JPH05111453A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an endoscope which can surely bend the bending part of an insertion part in a desired direction without generating warping up by bending. CONSTITUTION:A casing 25 covering the bending pipe 11 of the endoscope having the curving pipe 11 freely turnably and pivotally connected with plural bending pieces 26, 27 with each other and the casing 25 covering the curving pipe 11 in the curving part 10 of the insertion part 2 is so formed as to have the thickness gradually increasing from the front end 9 side toward the operating part side axially in the part approximately opposite from the direction where the warping up by bending is generated in the state of using the casing having the uniform thickness. Unequal thicknesses are formed by thick parts 25a and thin parts 25b to increase the bending resistance in the parts approximately opposite from a direction where the warping up by bending is generated by which the warping up by bending is effectively prevented.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope having a plurality of bending pieces and having a bending portion capable of bending freely.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Endoscopes that can be used for medical treatment by observing the inside of body cavities or the like and using treatment tools as necessary are widely used in the medical field, and also in the industrial field. Endoscopes are widely used for inspecting the inside of jet engines or the inside of plants.

Generally, an endoscope is composed of an operating portion and an insertion portion connected to the operating portion. The insertion portion connects the distal end portion to the distal end of the flexible tube portion via the curved portion. It is configured. The curved portion of the insertion portion can be remotely curved by operating an angle knob provided on the operation portion.

The bending direction of the bending portion of the insertion portion may be, for example, only two directions in the vertical direction, but it is generally possible to bend the bending portion in four directions in the vertical and horizontal directions.

In this endoscope which can be bent in four directions, up, down, left and right, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the bending portion 51 of the insertion portion 50 has a plurality of bending pieces (not shown). A curved pipe 52 that is pivotally connected to each other so as to be curved in any direction and rotatable, and an outer skin 53 that covers the curved pipe 52,
4 arranged along the vertical and horizontal directions in the curved pipe 52
By bending and pulling a book operation wire (not shown), the bending operation can be performed in each direction.

[0006]

By the way, in the above-mentioned curved portion 51 of the prior art, when a plurality of curved pieces are pivotally connected to each other to form a curved pipe 52, a fitting dimension of the connection of each curved piece is formed. The tolerance must be set so that these curved pieces can rotate. For this reason, especially at the time of maximum bending etc. where the tension of the operating wire is maximum,
The total of the fitting dimension tolerances due to the connection of the respective bending pieces occurs in a direction different from the bending direction, and as shown in FIG. There is a problem that arises.

Also, when an external force acts on the curved portion inside the body cavity or the like for endoscopic observation, the curved portion bends in the direction deviated from the intended direction due to the fitting dimension tolerance. However, there is a problem that a curved warp occurs.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an endoscope capable of surely curving a curved portion of an insertion portion in a desired direction without causing a curved warp. With the goal.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope according to the present invention is provided with a bending pipe in which a plurality of bending pieces are pivotally connected to each other in a bending portion of an insertion portion, and the bending pipe. An endoscope having an outer skin for covering a pipe is provided with a curved portion in which at least a part of the outer skin for covering the curved pipe in a circumferential direction is changed in rigidity along an axial direction.

[0010]

[Operation] In the above configuration, when the endoscope insertion portion is inserted into a body cavity or the like and the bending portion is bent for observation, a bending pipe in which a plurality of bending pieces are pivotally connected to each other is bent. Let

Here, since the rigidity of at least a part of the outer skin covering the curved pipe in the circumferential direction is changed along the axial direction, the fitting dimension tolerance of the connection of the plurality of curved pieces depends on the rigidity of the outer skin. However, it is possible to surely bend the curved portion in the target direction without concentrating in a direction different from the target curved direction.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 5 show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the internal structures of the distal end portion and the curved portion of the endoscope, and FIG.
Is an explanatory view of the entire endoscope, FIG. 3 is a top view of the bending portion at the time of maximum bending, FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is VV of FIG.
FIG.

