 4 ... Bending part 6 (6a-6d) ... Bending operation wire 11 (11a, 11b) ... Motor 13 (13a, 13b) ... Potentiometer 14 ... Electric bending circuit Unit 15 ... Operation unit 16 ... Joystick 21 ... Motor drive circuit 22 ... A / D converter 23 ... Communication circuit 24 ... Control circuit 24a ... Timer 24b ... Memory

Claims (2)

A bending portion provided in an insertion portion of the endoscope;
A curved input means for inputting the amount of curvature of the curved portion,
Driving means for driving the bending portion to bend;
Control means for controlling the driving means at predetermined time intervals to bend the bending portion at a constant speed;
Equipped with a,
The control means repeatedly outputs the bending amount input by the bending input means to the driving means at predetermined time intervals for each predetermined amount to bend the bending portion at a constant speed . Endoscopic device. Detecting means for detecting a bending amount of the bending portion;
The control unit controls the driving unit based on a difference between a bending amount detected by the detecting unit and a bending amount output by the predetermined amount by the bending input unit. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 .

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