JP6253355B2 - Endoscope apparatus and control method of endoscope apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus in which a bending part is provided in an insertion part to be inserted into a subject, and a method for controlling the endoscope apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, endoscope apparatuses including an endoscope that is inserted into a subject have been widely used in the medical field and the industrial field. Endoscopes used in the medical field observe an organ in a body cavity by inserting a long and thin insertion portion into a body cavity as a subject, and insert a channel for a treatment tool provided in the endoscope as necessary Various treatments can be performed using the treatment tool inserted in the inside.

  In addition, endoscopes used in the industrial field are designed to insert a long and narrow insertion portion of an endoscope into a jet engine or a subject such as a pipe of a factory. Observations such as corrosion and inspections such as various treatments can be performed.

  Further, a configuration in which a bending portion that can be bent in a plurality of directions, for example, is provided in the insertion portion of the endoscope is well known. In addition to improving the progress of the insertion portion at the bent portion in the duct, the bending portion is provided at the distal end portion of the insertion portion that is located on the distal end side in the insertion direction (hereinafter simply referred to as the distal end side) relative to the bending portion. The observation direction of the obtained observation optical system is varied.

  Usually, the bending portion provided in the insertion portion of the endoscope can be bent in, for example, two directions of up and down or four directions of up and down and left and right by connecting a plurality of bending pieces along the insertion direction of the insertion portion. It is comprised so that it may become.

  In the bending portion having such a configuration, for example, among the plurality of bending pieces, the distal end in the insertion direction (hereinafter, simply referred to as the leading end) is inserted into the insertion piece with respect to the bending piece located on the most distal end side. By either of the two or four wires being pulled from the operation unit, the wire can be bent vertically or horizontally, or vertically or horizontally.

  In addition, the structure of the endoscope apparatus which performs the pulling operation of a wire using the electric pulling apparatus provided in the operation part is also known.

  Here, when the wire is pulled electrically, if the wire is continuously pulled using the electric traction device, the bending portion is bent more than the set maximum bending angle and the bending portion is damaged. There was a problem.

  In view of such a problem, Patent Document 1 includes a drum in which a proximal end in a wire insertion direction (hereinafter simply referred to as a proximal end) is wound and rotated by a motor in the operation portion. In the configuration in which the wire is electrically pulled by the rotation of the drum in one direction accompanying the rotation of the motor in one direction, the energization amount to the motor is estimated by estimating the bending angle of the bending portion from the rotation angle of the motor. That is, a configuration is disclosed in which the bending portion is prevented from being bent beyond the maximum bending angle by adjusting the pulling amount of the wire using the drum.

  Further, in Patent Document 2, a pulley that is wound around the proximal end side of the wire and rotated by the motor is provided in the operation unit, and the pulley is rotated in one direction along with the rotation in one direction of the motor. In the configuration in which the wire is electrically pulled, a sensor coil that detects the amount of wire displacement is provided in the insertion portion, and an encoder that detects the rotation angle of the motor is provided in the operation portion. The structure which calculates the pulling amount of a wire from these and detects the bending angle of a bending part is disclosed.

JP2013-126506A JP 2000-126120 A

  By the way, if the wire inserted into the insertion portion is bent or wound, the slidability of the wire at the time of pulling will decrease, and the amount of traction force of the wire will increase. For this reason, if the wire is repeatedly used, the wire will be elongated and deteriorated. Further, the wire is also deteriorated by aging.

  Here, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the bending angle of the bending portion is estimated only from the rotation angle of the motor, when the wire is extended or the insertion portion having poor slidability of the wire is bent. If they are equal, even if the wire is pulled through the drum at the same rotation angle of the motor as when the wire is not stretched, the same wire pulling amount is not obtained.

  Therefore, for example, even if the motor is rotated in one direction up to the rotation angle of the motor at which the bending portion bends at the maximum bending angle, when the wire is extended, the bending portion can be bent only to an angle equal to or less than the maximum bending angle. There has been a problem that down occurs and it is difficult for the operator to recognize the maximum bending angle of the bending portion as well as not realizing the bending to the maximum bending angle of the bending portion. That is, there is a problem that the bending portion cannot always be bent at the same bending angle regardless of the deterioration of the wire or the shape of the insertion portion.

  Further, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2, since the displacement amount of the wire is detected using the sensor coil, even if the wire is stretched or the insertion portion is bent, the detected wire Since the pulling amount of the wire can be detected from the displacement amount, the bending portion can be bent to a desired bending angle by adjusting the pulling amount of the wire.

  However, the sensor coil is a pipe having a set length in order to detect the amount of wire displacement at a midway position of the coil pipe coated on the outer periphery of the wire inside the distal end side of the flexible tube portion of the insertion portion. Since it is wound around the outer periphery and arranged, the internal configuration on the distal end side of the flexible tube portion becomes complicated, and the diameter of the insertion portion where the sensor coil is provided is increased.

