JP6465447B2 - Endoscope manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

In the present invention, by tilting the operation lever, two adjacent pulling wires among a plurality of bending wires inserted along with the built-in object in the insertion portion are pulled, and the bending portion is moved in any of the up, down, left, and right directions. The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an endoscope that can be bent in a straight line .

  A medical endoscope has an elongated insertion portion that is inserted into a living body. An observation optical system for obtaining an optical image of the test portion is built in the distal end portion of the insertion portion. Some endoscopes have a treatment instrument opening for leading the treatment instrument into the body at the distal end of the insertion portion.

  Some endoscopes are provided with a bending portion on the distal end side of the insertion portion. In an endoscope having a bending portion, the bending portion can be easily bent by a user's hand operation so that it can be easily inserted into the deep part of the body, and the observation optical system at the distal end and the treatment tool opening can be directed in a desired direction. Is possible.

  The bending portion is configured to bend in two directions, up and down, or four directions up and down and left and right. The bending portion is configured to bend by, for example, tilting a joystick type operation lever that is a bending operation device provided upright on the operation portion. Specifically, the bending portion is bent when the operation lever is tilted in an arbitrary direction by the user and the bending wire inserted into the insertion portion is pulled or relaxed.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, the insertion portion distal end surface 102 of the endoscope 101 is provided with one observation window 103A, two illumination windows 103B, one treatment instrument opening 104, and the like. And in the front-end | tip part, the four wire fixing | fixed part 105,106,107,108 is provided so that it may each respond | correspond to each direction of up and down, left and right. Reference numeral 109 denotes an insertion portion.

  Specifically, for example, the first wire fixing portion 105 corresponding to the upward direction and the third wire fixing portion 107 corresponding to the downward direction are arranged on or near the vertical axis V passing through the central axis 109a of the insertion portion 109. ing. On the other hand, the second wire fixing portion 106 corresponding to the right direction and the fourth wire fixing portion 108 corresponding to the left direction pass through the central axis 109a and are on or near the horizontal axis H perpendicular to the vertical axis V. Is arranged. In the present embodiment, the center c103 of the observation window 103A and the center c104 of the treatment instrument opening 4 are arranged on the horizontal axis H or in the vicinity thereof.

  The four wire fixing portions 105, 106, 107, and 108 are fixed with the tip portions of four bending wires (not shown) for bending the bending portions (not shown) in four directions, up, down, left and right, respectively. Yes.

  In this configuration, the bending portion bends upward as indicated by the arrow U when the bending wire fixed to the first wire fixing portion 105 is pulled by a tilting operation of an operation lever (not shown), and the first wire fixing is performed. When the bending wire fixed to the third wire fixing portion 107 facing the portion 105 is pulled, it is bent downward as indicated by an arrow D.

  Further, the bending portion is bent in the right direction indicated by the arrow R when the bending wire fixed to the second wire fixing portion 106 is pulled by the tilting operation of the operation lever, and the bending portion faces the second wire fixing portion 106. When the bending wire fixed to the four-wire fixing unit 108 is pulled, it is bent leftward as indicated by an arrow L.

  Note that the operating lever is configured to bend the operating wire by pulling the operating wire when the operating lever is tilted, and the bending portion is bent. Further, the bending wire is inserted into the insertion portion together with the built-in endoscope such as a channel tube, a signal cable, and a light guide fiber bundle.

  Endoscope built-in objects are different in material, diameter, etc., and are also flexible. Therefore, directionality arises in the bendability of a bending part by the position where the endoscope built-in object is arrange | positioned. In other words, when the bending portion is bent in the upward direction, the downward direction, the left direction, the right direction, or the like depending on the arrangement state of the endoscope built-in object, the bending operation force amount is different and the traction amount is changed. As a result, the bending angle of the bending portion differs when the operation lever is tilted to the maximum tilt angle.

  FIG. 10 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-325437 shows a traction member operating device having a structure for adjusting the maximum tilt angle of a joystick and the bending angle of a bending portion in an endoscope that bends in four directions. It is disclosed.

  In this pulling member operating device, a tilting state adjusting member for adjusting the maximum tilting operation range of the bending lever is provided to be movable in each bending direction. According to this endoscope, by adjusting each tilt state adjusting member and regulating the maximum tilt angle of the joystick for each bending direction, the desired bending angle is set by setting the pulling amount of each bending wire to an optimum state. Can get to. However, the operation of adjusting the position of the tilt state adjusting member for each bending direction is a time-consuming operation.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-55041 discloses a bending operation mechanism that regulates the maximum inclination angle of the operation lever, is small and lightweight, has excellent operability, and can easily adjust the bending angle of the bending portion, and its bending An endoscope including an operation mechanism is disclosed. In this endoscope, the maximum tilt angle range of the control lever can be easily adjusted simultaneously in all directions by changing the distance from the fulcrum of the tilt regulating member having a hole with a predetermined diameter. The maximum bending angle of the bending portion can be appropriately adjusted by changing the pulling amount of the bending operation wire. In this endoscope, the shape of the hole is not limited to a circular shape, and a free hole shape (for example, a long hole shape) is formed according to the tilting operation of the joystick required for the curved shape of the curved portion. Is possible.

