JP5863006B2 - Fluid supply device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a propulsion mechanism, and more particularly to a propulsion method suitable for a propulsion mechanism that travels in a pipeline and a fluid supply apparatus suitable for the propulsion method.

Conventionally, as an example of a duct, when inspecting a large intestine of a living body, for example, an endoscope having an imaging unit or an illumination unit is inserted at the tip, and a cable connected from the endoscope in the large intestine is externally connected. A technique for inspecting the inside of the large intestine, which is curved in a complicated manner by operating, is used. However, since the large intestine is curved in a complicated manner and has a slack portion below, as represented by the sigmoid colon and the transverse colon, for example, the endoscope is operated from the outside to pass through the colon. However, there is a problem that it takes considerable time and skill, and inspection cannot be performed efficiently.
In recent years, therefore, development of a propulsion mechanism that assists the propulsion of endoscopes and other inspection devices in the pipeline has been promoted, and the pipeline is actively propelled without requiring external operation. Possible propulsion mechanisms have been proposed.

JP 2009-240713 A Special table 2009-513250 gazette

  The propulsion mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 1 drives the inner circumference of a pipe line that is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the drive part by sequentially driving a plurality of stretchable bodies as drive parts along the extension direction of the pipe line in order. It is the structure which acquires the frictional force which arises between surfaces and propels the inside of a pipe line. In addition, the propulsion mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 2 is generated between the outer peripheral surface of the toroid and the inner peripheral surface of the pipe line in close contact with each other by rotating a plurality of toroids formed in a bag shape in the same direction. It is the structure which acquires frictional force and propels the inside of a pipe line. The propulsion devices described in each of the above patent documents are common in that both actively propel the duct and assist the propulsion of the inspection device such as an endoscope. It is hard to say that it is possible to efficiently promote the inside of complicated pipelines.

That is, for example, the inner wall surface of some pipelines such as the large intestine has extremely high viscosity and elasticity, and in addition, countless pleats are formed along the extending direction. For example, the propulsion mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 1 Is inserted into the large intestine, and when multiple elastic bodies are driven continuously, the inner wall of the large intestine is attached to the outer peripheral surface of other multiple elastic bodies when some of the elastic bodies are expanded or contracted. Furthermore, since the large intestine itself moves so as to expand and contract in the extension direction following the expansion and contraction due to innumerable catches of the folds, there is a disadvantage that it is relatively difficult to advance in the large intestine.
Moreover, in the propulsion mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 2, since it is configured to rotate a plurality of toroids formed in a bag shape, the inner wall surface of the large intestine existing on the opposite side of the toroid traveling direction is the toroid. There are inconveniences that it is likely to become entangled by rotation and it becomes difficult to proceed, or that it is necessary to proceed while avoiding entanglement by repeatedly proceeding and retreating.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be suitably applied to a propulsion mechanism that propels the inside of a pipe line rich in viscosity and elasticity, as typified by the above-described large intestine, and the inner wall surface of the pipe line caused by high viscosity and elasticity is summarized. It is an object of the present invention to provide a propulsion mechanism propulsion method capable of reliably preventing wall surfaces from obstructing propulsion mechanism propulsion, such as attachment and entrainment, and a fluid supply apparatus suitable for the method.

As an embodiment of the fluid supply device for solving the above problems, a tube-like body, is inserted into the tubular body, a tube having one end connected to a supply hole formed in the peripheral surface of the tubular body, the other tube A fluid supply source connected to the end portion for supplying fluid into the tube and a fluid ejection cover attached to a position corresponding to the supply hole on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body, and the progress of the propulsion mechanism in the fluid ejection cover The end of the direction side or the direction opposite to the traveling direction was attached so as to be openable by the pressure of the fluid supplied into the tube.
According to this configuration, the fluid supplied into the tube from the fluid supply source is ejected from the end of the fluid ejection cover on the traveling direction side or the traveling direction opposite side of the propulsion mechanism. An inner wall surface existing around a driving body other than a certain driving body can be enlarged in a separating direction.
In addition, the pipe line in this specification does not ask | require the kind, if it has an inner wall surface which can be expanded by the injection of a fluid. For example, in addition to organs having a generally tubular space such as the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and the like, industrial products such as pipes made of a soft member are included. Further, the inner wall surface of the pipe does not necessarily have viscosity or elasticity.