  In addition, the detection of the bending angle of the bending portion requires detection of the amount of wire displacement using the sensor coil and detection of the rotation angle of the motor using the encoder. There is also a problem that becomes complicated.

  Furthermore, although it has a configuration for detecting the bending angle of the bending portion, it does not have any configuration for preventing the bending portion from bending more than the maximum bending angle. The operator has to stop the wire pulling operation, which is very complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems and circumstances, and with a simple configuration, the bending portion can be bent to the maximum bending angle and is automatically bent beyond the maximum bending angle. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope apparatus having a configuration that can be prevented automatically, and a method for controlling the endoscope apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is an endoscope in which a bending portion is provided in an insertion portion that is inserted into a subject, and is inserted into the insertion portion. A wire that bends the bending portion in accordance with the traction using the electric traction member, an energization member that is provided in the insertion portion to which a voltage is applied from an energization device, and the electric traction member that is provided in the insertion portion. When the bending portion is bent to the maximum bending angle in accordance with the pulling of the wire using the contact member that is in contact with and electrically connected to the current-carrying member, and the bending portion is bent to the maximum bending angle. A control unit that detects a voltage change caused by the contact member being brought into contact with and electrically connected to the energization member, and instructing to stop pulling the wire using the electric pulling member. ing.

  The endoscope apparatus control method according to one aspect of the present invention is an endoscope control method in which a bending portion is provided in an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject, and the control portion is provided in the insertion portion. A procedure of applying a voltage to the energizing member provided in the energizing device via an energizing device, and a procedure of bending the bending portion by pulling the wire inserted into the inserting portion via the electric traction member; By detecting a voltage change caused by a contact member provided in the insertion portion being brought into contact with and electrically connected to the energization member, it is detected that the bending portion is bent to the maximum bending angle; And a procedure for instructing to stop pulling of the wire using the electric pulling member.

  According to the present invention, an endoscope having a configuration in which the bending portion can be bent to the maximum bending angle with a simple configuration and can be automatically prevented from bending beyond the maximum bending angle. A control method for a mirror device and an endoscope device can be provided.

The perspective view of the endoscope apparatus of a 1st embodiment. The figure which shows schematically the structure which curves a bending part in the endoscope of the endoscope apparatus of FIG. The figure which shows roughly the 1st-3rd bending piece enclosed with the III line | wire in FIG. 2 with each wire, each motor, a control part, an electricity supply apparatus, and a detector. The state of the 1st-3rd bending piece of FIG. 3 when the bending part of FIG. 2 is bent to the maximum bending angle upward is roughly shown with each wire, each motor, a control part, a power supply device, and a detector. Illustration The figure which shows schematically a part of wire penetrated in the insertion part of the endoscope in the endoscope apparatus of 2nd Embodiment with a part of bending piece, each motor, a control part, an electricity supply device, and a detector. The movement state of the wire in FIG. 5 when the bending portion of the insertion portion of the endoscope in FIG. 5 is bent upward to the maximum bending angle, a part of the bending piece, each motor, control unit, energizing device, detector Figure schematically shown with

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the endoscope apparatus according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope apparatus 100 includes a main part that includes an endoscope 1 and an apparatus main body 50 connected to the endoscope 1.

  The endoscope 1 has an elongated and flexible insertion portion 10 and an operation portion having a grip portion 15h connected to a proximal end in the insertion direction S of the insertion portion 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as a proximal end). 15 and a universal cord 17 extending from the gripping part 15h of the operation part 15 constitutes a main part.

  In order from the distal end side of the insertion portion 10 to the insertion portion 10, for example, four directions of up, down, left and right are operated by operating a distal end portion 11 provided with an imaging unit or the like (not shown) and a joystick 15 j provided in the operation portion 15. The bendable bending portion 12 and a long flexible tube portion 13 formed of a flexible member are connected to each other, and the base end of the flexible tube portion 13 is connected to the operation portion 15. Yes.

  In addition to the joystick 15j, the operation unit 15 is provided with various switches (not shown) for instructing an imaging operation in the above-described imaging unit provided in the distal end portion 11.

  The apparatus main body 50 has, for example, a box shape, and a monitor 55 that displays an endoscopic image captured by the above-described imaging unit of the endoscope 1 on an exterior casing 50g configured by, for example, magnesium die casting. However, it is fixed to the exterior housing 50g so as to be freely opened and closed. The monitor 55 may be detachable from the outer casing 50g, or may be fixed with the monitor surface exposed at all times. Further, the endoscope 1 and the apparatus main body 50 may be integrally formed.