In these drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates an endoscope, and the endoscope 1 has an observing means built therein, and an elongated and flexible insertion portion 2 for insertion into a body cavity or the like, A wide-width operation that is continuously provided at the rear end of the insertion section 2 and is provided with an up-down angle knob, a left-right angle knob, a switch section, a suction button (not shown above), a water supply button 3, an air supply button 4, and the like. It comprises a part 5 and a light guide cable 6 extending from the side part of the operation part 5. The end part of the light guide cable 6 is detachably connected to a light source device 8 via a connector 7.

The insertion portion 2 is composed of a hard tip portion 9 from the tip side, a bendable bending portion 10 and a flexible flexible tube portion 11. A first mounting hole 13, a second mounting hole 14, and a third mounting hole 15 are formed in the constituent tip body 12.

The first mounting hole 13 is provided with an objective lens system 16 and a CCD unit 17 for converting an image obtained through the objective lens system 16 into an electric signal and transmitting the electric signal. The signal transmitted by 17 is processed by a processor (not shown) so that the image obtained by the objective lens system 16 can be displayed on a television monitor (not shown).

A cover lens 18 is provided in the second mounting hole 14, and the tip of a light guide fiber 19 is exposed behind the cover lens 18. The light guide fiber 19 is inserted through the inside of the insertion portion 2 and the inside of the operation portion 5, and is guided inside the light guide cable 6.

A nozzle 20 capable of ejecting water or gas for cleaning the outer surface of the objective lens system 16 is arranged in the third mounting hole 15, and this nozzle 2
The rear end side of 0 is communicated with the front end sides of the water supply conduit 21 and the air supply conduit 22. This water supply line 21 and air supply line 2
2 is inserted through the inside of the insertion part 2, the inside of the operation part 5 and the inside of the light guide cable 6, and can be connected to the water supply tank 23 provided in the light source device 8.

Further, the curved portion 10 is constructed by fitting a mesh pipe 24 on a hollow curved pipe 11 and covering the outer surface thereof with an outer skin 25 made of rubber or a synthetic resin material.

The curved pipe 11 is provided with a plurality of vertical bending pieces 26 which are rotatable in the vertical direction within a certain fitting dimension tolerance range so that the bending pipe 11 can be bent in the vertical and horizontal directions. A plurality of movable left and right bending pieces 27 are alternately pivotally connected to each other.

Further, inside the curved pipe 11, hollow wire guides 2 are provided at respective portions corresponding to the curved directions of the vertical and horizontal directions of the inner peripheral surfaces of the curved pieces 26 and 27.
8 is attached, and the operation wires 29 are inserted through the wire guides 28 of each set corresponding to each direction. The tips of these four operation wires 29 are provided at the rear of the tip body 12 of the tip 9, and the first bending piece 30 is provided.
It is fixed with a silver brazing material 32 or the like to a projecting piece portion 31 formed by projecting inward a part of the inner wall thereof.

The proximal ends of the four operation wires 29 are inserted through the flexible tube portion 11 of the insertion portion 2 and the operation portion 5 is inserted.
The pair of operation wires 29, which are introduced inside, are connected so as to be associated with the upper and lower angle knobs, respectively, and the pair of left and right operation wires 29 are associated with the left and right angle knobs, respectively. Therefore, by operating the up / down angle knob or the left / right angle knob,
By pulling / relaxing the pair of upper and lower bending operation wires 29 or the pair of left and right bending operation wires 29, it is possible to remotely bend the bending portion 10 vertically and horizontally.

Further, the outer skin 25 is formed in an uneven thickness shape consisting of a thick wall portion 25a and a thin wall portion 25b, and the thick wall portion 25a has a curved warp when an outer skin having a uniform wall thickness is used. It is a portion that is substantially opposite to the direction in which the raised portion is formed, and the wall thickness is gradually increased in the axial direction from the tip portion 9 side to the operation portion 5 side. That is, due to the thick portion 25a, the bending resistance of the portion substantially opposite to the direction in which the curved warp is generated becomes larger.

In addition, the endoscope 1 is provided with a channel or the like (not shown) so that a treatment tool or the like can be inserted to perform a medical treatment or the like.

