JP5992948B2 - Endoscope - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope to which a connecting tube having an opening formed at a distal end portion of an insertion portion is attached.

  The endoscope includes a flexible insertion portion that is inserted into the body of a subject, and the insertion portion includes a distal end portion, a bending portion, and a flexible portion in order from the distal end. The tip portion includes a tip portion main body. An observation window, an illumination window, and the like are provided at the tip of the tip portion main body. The observation window captures image light in the body of the subject. The illumination window emits illumination light. Behind the observation window, a camera unit for imaging the inside of the subject's body is provided, and this camera unit is attached to the distal end body with a transmission cable connected thereto. In addition, a tip portion of an optical fiber cable that guides light to the illumination window is attached to the tip portion main body.

  It is difficult for an operator unfamiliar with the operation of the endoscope to bend the insertion portion in accordance with the complicatedly bent intestinal tract and insert it into the deep portion of the intestinal tract. For this reason, the technique which makes insertion of an insertion part easy is proposed. For example, a rubber balloon that can be inflated and deflated is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the insertion portion, and the balloon is inflated and deflated to facilitate insertion of the insertion portion. When using a balloon, the balloon is inflated by supplying air to the balloon from the opening formed in the outer peripheral surface of the insertion section through a pipe line arranged in the insertion section, and by sucking the air in the balloon, The balloon is deflated. When the insertion portion is inserted from the subject's anus and the tip of the insertion portion passes the sigmoid colon, air is supplied to the balloon to inflate the balloon, thereby fixing the insertion portion to the intestinal tract. In this state, the insertion portion is pulled to make the sigmoid colon substantially straight. And after sucking the air in a balloon and shrinking a balloon, an insertion part is inserted in the deep part of an intestinal tract. Since the sigmoid colon is substantially linear, the insertion portion can be easily inserted into the small intestine or the like deep in the intestinal tract.

  In the endoscope described in Patent Document 1, the tip body and the bending portion are connected by a connecting tube, and a balloon is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the connecting tube. A thick part protruding inward is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder. The connecting cylinder is formed with a communication path having one end opened on the outer peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder and the other end opened in the thick portion, and one end of the pipe line is connected to the communication path. A screw fixing portion having a screw insertion hole formed inward from the outer peripheral surface is formed on the distal end side of the thick wall portion, and a groove into which the screw fixing portion is fitted is formed in the proximal end portion of the distal end portion main body. Has been. A screw hole is formed in the groove, and the tip body and the connecting tube are fixed by screwing the screw into the screw hole through the screw insertion hole of the screw fixing portion inserted into the groove.

JP 2008-206692 A

  In Patent Document 1, the screw fixing portion of the connecting cylinder is formed at a substantially central portion in the cylinder center direction of the connecting cylinder, and the inside of the connecting cylinder is viewed when the screw fixing portion is fitted into the groove of the tip end body. Therefore, it is necessary to check the position of the screw fixing part. In addition, since the screw fixing portion formed in the substantially central portion of the connecting cylinder in the cylinder center direction is fitted into the groove, the length of the tip body in the axis center direction is increased, resulting in an increase in size. Further, the groove into which the screw fixing portion of the connecting cylinder is fitted is formed in the proximal end portion of the distal end main body, and this groove communicates with the internal space of the connecting cylinder. For this reason, the airtightness between the connecting tube and the tip body is poor.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope that can improve the workability at the time of incorporation.

