JPH05115427A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the endoscope which can prevent falling-off of a connecting member for connecting a curved tube and a flexible tube. CONSTITUTION:The endoscope 1 has an inserting part 2 formed by connecting a curved tube 4 and a flexible tube 6, superposes and fits a curved piece 17 positioned in a base end in the curved tube 4 and a connecting part 8 formed in the tip of the flexible tube 6, and also, is provided with engagement hole parts 9, 11 for engaging a common connecting member 16 to both of them, respectively extending over the curved piece 17 and the connecting part 8 of the flexible tube 6 in this superposed and fitted position, and connects the curved tube 4 and the flexible tube 6 by the connecting member 16 for engaging extending over both the engagement hole parts 9, 11. Also, a stopper member 21 for preventing the connecting member 16 fitted into the engagement hole parts 9. 11 from falling off is provided in between the outside periphery of the fitting part of the curved piece 17, the connecting part 8 and a shell 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope having an insertion portion formed by connecting a bending tube and a flexible tube.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an endoscope having an insertion portion formed by connecting a bendable bending tube which is remotely bendable to a tip of a relatively flexible flexible tube. The bending tube and the flexible tube are connected, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-97601, a distal end portion of a core material of the flexible tube and a proximal end portion of a core material of the bending tube. This is done by directly fitting and. Specifically, for example, the core member distal end portion of the flexible tube and the bending piece as the core member located at the base end in the bending tube are provided with engaging hole portions for engaging a common connecting member, respectively, The bending tube and the flexible tube are connected by the connecting member that engages over both of the engaging holes.

[0003]

However, when an axial tensile force is applied to the connecting portion between the bending tube and the flexible tube, the connecting member for connecting the bending tube and the flexible tube is likely to come off. I was afraid.

Further, during assembly work of an endoscope which handles extremely fine parts, a connecting member which should have been assembled is disengaged by a pulling force in the axial direction, which hinders subsequent assembly work. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an endoscope capable of preventing a connecting member for connecting a bending tube and a flexible tube from falling off. is there.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has a bending piece which has an insertion portion formed by connecting a bending tube and a flexible tube, and which is located at the base end in the bending tube. And a connecting portion formed at the tip of the flexible tube are superposed and fitted together, and at this superposed fitting position, a connecting member common to both the bending piece and the connecting portion of the flexible tube. In the endoscope, each of which is provided with an engaging hole portion for engaging with each other, and wherein the bending tube and the flexible tube are connected by the connecting member engaging over the both engaging hole portions, A stopper member for preventing the connecting member fitted in the engaging hole portion from falling off is provided between the outer periphery of the fitting portion and the outer skin.

[0007]

The stopper member prevents the connecting member from falling off even when an axial tensile force is applied to the connecting portion between the bending tube and the flexible tube.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the endoscope 1 of the present embodiment constitutes an endoscope main body from the insertion section 2 and the operation section 5, and the operation section 5 includes an eyepiece section 35 and a bending operation knob. 36, a treatment instrument insertion opening 34 for inserting a treatment instrument 33 such as forceps, a treatment instrument raising operation knob 22, an air / liquid feeding button 23, and a suction button 2
4 is provided, and a light guide cord 7 connected to a light source device (not shown) is connected. A connector 50 and a light guide base 37 are provided at the tip of the light guide cord 7. Further, the connector 50 is provided with a high-pressure gas supply port portion 15, a suction mouthpiece 38, and an air / water supply mouthpiece 38.

The insertion section 2 comprises a flexible tube 6 connected to the operating section 5 and a bending tube 4 connected to the tip of the flexible tube 6, and the bending tube 4 is bent by the bending operation knob 36. The bending operation is performed. A tip portion 3 incorporating an objective optical system for image formation is provided at the tip of the bending tube 4. The distal end portion 3 is curved in an arbitrary direction in accordance with the bending of the bending tube 4 by the turning operation of the bending operation knob 36 so that the distal end portion 3 can face a desired portion in the body cavity. Further, the distal end portion 3 is provided with a raising base 32 for raising the distal end side of the treatment tool 33, and the raising base 32 is connected to the operating wire 4.
It is operated to be raised by the operation tool raising operation knob 22 via 7 (see FIG. 4).

