JPH0336324Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention is installed between the angle part and the rigid distal end of the observation target part of the endoscope, and connects the treatment instrument insertion tube to the rigid distal end. The present invention relates to a treatment instrument insertion pipe for the treatment.

[Prior Art] In general, endoscopes are used for observing and diagnosing the inside of body cavities such as the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, and large intestine, and for carrying out simple treatments, and for observing the inside of equipment such as aircraft engines and nuclear reactors. It is widely used for medical and industrial purposes, such as for carrying out simple repair activities.

In the following explanation, an endoscope configured as a medical endoscope will be shown, but it can also be configured in the same way as an industrial endoscope, and therefore is not covered by the present invention. The endoscope used is not limited to medical use.

As shown in FIG. 4, the endoscope includes an insertion section 1 inserted into an observation target area, and
It is roughly composed of an operating section 2 connected to the base end of the operating section 2, and a universal cord 3 connected to the operating section 2, and a light source device (not shown) is attached to the other end of the universal cord 3. ) are now connected.

Most of the insertion section 1 is formed of a soft part 1a, and an angled part 1b and a hard tip part 1c are connected to the tip of the soft part 1a. An illumination window for taking pictures and an observation window for taking in an image of the observation target area are formed, and a treatment tool outlet for protruding a treatment tool such as forceps or an electric scalpel is also provided. and,
By bending the angle portion 1b with the insertion portion 1 inserted into the observation target, the rigid tip portion 1c can be directed in a desired direction.

In order to perform the above-mentioned angle operation, as shown in FIG. 5, the angle portion 1b is composed of a multi-segmented body in which a number of angle rings 4 are pivoted alternately vertically and horizontally. As a result, the angle portion 1b can be bent vertically and horizontally. The angle operation is performed using the angle knob 5 provided on the operating section 2. For this purpose, four operating wires 6 on the upper, lower, left and right sides are inserted into the angle section 1b, and each of the operating wires is inserted into the angle section 1b. One end of 6 is the tip hard part 1c
The other end extends into the operating section 2 via the flexible portion 1a, and is attached to an angle operating member (not shown) that is rotated by operating the angle knob 5. Therefore, if the angle knob 5 is rotated as appropriate, any of the operating wires 6 will be pulled, and the angle portion 1b will be curved in accordance with the amount of operation, and the hard tip portion 1c will be directed in the desired direction. It is now possible to do so.

The insertion section 1 has a built-in treatment tool insertion channel for inserting a treatment tool such as forceps in addition to a light guide and an image guide. As shown in FIG. 6, this treatment instrument insertion channel is formed of a flexible treatment instrument insertion tube 7 in the portion from the flexible part 1a to the angled part 1b, and the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 is connected to a hard tip. In order to connect to the treatment instrument passage 8 in the section 1c,
A treatment instrument insertion pipe 9 made of a rigid material such as metal or plastic is fixed to protrude from the rigid distal end portion 1c, and the distal end of the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 is fitted into the treatment instrument insertion pipe 9. , and is fixed by adhesive or other means.