  In an endoscope, it is desired to reduce the diameter of the insertion portion. Then, the insertion portion 109A is changed by changing the arrangement positions of the wire fixing portions 105, 106, 107, and 108 of the endoscope 101 shown in FIG. 1A to the positions of the wire fixing portions 111, 112, 113, and 114 in FIG. 1B. It is known that the outer diameter can be made smaller than the outer diameter of the insertion portion 109.

  In the endoscope 101A shown in FIG. 1B, the first fixing portion 111 is located between the first wire fixing portion 105 indicated by the broken line and the second wire fixing portion 106 indicated by the broken line. Similarly, the second fixing portion 112 is positioned between the second wire fixing portion 106 indicated by the broken line and the third wire fixing portion 107 indicated by the broken line, and the third wire fixing portion 113 is fixed by the third wire indicated by the broken line. The fourth wire fixing portion 114 is positioned between the fourth wire fixing portion 108 indicated by the broken line and the first wire fixing portion 105 indicated by the broken line. doing. The four wire fixing portions 111, 112, 113, 114 are fixed with the tip portions of four bending wires (not shown) for bending the bending portions (not shown) in four directions, up, down, left, and right, respectively. Yes.

  In the endoscope 101A having this configuration, when the bending portion is bent upward by the tilting operation of the operation lever, the bending wire fixed to the first wire fixing portion 111 and the bending fixed to the fourth wire fixing portion 114 are used. Tow the wire at the same time.

When the bending portion is bent downward, the bending wire fixed to the second wire fixing portion 112 and the bending wire fixed to the third wire fixing portion 113 are pulled simultaneously. When the bending portion is bent in the right direction, the bending wire fixed to the first wire fixing portion 111 and the bending wire fixed to the second wire fixing portion 112 are pulled simultaneously. When the bending portion is bent leftward, the bending wire fixed to the fourth wire fixing portion 114 and the bending wire fixed to the third wire fixing portion 113 are simultaneously pulled.
In the endoscope 101A, when the bending portion is bent in any one of the upper, lower, left and right directions, two adjacent bending wires are pulled.
However, when the arrangement state of the observation window and the treatment instrument channel, which are built-in endoscopes, is arranged along the horizontal axis as shown in, for example, FIGS. There is a difference between the amount of bending operation force when bending in the direction, the amount of bending operation force when bending in the left direction, and the amount of bending operation force when bending in the right direction, and the traction amount changes for each direction. Therefore, the bending angle of the bending portion when the operating lever is tilted to the maximum tilting angle differs for each bending direction. For this reason, in the method of changing and adjusting the distance from the fulcrum of the inclination regulating member as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-55041, it is difficult to adjust the bending angle for each bending direction. Yes, it is difficult to set the maximum pulling amounts of the four bending wires to optimum states.

  On the other hand, in the adjustment method for changing the position of the tilted state adjusting member disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-325437, two tilted states are used to regulate the bending direction in any one of up, down, left and right directions. It is necessary to move the adjustment member. And in order to regulate in four directions, it is necessary to adjust the four tilted state adjusting members a plurality of times, and the adjustment work becomes more complicated.

  Moreover, when one bending wire is extended by repeatedly using an endoscope, for example, the adjustment method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-55041 makes it difficult to repair the bending wire for each bending wire. On the other hand, in the adjustment method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-325437, repair corresponding to the elongation of each bending wire is possible, but the above-described complicated work must be performed again.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a method of manufacturing while realizing diameter of the insertion portion operation and workability excellent endoscope.

The endoscope manufacturing method according to one aspect of the present invention is provided on the distal end side of the insertion portion, and is sequentially set around the central axis of the insertion portion, the first bending direction, the second bending direction, and the third bending direction. And a center of the insertion portion with respect to the first, second, third and fourth bending directions in a bending portion configured to be able to bend in all directions around the central axis including the fourth bending direction. Of the four pulling wires whose tips are fixed in four directions rotated about 90 degrees around the axis, the operation lever is tilted to pull the adjacent first pulling wire and fourth pulling wire. Bending the bending portion in the first bending direction; a first length adjusting member provided on the first pulling wire; and a fourth length adjusting member provided on the fourth pulling wire. Is adjusted to bend in a predetermined first bending state in the first bending direction. A setting step so that a predetermined first gap is formed between the operation lever and a housing arranged around the operation lever, and the four pulling wires Among them, the step of tilting the operation lever to pull the second pulling wire and the third pulling wire to bend the bending portion in the third bending direction, and the second pulling wire are provided. The lengths of the second length adjusting member and the third length adjusting member provided on the third pulling wire are adjusted to bend in a predetermined second bending state in the third bending direction. Setting so that a predetermined second gap is formed between the operating lever and the housing, the first pulling wire, the second pulling wire, A third puller wire and the fourth puller wire By tilting the operation lever to which each of the pulling wires is connected in the first tilting direction, the third pulling wire and the fourth pulling wire are pulled to move the bending portion in the fourth bending direction. A step of bending, a step of adjusting a position of a first adjustment member that contacts the operation lever by tilting the operation lever in the first tilt direction, and setting a bending angle in the fourth bending direction; Tilting the second pulling direction to pull the first pulling wire and the second pulling wire to bend the bending portion in the second bending direction; and Adjusting the position of the second adjusting member that is tilted in contact with the second tilting direction to set the bending angle in the second bending direction.