  Next, a configuration for bending the bending portion 12 will be briefly described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration for bending a bending portion in the endoscope of the endoscope apparatus of FIG. 1.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of bending pieces 22 (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e, 22f, 22g, 22h, 22i, 22j, 22k, 22m) are inserted in the insertion direction S inside the bending portion 12. It is connected and provided along. Although not shown, the outer periphery of the bending piece 22 is covered with a blade (not shown) made of metal, and the outer periphery of the blade is covered with a not-shown skin resin.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the bending piece 22 is composed of 12 pieces is shown as an example. However, the bending piece 22 is composed of how many pieces as long as there are three or more pieces. It doesn't matter.

  The bending piece 22b and the bending piece 22c, the bending piece 22d and the bending piece 22e, the bending piece 22f and the bending piece 22g, the bending piece 22h and the bending piece 22i, and the bending piece 22j and the bending piece 22k are wires 30r and 30l (wires) to be described later. 30r (not shown) is connected so that it can be bent in the left and right direction, which is one direction.

  The maximum bending angle in the left-right direction of the bending portion 12 is that when the bending portion 12 is bent in the left-right direction, the shoulder of the bending piece 22b and the shoulder of the bending piece 22c, and the shoulder of the bending piece 22d and the bending piece 22e. Shoulder, the shoulder of the bending piece 22f, the shoulder of the bending piece 22g, the shoulder of the bending piece 22h and the shoulder of the bending piece 22i, the shoulder 22jc (see FIG. 3) and the bending piece 22k of the bending piece 22j, which will be described later. In addition to contact with a shoulder portion 22kc (see FIG. 3) to be described later, the number of the bending pieces 22 is adjusted, the distance between the shoulder portions of each bending piece that is bent in the left-right direction described above, Or by adjusting the hardness and tension of the outer resin.

  Also, the bending piece 22a and the bending piece 22b, the bending piece 22c and the bending piece 22d, the bending piece 22e and the bending piece 22f, the bending piece 22g and the bending piece 22h, the bending piece 22i and the bending piece 22j, the bending piece 22k and the bending piece 22m, Are connected by a wire 30u, 30d, which will be described later, so that they can be bent in the vertical direction, which is the other direction different from the one direction.

  The maximum bending angle in the vertical direction of the bending portion 12 is such that when the bending portion 12 is bent in the vertical direction, the shoulder portion of the bending piece 22a and the shoulder portion of the bending piece 22b, and the shoulder portion of the bending piece 22c and the bending piece 22d. Shoulder, the shoulder of the bending piece 22e, the shoulder of the bending piece 22f, the shoulder of the bending piece 22g and the shoulder of the bending piece 22h, the shoulder of the bending piece 22i, the shoulder of the bending piece 22j, and the bending piece 22k. In addition to the contact of a shoulder 22ks (see FIG. 3) to be described later and a shoulder 22ms (see FIG. 3) to be described later of the bending piece 22m, the number of the bending pieces 22 is adjusted and the bending is performed in the vertical direction described above. It is defined by adjusting the distance between the shoulders of each bending piece, and adjusting the hardness and tension of the blade and outer resin.

  That is, the bending portion 12 can be bent in four directions, up, down, left, and right up to the maximum bending angle by connecting the plurality of bending pieces 22 along the insertion direction S as described above. In addition, the bending part 12 may be connected with the some bending piece 22 along the insertion direction S so that it can bend only in two directions of up-down or left-right.

  In addition, in the insertion portion 10 and the operation portion 15, four wires 30u, 30d, and 30r made of a current-carrying material such as metal for bending the bending portion 12 in four directions, up, down, left, and right as it is pulled. , 30l (the wire 30r is not shown) are inserted in the circumferential direction of the insertion portion 10 so as to be shifted from each other by approximately 90 °.

  The wires 30u, 30d, 30r, and 30l are supported in the bending portion 12 so as to be movable forward and backward in the insertion direction S by wire guides (not shown) provided in the respective bending pieces 22. In FIG. 3, the guide sheaths 31u, 31d, 31r, 31d (guide sheath 31r is not shown) covered on the outer circumferences of the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, 30l are supported so as to be movable in the insertion direction S.

  The guide sheaths 31u, 31d, 31r, and 31d have either one of the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, and 30l as their distal ends and proximal ends are fixed to the distal ends and proximal ends of the flexible tube portion 13, respectively. When the bending portion 12 is bent as it is pulled, the flexible tube portion 13 is also prevented from being bent.

  Further, the distal ends of the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, and 30l are respectively connected to the bending piece 22a that is located on the most distal side among the plurality of bending pieces 22, and the proximal ends of the wires 30r and 30l are operated The wire 30u, 30d is wound around a pulley 33 which is an electric traction member provided in the operation portion 15, and is wound around a pulley 33 which is an electric traction member provided in the operation portion 15. .

  As the joystick 15j is tilted to the left or right, the pulley 32 is rotatable as the motor 38, which is an electric traction member, rotates along with the drive control of the control unit 60 provided in the operation unit 15. The pulley 33 can be freely rotated along with the rotation of the motor 39 that is an electric traction member in accordance with the drive control of the control unit 60 as the joystick 15j is tilted up or down.