The endoscope having the above-described configuration has an insertion section 1
By inserting into the observation target area such as a body cavity and bending the angle part 1b of the insertion part 1, the rigid tip part 1c can be directed in a desired direction and the observation target area can be observed. Furthermore, by inserting a treatment tool T such as forceps, an electric scalpel, or a snare into the treatment tool insertion channel, it becomes possible to collect cells for treatment or testing.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] By the way, in order to enlarge the field of view of the endoscope, the angle part 1b is designed to be able to be bent by 180 degrees or more in at least one direction (usually upward). Therefore, when the treatment instrument T is inserted into the treatment instrument insertion channel in a state where the angle is operated at such a large angle, the treatment instrument T may not be inserted smoothly. That is, when the treatment tool T reaches the connecting portion between the treatment tool insertion tube 7 and the treatment tool insertion pipe 9 in the treatment tool insertion channel, the treatment tool T
The tip of the instrument will hit the end surface of the instrument insertion pipe 9, which will impede its smooth insertion. Also, depending on the type of instrument, it may be deformed or seated. There are disadvantages such as causing bending.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cause of impairing such a smooth insertion operation is that when the angle portion 1b is bent at a large angle, the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 is connected to the treatment instrument insertion pipe 9. Since the proximal end bends accordingly, when the treatment instrument T passes through the connecting portion between the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 and the treatment instrument insertion pipe 9, the axis x of the treatment instrument insertion tube 9 and The angle θ ₁ between the tip of the treatment instrument T and the direction d becomes larger, and as a result, the tip of the treatment instrument T collides with the end surface of the treatment instrument insertion pipe 9,
The problem is that the treatment instrument cannot be guided smoothly into the insertion pipe 9.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple configuration that allows the direction of the distal end of the treatment instrument and the treatment when the treatment instrument passes through the connection part between the treatment instrument insertion tube and the treatment instrument insertion pipe. It is an object of the present invention to provide a treatment instrument insertion pipe in which the angle between the instrument insertion pipe and the axis can be made as small as possible.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a method for connecting the end of the attachment portion to the treatment instrument insertion tube in the treatment instrument insertion pipe for connecting the treatment instrument insertion tube to the rigid distal end portion. Its characteristic feature is that a notch is formed on the side of the angle, and when the angle part is angled in the direction of curving at the maximum angle, the notch faces toward the outer circumferential side. It is something to do.

[Operation] When the angle operation is performed and the angle portion is in a curved state, the treatment instrument insertion tube constituting the treatment instrument insertion channel also follows this and is in a curved state. Therefore, when the treatment instrument is inserted into the treatment instrument insertion channel, the treatment instrument is guided through the treatment instrument insertion tube and reaches the connecting portion between it and the treatment instrument insertion pipe. Here, at the angle portion, the treatment instrument is guided along the wall surface on the outer peripheral side of the curved portion of the inner wall of the treatment instrument insertion tube. Therefore, a notch is formed in the outer peripheral side of the treatment instrument insertion tube, and a part of the inner wall of the treatment instrument insertion tube is exposed in the notch. The portion is oriented in a direction that substantially coincides with the axis of the treatment instrument insertion pipe. Therefore, when the treatment instrument passes through the inner wall portion, the tip thereof is directed in the axial direction of the treatment instrument insertion pipe, and as a result, the treatment instrument smoothly passes the end of the treatment instrument insertion pipe. You will have to climb over it and be guided inside.

Here, the bending direction of the angle part is normally designed to be able to be directed in multiple directions, for example, up and down, up and down, and left and right. In this case, the notch portion of the treatment instrument insertion pipe may be oriented toward the outer circumferential side when it is curved in the direction in which it is curved at the largest angle among these.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

The configuration of the endoscope itself in this embodiment is not particularly different from that of the prior art described above, so members that are the same or equivalent thereto will be referred to with the same reference numerals, and illustrations and explanations will be omitted.

However, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10 constituting the treatment instrument insertion channel has a notch 11 formed by partially diagonally cutting one end thereof. has been done. Here, since the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 is connected to the side where the notch 11 is formed, in order to prevent the shape retention of the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 from being hindered, the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 is The notch 11 of 10 is formed so that a certain amount of the end face portion of the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10 remains.

The angle portion 1b can be angled in four directions: up, down, left and right, but the amount of upward angle operation is the same as the other downward and left and right angle operations. It's getting bigger than the quantity. Therefore, as is clear from FIG. 3, when the angle portion 1b is angled, the notch portion 11 is directed toward the outer circumference when the angle portion 1b is angled in the direction where the curvature becomes maximum, that is, when the angle is angled upward. It is now being installed as

Since the notch 11 is provided, the contact area between the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10 and the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 is small, so there is a risk that sufficient adhesion between them may not be achieved. In order to prevent the tool insertion tube 7 from coming off, a tightening thread 12 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion.

This embodiment is constructed as described above, and its operation will be explained next.

When the insertion section 1 of the endoscope is inserted into an observation target such as a body cavity, and the angle knob 5 of the operation section 2 is rotated, the operation wire 6 is pulled and the angle section 1b is bent. As a result, there is no particular difference from the prior art described above in that the hard tip portion 1c can be oriented in a desired direction.