It is the schematic which shows an example of a propulsion mechanism. It is radial direction sectional drawing which shows a connect tube and a fluid ejection cover. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the propulsion method. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the propulsion mechanism which concerns on another form.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are included in the invention. It is not necessarily essential to the solution, but includes a configuration that is selectively adopted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of a propulsion mechanism to which the propulsion method and the fluid supply apparatus according to the present invention can be suitably applied. In the figure, the propulsion mechanism 10 is propelled in the direction indicated by the arrow, and the same direction as the direction indicated by the arrow is assumed to be forward and the reverse direction is assumed to be backward.
In the figure, the propulsion mechanism 10 performs a peristaltic motion simulating the movement of earthworms by extending and contracting the extension units 10A to 10D configured as a plurality of driving bodies along the extension direction (axial direction) of the pipeline. This is an apparatus for assisting the propulsion of an endoscope or the like inserted into the endoscope. In the figure, the propulsion mechanism 10 includes an endoscope insertion cable and overtubes 12A to 15D through which driving air tubes 15A to 15D for supplying air for extending and retracting the expansion units 10A to 10D can be inserted. 12D and connect tubes 13A to 13C connected between the over tubes 12A to 12D.

  The overtubes 12A to 12D and the connect tubes 13A to 13C are tubular bodies with open ends that have a bellows structure that can be expanded and contracted along the axial direction, and the first flange 16A to the seventh flange 16G sequentially from the tip. Connected. The front end portion of the overtube 12A positioned at the forefront of the propulsion mechanism 10 is fitted and closed with the opening portion 18A of the cap 18 opened at the rear. The rear end portion of the overtube 12A is fitted with the front end portion of the annular first flange 16A surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the overtube 12A. Although not shown, the distal end portion of the insertion cable of the endoscope inserted into the overtubes 12A to 12D and the connect tubes 13A to 13C protrudes forward from the distal end portion of the cap 18. The state of the inner wall surface 5 </ b> A of the pipeline 5 is projected on a monitor or the like outside the pipeline 5 that is held by the light source and the imaging device mounted on the tip.

  The front end portion of the connect tube 13A located between the overtubes 12A and 12B is fitted with the rear end portion of the first flange 16A, and the rear end portion of the connect tube 13A is fitted with the front end portion of the second flange 16B. doing. Hereinafter, the over tubes 12B to 12D and the connect tubes 13B and 13C are integrally connected in order by the second flange 16B to the seventh flange 16G, respectively. In addition, although each overtube 12A thru | or 12D and the connection tubes 13A thru | or 13C shall be connected individually by the 1st flange 16A thru | or the 7th flange 16G, you may comprise by a single tube.

  In the tubular inner space integrally formed by the over tubes 12A to 12D and the connect tubes 13A to 13C, for example, driving air tubes 15A to 15D indicated by broken lines formed by a flexible member such as polyvinyl chloride, And the air tubes 20A thru | or 20C for injection shown with a dashed-dotted line are penetrated.

  2A and 2B are radial cross-sectional views centering on the connect tube 13A. As shown in the figure, the driving air tube 15A reaches the first flange 16A at the tip, and is inserted into and connected to the connection port 17 formed in the first flange 16A. The driving air tube 15B reaches the third flange 16C at the tip, and is inserted into and connected to a connection port (not shown) having the same configuration as the connection port 17 formed in the first flange 16A. The front end of the driving air tube 15C reaches the fifth flange 16E, and is connected through a connection port (not shown) as described above. The driving air tube 15D has a tip portion that reaches the seventh flange 16G, and is connected via a connection port (not shown) as described above. As shown by the connection port 17 in FIG. 2, the connection port formed in each flange communicates with the supply hole 21 formed in the peripheral surface of the flange. The rear ends of the driving air tubes 15A to 15D are connected to an air compressor 101 as an air supply source, which will be described later, via supply valves 102A to 102D and release valves 103A to 103D, and are supplied from the air compressor 101. The air is supplied into the chambers 27A to 27D of the expansion units 10A to 10D through the supply holes 21.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air tube for injection 20A reaches the rear end of the connect tube 13A that fits the second flange 16B at the tip, and enters the supply hole 14 formed in the peripheral surface of the connect tube 13A. Inserted. The injection air tube 20B reaches the rear end portion of the connect tube 13B fitted to the fourth flange 16D at the front end portion, and enters a connection hole (not shown) having the same configuration as the supply hole 14 formed in the connect tube 13A. Inserted. The air tube for injection 20C reaches the rear end portion of the connect tube 13C fitted to the sixth flange 16F at the tip end, and is connected to a connection hole (not shown) having the same configuration as the supply hole 14 formed in the connect tube 13A. Inserted.
The rear ends of the injection air tubes 20A to 20C are connected to the air compressor 101 and supply valves 104A to 104C in the same manner as the drive air tubes 15A to 15D. The air supplied from the air compressor 101 is It is supplied to the outside of the connect tubes 13A to 13C via the supply hole 14.

