JPH01303120A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve operability and to secure water-proof by constituting a wire adjusting mechanism adjustably from the outside of a scope case to execute removal and adjustment of the play of an operating wire from the external part of an endoscope. CONSTITUTION:Four operating wires are wound or rewound by operating a handle 6 and the tip of a curved part 2 is curved in upper and lower directions and in right and left directions. At the time of operating, when a play occurs at an operating wire 12 due to some causes, a sleeve 7 is dislocated to a soft part 3 side and a pinion operating knob 16 is exposed. Four operating knobs 16 are rotated in the arrow A direction and a rack 13 is moved through a pinion 14 in the direction shown by an arrow B. Accompanying the movement of the rack 13, a spiral pipe 11 fixed at one edge of the rack 13 is also moved in the arrow B direction, the spiral pipe 11, which is the guide of the operating wire 12, is extended only by the length equivalent to the moving quantity and the condition to stick the operating wire 12 is obtained. As a result, the play of the operating wire 12 can be removed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Objective of the Invention] (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to an endoscope whose distal end portion can be bent and manipulated, and in particular to an endoscope that can be used to remove and adjust play in the operating wire. This invention relates to improvements in wire adjustment mechanisms.

(Conventional technology) Endoscopes used for examinations and treatments inside the body cavities of living organisms are
Generally, as shown in FIG. 4, a rigid tip portion 1, a curved portion 2,
The scope 4 includes a scope 4 in which flexible parts 3 are successively connected, and an operating part 5 that is continuous with the proximal end of the scope 4 on the flexible part 3 side. A plurality of operating wires (not shown) are inserted into the scope 4, and the distal ends of these operating wires are respectively attached to the connection portions between the rigid tip portion 1 and the curved portion 2. The base end of the operating wire is wound around a drum (not shown) rotatably provided within the operating section, and this drum is rotated by an operating knob 6 provided on the operating section 5. By operating the operating knob, the operating wire is wound or unwound to curve the tip of the bending portion 2 vertically, horizontally, etc.

Note that reference numeral 7 is a sleeve that covers the outer periphery of the connecting portion between the flexible portion 3 and the operating portion 5.

However, while the scope 4 of the endoscope configured as described above is used repeatedly, the operating wire may be extended or the shape of each part of the scope may change, resulting in play in the operating wire. There are things to do. When such play in the operating wire occurs, there will be a difference between the angle operation amount by operating the handle 6 and the angle angle generated at the curved part 2, which will affect the operator's operating sensation and cause erroneous operation due to misunderstanding. It may also invite. For this reason, the play in the operating wire must be kept as small as possible.

For this purpose, the overall length of the scope of the endoscope may be lengthened and the operation wires may be stretched, but in reality it is difficult to lengthen the endoscope. Furthermore, since the same amount of play does not necessarily occur in the plurality of operating wires inserted through the endoscope, it is not possible to eliminate the play that occurs in all the operating wires even if the entire endoscope is lengthened. For this reason, conventionally, a complicated play removal/adjustment mechanism has been provided inside the operating section 5 or inside the connection section between the operating section 5 and the flexible section 3.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, according to the above-mentioned conventional operating wire loose removal/adjustment mechanism, this mechanism is provided inside the operating section, etc. I couldn't make any adjustments. As a result, there was a problem in that adjustment work at the place of use was difficult. Furthermore, although endoscopes are waterproof because they are frequently washed and sterilized, they also have the disadvantage that their waterproof properties are impaired when they are disassembled as described above.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to remove and adjust the play in the operating wire from outside the endoscope, thereby improving workability and ensuring waterproofness. The purpose is to provide endoscopes.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention changes the tension state of the wire A7 disposed between the scope tip and the operating section to adjust the scope tip as appropriate. The present invention provides an endoscope in which a bending operation mechanism for bending the wire is provided with a wire adjustment mechanism that can adjust the wire to remove play, and the wire adjustment mechanism is configured to be adjustable from the outside of the scope housing. There is.

(Function) With the configuration according to the present invention, the work of removing and adjusting the play in the wire for bending the tip of the scope can be done from outside the scope housing without disassembling the operation part etc. This makes it easy to maintain water resistance without compromising waterproof properties.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a wire adjustment mechanism according to an embodiment of an endoscope to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the wire adjustment mechanism.

