JPH03228728A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily carry out the operation of a curved part formed at the top edge part of an endoscope and the operation of other switches easily at the same time by installing a control switch on a curving operation lever. CONSTITUTION:When an observation object part is displayed on a monitor, the movable member 47 of a control switch 44 installed at the top edge part of a curving operation lever 14 is immediately pushed by the finger operating the lever 14. The movable member 47 presses a piezoelectric switch 52 against the urging power of a coil spring 48, and generates a turned-ON state. Accordingly, a circuit consisting of a frieze control part 62, rotary switch 44, and a piezoelectric circuit 52 is formed, and the frieze control part 62 friezes a monitor image on which the observation object part is displayed. When the finger is separated from the control switch 44, the frieze control part 62 stops operation, and frieze state is released. Further, even in the case where other control part is selected by the rotary switch 54, the selected control part is operated, together with the curving operation, by carrying out the similar operation to the above- described.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an endoscope equipped with a bending operation lever for bending a bending section provided in an insertion section.

[Prior art and problems to be solved] Generally, the bending section of an endoscope is bent by operating a bending operation knob provided on the operation section. A technique using a motor or the like is shown. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-69523 discloses an endoscope in which an endoscope operation section is provided with a motor drive means for driving a bending section with a motor, and a means for adjusting the rotational speed of the motor of the motor drive means.

On the other hand, in addition to the bending operation switch, the endoscope also has air supply, water supply,
Switches such as a suction switch, a shutter for a photographing device, a release and freeze for an endoscope image, a VTR, etc. are provided.

The operation of these switches is difficult because the insertion section is moved forward and backward with one hand, and the other hand is used to grasp the operation section, making it difficult to operate the switches. Furthermore, since endoscopes are used to observe areas within body cavities by remote control, it is difficult to hold and observe a desired observation area for a certain period of time. Therefore, when recording an image of the observation area, operate the bending operation switch to bring the observation window of the endoscope closer to the observation area, and when the endoscope captures the observation area, immediately release the release or switch such as a VTR switch. This requires agile operations such as pressing, but this also has the problem of being difficult to operate quickly for the reasons mentioned above.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is possible to easily operate the curved part provided at the distal end of the endoscope and other switches at the same time. The purpose is to provide a mirror.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned object, the present invention includes an operation section provided on the proximal side of an insertion section inserted into a subject having a curved section to perform a bending operation of the curved section. The bending operation lever includes a movable part movable in the axial direction of the lever, a biasing means biased by the movable part, and a movable part resisting the biasing force of the biasing means. A switch that becomes conductive when moved is provided.

[Operation] In the endoscope configured as described above, the bending operation is performed using the bending operation lever. The bending operation lever is provided with a movable part, and when the movable part is moved against the biasing force of the biasing means, the switch is brought into a conductive state.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 4 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a sectional view of the tip of the bending operation lever, FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the rotary switch, and FIG. 4 is a 70-chart diagram of the bending operation.

In FIG. 1, an endoscope device 1 includes an endoscope 2, an image carrier control unit 3, a light source device 4, a monitor 5, a motor control unit 6, and a treatment device 7 such as a high frequency treatment device or a laser device. ing.

The endoscope 2 includes an elongated insertion section 8, and an operation section 9 is connected to the insertion section 8 on the proximal side. The insertion portion 8 has a distal end portion 11, a curved portion 12, and a flexible tube portion 13 successively arranged from the distal end side, and the operating portion 9 is connected to the flexible tube portion 13.

The operation section 9 is provided with a bending operation lever 14, a release switch 16, a freeze switch 17, and a plurality of switches (not shown). A universal cord 18 extends from the operation section 9, and a connector 18a provided at the end of the universal cord 18 is detachably connected to the image pickup section control unit 3. A light guide cord 19 and a signal cord 21 are extended from the connector 18a, and the connector 19a provided at the end of the light guide cord 19 is connected to the light source device 4, and the connector 19a is provided at the end of the signal cord 21. ] Nectar 21
a are detachably connected to the motor control unit 6.

Incidentally, the imaging section control unit 3 is connected to the treatment device @7 by a signal cord 22.

Note that the imaging section control unit 3 is connected to the monitor 5 via a signal cord 20.

A solid-state image sensor 23 and an output end face of a light guide 24 are provided at the distal end of the distal end portion 11 .