  Next, the external form of the tubular body integrally formed by the over tubes 12A to 12D and the connect tubes 13A to 13C will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, stretchable bodies 25A to 25D made of an elastic body are attached to the overtubes 12A to 12D so as to cover the outer peripheral surface. The elastic bodies 25A to 25D are substantially cylindrical bodies having openings at both ends, and include a plurality of glass rovings and carbon roving fibers extending in one direction in an elastic body made of, for example, synthetic rubber or natural rubber.

  The elastic body 25A has a groove portion 18B formed on the outer periphery of the cap 18 and a groove portion formed on the outer periphery of the first flange 16A in a state where the extending direction of the fiber is the same direction as the traveling direction. For example, it is tightly bound at a position corresponding to 19 via a fixing means such as a piano wire. By providing the stretchable body 25A covering the outer peripheral surface of the overtube 12A, a chamber 27A is formed as a sealed space between the outer peripheral surface of the overtube 12A and the inner peripheral surface of the stretchable body 25A. 18, the first flange 16A and the elastic body 25A constitute an expansion / contraction unit 10A as a driving body.

In the state where the extending direction of the fibers is the same as the traveling direction, the both ends of the elastic body 25B are bound at positions corresponding to the second flange 16B and the groove portion 19 of the third flange 16C. It is firmly fixed. By providing the stretchable body 25B that covers the overtube 12B, a chamber 27B is formed as a sealed space between the outer peripheral surface of the overtube 12B and the inner peripheral surface of the stretchable body 25B, and the overtube 12B and the second flange 16B are formed. The third flange 16C and the elastic body 25B constitute an expansion / contraction unit 10B as a driving body.
Similarly, the stretchable bodies 25C; 25D are fixed so as to cover the overtube 12C; 12D through the fourth flange 16D; the fifth flange 16E and the sixth flange 16F; the seventh flange 16G, and the chamber 27C; Telescopic unit 10C provided with 27D; That is, the propulsion mechanism 10 according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of expansion / contraction units 10A to 10D configured as a drive unit, and the expansion / contraction units 10A to 10D are continuously driven to propel the inside of the pipeline 5. It is a mechanism to do. A specific propulsion method will be described later.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, fluid ejection covers 30A to 30C made of an elastic material are attached to the outer peripheral surfaces of the connect tubes 13A to 13C so as to cover the periphery. The connect tubes 13A to 13C and the fluid ejection covers 30A to 30C have the same configuration, and therefore the connect tube 13A and the fluid ejection cover 30A are shown as representatives in FIG. Similar to the connect tubes 13A to 13C, the fluid ejection covers 30A to 30C are tubular bodies that are open at both ends, and are normally covered in a state of being in close contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the connect tubes 13A to 13C by their elastic force. Worn.

  The fluid ejection cover 30A extends from the groove portion 19 of the second flange 16B to the rear end portion of the first flange 16A positioned forward. The base end portion (rear end portion) of the fluid ejection cover 30A located in the groove portion 19 of the second flange 16B is firmly coupled to the surface of the groove portion 19 of the second flange 16B by a fixing means such as an adhesive. On the other hand, unlike the rear end portion, the free end portion (front end portion) of the fluid ejection cover 30 </ b> A is in a state of being in close contact with the rear end portion of the first flange 16 </ b> A only by elastic force without using a fixing means.

The fluid ejection cover 30B extends from the groove 19 of the fourth flange 16D to the rear end of the third flange 16C positioned forward. Similar to the fluid ejection cover 30A, the base end portion of the fluid ejection cover 30B located in the groove portion 19 of the fourth flange 16D is firmly coupled to the surface of the groove portion 19 of the fourth flange 16D. On the other hand, the free end portion (front end portion) of the fluid ejection cover 30B is brought into a state of being in close contact with the rear end portion of the third flange 16C only by elastic force without using a fixing means. Similarly, in the fluid ejection cover 30C, the base end portion is firmly coupled to the surface of the groove portion 19 of the sixth flange 16F, and the free end portion is substantially in close contact with the rear end portion of the fifth flange 16E by elastic force. The
Note that the free end portions of the fluid ejection covers 30A to 30C do not necessarily need to be in close contact with each other. For example, the peripheral surface extending from the base end portion to the free end portion of the fluid ejection covers 30A to 30C is tapered. It is also possible to freely adjust the angle at which the fuel is injected.