It is an insertion part front view, Comprising: The figure explaining the positional relationship of the observation window and treatment tool opening provided in the front end surface, and four wire fixing | fixed parts The figure which is the insertion part front, Comprising: The observation window and treatment tool opening which implement | achieve thinning of an insertion part, and the positional relationship of four wire fixing | fixed parts Front view for explaining the appearance of the endoscope Cross-sectional view showing the main part of the tip and bending part Sectional drawing which shows a front-end | tip part along the IV-IV line of FIG. Sectional drawing which shows a curved part along the VV line of FIG. Sectional drawing which shows a curved part along the VI-VI line of FIG. Right side view for explaining the appearance of the endoscope of FIG. Top view for explaining the appearance of the endoscope of FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the arrangement | positioning relationship between a wire pulling member and a cylinder The figure explaining a bending operation apparatus The perspective view for demonstrating the internal structure of a bending operation apparatus Exploded perspective view for explaining the internal structure of the bending operation device Diagram explaining the tow wire

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
In each drawing used in the following description, the scale of each component may be different in order to make each component large enough to be recognized on the drawing. That is, the present invention is not limited only to the number of components, the shape of the components, the ratio of the sizes of the components, and the relative positional relationship between the components described in these drawings.

  The endoscope 1 of this embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is an electronic endoscope for bronchi, for example. The endoscope 1 mainly includes an insertion portion 2, an operation portion 3, and a universal cord 4. The insertion portion 2 is an elongated tubular member, and has an insertion portion central axis 2a that is a central axis of the insertion portion 2 along the longitudinal axis of the operation portion 3 (operation portion longitudinal axis 3a). It is provided to extend toward the distal direction. The universal cord 4 extends from the operation unit 3, and an endoscope connector 5 is disposed at an end thereof.

  The insertion portion 2 is a flexible tubular member, and a distal end portion 6, a bending portion 7, and a flexible tube portion 8 are connected in order from the distal end side.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a metal tip hard portion 10 is provided in the tip portion 6, and an image pickup device such as a CCD or CMOS which is a built-in endoscope is built in the tip hard portion 10. An imaging unit 11 that is an imaging optical system, a light guide 12 that is a pair of illumination optical systems, and a treatment instrument insertion channel 13 are held.

  In the distal end portion 6, a substantially cylindrical cutting edge bending piece 20 constituting the bending portion 7 is fixed to the proximal end side of the distal end hard portion 10. The outer periphery of the cutting edge bending piece 20 is covered with a bending rubber 22. Four wire fixing portions 21 a, 21 b, 21 c, and 21 d are provided on the inner periphery of the cutting edge bending piece 20 in the circumferential direction. Each wire fixing portion 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d is fixed with the tip of any of the four tip side wires 23a constituting the four pulling wires 23 inserted through the insertion portion 2.

  In the present embodiment, the distal end portion 6 realizes a reduction in diameter. Therefore, the wire fixing portions 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d are arranged around the insertion portion central axis 2a from the upper, lower, left, and right directions of the bending portion 7 in the drawing. It is provided at a predetermined position in a direction rotated by less than 90 degrees, for example, a position rotated by 45 degrees.

  In the present embodiment, the distal end rigid portion 10 and the most advanced bending piece 20 have an imaging unit 11 and a treatment instrument insertion channel 13 as a large-sized member as an endoscope built-in component, as shown in FIG. They are arranged side by side on the horizontal axis V passing through the central axis 2a or in the vicinity thereof. And the light guide 12 is each arrange | positioned in the space S1, S2 between the imaging unit 11 and treatment tool penetration channel 13 which were formed up and down across the horizontal axis H, and an internal peripheral surface.

  For this reason, the bending portion 7 is similarly bent with substantially the same amount of bending operation force in the upward direction that is one direction orthogonal to the insertion portion central axis 2a of the insertion portion 2 indicated by the arrow U and the downward direction indicated by the arrow D. . However, depending on the difference between the hardness of the imaging unit 11 and the hardness of the treatment instrument insertion channel 13 in the left direction indicated by the arrow L and the right direction indicated by the arrow R, even if the bending operation force amount is substantially the same, the curve in the left direction. The state and the curved state in the right direction are different.

  Even when the bending operation force amount is the same as when the bending portion 7 is bent upward, the bending state differs between the case where the bending portion 7 is bent leftward and the case where the bending portion 7 is bent rightward.

  In the present embodiment, the vertical and horizontal directions of the distal end portion 6 (insertion portion 2) are directions defined in association with vertical and horizontal directions of an image captured by the imaging unit 11, for example.

  In addition, the arrangement positions of the wire fixing portions 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d are determined taking into consideration the size of the imaging unit 11, the size of the treatment instrument insertion channel 13, and the like. In the present embodiment, the wire fixing portions 21a and 21d are directions rotated by 45 degrees clockwise and counterclockwise around the insertion portion central axis 2a with reference to, for example, the upward direction which is one direction of the bending portion 7, for example. Are provided at predetermined positions. On the other hand, the wire fixing portions 21b and 21c are at predetermined positions in a direction rotated 45 degrees clockwise and counterclockwise around the central axis 2a of the insertion portion with reference to the downward direction which is one direction of the bending portion 7. Is provided. That is, the four wire fixing portions are respectively disposed in the four regions divided by the vertical and horizontal straight lines passing through the central axis 2a.