The light guide 24 passes through the insertion section 8, the operation section 9, the universal cord 18, and the light guide cord 19 to the light source device 4.
The illumination light output from the light source device 4 is supplied and transmitted. The solid-state image sensor 23 is configured to image the area illuminated by the light guide 24 on an imaging surface, and converts the formed image into an electrical signal. The solid-state image sensor 23 is connected to the image carrier control unit 3 by a signal transmission line 26 that passes through the insertion section 8, the operation section 9, and the universal cord 18, and is connected to the image carrier control unit 3 by a signal (not shown) provided in the image capture section control unit 3. The electrical signal is input to the signal processing circuit by a drive clock output from the processing circuit.

At the rear of the tip portion 11, there are a plurality of curved portions 27, 27, which constitute the curved portion 12 and are rotatably connected to each other.
... are connected, and the rearmost curved section 27 is connected to the flexible tube section 13.

Inside the operating section 9, there are two motors 28a that can rotate in forward and reverse directions.
, 28b are provided; for example, the motor 28a is for bending the bending portion 12 in the vertical direction;
b is for curving in the left-right direction. Pulleys 29a and 29b are provided on the drive shafts of the motors 28a and 28b.
are respectively provided, and a bending wire 31a131b is wound around this pulley 29a129b. Each end of the curved wires 31a, 31b is provided with a slack removing member 32.32.
, . . , and is fixed to the distal end portion 11 so that the fixed portion of the wire 31a and the fixed portion of the wire 31b are substantially perpendicular to each other. For example, when the vertical motor 28a is rotationally driven, the wire 3
1a is pulled and relaxed, and the distal end 11 is pulled, thereby causing the curved portion 12 to curve upward or downward.

The lengths of the curved wires 31a and 31b are set so that a tensile force is generated in the wires 31a and 31b when the curved portion 12 is not curved. Moreover, the slack absorbing member 32 is for absorbing the slack that occurs in the wires 31a and 31b when they are pulled.

Each of the slack removing members 32, 32, . . . has a wire r3.
Strain gauge 33.3 for detecting tension in 1a and 31b
3.... are pasted. Distortion gauge 33.33,・
The output voltage of ... is universal]do18 and signal]-do2
1 is connected to a bending control circuit (not shown) provided in the motor control unit 6. Note that the curved wires 31a, 31b are connected to stoppers 34, 34, . . .
・It is regulated to prevent excessive curvature.

Potentiometers 36a, 36b are provided on the drive shafts of the motors 28a, 28b.
The rotation angle is output. This output signal indicating the rotation angle is connected to a bending control circuit (not shown) in the motor control unit 6 via a universal cord 18 and a signal cord 21.

The curved operation lever 14 provided on the operation section 9 is connected to the fulcrum 3
7, and passes through elongated openings 39a139b formed in the two rotating frames 38a and 38b at the same time. These rotating frames 38a and 38b are provided, for example, orthogonally to each other, and in response to the operation lever 14, the shaft 41a is rotated.
, 41b, respectively. The shafts 41a, 41b
Potentiometers 42a and 142b are attached to the rotary frame body 3.
The configuration is such that an output voltage corresponding to the amount of movement of 8a and 38b can be obtained. The potentiometers 42a, 4
2b is connected to the bending control circuit (not shown) via a universal cord 18 and a signal cord 21.

Note that, for example, when bending the bending portion 12 in the vertical direction, the rotating frame 38a is rotated, and when bending the bending portion 12 in the left-right direction, the rotating frame 38b is rotated. . When the rotating frame 38a is rotated, a voltage signal corresponding to the movement is output to the bending control circuit, and the bending control circuit combines the output voltage of the potentiometer 42a and the motor 2.
The motor 28a is rotated so that the output voltages of the potentiometer 8a and the potentiometer 8a are equal to each other.

The bending operation lever 14 is provided with four elastic members 43, 43, etc., such as coil springs, so that when the operator releases the lever 14, the lever 14
is returned to the neutral position by the elastic members 43, 43, . By doing so, the endoscope curved portion 12 tends to be in a straight line, so that patient safety can be ensured.

The bending operation lever 14 is provided with a control switch 44 shown in FIG. This control switch 44 is installed inside the lever 14 in a storage space 46 provided at the tip of the lever 14.
A movable member 47 is provided to be slidable in the axial direction. The movable member 47 has a substantially cylindrical shape and has a large diameter portion 47a in the center.
, narrow diameter portions 47b and 47G are formed at both ends. A coil spring 48 is provided in the small diameter portion 47b so as to be biased into the storage space 46, and the large diameter portion 47
a is locked by a retaining member 49 screwed onto the end of the lever 14 to prevent the movable member 47 from falling off due to the biasing force of the coil spring 48. In addition, the storage space 46
An O-ring 51 is provided on the inner peripheral wall surface of the movable member 47 to maintain watertightness and prevent the movable member 47 from moving if the pressing force applied to the movable member 47 is less than a predetermined value.