  By providing the fluid ejection covers 30A to 30C on the outer peripheral surfaces of the connect tubes 13A to 13C, a fluid supply device that can supply fluid toward the inner wall surface 5A of the pipe line 5 existing around the propulsion mechanism 10 is configured. Is done. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the fluid supply device according to the present embodiment includes a connect tube 13A (13B; 13C) provided between the plurality of drive units 10A; 10B, and a jet for insertion inserted into the connect tube 13A. A fluid jet cover 30A (30B; 30C) covering the outer peripheral surface of the air tube 20A (20B; 20C) and the connect tube 13A, and a fluid such as air supplied from the outside via the jet air tube 20A Flows out of the connect tube 13A through the supply hole 14 provided in the connect tube 13A. Further, the fluid that has flowed out of the connection tube 13A from the supply hole 14 passes through the fluid supply path 26 formed by the outer peripheral surface of the connect tube 13A and the inner peripheral surface of the fluid ejection cover 30A. Injected from the end side.

That is, the fluid outflow direction is limited to the direction toward the free end of the fluid ejection cover 30A because the base end portion of the fluid ejection cover 30A is firmly coupled at the position of the groove portion 19, and therefore, the flow direction is limited to FIG. As shown by the arrow (b), the fluid flowing out from the fluid supply path 26 toward the free end side opens and opens the free end of the fluid ejection cover 30A, and exists ahead of the connect tube 13A. Injected toward the inner wall surface 5 </ b> A of the pipe line 5.
Thus, by providing the base end portion of the fluid ejection cover 30A so as not to be opened by the air pressure and providing the free end portion so as to be openable by the air pressure, the direction in which air is ejected depending on the direction of the free end portion. It is possible to freely adjust (the traveling direction side or the traveling direction opposite side).

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the fluid ejected forward from the free end side of the fluid ejection cover 30A is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the stretchable body 25A constituting the stretchable unit 10A located in front of the connect tube 13A. The inner wall surface 5A of the pipe line 5 to be attached acts to expand the diameter, and the inner wall surface 5A is pushed and expanded in the direction of separating from the elastic body 25A. As described above, by injecting air toward the inner wall surface 5A by the fluid supply device, it is possible to effectively reduce the action of the frictional force that hinders the smooth propulsion of the propulsion mechanism 10.

Hereinafter, an example of a propulsion method of the propulsion mechanism 10 in which the fluid supply apparatus is incorporated will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the telescopic units 10A to 10D as the plurality of drive units provided in the propulsion mechanism 10 and the operation of the fluid supply device. As shown in the figure, the drive air tubes 15A to 15D constituting the expansion units 10A to 10D are connected via an air compressor 101, supply valves 102A to 102D, and release valves 103A to 103D installed in the control device 100. It is connected. Further, the jetting air tubes 20A to 20C constituting the fluid supply device are connected to the air compressor 101 via supply valves 104A to 104C.
The control device 100 controls input means such as a keyboard (not shown), arithmetic means such as a CPU, storage means such as ROM and RAM, and the supply valves 102A to 102D, the release valves 103A to 103D, and the supply valves 104A to 104C. Output means capable of outputting a signal, and according to a control program stored in the ROM, the operation timing of the expansion units 10A to 10D constituting the plurality of drive units of the propulsion mechanism 10 and the ejection operation of the fluid supply device Control the timing.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, propulsion in the pipeline 5 of the propulsion mechanism 10 is performed by opening the supply valve 102A from the initial state in which the control device 100 is not supplying air to each of the telescopic units 10A to 10D. Then, air from the air compressor 101 is sent to the first telescopic unit 10A through the driving air tube 15A. When air is sent into the first telescopic unit 10A, the air flows into the chamber 27A via the connection port 17 formed in the first flange 16A. When air flows into the chamber 27A, the expansion body 25A constituting the expansion / contraction unit 10A expands in the radial direction by constraining expansion in the axial direction by a plurality of fibers, and extends along the axial direction. Swell to shrink. The expanded outer surface of the expandable body 25A is in close contact with the inner wall surface 5A while expanding the pipe 5 radially outward, and the frictional force necessary for propulsion between the expandable body 25A and the inner wall surface 5A. Occurs.