  In the above description, the upper direction and the lower direction are set as reference directions, but the wire fixing portion may be provided with reference to the right direction and the left direction. That is, any one of the upper, lower, left and right directions serving as a reference for the arrangement position of the wire fixing portion may be any of the upward direction, the downward direction, the right direction and the left direction.

  According to this configuration, the built-in endoscope can be efficiently performed without increasing the diameter of the insertion portion 2 and avoiding interference between the imaging unit 11 and the treatment instrument insertion channel 13 and the distal end side wires 23a. Be placed.

  The bending portion 7 is configured to be able to be actively bent in the entire circumferential direction around the insertion portion central axis 2a including the vertical and horizontal directions in response to an operation input from the operator or the like to the operation portion 3. The bending portion 7 has, for example, a pivot portion 25a (see FIG. 5) arranged in the vertical direction of the insertion portion 2 on the tip side, and a pivot portion 25b (FIG. 6) arranged in the left-right direction of the insertion portion 2. A bending piece set 24 in which a plurality of bending pieces 25 and the like having a reference) are provided on the base end side.

  Inside the bending piece set 24, a signal cable 11 a incorporating a plurality of signal lines (not shown) extending from the imaging unit 11, the above-described distal end side wires 23 a, the light guide 12, and the treatment instrument insertion channel 13. Is inserted in a substantially similar arrangement as in the front end portion 6. In addition, the outer periphery of the bending piece set 24 is covered with the bending rubber 22.

  In addition, a wire guide 26 through which each distal end side wire 23 is inserted is formed in a predetermined bending piece 25 constituting the bending piece set 24. These wire guides 26 are provided at predetermined positions in a direction rotated by a predetermined angle around the insertion portion central axis 2a with respect to the vertical and horizontal directions of the bending portion 7 in the same manner as the wire fixing portion 21 described above.

  The flexible tube portion 8 is constituted by a flexible tubular member that can be bent passively. The distal end side wires 23a, the signal cable 11a, the light guide 12, and the treatment instrument insertion channel 13 described above are inserted into the flexible tube portion 8 (all not shown here).

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the operation unit 3 includes a bend preventing unit 30, a gripping unit 31, and an operation unit main body 32. The bend preventing portion 30 is connected to the flexible tube portion 8 in a state of covering the proximal end of the flexible tube portion 8. The grip portion 31 can be gripped by the hand of a user or the like, and is connected to the folding stop portion 30. The user operation part main body 32 is connected to the proximal end side of the grip part 31.

  In the present embodiment, the direction around the operation unit length 3a in the operation unit 3 is defined with reference to a state in which the user or the like holds the holding unit 31. Specifically, the operation unit 3 defines the front-rear and left-right directions (front surface, back surface, left and right side surfaces, etc.) based on the user or the like who grips the grip unit 31.

  The grip portion 31 is formed in a shape that is substantially bilaterally symmetric with respect to the operation portion longitudinal axis 3a (center axis), and can be gripped and operated by the user or the like with either the left hand or the right hand. ing.

  Further, a treatment instrument insertion portion 35 is provided on the front surface on the distal end side of the grip portion 31. The treatment instrument insertion portion 35 includes a treatment instrument insertion port 35a, and is configured to insert various treatment instruments (not shown). Inside the operation unit 3, the treatment instrument insertion port 35a and the treatment instrument insertion channel 13 are communicated with each other by a branch member (not shown). In addition, a forceps plug (not shown), which is a lid member for closing the treatment instrument insertion port 35a, is detachable from the treatment instrument insertion portion 35.

  The operation portion main body 32 is configured by a hollow member having a substantially partial spherical shape that mainly bulges to the left and right sides and the front side on the proximal end side of the grip portion 31. An operation button group 40 for executing various functions of the endoscope 1 is disposed on the front side of the operation unit main body 32.

  On the other hand, a bending lever 45 as an operation lever which is a shaft body for performing a bending operation on the bending portion 7 is provided upright on the back side of the operation unit main body 32. The universal cord 4 extends from one side of the operation unit main body 32, for example, the left side.

  Here, the left and right shape of the operation unit main body 32 is a shape that is swelled symmetrically with respect to the operation unit longitudinal axis 3a. Guide recesses 32a for guiding the grasped index finger of the user to the operation button group 40 are formed.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, a recess 32 b is formed on the front surface of the operation portion main body 32. The recess 32 b is a curved recess having a finger support surface 32 c on the central axis extension line 45 </ b> L of the bending lever 45. For example, the middle finger of the user who grips the grip portion 31 is disposed in the recess 32b. When the user tilts the bending lever 45 in this gripping state, the hand gripped by the user can receive a moment evenly regardless of the tilting direction of the bending lever 45. Therefore, the user can obtain stable operability.

  In the universal cord 4 shown in FIG. 2, various signal lines, a light guide 12, an air / water tube, and the like are inserted.

  Reference numeral 5a of the endoscope connector 5 is an electrical connector portion, and a signal cable connected to a video processor (not shown) as an external device is connected to the electrical connector portion 5a. Reference numeral 5b denotes a light source connector, and the light source connector 5b is connected to a light source device that is an external device. Reference numeral 5c denotes an air / water supply plug, and the air / water supply plug 5c is connected to an air / water supply device (not shown).