  Therefore, when the joystick 15j is tilted left or right, the motor 38 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise and the pulley 32 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in accordance with the drive control of the control unit 60. As a result, one of the wires 30r and 30l is pulled, so that the bending portion 12 bends in either the left or right direction up to the maximum bending angle.

  On the other hand, when the joystick 15j is tilted up or down, the motor 39 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise and the pulley 33 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in accordance with the drive control of the control unit 60. As a result, one of the wires 30u and 30d is pulled, and the bending portion 12 bends in either the up or down direction to the maximum bending angle.

  The rotation of the pulley 32 by the motor 38 and the rotation of the pulley 33 by the motor 39 are continued while the tilting operation of the joystick 15j is performed, but the drive stop control of the motors 38 and 39 is performed by the control unit 60. Then it stops.

  Accordingly, each of the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, and 30l has a function of bending the bending portion 12 as the electric traction member is pulled.

  Next, a configuration for automatically detecting that the bending portion 12 is bent to the maximum bending angle and stopping the pulling of the wire will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 described above.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the first to third bending pieces surrounded by the line III in FIG. 2 together with the wires, motors, control unit, energization device, and detector, and FIG. The figure which shows roughly the state of the 1st-3rd bending piece of FIG. 3 when the bending part of this is curved to the maximum bending angle upwards with each wire, each motor, a control part, an electricity supply device, and a detector. It is.

  As shown in FIG. 2, among the plurality of bending pieces 22, a bending piece 22j that is a second bending piece, a bending piece 22k that is a first bending piece, and a bending piece 22m that is a third bending piece are described below. For this reason, the bending portion 12 is located on the most proximal side.

  Further, the bending piece 22j, the bending piece 22k, and the bending piece 22m are made of a metal or the like that is a current-carrying material. It is covered with an insulating film adhered by.

  The bending pieces 22j, 22k, and 22m may also be made of an insulating material, and the metal coating may be applied only to the shoulder portions 22jc, 22kc, 22ks, and 22ms.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an energization device 61 is provided in the operation unit 15, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the energization device 61 is inserted into the insertion unit 10 and the operation unit 15. The lead piece 71 is electrically connected to the bending piece 22k.

  The energization device 61 is a member that applies a voltage to the bending piece 22k through the lead wire 71 by energization control of the control unit 60.

  The energization device 61 may be provided in the device main body 50.

  Therefore, the bending piece 22k constitutes an energization member in the present embodiment to which a voltage is applied by the energization device 61.

  Further, as described above, when the bending portion 12 is bent up to the maximum bending angle, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, as shown in FIG. 3, the two-dot chain line of the bending piece 22 k is shown in FIG. 3. The shoulder portion 22ks made of metal located on the upper side in FIG. 3 indicated by a two-dot chain line of the bending piece 22m contacts the shoulder portion 22ks made of metal located on the upper side.

  Further, when the bending portion 12 is bent to the maximum bending angle, for example, in the left direction, as shown in FIG. 3, the shoulder portion 22kc made of metal located at the center in FIG. A shoulder portion 22jc made of metal located at the center in FIG. 3 indicated by a chain line of the piece 22j comes into contact.

  Therefore, the bending pieces 22j and 22m constitute a contact member in the present embodiment that is in contact with and electrically connected to the bending piece 22k that is an energizing member when the bending portion 12 is bent to the maximum bending angle. ing.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a detector 62 is provided in the operation unit 15. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the detector 62 is inserted into the insertion unit 10 and the operation unit 15. The lead wires 72 and 73 are electrically connected to the bending pieces 22j and 22m, respectively. The detector 62 may also be provided in the apparatus main body 50.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the bending portion 12 is bent to the maximum bending angle, the control portion 60 provided in the operation portion 15 is brought into contact with the bending piece 22k by the bending piece 22j or the bending piece 22m. The voltage change caused by the connection is detected, and the traction stop of any of the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, 30l using the motors 38, 39 and the pulleys 32, 33 is instructed.

  Specifically, when the bending portion 12 is bent to the maximum bending angle, the control unit 60 changes the voltage associated with the contact between the shoulder portion 22kc of the bending piece 22k and the shoulder portion 22jc of the bending piece 22j, or the bending piece 22k. A change in voltage associated with contact between the shoulder 22ks and the shoulder 22ms of the bending piece 22m is detected via the detector 62, and the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, 30l using the motors 38, 39 and the pulleys 32, 33 are detected. Any one of the tow stops is instructed. The control unit 60 may also be provided in the apparatus main body 50.