  In addition, the control device 100 releases the air in the stretchable body 25A that is in a close contact state after a predetermined time has elapsed from the supply of air, and returns it to the extended state. Specifically, the open valve 103A is opened, and the air supplied into the chamber 27A is released to the atmosphere, whereby the stretchable body 25A in the contracted state is gradually extended. When the elastic body 25A returns to the extended state, the close contact state with the inner wall surface 5A is released.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3A, the control device 100 starts expansion of the expansion / contraction body 25B that constitutes the second expansion / contraction unit 10B before or substantially at the same time as the air release time in the expansion / contraction body 25A. . Specifically, the supply valve 102B is opened, and air from the air compressor 101 is sent into the chamber 27B of the second expansion / contraction unit 10B via the driving air tube 15B, thereby expanding the expansion / contraction body 25B, Shrink in the axial direction. As the elastic body 25B contracts in the axial direction, its outer surface expands radially outward, and is in close contact with the inner wall surface 5A as shown in FIG. Become. Moreover, the control apparatus 100 discharge | releases the air in the expansion-contraction body 25B in a contact | adherence state after progress for a predetermined time from supply of air, and returns it to an expansion | extension state. Note that the return to the extended state is the same as the control for the stretchable body 25A, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  Further, as particularly shown in FIG. 2B, the control device 100 corresponds to the start of expansion of the telescopic body 25B (simultaneously or slightly before or after the start of expansion) and constitutes the fluid supply device. Air is supplied to the air tube for operation 20A, and air as an example of a fluid is ejected toward the direction of the stretchable body 25A from which the air is released and starts the extending operation. Specifically, the control device 100 opens the supply valve 104A and sends air from the air compressor 101 into the fluid supply path 26 via the ejection air tube 20A. The air sent into the fluid supply path 26 is ejected in the direction of the expansion / contraction body 25A located in front of the free end of the fluid ejection cover 30A, as shown by the arrow. Then, when air is jetted in the direction of the expansion / contraction body 25A, the inner wall surface 5A of the pipe line 5A that is about to be attached to the outer surface of the expansion / contraction body 25A that has already started to release air and is in the process of extending, The diameter is expanded outward in the radial direction by the pressure of the air, and is separated from the outer surface of the elastic body 25 </ b> A.

  Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the control device 100 starts expansion of the expansion / contraction body 25 </ b> C constituting the third expansion / contraction unit 10 </ b> C before or substantially at the same time as the air release timing of the expansion / contraction body 25 </ b> B. The expansion of the stretchable body 25C is the same as the control for the stretchable bodies 25A and 25B described above, and a description thereof will be omitted.

The control device 100 supplies air to the ejection air tube 20B constituting the fluid supply device in response to the start of expansion of the expansion body 25C, and the direction of the expansion body 25B that has already started the expansion operation after the air has been released. Inject air toward
Specifically, the control device 100 opens the supply valve 104B to send air from the air compressor 101 into the fluid supply path 26 via the ejection air tube 20B, and the air is free at the end of the fluid ejection cover 30B. It sprays in the direction of the elastic body 25B located further forward. When air is jetted in the direction of the stretchable body 25B, similarly to the above, the inner wall surface 5A of the pipe line 5 is about to be attached to the outer surface of the stretchable body 25B which has already started to release air and is in the process of extending. However, since the diameter is expanded radially outward by the pressure of air and is in a separated state, it is prevented from clinging to the outer surface of the stretchable body 25B.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D, after the extension operation of the expansion body 25C and the contraction operation of the expansion body 25D are continuously repeated, the state shown in FIG. The state returns to the state shown in FIG. Note that the control device 100 supplies air to the ejection air tube 20C constituting the fluid supply device in response to the expansion start (contraction operation) of the expansion / contraction body 25D in the same manner as described above, and the air is already released to start the expansion operation. The air is sprayed in the direction of the expanding and contracting body 25C, and the inner wall surface 5A of the pipeline 5 to be attached to the outer surface of the expanding and contracting body 25C is expanded radially outward by the pressure of the air and separated. State.

As described above, the propulsion mechanism 10 according to the present embodiment drives the telescopic units 10A to 10D as driving units, and more specifically, supplies air into the chambers 27A to 27D, thereby extending the telescopic bodies 25A to 25A. 25D is expanded radially outward so that its outer surface is in close contact with the inner wall surface 5A of the duct 5, and the overtubes 12A to 12D having the bellows structure are contracted.
As shown in FIG. 3, the propulsion mechanism 10 drives some of the expansion units 10A to 10D to bring the outer surface of the expansion body into close contact with the inner wall surface 5A. The operation of bringing the expansion / contraction body into the non-contact state is executed sequentially from the front to the rear, and the displacement of the expansion / contraction unit from the close-contact state to the non-contact state or from the non-contact state to the close-contact state is performed. In this configuration, the pipe 5 is propelled by continuously repeating the extension operation or the contraction operation. Since the propulsion mechanism 10 continuously repeats the contact state and the non-contact state, and the extension operation and the contraction operation, the inner wall surface 5A in contact with each of the elastic bodies 25A to 25D is gradually sent from the front toward the rear. The propulsion mechanism 10 can relatively propel the inside of the pipe line 5 in one direction.