An endoscope according to the present invention includes, in order from the distal end, an insertion portion having a distal end portion, a bending portion, and a flexible portion, a distal end portion main body, a connecting cylinder, a thick portion, an attachment piece, a communication path, and a conduit. And a thick part storage groove , a mounting piece insertion groove, a screw hole, a screw insertion hole, and a mounting screw. The tip body is included in the tip. The connecting cylinder covers the proximal end portion of the distal end portion main body, and connects the distal end portion main body and the bending portion. The thick portion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder in parallel with the cylinder center from the tip of the connecting cylinder and protrudes inward. The attachment piece is formed on the distal end surface of the thick portion, and protrudes in parallel with the cylinder center from the distal end surface of the connecting cylinder . The communication path is formed in the connecting cylinder, and one end opens to the outer peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder and the other end opens to the thick part. The pipe is inserted through the inside of the bending portion and the soft portion and connected to the communication passage. The thick part storage groove is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end main body, and the thick part is inserted to rotate the distal end main body of the connecting cylinder with the connecting cylinder attached to the proximal end of the distal end main body. regulate. The attachment piece insertion groove is formed continuously from the thick part storage groove of the distal end body to the distal end side, and the attachment piece is inserted in a state where the connecting cylinder is attached to the proximal end portion of the distal end body. The screw hole is formed on the bottom surface of the attachment piece insertion groove. The screw insertion hole is formed in the attachment piece, and is formed at a position corresponding to the screw hole in a state where the connecting cylinder is attached to the proximal end portion of the distal end body. The mounting screw is screwed into the screw hole through the screw insertion hole, and fixes the connecting cylinder to the tip end body.

The thick part storage groove is formed deeper than the attachment piece insertion groove, and the thick part storage groove is formed on the front end surface of the thick part storage groove between the attachment piece insertion groove and the thick part storage groove. It is preferable that the distal end surface abuts and the connecting cylinder is positioned on the distal end main body in the cylinder center direction. Moreover, it is preferable that the fitting part of the front-end | tip part main body and a connection cylinder is filled with the filler. It is preferable that the pipe line and the communication path supply fluid to the balloon mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder. Moreover, it is preferable that the screw hole is formed inward from the outer peripheral surface of the tip end body.

A cap mounting portion formed at the tip portion of the tip portion main body and a tip cap attached to the cap mounting portion. The tip cap has an opening into which a mounting screw is inserted, and a screw hole and a mounting piece insertion groove. Is preferably formed in the cap mounting portion.

  The pipe line preferably includes a connection pipe connected to the communication path and a tube connected to the connection pipe and inserted through the insertion portion. Moreover, it is preferable that the cross-sectional shape orthogonal to a cylinder center is D shape in the internal peripheral surface of a connection pipe | tube, and the cross-sectional shape orthogonal to an axial center is D shape in the outer peripheral surface of a front-end | tip part main body.

  According to the present invention, the connecting cylinder that connects the distal end portion main body and the bending portion is formed with a thick portion to which the pipe line inserted through the insertion portion is connected, and an attachment piece attached to the distal end portion main body, In addition, since the thick part is formed from the tip of the connecting cylinder and the attachment piece protrudes from the tip surface of the thick part, the attachment piece can be easily inserted into the attachment piece insertion groove of the tip part main body, Can be incorporated into the tip body. Also, by inserting the attachment piece into the attachment piece insertion groove, the thick tube tip is fitted into the thick tube storage portion of the tip body only by assembling the connection tube to the tip body. Positioning in the circumferential direction can be performed. Furthermore, since the distal end portion of the thick portion is fitted to the thick portion storage portion of the distal end main body on the proximal end side of the mounting piece insertion groove, airtightness between the connecting cylinder and the distal end portion main body is ensured. Can do.

It is an external appearance perspective view of an endoscope system. It is a pipe line figure of an electronic endoscope. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows a front-end | tip part main body, a front-end | tip cap, and a connection cylinder. It is sectional drawing of the line which passes a camera unit and the thick part of a connection cylinder. It is a perspective view which shows the front-end | tip part of an insertion part. It is a perspective view which shows a front-end | tip part main body, a front-end | tip cap, and a connection cylinder. It is sectional drawing which decomposes | disassembles and shows a front-end | tip part main body, a front-end | tip cap, and a connection cylinder. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which integrated the front-end | tip part main body, the front-end | tip cap, and the connection cylinder. It is sectional drawing which follows the IX-IX line of FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the XX line of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the front-end | tip part main body and connection cylinder of embodiment which made the outer peripheral surface of the front-end | tip part main body, and the internal peripheral surface of the connection pipe | tube into D shape.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope system 2 includes an electronic endoscope 3, a processor device 4, a light source device 5, an air / liquid feeding device 6, and a suction device 7. The air / liquid feeding device 6 is built in the light source device 5 and is a known air feeding device (pump or the like) 11 that feeds gas, and a liquid tank 12 that is provided outside the light source device 5 and stores liquid. Have The electronic endoscope 3 is connected to a flexible insertion portion 16 to be inserted into the body, a hand operating portion 17 connected to the proximal end portion of the insertion portion 16, and the processor device 4 and the light source device 5. And a universal cord 18. The liquid to be fed by the air / liquid feeding device 6 is washing water, and the gas to be fed is air or carbon dioxide.