As shown in FIG. 1 (a), the bending tube 4 is constructed by arranging bending pieces 17 ... As a core member inside the bending tube 4 in the longitudinal axis direction. A mesh tube 1 is provided on the outer circumference of the bending piece 17 ...
4 and the outer skin 10 are covered in this order.
Further, the flexible tube 6 is configured by covering the outer circumference of the spiral tube 20 with the mesh tube 14 and the outer skin 10 sequentially laminated. The proximal end of the mesh tube 14 of the curved tube 4 is
It is located in front of the fitting portion of the bending piece 17 on the most proximal end side with the connecting pipe 8 to be described later, and the outer cover 1 of the bending pipe 4 is located.
The base end side of 0 is disposed so as to extend onto the mesh tube 14 of the flexible tube 6, and the outer surface 10 of the flexible tube 6 has its distal end surface abutted on the proximal end surface of the outer surface 10 of the bending tube 4. It is provided in the opened state. The connecting portions of the outer skins 10, 10 are watertightly fixed by a fixing thread 12 wound around the outer peripheral portion of the outer skins.

A bending piece 1 disposed inside the bending tube 4
7 ... are bendable by the adjacent end portions thereof being rotatably connected by a rivet 18.
Further, an operation wire connected to the bending operation knob 36 is connected to the bending pieces 17 ... If the operation wire is pulled by rotating the bending operation knob 36, the bending piece 7 ... It can be rotated.

A tip portion 3 located on the tip side of the bending tube 4 is connected to the light source device via the light guide cord 7 and a light guide fiber (not shown) inserted through the insertion portion 2 is provided. The tip is attached,
As a result, the illumination light from the light source device can be applied to, for example, a living body into which the endoscope 1 is inserted. Further, the tip portion 3 is attached with a tip portion of an image guide fiber (not shown) which is inserted into the insertion portion 2 and communicates with the eyepiece portion 35. As a result, the light from the light source device (not shown) is emitted from the tip of the endoscope 1 through the light guide cord 7 and the light guide fiber to be radiated to the irradiation target, and the reflected light from the irradiation target is An image is formed on the tip surface of the image guide fiber, and the image is transmitted to the eyepiece 35 by the image guide fiber and can be observed through the eyepiece 35. In addition,
The light guide fiber and the image guide fiber are coated with an anti-friction agent such as carbon, which has good adhesiveness and slidability and low hygroscopicity, thereby preventing the fibers from being worn. Further, the outer circumference of each fiber is covered with a resin tube.

A connecting pipe 8 is provided at the tip of the flexible pipe 6. The connecting pipe 8 is a first pipe provided on the inner peripheral surface.
The stepped portion 13 and the second stepped portion 19 provided on the outer peripheral surface are formed in a stepped shape. In this case, connecting pipe 8
Has a large diameter portion 8a and a small diameter portion 8b whose inner diameter and outer diameter are both smaller than the large diameter portion 8a. Then, the spiral tube 20 of the flexible tube 6 and the distal end of the mesh tube 14 are inserted and fitted into the large-diameter portion 8a of the connecting tube 8, and the spiral tube 20
Also, the tip of the reticulated tube 14 has its tip at the first step portion 1
3 is abutted against the end face of the inner peripheral surface 3 and fixed in the large-diameter portion 8a with an adhesive or solder. At this time, in order to make the fixing margin constant, the large-diameter portion 8a of the connecting pipe 8 may be swaged to have a smaller diameter to improve the fixing strength.

