JPH0438801Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of industrial application] This invention connects the operating section and the insertion section using metal members, and also inserts a metal built-in object into the operating section and the insertion section. Regarding mirrors.

[Prior Art] In endoscopes, a metal member is used to connect an operating section and an insertion section. in particular,
As shown in Figure 2 of Utility Model Application No. 59-184803, a metal material is provided at the end of the outer skin tube reinforced with a metal member, and the end of this is connected to the metal mounting part of the operating part. As shown in FIG. 4 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-46933, an outer jacket tube reinforced with a metal material is connected to an operating portion using a metal fastener.

However, these endoscopes are not electrically insulated. For this reason, there is a problem in that it cannot be applied to the heart or blood vessels.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 61-31411, a technique has been proposed for insulating the insertion section and the operating section.

[Problems that the invention aims to solve] However, when looking at this insulation technology, although it is true that the operation part and the internal components of the operation part are insulated, Electrical insulation is not ensured for metal built-in objects, and there is still a risk that current may flow through the endoscope (metal built-in objects) into the paired cavity.

This invention was made in view of these problems, and aims to provide an endoscope that can be used safely without electrical influence.

[Means and actions for solving the problem] Metal layers 16 and 18 forming the outer shell of the insertion section 5
Insulating materials 17 and 19 are connected to the ends of the operating section 2 side, and fixing members 20 and 21 are connected so that the insulating materials 17 and 19 are sandwiched between the metal member 11 of the operating section 2.
The endoscope is connected and fixed with the insulating material 23, and the insertion section 5 side and the operation section 2 side of the metal built-in object 12 inserted through the insertion section 5 and the operation section 2 are electrically isolated. The heart,
It can also be applied to blood vessels, etc.

[Example] This invention will be described below based on a first example shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 2 shows the external appearance of the endoscope 1, and 2 indicates the grip portion 3 and the eyepiece portion 4.
An operating section 5 is an insertion section formed by connecting a bending section 7 and a distal end forming section 8 to the distal end side of a flexible tube section 6. An insertion section 5 and a universal cord (none of which are shown) containing a built-in light guide are connected to the operation section 2, forming the entire endoscope. In addition, an image guide (not shown) is inserted into the insertion section 5 and the operating section 2 to connect the observation window provided at the distal end of the distal end component 8 and the eyepiece section 4 of the operating section 2. A bending wire 10 made of synthetic resin fiber is inserted between the insertion part 7 and the angle lever 9 provided on the grip part 3, and the tip of the insertion part 5 can be guided to the target area for observation. That's what I do. Note that the aforementioned light guide is inserted into the insertion portion 5 together with the image guide.

The connection structure between the operating section 2 and the insertion section 5, which is the main part of this invention (the part surrounded by the dashed line A)
is shown in FIG. 3, and a local portion thereof enlarged for clarity is shown in FIG. That is, in FIGS. 1 and 3, insulation is provided between the metal connecting tube 11 provided at the proximal end of the operating section 2 and the outer metal part of the flexible tube section 6 connected thereto. thing. Furthermore, a metal wire cover 12 (which protects the image guide, light guide, etc. built into the operating section 2 and the insertion section 5 from being damaged due to interference by the bending wire 10) covers the entire length of the bending wire 10. An insulated version is shown.

To insulate the insertion section 5, a structure is used in which an insulating layer is provided at the connection side end of the flexible tube section 6. Specifically, the flexible tube section 6 generally includes a spiral tube 1.
An outer shell structure is used in which a reticular tube 14 and a resin outer skin 15 are laminated in order on the outer peripheral surface of the spiral tube 14,
The structure is such that the outermost skin 13 is reinforced while ensuring optimum flexibility with the mesh tube 15. An insulating layer is provided at the ends of the spiral tube 14 and the mesh tube 15 to insulate them from the operating section 2. Specifically, the spiral tube 13 includes a long metal spiral tube 16 (for example, a length that occupies almost the entire length of the curved wire 10) formed by spirally molding an elastic ribbon (metal). A structure is used in which a short resin spiral tube 17 (corresponding to an insulating material) formed by spirally molding a resin ribbon is joined to the end of a metal layer (corresponding to a metal layer) by adhesive or the like. In addition, the mesh tube 14 includes a short resin mesh tube 18 (corresponding to a metal layer), which is a long metal mesh tube 18 (corresponding to a metal layer) in which fine metal wires are woven in a mesh pattern, and a short resin mesh tube in which synthetic resin fibers are woven in a mesh pattern. 19 (corresponding to an insulating material) are joined together by adhesive or the like, and the entire end of the insertion section 5 on the operation section 2 side is made into an insulating section. Of course, the overlapping portions of the spiral tube 13, the mesh tube 18, and the mesh tube 19 may be made integral with each other using an adhesive. Then, these resin ends are connected to the operating section 2.
The tapered tube 20 and the fixing tube 21 are clamped to the tapered connecting tube 11 by tightening them using a wedge, and the metal part of the resin layer operating part 2 and the metal outer shell part of the insertion part 5 are connected to each other. electrically isolated between the two.