  The insertion portion 16 includes a distal end portion 16a, a bending portion 16b, and a flexible portion 16c in order from the distal end. A camera unit 21 (see FIG. 2) for in-vivo photographing of the subject is built in the distal end portion 16a. The bending portion 16b is connected to the proximal end of the distal end portion 16a and is configured to be freely bent. The flexible portion 16c is connected to the proximal end of the bending portion 16b and has flexibility.

  A connector 22 is attached to the end of the universal cord 18. The connector 22 is a composite type connector, to which the processor device 4, the light source device 5, and the air / liquid feeding device 6 are connected. The suction device 7 is connected to the connector 22 via a connecting tube 23.

  The processor device 4 is electrically connected to the light source device 5 and comprehensively controls the operation of the endoscope system 2. A transmission cable 26 (see FIG. 3) is connected to the processor device 4. The transmission cable 26 is connected to the camera unit 21 through the universal cord 18 and the insertion portion 16. The processor device 4 supplies power to the electronic endoscope 3 via the transmission cable 26 and controls the driving of the camera unit 21. Further, the processor device 4 acquires an imaging signal output from the camera unit 21 via the transmission cable 26, and performs various image processing to generate image data. The image data generated by the processor device 4 is displayed as an observation image on a monitor 28 connected to the processor device 4 by a cable.

  The hand operation unit 17 is provided with a treatment instrument inlet 31, an air / liquid feeding button 32, a suction button 33, and a bending operation knob 34. When the bending operation knob 34 is operated, the wire inserted into the insertion portion 16 is pushed and pulled, so that the bending portion 16b is bent in the vertical and horizontal directions. Thereby, the front-end | tip part 16a is orient | assigned to the desired direction in a test subject's body.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an air supply / liquid supply conduit 36, a treatment instrument insertion conduit 37, and a balloon conduit (duct) 38 are arranged inside the insertion portion 16 and the hand operating portion 17. One end of the air / liquid feeding line 36 communicates with the air / liquid feeding nozzle 39. The other end of the air / liquid supply line 36 is branched into an air supply line 36a and a liquid supply line 36b. The air supply line 36a and the liquid supply line 36b are connected to a piston (not shown) of the air / liquid supply button 32 provided in the hand operation unit 17.

  In addition to the air supply line 36 a and the liquid supply line 36 b, one end of an air supply source line 41 that leads to the air supply device 11 and a water supply source line that leads to the liquid tank 12 are provided on the piston of the air supply and liquid supply button 32. One end of 42 is connected. The air supply device 11 supplies gas at the time of inspection by the electronic endoscope 3.

  When an air supply operation is performed using the air / liquid supply button 32, the gas generated by the air supply device 11 is sent to the air / liquid supply nozzle 39. When the liquid supply operation is performed, the cleaning water is sent from the liquid tank 12 to the air supply / liquid supply nozzle 39 by the pressure of the gas generated by the air supply device 11. The air / liquid feeding nozzle 39 cleans the observation window 56 by selectively ejecting the gas and the washing water supplied via the air / liquid feeding line 36.

  The treatment instrument insertion conduit 37 has one end communicating with the treatment instrument outlet 46 and the other end communicating with the treatment instrument inlet 31. The treatment instrument inlet 31 is inserted with various treatment instruments having an injection needle, a high-frequency knife or the like arranged at the tip, and is closed by a stopper (not shown) when the treatment instrument is not inserted. A suction pipe 48 is branched from the treatment instrument insertion pipe 37, and the suction pipe 48 is connected to a suction valve (not shown) of the suction button 33.