The curved pipe 4 is provided on the outer circumference of the small diameter portion 8b of the connecting pipe 8.
The base end of the bending piece 17 located at the base end of the inside is fitted. At least one engagement groove 9 with which a connecting member 16 described later is engaged is formed on the outer surface of the small diameter portion 8b.
Further, an engaging hole 11 into which the connecting member 16 is fitted is formed in the base end portion of the bending piece 17 corresponding to the engaging groove 9 in the same shape as the engaging groove 9.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the bending piece 1
The connecting member 16 for connecting the connection pipe 7 and the connecting pipe 8 is a tongue-like member bent in a smooth bow shape, and is formed in a size that fits exactly into the engagement groove 9 and the engagement hole 11. There is. Further, the connecting member 16 includes the engaging groove 9 and the engaging hole 11.
The upper surface of the bending piece 17 is formed so as to be flush with the outer surface of the proximal end portion of the bending piece 17 when the bending piece 17 is engaged and attached. That is, the connecting member 16 connects the base end portion of the bending piece 17 and the small diameter portion 8a of the connecting pipe 8 within the wall thickness of both of them.

A stopper member 21 made of a thin metal tape or the like is provided on the outer surface of the base end portion of the bending piece 17 where the connecting pipe 8 is fitted so as to completely cover the upper surface of the connecting member 16. Is covered. That is, the stopper member 21 is provided between the outer circumference of the fitting portion between the bending piece 17 and the connecting pipe 8 and the outer skin 10.

As described above, the bending tube 4 and the flexible tube 6
First, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), the connection with the curved pipe 4 and the small diameter portion 8 b of the connection pipe 8 provided at the tip of the flexible pipe 6 are performed.
The base end of the bending piece 17 disposed at the base end of the inside is opposed to each other, and as shown in FIG.
The b is fitted in the bending piece 17 such that the outer peripheral surface thereof overlaps the inner peripheral surface of the base end portion of the bending piece 17. And the small diameter portion 8b
The connecting member 16 is fitted into the engaging hole 11 and the lower end portion of the connecting member 16 is engaged in a state where the position of the engaging groove 9 is aligned with the position of the engaging hole 11 at the base end portion between the curved pipes 17. The mating groove 9 is engaged. After that, the stopper member 21 is coated on the outer surface of the proximal end portion of the bending piece 17 so as to completely cover the upper surface of the connecting member 16.

Therefore, in the endoscope 1 having the above-described structure, the bending piece 17 located at the base end of the bending tube 4 and the connecting tube 8 provided at the distal end of the flexible tube 6 are superposed and fitted together, and At the overlapping fitting position, the bending piece 17 and the connecting tube 8 of the flexible tube 6 are provided with an engaging groove 9 and an engaging hole 11 for engaging a common connecting member 16, respectively. Since the bending tube 4 and the flexible tube 6 are connected to each other by the connecting member 16 that engages over the engaging groove 9 and the engaging hole 11, the flexible tube 6 and the bending tube 4 are not rotatable but are axially movable. It can be securely connected without coming off.

Further, the endoscope 1 includes the bending piece 17 and the connecting tube 8
Since the stopper member 21 for preventing the connecting member 16 fitted in the engaging groove 9 and the engaging hole 11 from falling off is provided between the outer periphery of the fitting portion of the and the outer skin 10, the bending tube 4 and the flexible member are flexible. Tube 6
Even if a tensile force in the axial direction is applied to the connection portion with the connecting member 16, the connecting member 16 does not come off, and the connecting member 16 can be prevented from falling off during the assembling work, so that the assembling work can be facilitated. ..

The mesh tube 14 on the side of the bending tube 4 is extended to the base end of the bending piece 17 on the most proximal side, and the extending mesh tube 14 is covered on the upper surface of the connecting member 16 to form the connecting member. It may be a stopper member for preventing the falling. Of course, if necessary, the extended reticulated tube 14 portion is formed particularly thin. Further, the connecting member 16 may be fixed to the engaging groove 9 and the engaging hole 11 with an adhesive or the like.

FIG. 3 shows the shape of a connecting member for connecting the bending tube 4 and the flexible tube 6 and the engaging portions of the connecting tube 8 and the bending piece 17 with which the connecting member is engaged in the above embodiment. The modified endoscope 40 is shown, and the rest of the configuration is the same as that of the above embodiment. That is, the connecting member 46 that connects the proximal end portion of the bending piece 17 arranged at the proximal end in the bending tube 4 and the small diameter portion 8a of the connecting pipe 8 provided at the distal end of the flexible tube 6 has an upper end portion. It is formed in a substantially columnar shape having a flange portion 46a.