  Further, as described above, the bending pieces 22j, 22k, and 22m are located on the most proximal side in the bending portion 12, and the distal ends of the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, and 30l are located on the most distal side. Since it is connected to the bending piece 22a, the bending portion 12 starts to bend from the tip side when one of the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, and 30l is pulled. From this, when the bending portion 12 starts to bend, the shoulders of the adjacent bending pieces 22 in the insertion direction located on the distal end side start to come into contact with each other, and when the bending portion 12 is bent to the maximum bending angle, finally the proximal end This is because the shoulder 22kc of the bending piece 22k located on the side contacts the shoulder 22jc of the bending piece 22j, or the shoulder 22ks of the bending piece 22k contacts the shoulder 22ms of the bending piece 22m.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the voltage change is made between the contact between the shoulder 22kc of the bending piece 22k and the shoulder 22jc of the bending piece 22j, or the contact between the shoulder 22ks of the bending piece 22k and the shoulder 22ms of the bending piece 22m. Thus, the control unit 60 can detect that the bending portion 12 is bent at the maximum bending angle.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, the maximum bending angle in the left-right direction of the bending portion 12 is such that when the bending portion 12 is bent in the left-right direction, the shoulder of the bending piece 22b, the shoulder of the bending piece 22c, The shoulder of the piece 22d and the shoulder of the bending piece 22e, the shoulder of the bending piece 22f and the shoulder of the bending piece 22g, the shoulder of the bending piece 22h and the shoulder of the bending piece 22i, and the shoulder 22jc of the bending piece 22j It has been shown that it is defined by the contact with the shoulder 22kc of the piece 22k.

  The maximum bending angle in the vertical direction of the bending portion 12 is such that when the bending portion 12 is bent in the vertical direction, the shoulder portion of the bending piece 22a and the shoulder portion of the bending piece 22b, and the shoulder portion of the bending piece 22c and the bending piece 22d. Shoulder, the shoulder of the bending piece 22e, the shoulder of the bending piece 22f, the shoulder of the bending piece 22g and the shoulder of the bending piece 22h, the shoulder of the bending piece 22i, the shoulder of the bending piece 22j, and the bending piece 22k. It was shown that the shoulder portion 22ks, which will be described later, and the shoulder portion 22ms, which will be described later, of the bending piece 22m contact each other.

  Further, the bending pieces 22j, 22k, and 22m in which the shoulder portions 22jc, 22kc, 22ks, and 22ms are made of metal are located on the most proximal side among the plurality of bending pieces 22, When the bending portion 12 is bent to the maximum bending angle in the left-right direction in a state where a voltage is applied to 22k, the shoulder portion 22jc and the shoulder portion 22kc come into contact with each other and are electrically connected, and the bending portion 12 is in the vertical direction. If the shoulder portion 22ks and the shoulder portion 22ms are in contact with each other and electrically connected to each other, and the control unit 60 detects a voltage change associated with each contact through the detector 62, the control unit 60 indicates that the traction stop of any of the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, and 30l using the motors 38 and 39 and the pulleys 32 and 33 is instructed.

  According to this, even if the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, and 30l are deteriorated such as stretched or the insertion portion 10 has a bent or wound shape, the bending portion 12 The maximum bending angle is defined by the contact between the shoulder portions of each bending piece 22, and the motors 38 and 39 are used until the shoulder portion 22jc and the shoulder portion 22kc contact or the shoulder portion 22ks and the shoulder portion 22ms contact each other. Since one of the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, and 30l is continuously pulled by the rotation of the pulleys 32 and 33, the control unit 60 makes contact between the shoulder portion 22jc and the shoulder portion 22kc or the shoulder portion 22ks and the shoulder portion 22ms. In the state where the contact with is detected, the bending portion 12 is reliably bent to the maximum bending angle without causing an angle down.

  Further, the control unit 60 detects the contact between the shoulder portion 22jc and the shoulder portion 22kc or the contact between the shoulder portion 22ks and the shoulder portion 22ms, and then the wires 30u, 30d using the motors 38 and 39 and the pulleys 32 and 33, Since the traction stop of either 30r or 30l is instructed, the bending portion 12 does not bend more than the maximum bending angle.

  Further, in the insertion portion 10, the bending portion 12 is bent to the maximum bending angle and the maximum bending angle is detected with a simple configuration using only the existing three bending pieces 22j, 22k, and 22m. Therefore, the diameter of the insertion portion 10 is not increased, and the structure in the insertion portion 10 is not complicated.

  As described above, an endoscope apparatus having a configuration capable of bending the bending portion 12 to the maximum bending angle with a simple configuration and automatically preventing the bending portion 12 from bending beyond the maximum bending angle. 100, a method for controlling the endoscope apparatus 100 can be provided.

  Hereinafter, modifications will be described. In the present embodiment described above, it has been shown that the control unit 60 detects the maximum bending angle by detecting the contact between the shoulder portion 22jc and the shoulder portion 22kc or the contact between the shoulder portion 22ks and the shoulder portion 22ms.