By constructing the endoscope 1 as described above, the endoscope insertion portion 2 is inserted into a body cavity or the like, and the curved portion 10 of the insertion portion 2 is curved toward the observation object. ,
For example, when bending upward in four directions of up, down, left and right, first, the up and down angle knob is operated in the up direction.

Then, a pair of operation wires 2 for bending up and down
Since the upper side of 9 is pulled and the lower side is loosened, the upper side of the operation wire 29 pulls the endoscope tip 9 upward through the protrusion 31 of the first bending piece 30. .. As a result, the bending pipe 11 configured by pivotally connecting the plurality of bending pieces 26 and 27 in a rotatable manner bends upward together with the mesh pipe 24 and the outer skin 25 (the bending portion 10 bends upward), The tip 9 is directed upward.

In order to bend the bending portion 10 of the insertion portion 2 downward, the upper and lower angle knobs are operated downward to pull the lower sides of the pair of operating wires 29 for vertical bending, By relaxing the upper side, the bending is performed in the same manner as in the case of curving in the upward direction.

Further, even when the bending portion 10 of the insertion portion 2 is bent leftward or rightward, the left and right angle knobs are operated leftward or rightward so that the pair of left and right operation wires 29 for left and right bending are moved. By pulling and relaxing the side opposite to the side to be curved, the same procedure as in the case of bending upward as described above is performed.

Here, for example, an external force acts on the curved portion 10 due to an imbalance in hardness of various internal components in the body cavity, etc., and the sum of fit dimension tolerances due to the connection of the curved pieces 26, 27. However, when the curved portion 10 is concentrated in a direction different from the bending direction (upward direction) and the curved portion 10 bends in a direction deviated from the target direction (upward direction), the curved portion is bent. The thick part 25 on the outer skin 25 of the part 10
Since a is formed, it is possible to effectively prevent the above-described curved warp rise due to the resistance of the thick portion 25a.

Further, the same effect can be obtained also in the case of curving downward and leftward and rightward.

As described above, in the endoscope of this embodiment, the curved portion of the insertion portion can be bent accurately and reliably in the intended direction.

Further, since the thick portion of the outer skin of the curved portion is formed so as to be gradually thicker in the axial direction from the tip end side to the operating portion side, the insertability may be affected. There is no.

Incidentally, in a small-diameter endoscope such as an endoscope for bronchi,
Generally, it has a bidirectional bending mechanism. However, even in an endoscope having this bidirectional bending mechanism, due to the dimensional tolerance due to the connection of the bending pieces or the influence of the built-in components, etc.
There are things that cause a curved warp. If the present application is applied to such an endoscope, it is possible to effectively prevent bending of the curved portion.

Further, in order to clarify the thick portion of the outer skin of the curved portion, a mark may be made by making a minute cut in the axial direction of the outer skin.

Further, in the present embodiment, the thickness of the outer skin is partially increased in order to increase the bending resistance of the curved portion in a certain direction. However, without increasing the thickness of the outer skin, for example, Even if another material such as carbon fiber is partially buried, the same effect can be obtained. Further, instead of embedding another material, rubber or synthetic resin forming the outer skin may be molded by partially changing the rigidity to increase the bending resistance of the bending portion in a certain direction.

Further, the outer skin covering the curved pipe is formed thin on the side opposite to the direction in which the curved angle is maximized, so that the force applied to the angle knob when the curved angle is maximized is reduced. May be.

By the way, the nozzle 20 provided in the third mounting hole 15 of the distal end main body 12 of the endoscope distal end portion 9 of the present embodiment is provided with an insulating member in order to ensure electrical safety. Around the nozzle hogo 40 is formed.

Generally, since the nozzle hogo is molded by resin cutting or injection molding, the cost is high, and since the nozzle hogo itself is thick, the diameter of the endoscope can be reduced. Was at a disadvantage.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the nozzle 20 is used.
A heat-shrinkable tube that had been cut into a predetermined length was inserted into the above, and heated to form the nozzle hogo 40 of the nozzle 20 in close contact. The nozzle hogo 40 may be formed by inserting a long heat-shrinkable tube into the nozzle 20, heating it to bring it into close contact, and then cutting it into a predetermined size.