  In addition to the suction conduit 48, a suction source conduit 49 is connected to the suction valve. The suction device 7 includes a suction pump as a suction source, and is always operated during the inspection by the electronic endoscope 3. When the suction operation is performed by the suction button 33, suction is performed by the negative pressure generated by the suction device 7, and when the blocking operation is performed, the negative pressure is blocked and the suction is stopped.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the distal end portion 16 a includes a distal end body 51 made of metal, for example, stainless steel, and a distal end cap 52 made of rubber is fitted on the distal end side of the distal end portion body 51. The tip cap 52 is formed with a notch (opening) 52 a for inserting the mounting screw 88. The side surface of the tip cap 52 is covered with a cover rubber (not shown) in which a thread is wound and a sealing material is applied and hardened. As shown in FIG. 4, a connecting cylinder 53 is connected to the proximal end side of the distal end body 51. By this connecting cylinder 53, the tip end body 51 is connected to the bending portion 16b. The curved portion 16 b is covered with the angle rubber 50.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the tip cap 52 is provided with a pair of illumination windows 55 a and 55 b, an observation window 56, an air / liquid supply opening 57, and a treatment instrument outlet 46. In FIG. 5, the tip cap 52 is shown in a simplified manner. An air / liquid feeding nozzle 39 is attached to the air / liquid feeding opening 57. As shown in FIG. 4, the observation window 56 guides reflected light from the observation site of the subject to the camera unit 21.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the ends of optical fiber cables 58a and 58b are arranged behind the illumination windows 55a and 55b. The optical fiber cables 58a and 58b pass through the insertion portion 16, the hand operating portion 17, the universal cord 18, and the connector 22, and guide the illumination light from the light source device 5 to the illumination windows 55a and 55b. Illumination light from the illumination windows 55a and 55b irradiates an observation site in the body of the subject.

  The distal end of the air / liquid feeding conduit 36 is attached to the tip body 51 and communicates with the air / liquid feeding nozzle 39 (see FIG. 5). Similarly, the distal end of the treatment instrument insertion conduit 37 is attached to the distal end main body 51 and communicates with the treatment instrument outlet 46.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the camera unit 21 is located behind the observation window 56. The camera unit 21 includes an objective optical system 61 having a plurality of lenses 61 a and a lens holding cylinder 61 b, a prism 62, an image sensor 63, a circuit board 64, and a transmission cable 26. The objective optical system 61 makes the image light of the subject incident from the observation window 56 enter the prism 62. The prism 62 is bent by reflecting the image light from the objective optical system 61 and forms an image on the imaging surface of the imaging element 63.

  The image sensor 63 is composed of, for example, an interline transfer type CCD, and a subject image captured by the objective optical system 61 and the prism 62 is formed on the imaging surface. A rectangular plate-like cover glass 65 is attached to the imaging surface. The image sensor 63 is connected to the prism 62 via the cover glass 65. An image sensor 63 and a drive circuit (not shown) for driving the image sensor 63 are mounted on the circuit board 64. A transmission cable 26 is connected to the circuit board 64. The image sensor 63 is not limited to the CCD, and may be a CMOS or other image area sensor. Although not shown, the prism 62 is held by a prism holding frame. The prism holding frame also holds the lens holding cylinder 61b. Further, a reinforcing frame may be provided on the circuit board 64. The reinforcing frame connects the prism holding frame and the transmission cable 26, and the wiring of the circuit board 64 between the prism holding frame and the transmission cable. The built-in items are protected.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the connecting cylinder 53 is made of metal, for example, stainless steel, and includes a thick-walled portion 67, a communication path 68, and an attachment piece 69 in a cylindrical cylinder body 53 a. The outer peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder 53 is coated so that there is no problem even when it touches the body of the subject, for example, the intestinal wall. As shown in FIG. 6, the connecting cylinder 53 covers the proximal end portion of the distal end portion main body 51. As shown in FIG. 7, the thick portion 67 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder main body 53a in parallel with the cylinder center and protrudes inward (see FIG. 9). The thick portion 67 is formed from the distal end to the proximal end of the cylinder main body 53a. The communication path 68 is formed inside the thick portion 67. The communication path 68 is inclined with respect to the cylindrical center of the connecting cylinder 53, and includes an outer peripheral surface opening 68 a that opens to the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder main body 53 a, and a thick portion opening 68 b that opens to the proximal end surface of the thick portion 67. To communicate. The attachment piece 69 is provided so as to protrude from the distal end surface 67 b of the distal end portion 67 a of the thick portion 67 in parallel to the cylindrical center. A screw insertion hole 69 a is formed in the attachment piece 69. In the screw insertion hole 69a, a portion in which the head of the countersunk screw mounting screw 88 is accommodated is formed in a tapered shape. Note that “parallel to the cylinder center of the cylinder body 53a” includes a case where the cylinder body 53a is slightly inclined.