  If this is utilized, even if the wires 30u, 30d, 30r, and 30l are deteriorated such as being stretched or the insertion portion 10 has a bent or wound shape, the control portion 60 May calculate an arbitrary bending angle equal to or less than the maximum bending angle of the bending portion 12 from the rotation angle of the pulleys 32 and 33 or the rotation angle of the motors 38 and 39 when the maximum bending angle is detected.

  According to this, the control unit 60 can calculate an arbitrary bending angle of the bending portion 12 without being limited to the extension of the wires 30 u, 30 d, 30 r, 30 l and the shape of the insertion portion 10.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 5 schematically shows a part of the wire inserted into the insertion portion of the endoscope in the endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment, together with a part of the bending piece, each motor, a control unit, a power supply device, and a detector. 6 shows the moving state of the wire in FIG. 5 when the bending portion of the insertion portion of the endoscope in FIG. 5 is bent upward to the maximum bending angle, a part of the bending piece, each motor, It is a figure shown roughly with a control part, an energization device, and a detector.

  Compared with the endoscope apparatus of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 described above, the configuration of the endoscope apparatus of the second embodiment is such that the energizing member is fixed to the distal end of the guide sheath. It is different in that the contact member also serves as a wire. Therefore, only this difference will be described, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

  5 and 6, in order to simplify the drawings, in addition to the wire 30 r and the guide sheath 31 r, the wire 30 d for pulling the bending portion 12 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 downward and leftward. 30l and guide sheaths 31d and 31l are omitted. Therefore, what is described as the wire 30u and the guide sheath 31u corresponds to the wires 30d, 30r, and 30l and the guide sheaths 31d, 31r, and 30l.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the present embodiment, the bending piece 22 includes bending pieces 22a to 22k. That is, in this embodiment, the bending piece 22m is not provided.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, when the bending portion 12 is bent to the maximum extent, the shoulder portion 22ks of the bending piece 22k comes into contact with a contact 90 described later.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the shoulder portions 22ks and 22kc of the bending piece 22k and the shoulder portion 22jc of the bending piece 22j do not need to be made of a current-carrying material, and the bending pieces 22j and 22k are entirely non-insulated. It is composed of a sex material.

  In the present embodiment, the contact 90 is fixed to the tip of the guide sheath 31u. One end of a lead wire 91 is electrically connected to the contact 90, and the other end of the lead wire 91 is electrically connected to the energization device 61.

  Accordingly, the contact 90 constitutes an energization member in the present embodiment to which a voltage is applied from the energization device 61. The contact 90 may be located in the bending portion 12.

  In the present embodiment, the outer periphery of the wire 30u made of a current-carrying material is subjected to, for example, an insulating plating, a Teflon (registered trademark) coating, or an insulating agent is baked. Or is covered with an insulating material.

  In addition, the base end of the wire 30u is not covered with an insulating material and the energization material is exposed, and the exposed portion 30ua of the base end is electrically connected to the energization device 61 via the lead wire 92. Has been.

  Also, in the first position and the second position, which are midway positions of the wire 30u, the conductive material is exposed without being covered with the insulating material, and the exposed portion 30ub provided in the first position In the insertion direction S, the set interval S1 is separated from the exposed portion 30uc provided at the second position.

  The first exposed portion 30ub is formed at the position of the wire 30u that contacts the contact 90 when the bending portion 12 is in a non-curved state. In a state where the first exposed portion 30 ub is in contact with and electrically connected to the contact 90, a voltage is applied to the contact 90 via the lead wire 91 and the exposed portion 30 ua is connected to the contact 90 via the lead wire 92. Therefore, a current supply loop through the lead wires 91 and 92 and the contact 90 is formed between the current supply device 61 and the wire 30u, and the voltage value is detected by the detector. Detected by the control unit 60 via 62. Thus, the control unit 60 detects that the bending unit 12 is in a non-curved state.

  The set interval S1 is equal to the pulling amount of the wire 30u when the bending portion 12 is bent at the maximum bending angle upward from the non-curved state. Therefore, the second exposed portion 30uc is located in the bending portion 12 when the bending portion 12 is in the non-curving state.

  Here, when the joystick 15j is tilted upward by the operator, the control unit 60 performs drive control of the motor 39 and pulls the wire 30u by rotating the pulley 33 as described above.

  At this time, the set interval S1 coincides with the pulling amount of the wire 30u when the bending portion 12 is bent at the maximum bending angle upward as shown in FIG. 6 from the non-curving state. As shown in FIG. 6, when the maximum bending angle is bent upward, the wire 30u is pulled by S1 rearward in the insertion direction S (hereinafter simply referred to as rearward). Are in contact and electrically connected. That is, in the present embodiment, the wire 30u also serves as a contact member.