In the figure, parts that are the same as or equivalent to those shown in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals. The flexible part 3 and the operating part 5 are joined together by a tubular joining member 8, and each joint is sealed watertight via an O-ring 9.10. Inside the flexible part 3 are spiral tubes 11 for guiding four operating wires.
(only one is shown in the figure) are inserted, and the ends of these spiral tubes 11 on the curved part 2 side are fixed to the ends of the flexible part 3. Further, operating wires 12 are guided through each of these spiral tubes 11, and the distal end of the operating wire 12 is fixed to the distal end of the curved portion 2 shown in FIG. It is wound around a drum (not shown).

A rack 13 having a tooth surface perpendicular to the axial direction is fixed to the base end of the spiral tube 11 on the operating portion 5 side, and a pinion 14 meshes with the rack 13. A shaft 15 of this pinion 14 penetrates the outer wall of the joining member 8 and projects to the outside, and a pinion operating knob 16 is attached to the tip of this shaft 15. Further, an O-ring 17 is attached to the penetrating portion of the shaft 15 to the joint member 8, and the shaft 15 is watertightly sealed. The rack 13 is formed with a through hole through which the operating wire 12 is slidably inserted.

The operation wire play removal/adjustment mechanism configured as described above consists of four helical tubes 11 that guide the four operation wires r12.
As shown in FIG. 3, four pinion operating knobs 16 protrude from the outside of the joining member 8. The sleeve 7 covers these pinion operating knobs 16 and is slidably attached to the respective outer peripheries of the operating section 5 and the flexible section 3.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. By operating the handle 6, the four operating wires are reeled in or unwound to bend the tip of the curved portion 2 vertically and horizontally. If play occurs in the operating wire 12 for some reason during this operation, the sleeve 7 is shifted toward the flexible portion 3 to expose the pinion operating knob 16. And 411! Rotate the operating knob 16 of it in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG.
The rack 13 is moved in the direction shown by arrow B via the pinion 14. As the rack 13 moves, the spiral tube 11 fixed to one end of the rack 13 also moves in the direction of arrow B, and the operating wire 12 moves by a length corresponding to the amount of movement.
The helical tube 11, which is the guide, is extended to put the operating wire 12 in tension.

As a result, play in the operating wire 12 can be eliminated. At this time, even if the sleeve 7 is shifted, the respective joints between the flexible part 3, the operating part 5, and the joint member 8 are not connected to the O-ring 9.
．． 10, and similarly pinion 14.
The part where the shaft 15 passes through the joining member 8 is also the O-ring 17.
Since it is sealed, waterproofness can be ensured. Further, the four operating wires 12 can be adjusted independently using the operating knobs 16, respectively.

According to this embodiment, the work of removing and adjusting the play in the operating wire 12 can be performed by simply shifting the sleeve 7 without disassembling the operating part 5, etc., making the work easy and ensuring waterproofness. can do. Also, put sleeve 7 in place! ! When installed, the appearance is no different from that of a conventional endoscope.

In the above embodiment, the adjustment mechanism is provided in the joint member 8 and covered with the sleeve 7, but if it can be adjusted from the outside, the adjustment mechanism can be installed in other parts, such as the operating part 5 side or the flexible part 3. It may be placed on the side. Also, operation wire 1
The number of 2 is not limited to 4.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the endoscope to which the present invention is applied, the wire adjustment mechanism is configured to be adjustable from the outside of the scope housing, so the operation wire can be easily adjusted without disassembling the endoscope. It is possible to remove and adjust the play in the structure, and also ensure waterproofness.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an operation wire play removal/adjustment mechanism according to an embodiment of an endoscope to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a removed version of FIG. 1.・In the adjustment mechanism?
A plan view showing the arrangement with respect to the f1 mirror, and FIG. 4 is an external perspective view showing a general endoscope. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Tip rigid part, 2... Curved part, 3... Soft part, 4... Scope, 5... Operating part, 11... Spiral tube, 12... Operating wire, 13 ...Rack, 14.
...Pinion Figure 4

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) The bending operation mechanism that changes the tension state of the wire disposed between the scope tip and the operation section to appropriately curve the scope tip has a wire adjustment function that can remove play in the wire. 1. An endoscope equipped with a mechanism, wherein the wire adjustment mechanism is configured to be adjustable from the outside of a scope housing. (2) The wire adjustment mechanism fixes a rack to the proximal end of the spiral tube that guides the wire on the operating section side, and
2. The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a pinion that engages with the rack and is rotatably provided from outside the scope housing.