  An operation button group 40 is provided on the operation unit main body 32. The operation button group 40 is, for example, a suction button 41 and a button switch 42. As shown in FIGS. 2, 7, and 8, the suction button 41 is detachable from a suction cylinder (see reference numeral 43 in FIG. 9) provided in the operation unit main body 32. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, a plurality of, for example, two button switches 42 are provided, and an arbitrary function can be assigned from various functions related to the endoscope 1.

The suction button 41 and the button switch 42 are arranged symmetrically on the front side of the operation unit main body 32. That is, in this embodiment, the suction button 41 is disposed at the center in the left-right width direction of the operation unit main body 32 so as to overlap the operation unit longitudinal axis 3a. On the other hand, the two button switches 42 are arranged in a symmetrical relationship on the distal side of the suction button 41 with the operation unit longitudinal axis insertion shaft 3a interposed therebetween.
As shown in FIG. 9, the cylinder 43 is provided inside the operation unit main body 32.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the bending lever 45 has a front and rear direction along the operation unit longitudinal axis 3 a from the upright state of the lever 45 and an orthogonal axis perpendicular to the operation unit longitudinal axis 3 a. It is a joystick-type operation lever that can be tilted in all directions including left and right. The bending lever 45 is disposed at a symmetrical position on the back side of the operation unit main body 32. In the present embodiment, the bending lever 45 is disposed upright at the center in the left-right width direction of the operation section main body 32 so as to overlap the operation section longitudinal axis 3a. Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the tilting direction of the bending lever 45 is defined as the left-right direction of the tilting operation in the left-right width direction of the operation unit 3 which is the orthogonal axis direction, and the direction along the operation unit longitudinal axis 3a. The vertical direction is defined.

  More specifically, in the present embodiment, the bending portion 7 is bent to the left by tilting the bending lever 45 to the LEFT side in FIG. 8, for example. Then, by tilting to RIGHT in FIG. 8, the bending portion 7 curves to the right side, and by tilting to the UP side in FIG. 8, the bending portion 7 curves to the upper side, and toward the DOWN side in FIG. By inclining, the bending portion 7 is bent downward.

  Reference numeral 46 denotes a finger pad, on which a thumb of a user holding the endoscope is placed. The finger pad 46 is provided at the tip of the bending lever 45 protruding outward from the operation unit 3.

  The operation unit 3 is provided with a bending operation device 50 including a bending lever 45 and a finger pad 46. The bending operation device 50 can bend the bending portion 7 in a desired direction corresponding to the tilting operation direction by pulling a plurality of or one pulling wire 23 in conjunction with the tilting operation of the bending lever 45.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 to 13, the bending operation mechanism 50 mainly includes a bending lever 45, a housing 51, a rotation frame 52, a swing member 53, and a wire pulling member 54.

  The housing 51 is configured in a substantially cylindrical shape. Reference numeral 51h denotes an opening, and the bending lever 45 is disposed so as to pass through the center of the opening 51h. An outward ridge line 51e of the opening 51h is a lever contact surface, and a side portion of the tilted curved lever 45 contacts. That is, the bending lever 45 reaches the maximum tilt angle by the side portion of the bending lever 45 coming into contact with the outer side ridge line 51e of the opening 51h. That is, the housing 51 is a restricting member having an opening. In addition, shaft holes 51 a facing each other are formed in the peripheral portion of the housing 51. A pin 55 is inserted through each shaft hole 51a.

  The rotating frame 52 is, for example, a frame body that has a substantially rectangular shape and has a predetermined through hole. A pair of engaging holes 52 a facing each other are formed in the center of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the rotating frame 52. On the other hand, a pair of axial holes 52b facing each other are formed in the center of both ends in the short direction. A pin 56 is inserted into each shaft hole 52b.

  A pin 55 inserted into each shaft hole 51a of the housing 51 is disposed in each engagement hole 52a. As a result, the rotation frame 52 is pivotally supported with respect to the housing 51.

  The swing member 53 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. A fitting hole 53 a is formed at the center of the swing member 53. The proximal end side of the bending lever 45 is fitted into the fitting hole 53a and is integrally connected by bonding, screwing or the like.

  A pair of flat portions 53 b facing each other are formed on the periphery of the swing member 53. Engaging holes 53c (only one engaging hole 53c is shown in FIG. 12) are formed in the flat portion 53b so as to face each other. For example, four screw holes 53 f are formed on the end surface of the swing member 53.

  Pins 56 respectively inserted into the respective shaft holes 52b of the rotating frame 52 are arranged in the respective engaging holes 53c. As a result, the oscillating member 53 is pivotally supported with respect to the rotation frame 52.

  As described above, the swinging member 53 is supported by the housing 51 via the rotating frame 52, so that the bending lever 45 connected to the swinging member 53 tilts in an arbitrary direction within the opening 51h. It is possible to do.

  The wire pulling member 54 is a plate-like member and includes arm portions 54b extending in four different directions. In the present embodiment, the angle formed by the adjacent arm portions 54b provided on the wire pulling member 54 is set to 90 degrees. Therefore, the wire pulling member 54 is a cross-shaped plate member.

  A central portion 54 a of the wire pulling member 54 is fixed to the swing member 53 via a screw 57. The screw 57 is screwed into the screw hole 53f. As a result, the bending lever 45 is connected to the wire pulling member 54 via the swing member 53.

