JPH0561605B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention directly covers the optical fiber bundle at the curved part of the endoscope insertion section through which the optical fiber bundle has been inserted with a highly flexible protective tube, thereby reducing the outer diameter. The present invention relates to an exterior device for an optical fiber bundle for an endoscope, which makes it possible to reduce the size of the optical fiber bundle and prevent damage to the optical fiber bundle.

In recent years, by inserting a long and thin insertion section into a body cavity, organs within the body cavity can be observed, and if necessary, in-vivo tissues can be collected using forceps inserted through the forceps channel to diagnose the affected area in detail. Medical endoscopes are widely used. or,
In the industrial field, industrial endoscopes are used for boilers,
It is also used for maintenance purposes, such as observing the condition inside pipes of chemical plants, etc., and collecting and inspecting deposits on the inner surface of pipes.

The above-mentioned endoscopes include flexible endoscopes that have a curved part around the distal end side of the insertion part that can be bent vertically, left and right, and rigid endoscopes that have a rigid and substantially straight insertion part.

In these endoscopes, when the insertion tube is inserted, the illumination light supplied to the proximal side is transmitted through a light guide fiber formed of an optical fiber bundle, and the illumination light is emitted toward the object at the tip of the insertion tube. An illumination optical system that forms an image of the object illuminated by the illumination optical system, and an observation optical system that can be observed from behind the eyepiece on the hand side via an image transmission means.

In the case of a flexible endoscope, the image transmission means also uses an optical fiber bundle, that is, an image guide fiber.

Conventionally, these optical fiber bundles such as light guide fibers and image guide fibers are covered with flexible tubes, and when the curved part is bent, the bundles of optical fibers, such as light guide fibers and image guide fibers, have been covered with flexible tubes, and when the curved part is bent, the bundles of optical fibers such as light guide fibers and image guide fibers have been covered with other internal objects that have been inserted into the insertion part. It is further covered with a protective tube to prevent collision and damage.

FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a main part of a conventional protective tube disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 56-36302 filed by the present applicant.

In the figure, the body cavity insertion section 2 of the endoscope 1 is
a long flexible tube 3 whose base end is connected to an operating section main body (not shown); a curved tube 4 connected to the distal end of the flexible tube 3 and curved in a desired direction by operation with the operating section main body;
It consists of a short cylindrical tip 5 fixed to the tip of the curved tube 4. As is well known, the distal end portion 5 is provided with an observation objective window 6, an illumination window (not shown), and the like. Inside the curved tube 4 and flexible tube 3, an image guide fiber 7 and a light guide fiber (not shown), one end of which is fixed to the distal end 5, are arranged so as to be drawn therethrough.

These fibers, for example the image guide fiber 7, are covered with a flexible (sheath) tube 8,
The curved tube 4 is further covered with a smooth, stretchable and flexible protective tube 9, one end of which is fixed to the objective lens frame 10 of the tip 5 together with one end of the fiber 7, and the other end is covered with the flexible tube 3. It has an open end inside. The non-fixed end 9a of the protective tube 9 is tapered in the direction of the central axis of the protective tube 9 and has a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the protective tube 9.

On the other hand, as is well known, as shown in FIG. 2, the flexible tube 3 has a braid (wire mesh) attached to the outer periphery of a tubular flex 11 formed by spirally winding a thin band-shaped elastic plate. 12, and a mantle 13 made of a synthetic resin material is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the mantle, and is composed of three layers: the flex 11, the blade 12, and the mantle 13.

The flexible tube 8 and the protective tube 9 in the conventional example configured as described above are each made of a material with good slippage, but since the optical fibers are coated in several layers, the optical fibers do not move smoothly during the bending operation. They have the disadvantages that they do not move easily and break, that their outer diameter becomes too thick, causing pain to the patient when inserted into a body cavity, and that they cannot be inserted unless the diameter of the insertion site exceeds a predetermined value.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and is capable of smoothly sliding an optical fiber bundle at a curved portion.
The other optical fiber bundles are directly covered with a highly flexible protective tube, and the other optical fiber bundles are directly covered with a flexible tube different from the protective tube, and the protective tube and flexible tube are connected at each end. It is an object of the present invention to provide an outer diameter device for an optical fiber bundle for an endoscope, which prevents breakage of optical fibers and can reduce the outer diameter by being connected with flexibility.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an endoscope having a curved part in the middle of the insertion part into which the optical fiber bundle is inserted, which allows the optical fiber bundle to be operated in a bending manner. Then, the other optical fiber bundles are directly covered with a highly flexible protective tube, and the other optical fiber bundles are directly covered with a flexible tube that is different from the protective tube, and the protective tube and flexible tube are Flexibly connected at each end.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to the drawings.

3 and 4 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 shows a flexible endoscope using the first embodiment, and FIG. 4 shows main parts of the first embodiment.