A piezoelectric switch 52 is provided at the bottom of the storage space 46, and is pressed to turn on when the movable member 47 is pushed against the biasing force of the coil spring 48. The piezoelectric switch 52 is connected to a signal transmission line 53 inserted through the bending operation lever 14 .

This signal transmission line 53 is connected via a universal cord 18 to a rotary switch 54 shown in FIG. 3 provided within the image pickup section control unit 3.

Top 20 - Tally switch 54 connects rotating common electrodes 54a and 8
electrodes 54b, 54c, 54d, 54e, 54f, 5
It consists of 4g, 54h, and 54i. The rotating common electrode 54a is connected to the piezoelectric switch 52, the electrode 54b is connected to the air supply control section (A) 56, the electrode 54c is connected to the water supply control section (W) 57, and the electrode 54d is connected to the suction control section (S).
) 58, the electrode 54e is connected to the video control unit (V) 59, the electrode 54f is connected to the release control unit (R) 61, the electrode 54Q is connected to the freeze control unit (F) 62, and the electrode 54h is connected to the treatment device control unit (T). 63, the electrodes 54i are each connected to a camera shutter control section (C8) 64. Note that the air supply control section 56, water supply control section 57, and suction control section 58 are each composed of a solenoid valve and a control circuit, and each control section 56.5
7.58 is provided in the light source device 4, and each operation switch is also provided in the light source device @4. In addition, the video control unit 59
A release control section 61 and a freeze control section 62 are provided in the imaging section control unit 3, and each control section 5
Operation switches 9, 61, and 62 (not shown) are provided in the imaging section control unit 3. Further, operation switches for the release control section 61 and the freeze control section 62 are provided on the operation section 9 as a release switch 16 and a freeze switch 17, and the video control section 59 is provided with operation switches (not shown) on the operation section 9.

The rotating common electrode 54a is rotated by a switching knob 66 provided on the operation panel 3a of the image carrier control unit 3, and is connected to each control unit 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63.
．． 64 can be selected, and the control section selected by the knob 66 can be operated by the control switch 44 provided on the bending operation lever 14.

The operation of the endoscope configured as described above will be explained next.

The control section to be controlled by the control switch 44 of the bending operation lever 14 is selected using the switching knob 66 of the imaging section control unit 3. Assume here that freeze control unit <F) 62 is selected. Rotate the switching knob 66 to rotate the common electrode 54.
a and the electrode 54Q of the freeze control section (F) 62 are connected.

Next, the insertion portion 8 of the endoscope H2 is inserted into the body cavity.

An image of the area illuminated by the illumination light emitted from the light guide 24 is formed on the image carrying surface of the solid-state image sensor 23 and converted into an electrical signal, which is then transmitted through the signal transmission line 26 to the image capture unit control unit 3 for signal processing. input to the circuit. The signal processing circuit generates a video signal and outputs it to the monitor 5.
The endoscopic image is displayed.

Before surgery, the surgeon operates the bending operation lever 14 with, for example, a finger while observing the internal mirror image displayed on the monitor 5 to display the region to be observed on the screen of the monitor 5. Immediately after the observation target region is displayed on the monitor 5, the finger operating the bending operation lever 14 pushes in the movable member 47 of the control switch 44 provided at the tip of the lever 14. The movable member 47 presses the piezoelectric switch 52 against the biasing force of the coil spring 48, and the piezoelectric switch 52 is turned on. As a result, a circuit of the freeze control section (F) 62, the rotary switch 54, and the piezoelectric switch 520 is formed, and the freeze control section (F) 62 operates.
freezes the monitor image displaying the region to be observed.

When you release your finger from the control switch 44, the movable member 47 is separated from the piezoelectric switch 52 by the biasing force of the coil spring 48, and the piezoelectric switch 52 is turned off, whereby the freeze control section 62 stops operating and the freeze is released. be done.

Further, even when another control section is selected using the rotary switch 54, the selected control section is operated along with the bending operation by performing the same operation as described above.

Note that the bending portion of the bending portion 12 is controlled by a bending control portion (not shown) provided in the motor control unit 6. Next, the operation of the bending control section will be explained using FIG.