  A fixing portion 53b having a diameter smaller than that of the cylinder main body 53a is connected to the base end side of the cylinder main body 53a. As shown in FIG. 4, the fixing portion 53b covers the distal end portion of the bending portion 16b and is connected to the bending portion 16b. The fixed portion 53 b is covered with the angle rubber 50. The distal end portion of the angle rubber 50 and the proximal end portion of the cylinder main body 53 a are fixed by an adhesive 71.

  A distal end portion 73 a of the connection pipe 73 is inserted into and fixed to the communication path 68. The front end portion 73a and the rear end portion 73b of the connection pipe 73 intersect with each other so as to be inclined by the bending portion 73c. The intersecting angle of the curved portion 73 c is the same as the inclination angle of the communication path 68 with respect to the cylinder center. The tip of a rubber balloon tube (tube) 74 is connected to the rear end 73b. The connection pipe 73 and the balloon tube 74 constitute a balloon conduit 38. The proximal end portion of the balloon tube 74 is connected to an air supply port 17 a (see FIG. 1) formed at the proximal end of the hand operating portion 17. The air supply port 17 a is connected to a balloon control device 78 (see FIG. 1) via a tube 77.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the tip body 51 is formed with a cap mounting portion 51 a and a thick portion storage groove (thick portion storage portion) 81 into which the tip portion 67 a of the thick portion 67 is fitted. Yes. The cap attachment portion 51 a is formed at the distal end portion of the distal end portion main body 51. An attachment piece insertion groove 82 into which the attachment piece 69 is inserted is formed in the cap attachment portion 51a. The attachment piece insertion groove 82 is formed continuously with the thick part storage groove 81. The thick part storage groove 81 is deeper than the attachment piece insertion groove 82. For this reason, a wall surface is formed between the thick part storage groove 81 and the attachment piece insertion groove 82, and this wall surface becomes the front end surface 81 a of the thick part storage groove 81. A screw hole 83 is formed in the bottom surface of the attachment piece insertion groove 82. The screw hole 83 is formed inward from the outer peripheral surface of the tip end body 51.

  As shown in FIG. 8, in the connecting cylinder 53, the distal end portion 67 a of the thick portion 67 is fitted into the thick portion receiving groove 81. By this fitting, as shown in FIG. 9, the connecting cylinder 53 is positioned in the circumferential direction. As a result, the connecting cylinder 53 is made unrotatable around the axis of the distal end body 51. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the leading end surface 67 b of the thick portion 67 abuts on the leading end surface 81 a of the thick portion storing groove 81, so that the connecting cylinder 53 is in the cylinder center direction with respect to the leading end portion body 51. Positioned. In this positioned state, the attachment piece 69 is inserted into the attachment piece insertion groove 82. In this positioning state, the screw insertion hole 69 a and the screw hole 83 are formed so that the screw insertion hole 69 a of the attachment piece 69 coincides with the screw hole 83 of the attachment piece insertion groove 82. Therefore, in the positioning state, both positions coincide with each other. Therefore, the attachment screw 88 is screwed into the screw hole 83 of the attachment piece insertion groove 82 via the notch 52a of the tip cap 52 and the screw insertion hole 69a of the attachment piece 69. can do. By this screwing, as shown in FIG. 10, the connecting cylinder 53 is connected and fixed to the tip end body 51. The fitting portion between the connecting cylinder 53 and the tip body 51 is filled with a filler, and airtightness is maintained. In FIGS. 9 and 10, the structure is shown in a simplified manner.