  A wire attachment hole 54c serving as a wire attachment portion of the bending operation device 50 is formed at the distal end side of each arm portion 54b. In the present embodiment, the wire attaching holes 54c are respectively provided with spherical portions 23g fixed to the end portions of the proximal end side wires 23b constituting the pulling wires 24.

  According to these configurations, when the user tilts the bending lever 45 in a desired direction at a desired angle, the wire pulling member 54 is swung along with the tilting operation. Then, the desired pulling wire 23 is pulled by a desired amount by the swinging of the wire pulling member 54 and the bending portion 7 is bent.

  The bending operation mechanism 50 configured as described above is disposed in the operation portion main body 32 so as to face the cylinder 43 in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 9, the cylinder 43 is disposed between the two arm portions 54 b of the wire pulling member 54 constituting the bending operation mechanism 50.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the stay 51 extending on both sides of the cylinder 43 is provided in the housing 51 of the bending operation mechanism 50. A base end side of the guide coil 27 is fixed to the stay 58. The distal end side wire 23a is inserted into a guide coil 27 that is detoured without interfering with the cylinder 43.

  In addition, a pair of tilted state adjustment members 59 is movably disposed on the adjustment member disposition surface 51f so as to block a part of the opening 51h in the housing 51. The tilted state adjusting member 59 has a rectangular shape and includes a long hole 59h parallel to the short side. An internal thread (not shown) is formed on the adjustment member disposition surface 51 f of the housing 51. Then, the pair of tilt state adjusting members 59 respectively define the bending angle in the horizontal direction in which the treatment instrument insertion channel 13 and the imaging unit 11 are arranged.

  The ridge line 59e of the tilt state adjusting member 59 fixed to the housing 51 is a lever abutting portion, and a side portion of the tilted curved lever 45 abuts. Thus, the bending lever 45 is defined at a predetermined tilt angle.

Here, the pulling wire 23 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 13, in the present embodiment, the pulling wire 23 includes a distal end side wire 23a, a proximal end side wire 23b, and a wire length adjusting portion 23c.

  The distal end portion of the distal end side wire 23a constituting the pulling wire 23 is fixed to any of the four wire fixing portions 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d. A sphere portion 23g is fixed to the base end portion of each base end side wire 23b of the pulling wire 23. The sphere portions 23g fixed to the proximal-side wire 23b are respectively disposed in the wire attachment holes 54c corresponding to the wire fixing portions 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d.

  The wire length adjustment unit 23c includes an adjustment unit main body 23d and an adjustment member 23e. The adjustment unit main body 23d is a pipe-shaped member. An axial hole 23h1 is formed on the distal end side of the adjustment unit main body 23d, and a screw hole 23h2 is formed on the proximal end side. The axial hole 23h1 communicates with the screw hole 23h2 and the outside, and the distal end side wire 23a is slidably disposed inside. The screw hole 23h2 is set to a predetermined depth, and an internal thread 23f is formed on the inner surface thereof.

  The adjusting member 23e is a shaft body including an axial through hole 23h3. A male screw 23m is cut on the outer peripheral surface of the adjusting member 23e. The adjusting screw 23m is configured by screwing the male screw 23m of the adjusting member 23e into the screw hole 23h2 of the adjusting unit main body 23d.

  Reference numeral 23s denotes a drop-off preventing member, which is fixed to the proximal end portion of the distal end side wire 23a. The outer diameter of the drop-off preventing member 23s is set larger than the inner diameter of the axial hole 23h1 and smaller than the inner diameter of the screw hole 23h2.

  That is, the drop prevention member 23s is fixed to the wire proximal end of the distal end side wire 23a in which the distal end of the wire is fixed to the wire fixing portions 21, 21b, 21c, and 21d constituting the pulling wire 23. The drop-off prevention member 23s is slidably disposed in the screw hole 23h2 of the adjustment unit main body 23d.

  On the other hand, the distal end of the proximal end side wire 23b constituting the pulling wire 23 is disposed in the axial through hole of the adjusting member 23e, and the end thereof is fixed to the adjusting member 23e integrally. The above-described spherical portion 23g is fixed to the proximal end of the proximal end side wire 23b.

  And the pulling wire 23 is comprised by screwing the adjustment member 23e integrally fixed to the wire front-end | tip of the base end side wire 23b in the screw hole 23h2 of the adjustment part main body 23d.

  In the pulling wire 23, the adjustment member 23e is movable as shown by an arrow Y13A. Thus, the total length of the pulling wire 23 is changed to a desired length as shown by an arrow Y13B by changing the screwing state between the adjusting portion main body 23d and the adjusting member 23e constituting the wire length adjusting portion 23c. It becomes adjustable.

  In this embodiment, the operator adjusts the bending angle of the bending portion 7 of the endoscope 1 as shown below. In the following description, in order to distinguish the traction wire 23, the traction wire 23 in which the distal end side wire 23a is fixed to the first wire fixing portion 21a is referred to as a first traction wire, and the second wire fixing portion 21b is referred to as a second wire fixing portion 21b. The pulling wire 23 to which the distal end side wire 23a is fixed is described as a second pulling wire, the pulling wire 23 to which the distal end side wire 23a is fixed to the third wire fixing portion 21c is described as a third pulling wire, The pulling wire 23 in which the distal end side wire 23a is fixed to the fourth wire fixing portion 21d is referred to as a fourth pulling wire. In the drawing, the first pulling wire, the second pulling wire, the third pulling wire, and the fourth pulling wire are denoted by reference numeral 23.