  Further, the fluid supply device applied to the propulsion mechanism 10 ejects air as an example of the fluid toward the inner wall surface 5A in response to the start of operation of some of the expansion / contraction units, and some expansion / contraction in a close contact state. It is possible to reliably prevent the inner wall surface 5 </ b> A from being attached to another telescopic unit positioned in front of the unit. In other words, it is possible to reliably reduce the frictional resistance caused by the gathering of the inner wall surface 5A, which is a factor that hinders the propulsion of the propulsion mechanism 10, and when the inner wall surface 5A has high viscosity and elasticity, or the inner wall surface 5A has numerous folds. Thus, the propulsion operation of the propulsion mechanism 10 traveling in the pipe line 5 in which the etc. are formed can be stably executed.

In the above-described embodiment, the air jetted from the fluid supply device is jetted forward than the telescopic unit in the close contact state. However, it is also possible to easily take the air jetted backward. It is. That is, if the mounting direction of the fluid ejection covers 30A to 30C with respect to the connect tubes 13A to 13C, in other words, the direction of the base end portion and the free end portion is changed, air is ejected toward the rear of the telescopic unit in a close contact state. It is possible.
In addition, the attachment position of the fluid supply device is not limited to the above-described embodiment, for example, a configuration provided between the cap 18 and the expansion / contraction unit 10A, or in front of the cap 18 and further behind the expansion / contraction unit 10D. It is good. Further, the operation patterns of the plurality of expansion / contraction units are not limited to the example of FIG. 3, and can be freely changed by an operation program stored in the ROM. For example, after driving from the first extension unit 10A to the fourth extension unit 10D in order from the front to bring all the extension units into a close contact state and a contracted state, the first extension unit excluding the fourth extension unit 10D is used. A pattern in which air is discharged from the units 10A to 10C to make the first expansion unit 10A to the third expansion unit 10C non-contact and extended at the same time, or all the expansion units are in close contact And after making it into a contracted state, the pattern etc. which make the 1st expansion-contraction unit 10A thru | or the 3rd expansion-contraction unit 10C into a non-contact | adherence state and an expansion | extension state in order are mentioned.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, it drives in one direction relatively with respect to the pipe line 5 with the frictional force produced between the inner wall surfaces 5A of the pipe line 5 by driving several expansion-contraction units 10A thru | or 10D. Although the example which makes it show was shown, the application method of the propulsion mechanism 10 is not restricted to this. For example, if a cable such as an endoscope inserted into the propulsion mechanism 10 is held unpromotable outside the duct 5, the duct 5 is moved in the direction of the duct 5 relative to the propulsion mechanism 10. It is also possible to execute a repetitive operation. This operation is effective when passing through a site slacking downward, such as the sigmoid colon or transverse colon, and the propulsion mechanism 10 cannot be propelled after propulsion mechanism 10 is propelled to the entrance of the colon. By pulling the colon that has been held and slacked downward toward the outside, the propulsion mechanism 10 can be passed through the inner wall surface 5A constituting the colon.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 4, a propulsion method according to another embodiment and a propulsion mechanism 80 according to another embodiment to which the fluid supply apparatus can be suitably applied will be described. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the propulsion mechanism 80. In the figure, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the above embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted in some cases.

  As shown in the figure, the propulsion mechanism 80 according to the present embodiment has a mechanism main body 50 having an internal space in which a device such as an endoscope can be inserted, and a cavity in which the mechanism main body 50 can be accommodated. The bag body 60 as a drive unit driven by the mechanism main body 50, the intubation tube 70 constituting the fluid supply device incorporated in the mechanism main body 50, and the jet air inserted into the intubation tube 70 Tubes 20A; 20B, and a fluid ejection cover 30A that covers the outer peripheral surface of the ejection air tube 20A.

  The mechanism main body 50 is a hollow cylindrical body having both ends opened, and an insertion cable such as an endoscope (not shown) and an ejection air tube 20A are formed in a tubular internal space formed by the inner wall surface 51. Is inserted. Further, in the hollow portion 50 </ b> A formed between the inner wall surface 51 and the outer wall surface 52, a rotating shaft portion 55 is provided that is rotatably fitted on the circumference of the inner wall surface 51. The rotation shaft portion 55 is a cylindrical body having an inner diameter slightly larger than the inner wall surface 51, and is rotatably connected to the inner wall surface 51 of the mechanism main body portion 50 through, for example, a bearing (not shown). A drive source such as a motor (not shown) is provided behind the rotation shaft portion 55, and the rotation shaft portion 55 is rotated by the drive source via a transmission mechanism.