  As described above, by inserting the attachment piece 69 into the attachment piece insertion groove 82, the tip portion of the thick portion 67 fits into the thick portion storage groove 81 only by assembling the tube main body 53a to the tip portion main body 51. Thus, the circumferential position of the connecting cylinder 53 can be determined. Further, the attachment piece 69 protrudes from the distal end surface 67 b of the thick portion 67, and when the thick portion 67 is fitted in the thick portion storage groove 81, the attachment piece 69 and the attachment piece insertion groove 82 are aligned. Is completed, so that the incorporation can be performed easily and reliably. Furthermore, since the attachment piece 69 protrudes from the distal end surface 67b of the thick portion 67, the distal end portion main body 51 can be made smaller in diameter than the attachment portion provided at a position different from the thick portion. it can. Further, on the base end side with respect to the mounting piece 69, the thick portion 67 and the thick portion storage groove 81 are in close contact with each other, and the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion main body 51 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical main body 53a are in close contact. Airtightness can be ensured.

  When the electronic endoscope is used, as shown in FIG. 5, an elastic body, for example, a rubber balloon 91 is attached to the outer peripheral surfaces of the connecting tube 53 and the bending portion 16b. The balloon 91 has a distal end portion 91a and a proximal end portion 91b having the same diameter, and a bulging portion 91c. The bulging portion 91c is provided between the distal end portion 91a and the proximal end portion 91b, and bulges in a drum shape. The distal end portion 91a is fixed to the connecting cylinder 53 by a rubber ring 92a, and the proximal end portion 91b is fixed to the bending portion 16b by a rubber ring 92b. The distal end portion 91a is fixed to the distal end side with respect to the outer peripheral surface opening 68a of the connecting cylinder 53, and the proximal end portion 91b is fixed to the proximal end side with respect to the outer peripheral surface opening 68a. Thereby, the air discharged from the outer peripheral surface opening 68 a is supplied into the balloon 91.

  In FIG. 1, a balloon control device 78 is a device that supplies and sucks a fluid, for example air, in order to inflate and deflate the balloon 91. The balloon control device 78 includes a device main body 95 provided with a pump, a sequencer, and the like, a hand switch 96 for remote control, and a balloon dedicated monitor 97.

  The balloon control device 78 supplies air to the balloon 91 to inflate it, or controls the air pressure to a constant value to hold the balloon 91 in an inflated state. The balloon control device 78 sucks air from the balloon 91 and contracts it, or controls the air pressure to a constant value to hold the balloon 91 in a contracted state.

  When the balloon 91 is inflated and deflated, the balloon dedicated monitor 97 displays the pressure value and the inflated and deflated state of the balloon 91. Note that the pressure value and the inflated and deflated state of the balloon 91 may be superimposed on the observation image of the electronic endoscope 3 and displayed on the monitor 28.

  The front panel of the main body 95 of the balloon control device 78 is provided with a power switch, a stop switch that is operated when an abnormality occurs, a pressure display unit (not shown) for the balloon 91, and the like. The pressure display unit is a panel for displaying the pressure value of the balloon 91, and an error code is displayed on the pressure display unit when an abnormality such as a breakage of the balloon 91 occurs. Further, a tube 77 for supplying and sucking air to the balloon 91 is attached to the front panel of the apparatus main body 95.

  The hand switch 96 is provided with various switches. For example, a stop switch similar to the stop switch provided on the apparatus main body 95 side, a pressurizing switch and a depressurizing switch for instructing pressurization and depressurization of the balloon 91 are provided. The hand switch 96 is electrically connected to the apparatus main body 95 via a cord 98.

  Next, the operation of the electronic endoscope 3 having the above configuration will be described. After the preparation for inspection of the endoscope system 2 is completed, the camera unit 21 operates. Then, after the preparation is completed, the insertion unit 16 is inserted from the anus toward the intestine of the subject. Light from the light source device 5 passes through the universal cord 18, the optical fiber cables 58 a and 58 b in the insertion portion 16, and the illumination windows 55 a and 55 b of the distal end portion main body 51, and is irradiated onto the imaging area of the camera unit 21. An imaging signal from the camera unit 21 in the distal end body 51 is input to the processor device 4 via the transmission cable 26 and the universal cord 18 in the insertion portion 16 and displayed on the monitor 28.