In these figures, a flexible endoscope 21 includes an elongated insertion section 22 covered with a flexible tube, and a large-diameter operation section 23 connected to the proximal end of the insertion section 22.
and an eyepiece section 24 formed at the rear end of the operating section 23. A light guide cable 25 extends from the side of the operating section 23, and a connector 26 provided at the end of the light guide cable 25. Illumination light is supplied by attaching it to a light source device (not shown).

A bendable bending part 28 is formed in the rear part adjacent to the distal end part 27 of the insertion part 22, and by rotating the bending operation lever 29 in the operation part 23, the The bending portion 28 is configured to be able to bend vertically, horizontally, etc.

Inside the insertion section 22, as shown in FIG. 4, there is a light guide fiber 30 formed of an optical fiber bundle.
is inserted into the light guide cable 25 from the operating section 23 and covered with a tube-shaped member.

In other words, the light guide fiber 30 in the tip 27 is fixed with a rigid or nearly rigid pipe member 31, and the portion of the curved portion 28 adjacent to the tip 27 is flexible (at least on the inner circumferential surface).
It is covered with a protective tube 32 made of, for example, stretchable foamable tetrafluoroethylene resin with good sliding properties, and the flexible part behind the curved part 28 is covered with a flexible tube 33 (made of, for example, urethane resin). has been done.

The outer periphery of the rear end of the pipe member 31 is made thin,
The front end portion of the protective tube 32, which has a slightly narrowed diameter, is fitted onto the outer periphery of the thin rear end, and is fixed by being wrapped tightly with a thread-like member (with adhesive if necessary). The rear end of the protective tube 32 is in contact with the front end of a tube 33 having the same diameter, and a connecting tube 34 whose inner peripheral surface is coated with silicone resin adhesive, for example, is fitted to the outer periphery of the contacting portion to connect both tubes 32. , 33 are connected.

In the first embodiment configured in this way,
In the curved portion 28 where great flexibility is required, the light guide fiber 3 is directly attached to the protective tube 32 which is flexible and has good sliding properties.
Since the outer diameter of the fiber bundle is covered and protected, the outer diameter can be reduced, and when the outer circumference of the fiber bundle comes into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the protective tube 33 during a bending operation, the frictional resistance is small, so a large force is locally applied. It is distributed without any action (force is evenly distributed). Therefore, breakage is prevented or reduced. Further, by forming the flexible portion rearward of the curved portion 28 with a member having a necessary degree of flexibility, durability can be ensured.

In addition, although the light guide fiber 30 is described as an optical fiber bundle in the above description, the same applies to an image guide fiber.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the invention.

As shown in the figure, in the second embodiment, the rear end side of the protective tube 32 is a flexible tube 3.
The front end side of 3' is enlarged in diameter and overlapped with the outer periphery of the protective tube 32, and the overlapping portion is bonded to connect. Other than this, the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment.

The effects of this embodiment are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment described above, but it has the advantage that the connection tube 34 is not required compared to the first embodiment.

It is clear that this embodiment can also be applied to image guide fibers.

Further, the front end of the protective tube 32 is connected to the pipe member 31.
Although it is fixed by tightening it with a thread-like member, it is also possible to fix the abutting inner and outer circumferential surfaces with an adhesive.

It should be noted that the present invention covers both the light guide fiber and the image guide fiber in the curved portion, and any method that covers at least either of them falls within the scope of the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, the optical fiber bundle at the curved portion is directly covered with a protective tube that has good slippage and is highly flexible, and the other portions are covered with a flexible tube. Therefore, it has the advantage that the outer diameter can be made small and breakage of the optical fiber can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 relate to a conventional example; FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of the distal end side of the endoscope insertion section using the conventional example; and FIG. 2 is the main part of FIG. 1. FIGS. 3 and 4 are an enlarged side view partially cut away and relate to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a flexible endoscope using the first embodiment, and FIGS. 4 is a sectional view showing the main parts of the first embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the main part of the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the embodiment. 21... Flexible endoscope, 22... Insertion section, 23...
...Operation unit, 28...Bending portion, 30...Light guide fiber, 31...Pipe member, 32...Protection tube, 33, 33'...Tube, 34...
connection tube.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an endoscope that has a bending part that can be bent in the middle of the insertion part into which the optical fiber bundle is inserted,
The part of the optical fiber bundle where the curved part is located,
Directly cover the optical fiber bundle with a highly flexible protective tube with good slippage on at least the inner circumferential surface, and cover the part of the optical fiber bundle behind the part located in the curved part with a flexibility different from that of the protective tube. 1. An exterior device for an optical fiber bundle for an endoscope, characterized in that the protective tube and the flexible tube are directly covered with a tube, and the protective tube and the flexible tube are connected at each end.