  First, the operator tilts the bending lever 45 in the upward tilting direction and the downward tilting direction to check the upward bending state and the downward bending state of the bending portion 7. After the confirmation, the operator sets the upward bending angle of the bending portion 7. At this time, the length of the first pulling wire 23 is adjusted, and the length of the fourth pulling wire 23 is adjusted.

  That is, the operator adjusts the screwed state of the adjusting member 23e and the adjusting unit main body 23d provided in the first pulling wire 23 and the fourth pulling wire 23, respectively, and the bending portion 7 is predetermined in the upward direction. Set to bend in a bent state.

  At this time, the operator performs adjustment so that a predetermined gap is formed so that the side portion of the bending lever 45 does not contact the outer side ridge line 51e of the opening 51h. The bending portion 7 has a maximum bending angle with respect to the upward direction when the side portion of the bending lever 45 abuts on the outer side ridge line 51e.

  Next, the operator sets a downward bending angle of the bending portion 7. At this time, the length of the second pulling wire 23 is adjusted, and the length of the third pulling wire 23 is adjusted.

  As described above, the operator adjusts the screwing state between the adjusting member 23e and the adjusting unit main body 23d included in each of the second pulling wire 23 and the third pulling wire 23, so that the bending portion 7 is lowered downward in advance. It is set to bend in a predetermined bending state.

  Next, the operator tilts the bending lever 45 in the left tilt direction and the right tilt direction, and confirms the bending state of the bending portion 7 in the left direction and the bending state in the right direction. After the confirmation, the operator sets the leftward bending angle of the bending portion 7 and sets the rightward bending angle of the bending portion 7.

  At this time, the operator adjusts the arrangement position of the tilt state adjustment member 59 corresponding to the left tilt direction and adjusts the arrangement position of the tilt state adjustment member 59 corresponding to the right tilt direction. That is, the operator loosens the fixing screw 60 that fixes the tilting state adjusting member 59 and moves the tilting state adjusting member 59 so that, for example, the bending portion 7 is bent at a predetermined bending angle in the left direction. Set to.

Next, the operator loosens the fixing screw 60 that fixes the tilt state adjusting member 59 corresponding to the right tilt direction and moves the tilt state adjusting member 59 so that the bending portion 7 is bent in the right direction in advance. Set to bend at an angle.
As a result, it is possible to easily adjust the bending angle of the bending portion 7 in the vertical and horizontal directions.

  According to this endoscope 1, the user holds the grip portion 31 of the operation portion 3, and moves the bending lever 45 in an upright state along the operation portion longitudinal axis 3 a with the thumb of the gripped hand or the operation portion longitudinal axis. By inclining along an orthogonal axis orthogonal to 3a, the bending portion 7 is bent in any one of the upper, lower, left and right directions.

  Specifically, when the bending portion 7 is bent in one direction, for example, in the left direction, the bending lever 45 is inclined in the left tilt direction. Then, mainly the proximal end side wire 23b of the pulling wire 23 of the first pulling wire 23 and the proximal end side wire 23b of the second pulling wire 23 connected to the two arm portions 54b positioned in the right swinging direction. Is towed.

Then, the traction force is transmitted to the distal end side wire 23a of the first traction wire 23 and the distal end side wire 23a of the second traction wire 23 located in the bending portion 7 via the wire length adjusting portion 23c, and the bending portion. 7 is curved to the left as indicated by the arrow L.
Thereafter, the side portion of the bending lever 45 comes into contact with the ridgeline 59e of the predetermined tilt state adjusting member 59, so that the bending portion 7 is bent leftward at a desired bending angle.

  When the user grips the grip portion 31 of the operation unit 3 and tilts the bending lever 45 in the right tilt direction along the orthogonal axis with the thumb of the gripped hand as described above, mainly in the left swing direction. The proximal end side wire 23b of the third pulling wire 23 and the proximal end side wire 23b of the fourth pulling wire 23 connected to the two arm portions 54b positioned are pulled.

Then, the traction force is transmitted to the distal end side wire 23a of the third traction wire 23 and the distal end side wire 23a of the fourth traction wire 23 located in the bending portion 7 via the wire length adjusting portion 23c, and the bending portion. 7 is curved to the right as indicated by arrow R.
Thereafter, the side portion of the bending lever 45 abuts against the ridge line 59e of the predetermined tilt state adjusting member 59, so that the bending portion 7 is bent at a desired bending angle in the right direction.

  Further, the user grips the grip portion 31 of the operation portion 3 and tilts the bending lever 45 in the upward tilt direction along the operation portion longitudinal axis 3a with the thumb of the gripped hand. Then, the proximal end side wire 23b of the first pulling wire 23 and the proximal end side wire 23b of the fourth pulling wire 23 connected to the two arm portions 54b positioned in the downward swinging direction are mainly pulled. .

Then, the traction force is transmitted to the distal end side wire 23a of the first traction wire 23 and the distal end side wire 23a of the fourth traction wire 23, which are located in the bending portion 7, via the wire length adjusting portion 23c, and the bending portion. 7 is curved upward as indicated by an arrow U.
Thereafter, before the side portion of the bending lever 45 abuts on the outer side ridge line 51e of the opening 51h, the bending portion 7 is bent at a desired bending angle in the upward direction.