  When the distal end of the insertion part 16 passes the sigmoid colon, the hand switch 96 of the balloon control device 78 is operated to drive the device main body 95, and air is supplied to the balloon conduit 38 via the tube 77 and the air supply port 17a. Send. The air that has passed through the balloon duct 38 is supplied into the balloon 91 from the outer peripheral surface opening 68 a of the connecting cylinder 53. By this air supply, the balloon 91 is inflated and the insertion portion 16 is fixed to the intestinal tract. In this state, the sigmoid colon is made substantially linear by pulling the insertion portion 16. Then, the device body 95 is driven by operating the hand switch 96, the air in the balloon 91 is sucked, and the balloon 91 is deflated. After the balloon 91 is deflated, the insertion portion 16 is inserted deep into the intestinal tract. Since the sigmoid colon is substantially linear, the insertion portion 16 can be easily inserted into the small intestine, which is deep in the intestinal tract. Also, when observing the inside of the intestine in detail, the balloon 91 is inflated to fix the insertion portion 16 to the intestine. Thereby, an image without blur can be displayed on the monitor 28.

  During observation in the intestinal tract, the air / liquid feeding button 32 is operated as necessary for cleaning the observation site or the observation window 56. When an air supply operation is performed by the air / liquid supply button 32, the gas generated by the air supply device 11 is sent to the air / liquid supply nozzle 39. When the liquid supply operation is performed by the air / liquid supply button 32, the cleaning water is sent from the liquid tank 12 to the air / liquid supply nozzle 39 by the pressure of the gas generated by the air supply device 11. The air / liquid feeding nozzle 39 selectively injects the gas and cleaning water supplied via the air / liquid feeding line 36.

  When an affected part is found during observation of the intestinal tract, a treatment tool suitable for the treatment of the affected part is inserted into the treatment tool inlet 31 of the electronic endoscope 3 and protruded from the treatment tool outlet 46 to treat the affected part. . Then, after the observation is completed, the insertion portion 16 is extracted from the body of the subject.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 11, the cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the axial center of the outer peripheral surface of the front-end | tip part main body 100 is formed in D shape, and the cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the cylindrical center of the internal peripheral surface of the connection cylinder 101 is formed in D shape. It may be formed. A straight portion on the inner peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder 101 is a thick portion 102, and a mounting piece 103 is formed so as to protrude from the distal end surface of the thick portion 102. The tip body 100 is formed with a cap attachment portion 100 a and a thick portion storage portion 104. The thick part storage part 104 has a thick part storage notch 104a. The distal end main body 100 is notched in a D shape on the proximal end side with respect to the cap attaching portion 100a. A portion where the tip body 100 is cut out in a D-shape becomes a thick-walled storage cutout 104a. The thick part storage notch 104a is continuous with the cap attachment part 100a, and the surface rising from the thick part storage notch 104a to the cap attachment part 100a is the front end face 104b of the thick part storage part 104.

  An attachment piece insertion groove 105 is formed in a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the distal end main body 100 where the thick portion storage portion 104 is formed. The attachment piece insertion groove 105 is formed from the proximal end to the distal end of the distal end main body 100. A screw hole 106 is formed on the bottom surface of the attachment piece insertion groove 105. In this case, the circumferential direction of the connecting cylinder 101 is positioned by engaging the outer peripheral surface of the D-shaped distal end body 100 and the inner peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder 101. Further, when the distal end surface of the thick portion 102 comes into contact with the distal end surface 104 b of the thick portion storage portion 104, the connecting cylinder 101 is positioned in the cylinder center direction with respect to the distal end portion main body 100. In addition, a protrusion part may be provided in a front-end | tip part main body, and the groove | channel or notch with which this protrusion part is fitted may be provided in a connection cylinder.

  In the above embodiment, the present invention is implemented in an electronic endoscope, but may be implemented in an ultrasonic endoscope. In the case of an ultrasonic endoscope, a balloon is mounted so as to surround an ultrasonic transducer provided at the distal end of the insertion portion, and an ultrasonic transmission medium is filled in the balloon, thereby enabling transmission of ultrasonic waves. .

  In the above embodiment, a balloon is attached to the connecting cylinder and air is supplied to and discharged from the balloon. However, the present invention is implemented when fluid is ejected from the outer peripheral surface opening of the connecting cylinder toward the body of the subject. May be.

  In the above embodiment, the balloon conduit 38 includes the connection pipe 73 and the balloon tube 74, and the connection pipe 73 is inserted into the communication path 68. However, the balloon tube is connected to the communication path 68 without providing the connection pipe. May be inserted.