When the connector 21a of the signal cord 21 of the endoscope 2 is connected to the motor control unit 6, the bending control section reads the barcode displayed on the connector 21a using PIOl. The barcode includes allowable wire tension information indicating the tension generated by the bending wires 31a and 31b when the endoscope 12 is bent to the maximum, and duct configuration information indicating the duct configuration for air and water supply of the endoscope 2. is written, read this information with P2O3, and input the allowable wire tension A. Next, at P2O3, a signal corresponding to the actual tension of the bending wires 31a, 31b is inputted from the strain gauge 33, and the actual wire tension B is detected at P2O3. At P2O3, the allowable wire tension A is compared with the actual wire tension B, and the allowable wire tension is determined as △.
When the actual wire tension B is smaller (A>8)
, Pl 03, and the signal from the strain gauge 33 is input.

In addition, when the allowable wire tension A and the actual wire tension B are equal, or when the actual wire tension B is larger (A≦B), the motors 28a and 28b provided in the operating section 9 are The power supply will be cut off. When the power supply is stopped, the motors 28a and 28b are stopped, and the bending operation of the bending portion 11 is stopped. This prevents the curved portion 11 from curving beyond the allowable range. Next, P2O
At step 3, it is confirmed whether the bending operation lever 14 has returned to the neutral position, and if it has not returned to the neutral position, the state returns to Pl 06 to continue stopping the power supply. P when returning to neutrality
Proceeding to step 2O3, power can be supplied to the motors 28a, 28b, and when the lever 14 is operated, the motors 28a, 28b are driven again.

As described above, the curved portion 12 can be prevented from being curved more than necessary, so patient safety can be maintained. Furthermore, since the stopper 34 is provided, a double safety mechanism is provided. Typically, the electrical braking is performed by a stopper 34.
This is done before braking. Therefore, even though the motor 28 is braked by the stopper 34,
It is not normal for power to be supplied to a, 28b.

In particular, when the motors 28a and 28b are ultrasonic motors, if power is supplied in a non-rotatable state, the motors will deteriorate severely, so by braking as described above, good durability of the motors can be obtained.

In this embodiment, a control switch 44 is provided on the bending operation lever 14, and by operating the control switch 44, the control portions 56, 57, 58 selected in advance by the rotary switch 54 can be selected.
．． 59, 61, 62, 63, and 64, the operability is good and agile operations can be performed.

5 to 7 relate to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is an exploded view of the control switch, and Figure 6 is A-A in Figure 5.
7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the control switch.

In the first embodiment described above, the piezoelectric switch 52 remains on only while the movable member 47 is held pressed, whereas in this embodiment, when the movable member 47 is pressed - times If the on state is maintained and the movable member 47 is pressed again, the off state will be achieved.

The bending operation lever 14 of this embodiment has a substantially cylindrical shape, and the inner circumferential surface of the tip end includes a square hole portion 71 which is a square hole portion from the upper side in FIG. 5, and a seal portion having an inner diameter smaller than the square hole portion 71. 7
2. Rotating body housing portion 73 having an inner diameter larger than the seal portion 72;
A threaded portion 74 is provided. A switch button 76 is provided within the square hole portion 71 and the seal portion 72. The switch button 76 consists of a corner part 76a that is non-rotatably fitted into the square hole part 71, and a narrow diameter part 76b that is slidably provided in the seal part 72, and the lower end surface of the narrow diameter part 76b is formed on the circumference. A saw blade portion 76c is formed in the direction. The seal part 72 has an O-ring 77 for watertightness and sliding resistance.
is provided.

The inner circumferential surface of the rotary body storage portion 73, and the seal portion 72
On the side, there are six first holes arranged equally as shown in Figure 6.
Projections 78, 78, . . . are provided, and this first
Second protrusions 79, 79, 79 are formed between every other protrusions 78, 78, . . . . First protrusion 78
．． The lower portions of the saw blades 78, .

A rotary body 81 is provided in the rotary body storage portion 73 so as to be rotatable and slidable in the axial direction of the lever 14 .

The rotating body 81 has a surface that protrudes upward and slides on the inner circumferential surface of the storage section 73, and has an inclined surface having the same shape as the saw blade section 76c and the lower part of the first protrusion section 78 at its upper end. It is composed of three third protrusions 81a, 81a, 81a and a narrow diameter portion 81b.