In addition, for insulation with respect to the wire cover 12, only the portion disposed inside the insertion portion 5 is provided with a metal coil 22.
A structure is used in which the remaining portion disposed inside the operating section 2 is a tube-shaped resin cover 23. Specifically, the metal coil 22 has a length that occupies almost the entire length of the wire cover 12.
The curved wire 10 together with the short resin cover 23
by inserting the resin cover 23 into the guide receiver (not shown) supported within the operating section 2 and the metal coil 2.
It is interposed between the ends of the two ends. Then, the metal coil 22 is arranged inside the insertion section 5, and the resin cover 23 is arranged inside the operation section 2, thereby electrically cutting off the operation section 2 side and the insertion section 5 side. Note that most of the total length of the wire cover 12 is covered by the metal coil 22.
By doing this, the synthetic resin fiber bending wire 1
When pulling 0, the entire flexible tube section is prevented from shrinking and becoming uncurved.

However, in the drawing, 24 is a bending stop.

In such an endoscope 1, the outer part and the built-in part are insulated between the operating section 2 and the insertion section 5, so that no current flows between the operating section 2 and the insertion section 5. become.

Therefore, since electrical influences are avoided, it can be safely used in the heart, blood vessels, etc.

Moreover, in addition to the connecting part between the operating part 2 and the insertion part 5 being made of synthetic resin, the structure in which the wire cover 12 from the vicinity of the insertion part to the operating part 2 side is made of synthetic resin,
The flexibility and durability of the insertion portion 5 can be maintained as they are.

Note that this invention is not limited to the first embodiment, but also applies to the fourth embodiment.
The second embodiment shown in the figure, the third embodiment shown in FIG. 5, and the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 6 may be used.

That is, the second embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, and the resin spiral tube 1 shown in the first embodiment is
The wall thickness of the tube 7 is made thicker than that of the metal spiral tube 16. Such a structure has the advantage that the insertion portion 5 is reinforced by the increased thickness, making buckling less likely to occur.

The third embodiment is a further modification of the second embodiment, in which a step 3 is provided in the thick part of the thick spiral tube 17.
0 is provided, and a metal spiral tube 16 is engaged with this. Such a structure has the advantage that the resin spiral tube 17 and the metal spiral tube 16 can be easily connected.

In the fourth embodiment, a flexible tube section 6 made of one layer of resin is connected to the operating section 2, and a resin cover 23 is supported by a guide receiver 25 provided at the base end of the operating section 2. be.

[Effects of the invention] As explained above, according to this invention, the outer part and the built-in part of the endoscope can be insulated between the operating part and the insertion part, respectively.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent current from passing between the operating section and the insertion section, and the endoscope can be safely used in the heart, blood vessels, etc. without any electrical influence.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the connection structure between the operating section and the insertion section, which is the main part of the first embodiment of this invention;
The figure is a side view showing the entire endoscope, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the area surrounded by section A in Figure 2.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the main part of the second embodiment of this invention, FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the main part of the third embodiment of this invention, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the main part of the third embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the embodiment. 2... Operating section, 5... Insertion section, 6... Flexible tube section, 11... Connecting tube (metal member of operating section), 12
...Wire cover (metal built-in item), 16, 18
... Metal spiral tube, metal mesh tube (metal layer on the outer shell of the insertion part), 17, 19 ... Resin spiral tube,
Resin mesh pipe (insulating material), 22...metal coil,
23...Resin cover (insulating material).

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In an endoscope having a metal layer constituting the outer shell of the insertion section and a metal member of the operating section connected to this metal layer, an insulating material is connected to the end of the operating section side of the metal layer, and the insulating material is The material is connected and fixed with a fixing member so as to be sandwiched between the metal member of the operating section, and the metal built-in object inserted across the insertion section and the operating section is electrically connected between the insertion section side and the operating section side with an insulating material. An endoscope that is characterized by blocking.