  In the above embodiment, the thick portion 67 of the connecting cylinder 53 is continuously formed from the front end to the rear end of the tube main body 53a. However, the thick portion is formed with the portion where the communication path 68 is formed and the thick wall portion. You may divide | segment into the part fitted by the part storage groove | channel 81. FIG.

  Further, the attachment piece of the connecting cylinder protrudes from the distal end surface of the thick portion and is formed in an L shape, and the attachment piece is inserted into the cap attachment portion of the distal end portion main body from the side surface to the distal end surface. The attachment piece insertion groove may be formed. The screw hole is formed along the axial center from the distal end of the distal end body, and is screwed along the axial center from the distal end side of the distal end body.

  In the above-described embodiment, the electronic endoscope that observes an image obtained by imaging the state of the subject using the camera unit 21 is described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an optical image is used. The present invention can also be applied to an endoscope that employs a guide and observes the state of a subject.

3 Electronic Endoscope 16 Insertion Part 16a Tip 16b Bending Part 16c Soft Part 38 Balloon Pipe Line (Pipe Line)
51 Tip body 51a Cap mounting portion 52 Tip cap 52a Notch (opening)
53 connecting cylinder 53a cylinder main body 67 thick part 67a tip part 67b tip surface 68 communication path 69 mounting piece 69a screw insertion hole 73 connection pipe 74 balloon tube (tube)
81 Thick part storage groove (thick part storage part)
81a Front end surface 82, 105 Mounting piece insertion groove 83, 106 Screw hole 88 Mounting screw 91 Balloon 104 Thick part storing part 104a Thick part storing notch 104b End face

Claims (8)

In order from the distal end, an insertion portion having a distal end portion, a bending portion, and a flexible portion;
A tip body included in the tip;
A connecting cylinder that covers a proximal end portion of the distal end portion main body and connects the distal end portion main body and the bending portion;
On the inner peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder, a thick wall part formed in parallel to the cylinder center from the tip of the connecting cylinder and projecting inward,
An attachment piece that is formed on the distal end surface of the thick portion and protrudes in parallel with the cylindrical center from the distal end surface of the connecting cylinder ;
A communication path formed in the connection cylinder, one end opening in the outer peripheral surface of the connection cylinder, and the other end opening in the thick portion;
A conduit that is inserted through the inside of the bending portion and the flexible portion and connected to the communication path;
Formed on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end main body , and with the connecting tube attached to the proximal end of the distal end main body, the thick portion is inserted to restrict rotation of the connecting tube at the distal end main body. A thick part storage groove to be
An attachment piece insertion groove that is formed continuously from the thick part housing groove of the distal end body to the distal end side and in which the attachment piece is inserted in a state where the connecting tube is attached to the proximal end portion of the distal end body. When,
A screw hole formed in the bottom surface of the mounting piece insertion groove;
A screw insertion hole formed in the attachment piece and formed at a position corresponding to the screw hole in a state in which the connection tube is attached to the proximal end portion of the distal end body;
A mounting screw that is screwed into the screw hole via the screw insertion hole and fixes the connecting tube to the tip body.
An endoscope comprising: The thick part storage groove is formed deeper than the mounting piece insertion groove, and the front end surface of the thick part storage groove between the attachment piece insertion groove and the thick part storage groove, The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein a distal end surface of the thick wall portion is in contact with the distal end portion main body and the connecting tube is positioned in a cylinder center direction . The endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a filler is filled in a fitting portion between the distal end portion main body and the connecting cylinder. The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the conduit and the communication path supply fluid to a balloon mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder. The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the screw hole is formed from an outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion main body toward an inner side. A cap attaching part formed at the tip part of the tip part main body, and a tip cap attached to the cap attaching part,
The tip cap has an opening into which the mounting screw is inserted,
The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the screw hole and the attachment piece insertion groove are formed in the cap attachment portion.   7. The internal view according to claim 1, wherein the pipe has a connection pipe connected to the communication path, and a tube connected to the connection pipe and inserted through the insertion portion. mirror. The inner peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder has a D-shaped cross section perpendicular to the cylinder center,
The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein an outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion main body has a D-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the axis.

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