At least one first engaging hole 43 is formed on the outer surface of the small-diameter portion 8b of the connecting pipe 8 for engaging with the portion of the connecting member 46 other than the flange portion 46a. In addition, a second engaging hole 45 with which the connecting member 46 is engaged is formed at the base end portion of the bending piece 17 corresponding to the first engaging hole 43.

When the connecting member 46 is mounted by being engaged with the first engaging hole 43 and the second engaging hole 45, its upper surface (upper surface of the flange portion 46a) is just the bending piece 17.
Is formed so as to be flush with the outer surface of the base end portion and the lower surface thereof is flush with the inner surface of the small diameter portion 8a. That is, the connecting member 46 connects the base end portion of the bending piece 17 and the small diameter portion 8a of the connecting pipe 8 within the thickness of both of them.

The stopper member 21 made of a thin metal tape or the like is provided on the outer surface of the base end portion of the bending piece 17 where the connecting pipe 8 is fitted so as to completely cover the upper surface of the connecting member 46. Is covered. That is, the stopper member 21 is provided between the outer circumference of the fitting portion between the bending piece 17 and the connecting pipe 8 and the outer skin 10.

The endoscope 40 having the above-mentioned structure has the same effects as those of the embodiment shown in FIG.
Since the engaging portion is simply formed with the holes 43 and 45 as the through holes, it is easy to process, can be securely fixed at low cost, and can be easily assembled.

Since the endoscope 1 and the endoscope 40 do not use a screw as a connecting member as in the prior art, it is not necessary to cut a tap, and therefore the small diameter portion 8a of the connecting pipe 8 is not necessary.
Can be made thinner. Further, since the connecting members 16 and 46 only have to be fitted by using no screws, the assembling work becomes easy.

By the way, the distal end portion 3 of the endoscope 1 has a structure as shown in FIG. The tip portion 3 includes a tip forming portion 30 incorporating an objective optical system and an observation window 31, and a tip cover 29 covering the tip forming portion 30. A storage chamber 28 for storing the raising base 32 is provided in the tip forming unit 30. The storage chamber 28 communicates with a treatment instrument insertion channel (not shown) formed inside the insertion portion 2, and the treatment instrument 33 such as forceps is inserted with the insertion portion 2 through the treatment instrument insertion channel and the storage chamber 28. For example, it is guided into the body cavity.

The base end portion of the raising base 32 housed in the housing chamber 28 is supported by the tip forming portion 30 by the shaft 49. Further, the operation wire 47 is provided on the tip side of the raising base 32.
Of the operating wire 47 is connected to the treatment instrument raising operation knob 22 (see FIG. 2) through the insertion portion 2.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the tip cover 2
A lid portion 42 is provided on the side wall surface of the raising base 32 of 9, and the lid portion 42 is configured to be openable and closable by a hinge mechanism. Further, a fixing projection 44 is provided on the inner edge of the lid 42, and the projection 44 is pushed into a fixing groove 48 formed in the corresponding tip cover 29 to engage with the fixing projection. As a result, the lid 42 can be fixed to the tip cover 29 so as to be openable and closable.

The surfaces of the raising base 32 and its peripheral members (the tip cover 29, the protrusion 44, the shaft 49, etc.) are coated with an antibacterial coat made of a biguanide-based drug or the like. Each member such as the forceps raising base 32 may be made of a material containing an antibacterial agent. As an antibacterial agent,
For example, a hard vinyl chloride containing a biguanidine-based or sulfamine-based drug is considered.