  Further, the user grips the grip portion 31 of the operation unit 3 and tilts the bending lever 45 in the downward tilt direction along the operation unit longitudinal axis 3a with the thumb of the gripped hand. Then, mainly the proximal end side wire 23b of the second pulling wire 23 and the proximal end side wire 23b of the third pulling wire 23 connected to the two arm portions 54b positioned in the upward swing direction are pulled. .

Then, the traction force is transmitted to the distal end side wire 23a of the second traction wire 23 and the distal end side wire 23a of the third traction wire 23 located in the bending portion 7 through the wire length adjusting portion 23c, and is bent. The portion 7 is curved downward as indicated by the arrow D.
Thereafter, before the side portion of the bending lever 45 comes into contact with the outer side ridge line 51 value 2 of the opening 51h, the bending portion 7 bends at a desired bending angle downward. This completes the adjustment work.

  As described above, the pulling wire 23 includes the distal end side wire 23a, the proximal end side wire 23b, and the wire length adjusting unit 23c, and the length adjustment of the pulling wire 23 is performed by the adjusting unit of the wire length adjusting unit 23c. This is made possible by changing the screwed state of the main body 23d and the adjusting member 23e. As a result, even in an endoscope in which the bending angle of the bending portion when the operation lever is tilted is different for each bending direction, the bending angle of the bending portion 7 is adjusted by appropriately adjusting the length of each pulling wire 23. It can be easily adjusted to a desired state.

  In addition, in addition to the pulling wire 23 described above, even if the bending portion 7 has a directionality due to the difference in hardness of the endoscope built-in object inserted into the insertion portion 2, The upward bending angle, the downward bending angle, the leftward bending angle of the bending portion 7 are adjusted by moving and appropriately adjusting the arrangement position of the tilted state adjusting member 59 provided in consideration of the arrangement of the built-in endoscope. The rightward bending angle can be set to a desired state.

  In the above-described embodiment, the imaging unit 11 that is a large member as the endoscope built-in object and the treatment instrument insertion channel 13 are placed on the horizontal axis H or the distal end rigid portion 10 and the most advanced bending piece 20 on the horizontal axis H. They are arranged side by side in the vicinity. However, the imaging unit 11 and the treatment instrument insertion channel 13 may be arranged side by side on the vertical axis V or in the vicinity thereof. In that case, the arrangement of the tilt state adjusting member 59 is changed.

  It should be noted that the pulling wire 23 is stretched when the user abuts the outer side ridge line 51e on which the side portion of the bending lever 45 is not provided with the tilt state adjusting member or the other outer side ridge line 51e. You can grasp that it is in a state. In this case, repair is performed in the same procedure as the adjustment described above.

  In this way, the operator needs to easily repair by adjusting so that a predetermined gap is formed so that the side portion of the bending lever 45 does not contact the outer side ridge line 51e of the opening 51h. Can be grasped.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to each embodiment described above, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible, and they are also in the technical scope of this invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to an endoscope for bronchi has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, for an endoscope for urology, etc. It is possible to apply.

  Further, the tilting direction defined for the curved lever is not limited to the above-mentioned one, and the operation button is not limited to the suction button or the like.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the endoscope excellent in operativity and workability | operativity is realizable, implement | achieving diameter reduction of an insertion part.

  This application is filed on the basis of the priority claim of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-155762 filed in Japan on August 8, 2016. The above disclosure is included in the present specification and claims. Shall be quoted.

Claims (1)

  All provided around the central axis including a first bending direction, a second bending direction, a third bending direction, and a fourth bending direction that are provided on the distal end side of the insertion portion and are sequentially set around the central axis of the insertion portion. The distal end in four directions rotated less than 90 degrees around the central axis of the insertion portion with respect to the first, second, third and fourth bending directions. Tilting the operating lever among the four pulling wires fixed to each other, pulling the first pulling wire and the fourth pulling wire adjacent to each other, and bending the bending portion in the first bending direction; ,
  By adjusting the lengths of the first length adjusting member provided on the first pulling wire and the fourth length adjusting member provided on the fourth pulling wire, the length of the first bending direction is adjusted in advance. Setting is made so that a predetermined first gap is formed between the operation lever and the housing disposed around the operation lever when the bending is set in the predetermined first bending state. Steps,
Tilting the operating lever of the four pulling wires to pull the second pulling wire and the third pulling wire to bend the bending portion in the third bending direction;
  By adjusting the lengths of the second length adjusting member provided on the second pulling wire and the third length adjusting member provided on the third pulling wire, the length of the third bending direction is adjusted in advance. Setting so as to form a predetermined second gap between the operation lever and the housing when set to be bent in the predetermined second bending state;
  By tilting the operation lever to which the first pulling wire, the second pulling wire, the third pulling wire, and the fourth pulling wire are respectively connected in the first tilt direction, the third pulling wire is tilted. Pulling the pulling wire and the fourth pulling wire to bend the bending portion in the fourth bending direction;
  Adjusting the position of the first adjusting member that contacts the operation lever by tilting in the first tilt direction, and setting a bending angle in the fourth bending direction;
  Tilting the operating lever in a second tilting direction to pull the first pulling wire and the second pulling wire to bend the bending portion in the second bending direction;
  Adjusting the position of a second adjustment member that contacts the operation lever by tilting in the second tilt direction, and setting a bending angle in the second bending direction;
  An endoscope manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

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