A coil spring 82 is provided so as to be wound around the upper wiring diameter portion 81b, and this coil spring 82 is attached to the threaded portion 74.
is biased by a substantially disc-shaped lid member 83 screwed into the
The rotating body 81 is fixed in the storage part 73 in such a manner that it is pushed upward. The lid member 83 is provided with a piezoelectric switch 52 that is turned on by being pressed by the narrow diameter portion 81b via a plate spring 84 when the rotating body 81 is moved downward. A signal transmission line 53 passing through a lid member 83 is connected to the piezoelectric switch 52 .

The other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. Here, the state of the rotary body 81 before operation is such that the third protrusion 81a is in the second position of the rotary body storage portion 73.
It is assumed that the first protrusion 78 is located between the two first protrusions 78 and 78.

When the switch button 76 is pressed down, the slope of the saw blade portion 76c presses the slope of the third protrusion 81a of the rotating body 81, and the rotating body 81 rotates by 1/12 while being pushed downward. The protrusion 81a is the first protrusion 78
The position corresponds to When the narrow diameter portion 81b of the rotating body 81 is pushed down, it presses the piezoelectric switch 52 via the leaf spring 84, and the piezoelectric switch 52 is turned on. When you release your finger from the switch button 76, the coil spring 82
The rotating body 81 is pushed up slightly by the urging force, but since the third protrusion 81a is rotated to a position corresponding to the first protrusion 78, the third protrusion 81a moves on the slope of the first protrusion 78. The rotating body 81 is further rotated by 1/
The third protrusion 8 is rotated 12 times as shown in FIG. 7(b).
1a comes into contact with the seven second protrusions. In this case, the piezoelectric switch 52 maintains the on state because it is pressed by the leaf spring 84 even though the rotating body 81 is pushed upward a little. As a result, the control unit 56, 57, 58, 59, 6 selected by the rotary switch 54
One of the backs of 1, 62, 63, and 64 becomes operational.

Next, when the switch button 76 is pressed down again, the third protrusion 81a comes into contact with the slope of the saw blade 76c and is pushed down while sliding on the slope of the saw blade 76c, rotating 1/12 and rotating to the first projection 78. The position corresponds to Then, when you release your finger, the rotating body 81 is pushed up by the urging force of the coil spring 82, and the slope of the third protrusion 81a becomes the first protrusion 7.
It slides on the slope of 8 and rotates another 1/12, and enters between the two first protrusions 78 and 78, as shown in Fig. 7(a).
The rotating body 81 is pushed up as shown in FIG.

As a result, the piezoelectric switch 52 is turned off, and the control unit 56, 57, 5 selected by the rotary switch 54
Any one of 8.59.61.62.63.64 will be deactivated.

Other operations are similar to those in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the control units 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, .
64 for a predetermined period of time to operate it, there is no need to operate it for a predetermined period of time, and in this respect, operability can be improved. Further, the operator can easily know whether the control switch 44 is on or off based on the amount of protrusion of the switch button 76.

Other effects are similar to those of the first embodiment.

Note that the control switch 44 may have a function of clutching a motor and a gear for bending drive in addition to those shown in the above embodiments. An electromagnetic clutch is provided between the motor and the gear, and the clutch is connected when the piezoelectric switch 52 is on, and released when the piezoelectric switch 52 is off. Thereby, especially when the endoscope is removed from the patient's body cavity, the bending portion 12 can be made freely bendable, and safety can be ensured.

[Effect of the Invention 1] As explained above, according to the present invention, by providing a control switch on the bending operation lever, it is possible to easily operate the bending part provided at the tip of the endoscope and operate other switches at the same time. can do.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1 to 4 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is an overall configuration diagram of the endoscope device, Figure 2 is a sectional view of the tip of the bending operation lever, Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of the rotary switch, Figure 4 is a flowchart of the bending operation, and Figures 5 to 5. 7 relates to the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the control switch, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line A-A'' in FIG. 5, and FIGS. 7(a) and (b) are 2... Endoscope unit 14... Curving operation lever 7... Movable member 52... Piezoelectric switch switch. 1... Endoscope device 3. ...Imaging section control 6...Motor control 12...Bending section 44...Control switch 48...Coil spring 54...Rotary 53 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 7 (0) Figure 7 (b)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An endoscope including a bending operation lever that performs a bending operation of the bending part on an operation part provided on the proximal side of an insertion part inserted into a subject having a bending part, wherein the bending operation The lever includes a movable part movable in the axial direction of the lever, a biasing means biased by the movable part, and a conductive state when the movable part is moved against the biasing force of the biasing means. An endoscope comprising: a switch that becomes a switch;