  A worm gear portion 55 </ b> A extending along the axial direction is formed at the central portion of the rotation shaft portion 55. The gear of the worm gear portion 55A is engaged with a gear formed around a driving roller 52A disposed on the outer wall surface 52 side, and the driving roller 52A meshes with the worm gear portion 55A by the rotation operation of the rotating shaft portion 55. Rotates in one direction. In addition to the drive roller 52A, the outer wall surface 52 is provided with a driven roller 52B disposed forward in the traveling direction and a driven roller 52C disposed rearward in the traveling direction via bearings not shown. The driving roller 52A and each driven roller 52B; 52C are in pressure contact with an outer surface 60B of the bag body 60 to be described later, and rotate the bag body 60 in one direction.

  The intubation tube 70 inserted into the tubular inner space formed by the inner wall surface 51 of the mechanism main body 50 is a member corresponding to the connect tubes 13A to 13C in the above-described embodiment, and is a tubular body having openings at both ends. is there. In addition, it is not necessary to employ | adopt a bellows structure for the intubation tube 70 in this embodiment. The intubation tube 70 extends along the extending direction of the tubular internal space formed by the inner wall surface 51, and the distal end portion 70 </ b> A is exposed forward of the distal end portion of the mechanism main body portion 50. Similarly, the rear end portion 70B is exposed to the rear side from the rear end portion of the mechanism main body 50. A supply hole 14 that communicates with the outside is formed in the front end portion 70A and the rear end portion 70B that are exposed to the front side and the rear side of the intubation tube 70 from the front end portion of the mechanism main body 50. Further, at positions corresponding to the supply holes 14, fluid ejection covers 30 </ b> A and 30 </ b> B having the same configuration as in the above embodiment are provided. The fluid ejection cover 30 </ b> A has a rear end portion firmly joined as a base end portion on the outer peripheral surface of the intubation tube 70, and a front end portion thereof is in close contact with the intubation tube 70 by an elastic force as a free end portion. Therefore, when air is supplied through the injection air tube 20A connected to the supply hole 14, the air opens the free end of the fluid injection cover 30A and is injected forward.

On the outer peripheral surface of the intubation tube 70, the front end portion of the fluid ejection cover 30B is firmly coupled as a base end portion, and the rear end portion thereof is in close contact with the intubation tube 70 by an elastic force as a free end portion. Therefore, when air is supplied through the injection air tube 20B connected to the supply hole 14, the air is injected rearward from the free end portion of the fluid injection cover 30B. Whether the air is ejected from the fluid ejection cover 30A or the fluid ejection cover 30B depends on the traveling direction of the propulsion mechanism 80. For example, when the traveling direction is a direction indicated by an arrow in the figure, air is ejected from the fluid ejection cover 30B toward the opposite side of the traveling direction, that is, toward the rear side in the drawing.
On the other hand, when the traveling direction is opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow, air is ejected from the fluid ejection cover 30A toward the opposite side of the traveling direction, that is, toward the front side in the figure. In this way, by injecting air from the fluid ejection cover 30A; 30B toward the direction opposite to the traveling direction of the propulsion mechanism 80, it is effective to bind the inner wall surface 5A that hinders the operation of the bag body 60 as a drive unit described later. Can be prevented. The rear ends of the injection air tubes 20A and 20B are connected to an air compressor (not shown) and a supply valve in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment, and the injection timing and direction are appropriately determined by the processing of the control device. Be controlled. Further, an insertion cable such as an endoscope other than the drawing of the injection air tubes 20A and 20B is inserted into the intubation tube 70, and the distal end portion of the insertion cable is forward of the distal end portion 70A of the intubation tube 70. It is possible to monitor the state of the inner wall surface 5A.

  Next, the structure of the bag body 60 as a drive unit that is in close contact with the inner wall surface 5A of the pipe line 5 will be described. The bag body 60 is a hollow cylindrical body that is flattened along the extending direction of the conduit 5, and, for example, physiological saline or a gel-like fluid is sealed in the airtight space 62. In the airtight space 62 of the bag body 60, a roller holding tube 64 is provided so as to surround the inner surface 60A of the bag body 60 in the circumferential direction. The roller holding tube 64 is a tubular body having a plurality of driven rollers 66A to 66D along the circumferential direction.