According to such a structure, the back side of the raising table 32, which has been difficult to wash until now, and the periphery thereof can be easily washed, and at the same time, the growth of bacteria is prevented in the vicinity of the raising table where dirt easily attaches. It is hygienic because it can. Further, when replacing the raising base 32, the tip cover 29 had to be removed conventionally, whereas in the present structure, the lid portion 42 is opened and the shaft 49 at the base end of the raising base 32 is pulled out to operate the operation wire. By removing 47, the raising base 32 can be easily replaced, which is very convenient. In addition, the light guide cord 7 in the endoscope 1
The high pressure gas supply port 15 provided in the connector 50 of
The structure is as shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the supply port 15
Is a mounting hole 57 formed in the outer wall body 50a of the connector 50.
The base end portion of the communication pipe 58 is penetrated and fixed by tightening the fixing nut 59, and an O-ring 61 is interposed between the outer periphery of the base end portion of the communication pipe 58 and the mounting hole 57. It is attached airtightly.

A sheet-shaped porous member 62 is attached to the fixing nut 59 at its inner end by a pressing ring 63. The porous member 62 is in a state of completely covering the inner opening end surface of the communication pipe 58.
The communication tube 58 communicates with the inside of the endoscope 1 only through 2. The porous member 62 is made of, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene or the like, which is not liquid-permeable but has air permeability, and has a pore of, for example, about 10 μm.

By the way, the end portion of the communication pipe 58 projecting outward from the connector 50 is formed to have a large inner and outer diameters with respect to the base end portion, and the valve chamber 64 made of this inside is vertically and rotatably arranged. The valve element 65 is inserted in the. Disc 6
A cam receiving pin 66 is screwed to the side wall of the cam 5, and the cam receiving pin 66 is formed in the pipe wall of the communication pipe 58.
7 is fitted and engaged.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the cam holes 67 are provided obliquely with respect to the axial direction of the communication pipe 58 at an angular interval of θ = 90 °. Therefore, if the cam receiving pin 66 moves along the cam hole 67, the valve body 6
5 moves in the axial direction of the communication pipe 58 while rotating in the valve chamber 64. A ring receiving groove 68 is formed in an annular shape on the outer periphery of the inner end of the valve body 65.
An O-ring 69 is fitted on the. Then, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the valve body 65 is in the fully lowered position, the O-ring 69 pushes against the valve seat 71 in the valve chamber 64 and shuts off the communication pipe 58. Become.

A columnar flange portion 65a is formed on the upper side of the valve body 65, and the communication pipe 5 is formed on the lower side.
8, an air communication groove 65b is formed on the outer circumference of the valve body 65.

Further, as will be described later, when the valve body 65 reaches the position shown in FIG.
Are separated from each other and the communication pipe 58 is opened. Further, the valve body 65 is formed with a hole 74 that opens to the inner end side, and a relief cutout 75 is formed in the opening end side wall of the hole 74, so that the valve body 65 is formed as shown in FIG. It is designed to form a passage when in the raised position.

A cylindrical rotating body 76 is fitted on the outer periphery of the outer end of the communicating tube 58. This rotating body 76 is the communication pipe 5
8 is supported by a collar 77 formed at the outer end of the communication tube 8 and a cover ring 78 screwed and fixed to the communication tube 58, and the communication tube 58 does not move in the axial direction of the communication tube 58 at its fixed position.
It is designed to rotate around.

The cover ring 78 surrounds the outer circumference of the rotating body 76 with the collar 7.
It covers a part of the 7 side. Furthermore, the rotating body 7
The exposed outer peripheral surface of 6 has an engagement receiver 79 formed of a notch recess, and the collar 77 has a notch groove 81 corresponding to the engagement receiver 79. Then, as will be described later, in the state shown in FIG. 5 in which the valve body 75 is closed, the engagement receiver 79 is arranged so as to face the notch groove 81 and continue.

Further, the rotating body 76 is formed with an elongated hole 82 with which the cam receiving pin 66 is engaged. The long hole 82 is formed long along the axial direction of the communication pipe 58. Thus, the valve body 65 and the rotating body 76 rotate integrally via the cam receiving pin 66, but the valve body 65 is configured to be movable only in the axial direction with respect to the rotating body 76. The airtight O-ring 8 is provided between the communicating pipe 58 and the rotating body 76.
3 is inserted.