By forming the nozzle hogo 40 in this way, the cost can be kept lower than that of the conventional nozzle hogo, and the thickness of the heat-shrinkable tube of the nozzle hogo 40 is made considerably thinner than that of the conventional nozzle hogo. Therefore, the diameter of the endoscope can be reduced.

Further, in this embodiment, in order to improve the water drainage property of the outer surface of the objective lens system 16, a solenoid valve 41 is provided in the middle of the air supply conduit 22 in the light source device 8, and this solenoid is used. The valve 41 and the air supply pump 42 are electrically connected to the water supply button 3 of the operation unit 5. Further, the solenoid valve 41 is electrically connected to the air supply button 4 of the operation unit 5.

After the water supply, a signal indicating the completion of the water supply is sent to the solenoid valve 41 and the air supply pump 42, and the solenoid valve 4
1 is closed, and the pressure by the air supply pump 42 is maintained high enough not to push the water surface in the water supply tank 23 provided in the light source device 8.

When the air supply button 4 is pressed, a signal is transmitted to the solenoid valve 41, which opens the solenoid valve 41.

Therefore, when the air is sent after the water is sent, the air jetted from the nozzle 20 is jetted from a state in which the pressure is high to some extent, so that the water droplets adhering to the outer surface of the objective lens system 16 are generated. The exclusion capability can be improved, and the drainage property of the outer surface of the objective lens system 16 can be improved.

Further, the opening and closing of the solenoid valve is controlled so as to be in a steady state in which the solenoid valve remains open when it is repeated 2 to 3 times, and high-pressure air supply is performed 2 to 3 times to further improve drainage. You may make it possible.

On the other hand, in the conventional small-diameter video endoscope, CC
The heat of the CCD of the D unit itself, or this CCD
The CCD was exposed to a high temperature due to the heat generation of the IC arranged in the vicinity. Such exposure of the CCD to high temperatures can adversely affect the image.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the small-diameter endoscope 6 is used.
0 does not use air supply, so that the endoscope insertion portion 61 does not become thick, and the cooling conduit 6 reaches a marginal portion.
2 is inserted into the insertion portion 61, and the cooling pipe 62 is inserted.
Communicates with the air supply pump 65 arranged in the light source device 64 via the connector 63.

By supplying the cooling air from the air supply pump 65, the cold air is cooled by the cooling pipe 6.
The cooling air discharged from the No. 2 is sent to the tip of the insertion portion 61 where the CCD 66 is arranged.

As a result, the CCD 66 is cooled,
The high temperature can be effectively prevented.

Further, in order to improve the circulation of the cooling air,
When an air discharge hole is provided in the connector 63, the air after cooling the CCD 66 is discharged from the air discharge hole. Therefore, the air circulates in the endoscope 60, and the cold air always flows in the CCD 66. The cooling effect can be improved.

Further, by sending the dry cooling air, the moisture around the CCD 66 can be removed, so that the durability of the CCD 66 can be improved.

By the way, conventionally, in an endoscope, the removal of dirt and the like adhering to the outer surface of the objective lens system is recognized by the operator, and the water supply button provided on the endoscope operation section is pressed to Water was sent to the outer surface of the objective lens system to remove dirt and the like.

However, since the endoscope is originally used by inserting it into the body cavity, when observing in the body cavity or during treatment,
There is an environment in which dirt such as bodily fluid is likely to adhere to the outer surface of the objective lens system, and the work of removing this dirt has become complicated for the operator.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, a processor (not shown) connected to the endoscope 70 has a built-in circuit 72 for detecting an immovable subject by a signal sent from the CCD 71. When the subject is detected, a signal is sent to the water pump 73, the valve of the water pump 73 is opened,
The water from the water supply pump 73 passes through the water supply pipe line 74,
The nozzle 75 provided at the distal end of the endoscope is jetted toward the outer surface 76 of the objective lens system.