  The driven roller 66A is a roller provided at the foremost part of the bag body 60, and the outer peripheral surface thereof faces the above-described driven roller 52B with the inner surface 60A of the bag body 60 interposed therebetween. The driven roller 66B is a roller provided at the rearmost part of the bag body 60 and faces the above-described driven roller 52C across the inner surface 60A of the bag body 60. The pair of driven rollers 66 </ b> C and 66 </ b> D are rollers disposed at a predetermined interval near the center of the roller holding tube 64. The driven rollers 66C; 66D are disposed so as to sandwich the above-described driving roller 52A from the front-rear direction, and face the driving roller 52A across the inner surface 60A of the bag body 60. That is, the inner surface 60 </ b> A and the outer surface 60 </ b> B of the bag body 60 are in pressure contact with each other between the driving roller 52 </ b> A and the driven rollers 52 </ b> B; 52 </ b> C and 66 </ b> A to 66 </ b> D facing each other. When the driving roller 52A rotates in one direction, the bag body 60 rotates in a direction indicated by an arrow, for example.

  That is, the propulsion mechanism 80 in the present embodiment is a mechanism that can advance in the pipe 5 in one direction by rotating the bag body 60 as the drive unit in one direction. In addition, the outer surface 60B of the bag body 60 is opposed to the inner wall surface 5A of the pipe line 5 in a part of the section (close contact section) indicated by the phantom line in close contact with the inner wall surface 5A. In the section (non-contact section), the close contact with the inner wall surface 5A is released to be in a non-contact state, and the inside of the outer surface 60B repeats the contact state and the non-contact state to advance in the pipeline 5.

  Hereinafter, the propulsion method of the propulsion mechanism 80 will be described. For example, assuming that the bag body 60 of the propulsion mechanism 80 shown in FIG. 4A is rotating in the direction of the arrow and is traveling in one direction indicated by the arrow in the pipe 5, the outer peripheral surface of the intubation tube 70. Air is ejected continuously or intermittently from the free end of the fluid ejection cover 30B provided to the rear of the outer surface 60B of the bag body 60 in a close contact state. When air is jetted toward the rear of the outer surface 60B in the close contact state, the inner wall surface 5A existing behind the outer surface 60B in the close contact state expands radially outward by the pressure of the air, As a result, the inner wall surface 5A is reliably prevented from being caught.

  That is, as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 4B, the inversion section indicated by the phantom line that should be released from the contact state with the outer surface 60B of the bag body 60 on the opposite side in the traveling direction, more specifically, the inner wall surface 5A. , The inner wall surface 5A is gathered by the viscosity, and the inner wall surface 5A is likely to be wound into the mechanism main body 50 side following the movement of the outer surface 60B to be reversed to the mechanism main body portion 50 side. A load in the direction opposite to the traveling direction of the propulsion mechanism 80 is applied to the rotational operation of the bag body 60, and smooth propulsion is hindered. However, as described above, when the propulsion mechanism 80 proceeds, if air is jetted toward the direction opposite to the direction of travel, more specifically toward the rear side of the outer surface 60B in a close contact state, the air is likely to be caught in the reversal section. The inner wall surface 5A can be reliably separated from the outer surface 60B, and the inner wall surface 5A is gathered in the non-contact section including the reversing section other than the contact section, and the inner wall surface 5A is hindered from inhibiting smooth propulsion. Can be surely prevented. Needless to say, when the propulsion mechanism 80 propels in the direction opposite to the arrow direction, air may be ejected from the free end of the fluid ejection cover 30A.

  According to the propulsion method of the propulsion mechanism described above through the plurality of embodiments and the fluid supply device that can be suitably employed in the method, propulsion is performed even when the viscosity or elasticity of the wall surface of the pipeline to be propelled is high. Unnecessary frictional force and entrainment that hinder the smooth progress of the mechanism can be reliably reduced or prevented, and the endoscope inserted into the duct can be propelled extremely efficiently.

10; 80 propulsion mechanism, 10A-10D telescopic unit,
12A-12D over tube, 13A-13C connect tube,
15A to 15D driving air tube, 16A to 16G first flange to seventh flange,
18 cap, 20A-20C air tube for injection, 25A-25D elastic body,
27A-27D chamber, 30A-30C fluid ejection cover,
50 mechanism main body, 52A drive roller, 55 rotating shaft, 60 bag,
70 intubation tube, 100 controller, 101 air compressor.

Claims (1)

The inner wall surface of the part conduit drive element and the contact state, the other portion as a non-contact state, a fluid supply device mounted to repeatedly conduit both states propulsion mechanism traveling in one direction ,
A tubular body;
A tube that is inserted into the tubular body and has one end connected to a supply hole formed in the peripheral surface of the tubular body;
A fluid supply source connected to the other end of the tube and supplying fluid into the tube;
A fluid ejection cover attached to a position corresponding to the supply hole on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body;
The fluid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an end of the propulsion mechanism in the fluid ejection cover on the traveling direction side or the traveling direction opposite side is attached to be openable by the pressure of the fluid supplied into the tube.

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