The cover ring 78 has a pin-shaped first locking body 84 which is attached and fixed so as to project laterally outward. And
The locking body 84 has a high-pressure gas supply connector 8 to be described later.
The engaging portion 86 of No. 5 is engaged.

Further, the supply port portion 15 thus constructed
In the inner end of the communication pipe 58, a large number of hygroscopic members 90 formed of silica gel or the like in a spherical shape are loaded.

On the other hand, a high pressure gas supply connector 85 as shown in FIG. 6 is detachably connected to the supply port portion 15. That is, reference numeral 87 in FIG. 6A is a connection mouthpiece, and in the connection mouthpiece 87, a large diameter portion 88 and a small diameter portion 89 which are fitted on the outer periphery of the supply port portion 15 are formed via an intermediate diameter portion 91. A hose 92 communicating with a high pressure gas supply source (not shown) is fitted and connected to the small diameter portion 89.

Further, on the wall portion of the large-diameter portion 88, there is provided a second locking body 93 which is inserted and locked in the engagement receiver 79 when the connector 85 is fitted into the supply port portion 15. The second locking body 93 is composed of a screw member penetrating the wall portion of the large diameter portion 88, and the convex portion 94 projecting inward thereof is locked to the engagement receiver 79 (FIGS. 7 and 8). reference). Further, the head portion 95 protruding outward of the screw member is fitted into a long hole 97 formed in a connecting cylinder 96 described later. A sealing O-ring 98 fitted to the cover ring 78 of the supply port 15 is attached to the inner circumference of the open end of the large diameter portion 88.

The connecting tube 96 is fitted on the outer periphery of the connecting mouthpiece 87 so as to be movable in the axial direction thereof. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, by inserting the head portion 95 of the second locking body 93 into the long hole 97 formed in the connecting cylinder 96, the long hole 97 is formed.
It can move only in the axial direction within the length range of. Further, the connection cylinder 96 is urged outward in the axial direction by a coil spring 99 interposed between the connection cylinder 96 and the connection mouthpiece 87. Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, in the normal connection tube 96, the spring receiving collar 101 formed at the upper end has the connection mouthpiece 87.
It is positioned by abutting on the collar 103 of the presser ring 102 which is screwed into and fitted to.

Further, as shown in FIG.
(B) is formed with a locking portion 86. That is, the locking portion 86 is composed of a continuous vertical groove portion 105 and a horizontal groove portion 106, and the vertical groove portion 105 is open at the tip of the connecting tube 96, and when the connecting tube 96 is fitted into the supply port portion 15, The first locking body 84 is inserted into the vertical groove portion 105. The lateral groove portion 106 is formed long along the circumferential direction of the connecting tube 96, and the rotation width θ of the lateral groove portion 106 is formed to be the same as the rotation angle width θ of the cam hole 67.

Next, the operation of the above device will be described.
In the supply port portion 15 of the endoscope 1, as shown in FIG. 5, the cam receiving pin 66 of the valve body 65 is generally located at one lower end of the cam hole 67, and the valve chamber 64 is located depending on the engagement position. The O-ring 69 is pushed inwardly, and is strongly pressed against the valve seat 71. That is, the supply port 15 is closed.

Therefore, when the leakage inspection of the endoscope 1 is performed, first, the high pressure gas supply connector 85 is connected to the supply port portion 15 in the following procedure. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the first locking body 84 is inserted into the vertical groove portion 105 of the locking portion 86 of the connecting tube 96 so that the connection mouthpiece 87 is provided.
Is fitted into the supply port portion 15. At this time, the second locking body 9
The convex portion 94 of No. 3 passes through the notch groove 81 and is inserted and locked in the engagement receiver 79 of the rotating body 76. Then, holding the connection tube 96, the connection tube 96 is pushed to the position shown in FIG. 8 against the restoring force of the coil spring 99, and the first locking body 84 is positioned in the lateral groove section 106 of the locking section 86. .. Therefore, if the entire connector 85 is rotated 90 ° clockwise in this state, the state shown in FIG. 8 is obtained. That is, the first locking body 84 is located at the rear end 106a of the lateral groove portion 106, and falls into the rear end 106a and locks.