With this configuration, the operator does not have to bother to supply water, and the operability can be improved.

Further, since the subject is made to stand still when taking a picture, if an automatic water supply changeover switch 78 is provided in the operation section 77, the automatic water supply cannot be carried out by pushing this automatic water supply changeover switch 78. Sometimes water is not sent arbitrarily.

[0057]

As described above, according to the present invention, the bending portion of the insertion portion is provided with the bending pipe in which a plurality of bending pieces are rotatably and pivotally connected to each other, and the outer cover for covering the bending pipe. In the endoscope having, since it has a curved portion in which the rigidity of at least a part of the outer skin covering the curved pipe is changed along the axial direction, it is possible to surely achieve the object without curving warp. It is possible to bend the curved portion of the insertion portion in the direction.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an internal structure of a distal end portion and a curved portion of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the entire endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a bending portion at the time of maximum bending according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG.

5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a bending portion at the time of maximum bending according to the conventional technique.

FIG. 7 is a side view of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a CCD cooling technology for a small-diameter endoscope.

FIG. 9 is a schematic explanatory view of an electronic endoscope provided with an automatic water feeding means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Endoscope 2 Insertion part 10 Bending part 11 Bending tube 25 Outer skin 25a Thick part 25b Thin part 26 Vertical bending part 27 Left and right bending part

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 1, 1992

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0019

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The curved portion 10 is constructed by fitting a mesh pipe 24 into a hollow curved pipe 33 and covering the outer surface thereof with an outer skin 25 made of rubber or a synthetic resin material.

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0020

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The curved pipe 33 is bent in the four directions of up, down, left, and right, and is vertically rotatable within a certain fitting dimension tolerance range, and is bent in the left-right direction. A plurality of movable left and right bending pieces 27 are alternately pivotally connected to each other.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0021

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Further, inside the curved pipe 33 , the hollow wire guide 2 is provided at each portion corresponding to the curved direction of the vertical direction and the lateral direction of the inner peripheral surface of each of the curved pieces 26, 27.
8 is attached, and the operation wires 29 are inserted through the wire guides 28 of each set corresponding to each direction. The tips of these four operation wires 29 are provided at the rear of the tip body 12 of the tip 9, and the first bending piece 30 is provided.
It is fixed with a silver brazing material 32 or the like to a projecting piece portion 31 formed by projecting inward a part of the inner wall thereof.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0024

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In addition, the endoscope 1 is provided with a channel or the like (not shown) so that a treatment tool or the like can be inserted to perform a medical treatment or the like.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0026

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Then, a pair of operation wires 2 for bending up and down
Since the upper side of 9 is pulled and the lower side is loosened, the upper side of the operation wire 29 pulls the endoscope tip 9 upward through the protrusion 31 of the first bending piece 30. .. As a result, the curved pipe 33 configured by pivotally connecting the plurality of curved pieces 26 and 27 in a rotatable manner bends upward together with the mesh pipe 24 and the outer skin 25 (the curved portion 10 bends upward), The tip 9 is directed upward.

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0054

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, the processor connected to the endoscope 70 has a built-in circuit 72 for detecting an immovable subject by a signal sent from the CCD 71, and when this immovable subject is detected, A signal is sent to the water supply pump 73, the valve of the water supply pump 73 is opened, and the water by the water supply pump 73 passes through the water supply conduit 74 and from the nozzle 75 provided at the tip of the endoscope to the objective lens system. To be ejected toward the outer surface 76 of the.

[Procedure Amendment 7]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Explanation of code

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Explanation of Codes] 1 Endoscope 2 Insertion part 10 Curved part 25 Outer skin 25a Thick part 25b Thin part 26 Upper and lower curved pieces 27 Left and right curved pieces 33 Curved tube

[Procedure Amendment 8]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 1]

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope having a bending tube having a plurality of bending pieces pivotally connected to each other in a bending section of an insertion section, and an outer skin covering the bending tube, wherein the bending tube is covered. An endoscope having a curved portion in which the rigidity of at least a part of the outer skin in the circumferential direction is changed along the axial direction.