  In this configuration, if the wire 30u is stretched, the set interval S1 that coincides with the maximum bending angle may deviate from the maximum bending angle, but the wire 30u is located within the bending portion 12. In addition to the very short length of the wire 30u, the set interval S1 is a very short interval, so that the elongation of the wire 30u can be almost ignored.

  As the wire 30u is pulled, the insulating material between the exposed portion 30ub and the exposed portion 30uc in the wire 30u contacts the contact 90 until the exposed portion 30uc contacts the contact 90. Therefore, the control unit 60 does not detect the voltage while the insulating material is in contact with the contact 90.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6, when the bending portion 12 is bent upward to the maximum bending angle, the exposed portion 30 uc comes into contact with the contact 90 as described above, so that the above-described energization loop is formed again. The controller 60 detects the voltage change and instructs the motor 39 and the pulley 33 to stop pulling the wire 30u.

  Specifically, the control unit 60 detects a voltage change associated with the contact of the exposed part 30uc with the contact 90 via the detector 62 when the bending unit 12 is bent up to the maximum bending angle, and the motor 60 39, instructs to stop pulling the wire 30u via the pulley 33.

  As described above, the above is not limited to the wire 30u that bends the bending portion 12 upward, and the same applies to the wires 30d, 30r, and 30l. That is, the wires 30d, 30r, and 30l are also provided with exposed portions corresponding to the exposed portions 30ua, 30ub, and 30uc, respectively. The contacts 90 are provided so that the exposed portions of the wires 30d, 30r, and 30l can be contacted while being applied.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, a voltage is applied to the contact 90, and when the bending portion 12 is in a non-curved state, the exposed portion 30ub of the wire 30u is in contact with the contact 90, and the bending portion 12 As the wire 30u is moved backward due to the bending, the insulating material of the wire 30u comes into contact with the contact 90, and when the bending portion 12 is bent to the maximum bending angle, the exposed portion 30uc of the wire 30u is brought into contact with the contact 90. After that, the control unit 60 detects that the bending portion 12 is bent up to the maximum bending angle by detecting a voltage change accompanying the contact of the exposed part 30uc with the contact 90, and further, the wire It was indicated that 30u traction stop was instructed.

  According to this, in the present embodiment, the maximum bending angle is defined by the contact of the exposed portion 30uc with the contact 90 and the contact between the shoulder portions of each bending piece 22, and the contact 90 with the exposed portion 30uc. Until then, the rotation of the pulley 33 using the motor 39 keeps pulling the wire 30u. Therefore, in the state where the control unit 60 detects the contact between the contact 90 and the exposed portion 30uc, the bending portion 12 is reliably It is bent to the maximum bending angle without causing an angle down.

  Further, since the control unit 60 detects the contact between the contact 90 and the exposed portion 30uc and then instructs the motor 39 and the pulley 33 to stop pulling the wire 30u, the bending unit 12 is raised beyond the maximum bending angle. It will not bend in the direction.

  In addition, in the insertion unit 10, the simple configuration using only the wire 30u and the contact point 90 detects that the bending portion 12 is bent upward to the maximum bending angle and the maximum bending angle in the upward direction. Therefore, the diameter of the insertion portion 10 is not increased, and the structure in the insertion portion 10 is not complicated.

  The above effect is the same even when the bending portion 12 is bent to the maximum bending angle in any of the downward direction, the right direction, and the left direction.

  As described above, an endoscope apparatus having a configuration capable of bending the bending portion 12 to the maximum bending angle with a simple configuration and automatically preventing the bending portion 12 from bending beyond the maximum bending angle. 100, a method for controlling the endoscope apparatus 100 can be provided.

  Hereinafter, modifications will be described. In the present embodiment described above, the wire 30u is shown to be covered with an insulating material between the exposed portion 30ub and the exposed portion 30uc.

  Not only this but also between the exposed part 30ub and the exposed part 30uc, some electricity supply materials of the wire 30u may be exposed in the insertion direction S with a set interval.

  According to this, for example, if the exposed portion is provided at a distance from the exposed portion 30ub corresponding to a bending angle of 30 °, and the exposed portion is provided at a distance from the exposed portion 30ub corresponding to a bending angle of 60 °. When the exposed portion corresponding to 30 ° is in contact with the contact 90 and is electrically connected, the control unit 60 can easily detect that the bending portion 12 is bent to 30 ° from the voltage change. When the exposed portion corresponding to 60 ° contacts and is electrically connected to the contact 90, it can be easily detected that the bending portion 12 is bent to 60 ° from the voltage change.

  In addition, by changing the distance from the exposed part 30ub of the exposed part corresponding to each bending angle, other bending angles can be easily detected. As described above, the control unit 60 can detect an arbitrary bending angle of the bending portion 12.