When the connector 85 rotates, the rotating body 76 engaging with the second locking body 93 also rotates simultaneously. Further, since the cam receiving pin 66 on the valve body 65 side is engaged with the cam hole 67, the valve body 65 rotates together with the rotating body 76. Further, since the cam receiving pin 66 is locked in the cam hole 67, the valve body 65 is raised in the axial direction together with the cam receiving pin 66 during its rotation. Then, in the process of rising in the spiral shape, the deformation of the O-ring 69 of the valve body 65 is restored, but the O-ring 69 is not completely separated from the valve seat 71. In addition, it will be completely separated and opened in this final stage. Then, through the air communication groove 65b of the valve body 65 and the relief notch 75, the communication pipe 5
8 is opened, so that the inside of the connection mouthpiece 87 communicates with the inside of the airtight endoscope.

Therefore, high pressure gas is supplied through the hose 92 and introduced into the endoscope 1 to pressurize the inside thereof. Then, if there is a pinhole or a crack in any part of the endoscope 1, the leaked part is found by confirming the air leaking from the part as a bubble in the water.

When the leakage inspection is completed in this way, the endoscope 1 is taken out from the water and the connector 85 is removed from the supply port portion 15. That is, first, the supply of gas to the hose 92 is stopped, and then the supply connector 85 is rotated by 90 ° in the direction opposite to the previous direction. As a result, the first locking body 84 is located in the vertical groove portion 105, so that the connecting cylinder 96 is automatically raised by the biasing force of the coil spring 99, and
Return to the state shown in. Therefore, the connector 85 can be easily removed from the supply port 15. Further, before the connector 85 returns to the state shown in FIG. 7, the rotating body 76 also rotates at the same time, so the cam receiving pin 66 is pushed down along the cam hole 67, and the O-ring 69 of the valve body 65 is moved to the valve seat 71. Press it to close it. Then, this closing operation is performed by the first locking body 84.
Is completed before reaching the vertical groove portion 105. Therefore, when the connector 85 can be removed, it is always closed.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even if a tensile force in the axial direction is applied to the connecting portion between the bending tube and the flexible tube, the connecting member does not come off, and the connecting member can be prevented from falling off during the assembly work, which facilitates the assembly work. Can be planned.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a connection portion between a bending tube and a flexible tube of an endoscope showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a state in which the bending tube and the flexible tube are connected. It is a perspective view showing.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an endoscope.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing a modified example of a connection portion between the bending tube and the flexible tube of the endoscope of FIG.

FIG. 4A is a schematic view showing a state in which a lid portion at the distal end portion of the endoscope is closed, and FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the lid portion at the distal end portion of the endoscope is opened.

5A is a cross-sectional view of a supply port provided in a connector at the tip of a light guide cord, and FIG. 5B is a schematic view showing a shape of a cam hole in the supply port of FIG. 5A.

6A is a cross-sectional view of the connector attached to the supply port portion of FIG. 5, and FIG. 6B is a schematic view showing the shape of the locking portion of the connector of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an aspect in a state where the connector of FIG. 6 is attached to the supply port portion of FIG.

8 is a cross-sectional view showing another mode in which the connector of FIG. 6 is attached to the supply port of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope, 2 ... Insertion part, 4 ... Bending part, 6 ... Flexible tube, 8
... connecting pipe, 16 ... connecting member, 21 ... stopper member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A bending tube and a flexible tube are connected to each other, and a bending piece located at a proximal end of the bending tube and a connecting portion formed at a distal end of the flexible tube are overlapped with each other. At the time of fitting, at the overlapping fitting position, the bending piece and the connecting portion of the flexible tube are provided with engaging holes for engaging a common connecting member, respectively. In the endoscope for connecting the bending tube and the flexible tube by the connecting member that engages over the hole, the engaging member is provided between the outer periphery of the fitting portion of the bending piece and the connecting portion and the outer skin. An endoscope comprising a stopper member for preventing the connecting member fitted in the hole from falling off.