Here, among the angle operations in the four directions (up, down, left and right), the amount of operation in the downward and left-right directions is relatively small, so when the angle is applied in this direction, the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 and the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10 are bent at a gentle angle, so when the treatment instrument T is inserted, the treatment instrument T is bent from the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 to the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10. It will be guided smoothly, and the inconvenience of hitting the end face of the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10 will not occur.

On the other hand, when the angle is operated upward to the maximum limit, the angle portion 1b is curved with a large curvature, so that the portion of the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 up to the connection part to the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10 is It follows the curved curvature of the angle portion 1b and is bent significantly. However, since the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10 is formed of a rigid member, its axis is maintained in a straight state. The treatment instrument T inserted into the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 in this curved state advances along the inner wall portion located on the outer circumferential side of the treatment instrument insertion tube 7. Since the notch 11 is formed in the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10, the inner wall surface of the outer peripheral side of the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 enters into the disposed portion of the treatment instrument insertion tube 10. Therefore, the direction D of the treatment instrument T in the inner wall portion is oriented in a direction close to the axis X of the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10, and the angle θ ₂ therebetween is reduced.
It faces the end face of the notch 11 of the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10. Therefore, the connecting portion between the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 and the treatment instrument insertion tube 10 is smoothly passed through, and the treatment instrument T is not inconveniently caught and deformed or buckled. does not occur. Moreover, most of the treatment instruments T have a circular cross section, and the cutout portion 11 is formed to become narrower in the direction of movement of the treatment instrument T, so that first contact with the inner wall of the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 The parts on both sides of the section that are not in contact with the inner wall come into contact with the end surface of the notch 11 in the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10, and therefore the treatment instrument T is guided into the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10 without resistance. Therefore, the insertion property is extremely good.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the angle portion 1b is curved vertically and horizontally, but even if the angle portion 1b is curved only in the vertical direction, the outer periphery on the side that curves more greatly It can be installed with the notch 11 facing the side. Furthermore, the treatment instrument insertion pipe according to the present invention can be attached not only to the direct-viewing endoscope shown in FIG. 1 but also to a side-viewing endoscope. Further, although the tightening thread 12 is wound between the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 and the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10, it is not necessarily the case that the tightening thread 12 is wound between the treatment instrument insertion tube 7 and the treatment instrument insertion pipe 10. Does not require wrapping.

[Effects of the invention] As detailed above, since the notch is formed in the treatment instrument insertion pipe of the endoscope according to the invention,
When the endoscope is assembled with the treatment instrument insertion tube connected to the treatment instrument insertion pipe and the angle portion is operated at an angle, the treatment instrument is inserted between the treatment instrument insertion tube and the treatment instrument insertion pipe. When passing through the connection part, the tip of the treatment instrument is oriented in the axial direction of the treatment instrument insertion pipe, and the insertion operation can be performed without the tip of the treatment instrument hitting the end face of the treatment instrument insertion pipe. The treatment can be carried out smoothly, and there is no risk of deformation or buckling due to excessive force being applied to the treatment instrument.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention,
Fig. 1 is an external view of the treatment instrument insertion pipe, Fig. 2 is a configuration explanatory diagram showing the state in which the treatment instrument insertion pipe is attached to the endoscope, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation, and Fig. 4 is an illustration of the endoscope. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the configuration of the angle portion, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the operation when a conventional treatment instrument insertion pipe is used. 1...Insertion part, 1b...Angle part, 1c...
Hard tip portion, 7...Treatment instrument insertion tube, 10...
...Treatment instrument insertion pipe, 11...Notch portion.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a treatment instrument insertion pipe for connecting a treatment instrument insertion tube to a rigid distal end part, a notch is formed on the end side of the attachment part for the treatment instrument insertion tube, and the direction in which the angle part is curved at the maximum angle. 1. A treatment tool insertion pipe for an endoscope, characterized in that the endoscope is configured to be installed so that the notch faces toward the outer circumference when the endoscope is angled.