  The above also applies to the wires 30d, 30r, and 30l.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope 10 ... Insertion part 12 ... Bending part 13 ... Flexible pipe part 22 ... Bending piece 22a ... Cutting edge bending piece 22k ... 1st bending piece (electric current supply member)
22kc ... shoulder 22ks ... shoulder 22j ... second bending piece (energizing member)
22jc ... shoulder 22m ... third bending piece (energizing member)
22ms ... shoulder 30u ... wire (contact member)
30d ... Wire (contact member)
30r ... Wire (contact member)
30l ... wire (contact member)
31u ... guide sheath 31d ... guide sheath 31r ... guide sheath 31l ... guide sheath 32 ... pulley (electric traction member)
33 ... Pulley (electric traction member)
38 ... Motor (electric traction member)
39: Motor (electric traction member)
60 ... Control unit 61 ... Energizing device 62 ... Detector 90 ... Contact (energizing member)
100: Endoscopic device S: Insertion direction

Claims (7)

An endoscope apparatus in which a bending portion is provided in an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject,
A wire that is inserted into the insertion portion and that bends the bending portion in accordance with traction using an electric traction member;
An energization member provided in the insertion portion, to which a voltage is applied from an energization device;
A contact member provided in the insertion portion, which is in contact with and electrically connected to the energization member when the bending portion is bent to a maximum bending angle as the wire is pulled using the electric pulling member; ,
When the bending portion is bent to the maximum bending angle, a voltage change caused by the contact member being brought into contact with and electrically connected to the current-carrying member is detected, and the wire is pulled using the electric pulling member. A control unit instructing to stop;
An endoscope apparatus characterized by comprising: The bending portion is configured to be bendable by connecting a plurality of bending pieces along the insertion direction of the insertion portion,
The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the maximum bending angle is defined by contact of shoulder portions of the bending pieces when the bending portion is bent. The energizing member is a first bending piece in the plurality of bending pieces,
The contact member includes a second bending piece connected to a distal end side in the insertion direction with respect to the first bending piece, and the insertion piece with respect to the first bending piece. A third bending piece connected to the base end side;
The shoulder portions of the first bending piece and the second bending piece that contact when the bending portion is bent in one direction to the maximum bending angle, and the bending portion is in another direction different from the one direction. Each of the shoulder portions of the first bending piece and the third bending piece that are in contact with each other when bent to the maximum bending angle is made of a current-carrying material,
The control unit is configured to change a voltage associated with the contact between the shoulder portion of the first bending piece and the shoulder portion of the second bending piece, or the shoulder portion of the first bending piece and the third bending piece. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a voltage change accompanying contact with the shoulder is detected via a detector, and an instruction to stop pulling the wire using the electric pulling member is given. The distal end of the wire in the insertion direction is connected to the bending piece located closest to the distal end side in the insertion direction among the plurality of bending pieces,
The first bending piece, the second bending piece, and the third bending piece are located on the most proximal side in the insertion direction among the plurality of bending pieces. The endoscope apparatus described in 1. The energization member is a contact point with which the wire contacts,
The contact member also serves as the wire in which the current-carrying material is exposed at the first position and the second position, the outer circumference of which is covered with an insulating material and spaced apart by a set interval in the insertion direction of the insertion portion,
When the bending portion is in a non-bending state, the wire is in contact with the current-carrying member exposed at the first position, and when the bending portion is bent to the maximum bending angle. As the wire is pulled, the energized material exposed at the second position contacts the contact,
The control unit detects, via a detector, a voltage change associated with the contact of the energized material exposed at the second position to the contact point when the bending unit is bent to the maximum bending angle, The endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an instruction to stop pulling the wire using the electric pulling member is given. The wire is covered with a guide sheath on the outer periphery in the flexible tube portion connected to the proximal end in the insertion direction of the bending portion in the insertion portion,
The endoscope apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the contact point is fixed to a distal end of the guide sheath in the insertion direction. An insertion part to be inserted into the subject;
A bending portion provided in the insertion portion;
A wire that is inserted into the insertion portion and that bends the bending portion in accordance with traction using an electric traction member;
An energization member provided in the insertion portion, to which a voltage is applied from an energization device;
A contact member provided in the insertion portion, which is in contact with and electrically connected to the energization member when the bending portion is bent to a maximum bending angle as the wire is pulled using the electric pulling member; ,
When the bending portion is bent to the maximum bending angle, a voltage change caused by the contact member being brought into contact with and electrically connected to the current-carrying member is detected, and the wire is pulled using the electric pulling member. A control unit instructing to stop;
In the control method of the endoscope apparatus comprising:
The controller is
Instructing the energization device to apply a voltage to the energization member;
A step of bending the bending portion by instructing the electric pulling member to pull the wire;
Detecting a voltage change caused by the bending portion being bent to a maximum bending angle and the contact member being in contact with and electrically connected to the energization member;
Instructing the electric traction member to stop pulling the wire when the voltage change is detected;
A method for controlling an endoscope apparatus, comprising:

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